The bustling sounds of the city filled the air as Catherine weaved her way through the crowded streets, a bag of groceries cradled in her arms. It had been an ordinary day, or so she thought, until a shrill cry pierced through the chaos.
"Wait! Stop!"
Her head snapped toward the voice, her heart lurching at the sight. A small child, no older than five, had darted into the street after a brightly colored ball. The child's oblivious smile contrasted sharply with the growing roar of an oncoming truck, its driver too distracted to notice the danger.
Without a second thought, Catherine dropped her bag, the fruits scattering across the pavement. Her legs moved on instinct, propelling her forward as adrenaline coursed through her veins.
"Get back!" she screamed, her voice barely carrying over the cacophony of the city.
Time seemed to slow as she reached the child, her arms wrapping tightly around the small body. With all her strength, she hurled the child back onto the safety of the sidewalk, the ball rolling away forgotten.
The blaring horn of the truck filled her ears as she turned her head. There was no time to move, no time to think.
A sharp pain tore through her body as the truck collided with her. The world spun, colors blending together in a dizzying array before everything went dark.
As her consciousness faded, Catherine's mind was filled with a single, bittersweet thought: If only I had a second chance… a chance to live a life as exciting as the stories I loved.
A warm light enveloped her, replacing the coldness of the street. When she opened her eyes, she found herself in an ornate bedroom, surrounded by luxury far beyond her wildest dreams. But it wasn't her reflection in the gilded mirror across the room that made her heart stop—it was the face of Lady Isoldel Aion, the villainess of The Breath of Love.
Catherine gasped, her hand trembling as she touched her face. "No way… I'm Isoldel? The villainess?!"
Her heart raced as she pieced together her new reality. She had been given another chance, but as the doomed antagonist of her favorite novel. The echoes of her tragic end from the story filled her mind, but determination sparked in her chest.
"I'm not going to let this be my fate," she whispered, her voice firm. "This time, I'll rewrite the story… and my ending.