CHAPTER 8

Lucia was still trying to understand what had happened to her. Woke up drenched in sweat, plus a long but absolute nightmare. She also wanted to deny it, but what happened since she woke up from her sleep was like Dejavu showing flashbacks of future events in her dreams.

She patted her cheek. However, all she got was pain and redness on her cheeks. She was completely confused about the difference between dream and reality. What she thought was just a dream felt so real that what she felt inside it still feels today. In fact, the movement of the fetus in her stomach she remembered very well, it was all really confusing—she thought.

Lucia wiped the sweat off her forehead, that's when she realized something was confirming that what she called a dream was actually reality. The ring that the older woman had given her that had taken her soul was pinned there and again ... the ring was difficult to slip from her finger.

Realizing that something was off, Lucia tried to think maybe what she saw in the dream was a hint for her to be more careful, or perhaps… she came back alive to do something specific if indeed the future was as bad as she saw; revenge.

However, before that she wanted to confirm something first. After all, she needed proof of the accuracy of her future memory. She reached for the calendar on the table and checked today's date. If she did come back alive or maybe she could predict the future, on that very day Ethan would call her asking for money.

As she recalled, the money was earmarked for his parents in his hometown for treatment because he was seriously ill. However, until Lucia got married, she had never even seen her father-in-law's face in person because Ethan always forbade it on the pretext that their relationship had deteriorated.

Lucia got up from her bed again, then stood right in the mirror of her room. She saw how she looked still beautiful and fresh, unlike Lucia in a dream who looked like a wilted flower. She went to the dining table, trying to remember the menu for breakfast this morning. How ridiculous—she thought.

Seeing Olivia coming out of her room, the maids of her residence immediately greeted her. Some prepare drinks and provide footwear for her, some immediately put thick coats and newspapers for her. They all bowed their heads, not out of respect but in fear.

Lucia in her previous life was an arrogant and childish woman, she was so focused on her love for Ethan that she was willing to do anything including torturing the servants who made mistakes while serving Ethan as well as herself. That man made it even worse with all her incitement, making the followers of this family slowly lose their trust in Lucia and finally at the end of her life, only Maria survived.

Praaag!

A shaking waiter accidentally dropped the glass on the tray, she bare-handed immediately cleaned up all the broken glass for fear of being punished much worse. Seeing that, Lucia immediately ran over to her.

"What are you doing?!"

"I-I'm sorry, Madam... I promise I won't do it again," replied the maid with shaking hands.

Lucia pulled the maid up to her feet, then showed her palm bleeding from being hit by the broken glass. However, suddenly the servant pulled her and kneeled at her feet begging for forgiveness.

"W-what are you—"

"Forgive me, Miss, I promise I won't do anything wrong again. Please ... please don't punish me," she said with a trembling voice and tears in her eyes.

Instantly Lucia realized that she was the antagonist in her previous life. She who was arrogant did not hesitate to torture her loyal servants until they finally abandoned her when this family collapsed. Lucia realized she had a lot of things to fix if she didn't want the nightmare to come true.

She crouched again in front of the maid while the other maids could only look down because of their fear. Lucia helped the woman back to her feet, then she saw the blood pouring out profusely. She immediately tore the ribbon on her evening gown, then tied the wound directly. "Treat your wound."

The woman's change in attitude made them suddenly take aback, but Lucia didn't care. If indeed this was a second life and opportunity that the mysterious old woman meant, she would use it to change the future and retain her loyal followers.

Lucia resumed her journey to the dining room and was surprised to see that the man was already sitting on the chair that should have been her seat as the family's successor. Ethan was munching on his toast, he didn't even welcome Lucia—the owner of this magnificent residence.

In the past, Lucia wouldn't have cared because her love for Ethan blinded her eyes. But now, she doesn't want to be consumed by the word love alone, she wants to make sure for himself whether he is the same Ethan as Ethan in her nightmare.

"Hi, Ethan."