Mia's POV
"You came back too?"
The words fall out of my mouth before I can stop them. We're standing in the middle of the sidewalk, people rushing past us, but all I can see is Adrian Steele's gray eyes burning into mine.
"Not here." He grabs my wrist—gently but firmly—and pulls me into a narrow alley between two buildings. Away from the crowd. Away from listening ears.
My back hits the brick wall. Adrian stands in front of me, blocking the exit, his tall frame creating a barrier between me and the rest of the world.
"How?" I demand, my voice shaking. "How is this possible? How did you—"
"Die?" He says the word so casually, like we're discussing the weather. "Car accident. Three years from now. Someone cut my brakes. I crashed into a river and drowned."
My breath catches. "Who killed you?"
"I don't know yet. But I will." His jaw clenches. "I woke up six months ago in my twenty-three-year-old body. I've been living this second life for half a year already, changing things, fixing mistakes. And waiting."
"Waiting for what?"
"For you." He leans closer, and I can feel the heat radiating from him. "In my first life, I never met you. I didn't know you existed. But when I came back, I started having... dreams. Visions of a girl singing on a mall stage before it collapsed. A girl with your face. Your voice. I saw you die, Mia. Over and over again in my sleep."
My hands are shaking. "That's impossible—"
"So is coming back from the dead, but here we are." His eyes search my face like he's looking for answers. "I spent six months tracking you down. Learning everything about you. I found out about your audition today, about Sophia's poisoned tea, about Ethan stealing your songs. I sent those messages because I needed you to trust me. To come find me."
"Why?" The word comes out as barely a whisper. "Why do you care what happens to me?"
Something shifts in his expression. For a moment, the cold, powerful businessman disappears, and I see something raw underneath. Something that looks like pain.
"Because in every dream, every vision, you die alone. Forgotten. And I don't know why, but—" He stops, jaw working like the words are being torn from him. "—but I can't let that happen. Not again."
Before I can respond, my phone alarm goes off. 9:45 AM. The audition at Seoul Star Entertainment starts at 10:00.
Adrian's eyes flick to my phone, then back to my face. "You're still going? Even knowing it's rigged?"
"I have to see for myself. I need to know if what you said is true."
"It is true. They've already chosen someone—your friend Sophia. This whole audition is just for show." His hand comes up, almost touching my cheek, but he stops himself. "Don't waste your time on people who've already decided you're not worth it."
"Then what do I do?" Frustration burns in my chest. "Just give up before I even try?"
"No. You come with me to Apex Entertainment instead. I'll sign you right now. No audition needed. You'll have everything—resources, training, protection. A real chance." His voice drops lower. "I'll make sure you become the star you were always meant to be."
It's tempting. So tempting. But something doesn't add up.
"If you've known about me for six months, why wait until today? Why not approach me sooner?"
Adrian's expression shutters closed. "Because the timing had to be perfect. You had to experience the betrayal first. Had to feel the poison of false friends. Otherwise, you'd never believe me. You'd never trust me enough to—"
He cuts himself off, but I hear what he didn't say.
"To do what?" I push. "What do you need from me, Adrian?"
For a long moment, he just stares at me. Then: "To save us both."
Before I can ask what he means, voices echo from the street. Familiar voices.
"—swear she was just here. I saw her running this way—"
Sophia.
Adrian and I both freeze. He puts a finger to his lips, signaling silence. We press deeper into the shadows of the alley.
Sophia appears at the alley entrance with Ethan right behind her. My traitorous ex-boyfriend looks annoyed, checking his phone constantly.
"Why do you even care where she is?" Ethan whines. "Let her miss the audition. More opportunity for you."
"Because she's acting weird." Sophia's voice is sharp with suspicion. "She knew about my meeting with Victor. She rejected your song. She dodged my tea. Something's wrong with her."
"Maybe she finally grew a brain," Ethan mutters.
Sophia whirls on him. "This isn't funny. What if she knows? What if she figured out what we've been doing?"
My heart stops. Adrian's hand finds mine in the darkness, squeezing once. A silent message: stay quiet.
"She doesn't know anything," Ethan says, but he sounds uncertain now. "She's too stupid to figure it out. She's always been too trusting. Too naive."
"She's not acting naive anymore." Sophia pulls out her phone. "I'm calling Victor. If Mia's planning something, we need to shut it down before—"
A new voice cuts through the air, sharp and commanding: "Before what, Ms. Harris?"
Everyone turns. A man in a security uniform stands at the other end of the alley. Behind him, two more security guards appear.
"This is private property. What are you doing here?" The guard's hand rests on his radio. "Should I call the police?"
Sophia's face goes white. "No! We were just—we're looking for our friend—"
"Then look somewhere else. Now."
Sophia and Ethan practically run from the alley. The security guard watches them go, then turns directly toward our hiding spot in the shadows.
"You can come out now, Mr. Steele. The coast is clear."
Adrian steps into the light, pulling me with him. "Thank you, Marcus."
I stare between them. "You... you knew they were coming?"
"I told you. I've been preparing for this for six months. I have eyes everywhere." Adrian's grip on my hand tightens. "Now you've heard it yourself. They know you're changing. They're suspicious. They're going to move against you faster now."
He's right. Sophia and Ethan aren't going to wait anymore. They're scared, and scared people are dangerous.
"So what do I do?" I ask, hating how helpless I sound.
Adrian's gray eyes burn with intensity. "You go to that audition. You walk in there and you show them exactly what they tried to destroy. You sing like your life depends on it—because it does. Show them the Phoenix rising."
"But you said it's rigged—"
"It is. But I'll be there." A dangerous smile crosses his face. "And when I walk through that door, everything changes. Trust me."
The security guard—Marcus—clears his throat. "Sir, if you're going to make it to Seoul Star Entertainment before Ms. Chen's audition slot, you need to leave now. Traffic's bad this time of day."
Adrian checks his watch, then looks at me one more time. "I'll see you in that audition room, Mia. When I walk through that door, don't stop singing. No matter what happens, don't stop. Can you do that?"
I nod, not trusting my voice.
He starts to leave, then pauses. "And Mia? In my first life, I died alone too. Maybe that's why I was sent back. Not to save myself—" His eyes meet mine, and the intensity steals my breath. "—but to save you."
Then he's gone, disappearing around the corner with Marcus, leaving me alone in the alley with a racing heart and too many questions.
I check my phone. 9:52 AM. Eight minutes to get to Seoul Star Entertainment.
I run.
I burst through the doors at 9:59 AM, gasping for breath. The waiting room is packed with hopeful singers. And right in the middle, sitting pretty with a satisfied smile, is Sophia.
Her smile drops when she sees me. "Mia? I thought you weren't coming—"
"Wouldn't miss it for the world," I say, walking past her to check in at the desk.
Sophia's eyes narrow. She pulls out her phone, typing furiously. Probably texting Victor that I showed up.
Good. Let them worry.
"Number forty-seven!" A staff member calls out. "Mia Chen!"
My number. My turn.
I stand, and Sophia stands too, blocking my path. "Good luck," she says sweetly, but her eyes are cold. "I hope your throat holds up without my special tea."
"Oh, I think I'll manage." I step around her and walk toward the audition room door.
My hands are shaking. My heart is pounding. Everything rides on this moment.
I push open the door and step into my future.
Three judges sit behind a long table, looking bored. They barely glance up when I enter.
"Name?" one asks, not even looking at her clipboard.
"Mia Chen."
"Song choice?"
In my first life, I sang a safe pop ballad. Tried to be what I thought they wanted.
Not this time.
"'Phoenix Rising.' It's an original."
That gets their attention. All three judges look up, interested now.
I take my position at the microphone. Close my eyes. Think about dying alone on a mall stage. Think about Sophia's poisoned tea and Ethan's stolen songs. Think about Adrian's gray eyes and his promise: When I walk through that door, everything changes.
The music starts—just a simple piano backing track on my phone.
And I sing.
Not for the judges. Not for Seoul Star Entertainment. Not even for myself.
I sing for the girl who died forgotten. For the second chance I never earned but got anyway. For every person who was betrayed by someone they trusted.
My voice fills the room, strong and clear and powerful. The song pours out of me like water breaking through a dam—all the pain, all the rage, all the hope for something better.
I fell from grace, I touched the groundBut in the ashes, strength was foundThey tried to break me, tear me downBut watch me rise—
The door slams open.
I don't stop singing. Adrian told me not to stop, no matter what.
But it's not Adrian who walks through that door.
It's Victor Kane, and he's smiling like a shark that smells blood.
"Stop the audition," he commands. "This girl is blacklisted."