The phone rings for what felt like an eternity. For every ring she heard, Esmé kept second guessing that maybe this is not a good idea.
When the call was picked up on the last ring, Esmé felt that she stopped breathing for a moment.
"Hello?" Came Abigail's voice.
Esmé gulps a little, tears filling in her eyes. She almost forgot what she had sounded like. On her previous life, Abigail cut off their friendship after she was married with Dominic.
She should have listened to Abigail about what she found out about Dominic. It was just that Esmé was too blinded by the trust she had for her parents' judgement over picking Dominic as their son in law, and the love Esmé began to feel for him too.
Esmé didn't know what had happened to Abigail after that. Everything just went into a shit just two weeks after her fiancé, currently, completely finished isolating her from everyone.
God, how can Esmé be so stupid!?
"Uh, hello?" Abigail's voice came through again, pulling Esmé back to reality.
"Ivy..." Esmé says, calling her by the nickname she had given her years ago. She missed her so much.
"Em?" Abigail's voice from the other end sounded surprised. "You're awake? Oh god. You are! Fuck! Hang on. I'm heading to the hospital right now."
Esmé heard the silent hitch of her breath on the call. There was panic and relief intertwined in a way she couldn't tell how.
"Ivy, I'm sorry." Esmé says, her voice almost caught in her throat. She had no idea why she was apologizing.
Is it for her own stupidity?
Is it because she had finally realized that the only person who really truly stayed for her was not Dominic when her parents died three months ago but Abigail?
"Em, no. Don't apologize. You're scaring me." Abigail says. "Don't move either, you hear me? I'll be there as quickly as I can. I swear on all the planets above, if that fiancé of yours did this-"
"Come here." Esmé says, cutting Abigail. "Please."
A sigh came from the other end. "As long as the bastard isn't around, expect me in 30."
"He won't be here. I requested not to let anyone know that I am awake already. Just tell them that I sent for you though." Esmé says.
"Good. I'll be there."
The call disconnected and Esmé placed the phone back on the beside table. She is finally hearing back from Abigail.
It felt like it was so long ago that she had last heard from her. If only she had listened earlier to her, she would not have to suffer the way she did in her past life.
However, there is no need to think more about it now. She had been reincarnated, returned to a time of her life where she can change her decision before it had toppled the domino into her brutal end.
The heavens heard her declaration and granted it. A second chance. It felt like a fresh start, like her past life didn't happen.
It means that if she picked the same decision she had done, she will just have a repeat of her past, except she knows there might be no more chances left for her to lead her best life.
This time, she can take her revenge. The fury envelopes her, as the pain and suffering she had experienced became clear in her mind.
It may not happen on this life, but she will drag Dominic down. She will take everything from him and then sit on a pedestal as she watch him suffer as much as she did.
Lost in her thoughts, she didn't realize that the time has finally reached 30 minutes since the call with Abigail. The door opens.
The first thing that Esmé noticed were blue eyes staring back with her own green eyes. Abigail's brown hair were in a permanent perm she had put her hair on ages ago. She wore simple off shoulder, plain blue blouse and a high waist pants. Even with such simplicity, she looked stunning.
There is worry in Abigail's face and Esmé looked down on her hands, unable to take the stare.
"Lord gracious, Esmé, you look like shit." Abigail slowly approached, going to to the table to grab the chair so she can sit beside her.
Esmé chuckles softly, before sighing. "Gee thanks. I feel like shit too. How are you?" She asked.
They weren't able to talk for months before this and the next time they do meet in her past life, Esmé remembered that Abigail completely cut her off because she got married anyway.
Abigail sighs. "Em, we had our disagreement months ago. I don't blame you for pushing me away then. We fought but that doesn't mean I'm not going to visit you." She pursed her lips. "What the hell even happened?"
Esmé has no idea where to start. What can she even say? That she realized Dominic really is the bastard that Abigail had been telling Esmé for ages? Or maybe that she returned back from being dead in her previous life in an attempt to start anew and get her revenge in the process?
Or that pushing Abigail away was the biggest, stupidest mistake she has ever done and she will never forgive herself she did that to her?
There was nowhere to start.
Esmé closed her eyes for a moment. "I just... I'm really sorry, Ivy. I really am."
Abigail takes her hand, which made Esmé open her eyes and look at their hands. "Em, you don't need to apologize. I am here for you, always will."
"I don't want to get married to him anymore." Esmé says, her voice steady. It is the only thing she is sure about. "But I don't want him to be aware yet of my decision. I have my reasons, but will you help me?"
There came a small grin on Abigail's face as she nodded her head. "You know I will. What do you want me to do?"