Another chance

The woman's gaze fell upon the stranger, and she noted his features - his piercing blue eyes, his strong jawline, and his messy brown hair. For a moment, their eyes locked, and the woman felt a spark of recognition.

"Please..." she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Help me... my daughter... she's here somewhere..."

The stranger rushed towards her, his eyes scanning the room for any signs of the child. "I've got you," he said, his voice calm and reassuring. "I'll find your daughter. Just hold on."

As he reached for her, a burning plank fell from the ceiling, striking him on the shoulder. The woman's eyes widened in horror as the stranger grunted in pain, his eyes never leaving hers.

"I've got you," he repeated, his voice strained but determined. "I won't let you die."

The woman's vision began to fade, the flames closing in around them. She felt the stranger's arms wrap around her, holding her close as he tried to shield her from the inferno.

Suddenly, the woman heard a faint cry. "Mama!" a small voice called out.

The woman's eyes scanned the room, and she saw her daughter, a tiny, fragile figure, crawling towards her through the smoke and flames.

With a surge of adrenaline, the woman struggled free from the stranger's grasp, her eyes fixed on her daughter. She stumbled forward, her arms outstretched, and swept up her daughter in a tight embrace.

As she held her daughter close, the woman felt a sense of peace wash over her. She looked up at the stranger, who was watching her with a look of sadness and compassion.

"Thank you," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Thank you for trying to save me."

The stranger nodded, his eyes filling with tears. "I'm sorry," he said, his voice cracking. "I'm so sorry I couldn't save you."

The woman smiled weakly, her eyes locked on the stranger's face. She reached out a hand, and the stranger took it, his fingers intertwining with hers.

As the flames closed in around them, the woman's vision began to fade. She looked at her daughter, who was crying softly in her arms, and then at the stranger, who was watching her with a look of deep sadness.

With her last ounce of strength, the woman whispered, "In my next life... I'll redo everything... I'll change my destiny... I won't make the same mistakes..."

As the flames consumed the room, the woman's vision faded to black, her body limp in the stranger's arms. The stranger held her close, his eyes filled with tears, as the flames closed in around them.

In the end, it was just the three of them, surrounded by the inferno, their bodies entwined in a final, desperate embrace.

....

As the girl's eyes fluttered open, she was met with a wave of pain that threatened to consume her. She groggily opened her eyes, and her gaze fell upon a familiar scene. She was in her childhood home, sitting in the living room with her family. She tried recalling what brought her here and remembered

Her father, a stern-looking man with a cold expression, sat on the couch, flanked by her stepmother, a woman with a calculating gaze. Her sister, the same woman who had been with the man who had tortured her, sat in an armchair, a smug expression on her face.

The girl's eyes widened as she listened to her father's conversation. "Vanya, you're 18 now, and it's time for you to get married," he said, his voice firm. "I've arranged for you to marry the son of a wealthy businessman. It's a good match, and it will secure our family's future."

The girl's eyes locked onto her father's face, shock and horror written across her features. She remembered this scene all too well. This was the beginning of every problem she had in her life. She had been transported back in time, ten years ago, to the moment that had changed everything.

"But Father, I don't want to get married," the girl had protested, trying to keep her voice steady. "I want to go to college, to pursue my dreams."

Her father's expression turned cold. "Your dreams are irrelevant, Vanya," he said. "What's important is the family's reputation and financial security. You'll do as you're told and marry the man I've chosen for you."

The girl's stepmom spoke up, her voice dripping with malice. "Yes, Vanya, you're so lucky to have Father arrange a marriage for you. You're not smart enough to make your own decisions, after all."