Aria's POV
I slapped myself across the face.
Hard.
It hurt. Real pain. Real skin. This wasn't a dream.
My hands shook as I touched my face again. No wrinkles around my eyes. No tired lines around my mouth. Just smooth, twenty-two-year-old skin that I'd hated back then because I thought I looked too young. Too plain.
Now I wanted to kiss my own reflection.
"I'm back," I whispered to the mirror. "I'm actually back."
My legs gave out. I sat down hard on the bathroom floor and started laughing. Crazy, wild laughter that turned into sobs. Tears poured down my face. I couldn't stop them.
Thirteen years. Gone. Erased. I got a second chance.
People don't get second chances. Dead people stay dead. Time doesn't go backward.
But here I was.
I cried until my throat hurt. Cried for the thirty-five-year-old woman who died in that dirty bar. Cried for all those wasted years. Cried because somewhere in the universe, something decided I deserved another try.
Then I stopped crying and started thinking.
Today was April 15, 2013. The day of the Apex Entertainment audition. In my first life, I went to that audition nervous and hopeful. I sang terribly because Victor Zhang stared at me the whole time with those snake eyes. He made me so uncomfortable I forgot my lyrics.
The judges failed me. I became a joke. "Did you hear about that girl who choked at Apex? Can't even remember words to her own song."
That failure started everything. It made me doubt myself. Made me vulnerable when Maya said, "Don't worry, Aria. I'll help you. Let me introduce you to Producer Zhang. He can help your career."
Victor Zhang. The man who destroyed me.
But that was my first life. My old life.
This time, I knew the truth. Victor would try to make me fail because I refused his "special attention" at a party last week. He'd already decided to ruin me before I even walked into that audition room.
In my first life, I didn't know that. I thought I just wasn't good enough.
Now I knew better.
My phone buzzed on the sink. A text message.
Maya: "Good morning, bestie! You ready for today? You're going to be AMAZING! I believe in you! ❤️"
I stared at those words. In my first life, that text made me smile. Made me feel supported.
Now I wanted to throw my phone at the wall.
Maya. My best friend. The girl who slept on my couch when her boyfriend kicked her out. The girl who borrowed money she never paid back. The girl who ate my food, wore my clothes, and smiled in my face while planning to stab me in the back.
She was already planning it. Right now. Today.
I knew exactly what would happen. In three weeks, I'd write "Phoenix Rising" on my guitar in this apartment. Maya would watch me, say it's beautiful, and ask to record a voice memo of it on her phone "to remember it."
Then she'd steal it. Record it herself. Claim she wrote it. And when I confronted her, she'd cry and say I was jealous of her success. Ethan would believe her. Everyone would believe her.
Because Maya was beautiful. Sweet. Innocent-looking.
And I was just bitter Aria who couldn't handle her best friend's success.
Not this time.
My phone buzzed again.
Ethan: "Hey babe. Want me to drive you to the audition? I can pick you up at 1."
Ethan. My boyfriend. The man I thought I'd marry someday.
The man who would dump me six months from now for my best friend. The man who would tell me I was "too negative" and "holding onto grudges" when I tried to tell him Maya stole from me.
The man who would marry my sister Luna three years later just to stay in my family and make me watch them together at every holiday.
I typed back fast: "No thanks. I'm going alone."
I deleted his number. Blocked him. Done.
My hands were still shaking but for a different reason now. Not fear. Anger. Pure, burning anger that I'd kept buried for thirteen years.
They all thought I was weak. Easy to use. Easy to break.
They had no idea who I really was. What I'd become. What I'd survived.
I stood up and looked at myself in the mirror again. This time I didn't see a scared twenty-two-year-old. I saw a warrior. A woman who died and came back for revenge.
"You want to destroy me?" I said to my reflection. To Maya. To Ethan. To Victor. To everyone who hurt me. "Try it. I already know every move you'll make."
I walked to my tiny closet and pulled out the outfit I wore to the audition in my first life. A boring black dress that made me look like I was going to a funeral. I'd chosen it because my mother said, "Dress professionally, Aria. Don't embarrass us."
I threw it on the floor.
Instead, I grabbed a red shirt I bought but never wore because Luna said red made me look "too loud." I put on jeans that fit me perfectly. Boots that made me feel powerful.
In my first life, I tried to be what everyone wanted.
This time, I'd be exactly who I was.
I checked the time. 10:30 AM. The audition was at 2 PM. I had time to prepare. Time to plan. Time to make sure everything went differently.
My new phone buzzed. Different ringtone. Not a text.
Someone was calling.
I looked at the screen and my blood froze.
Victor Zhang
Why was he calling me NOW? He never called me before the audition in my first life. This wasn't supposed to happen.
My finger hovered over the answer button. Every instinct screamed not to pick up. But I needed to know what he wanted. Needed to understand what changed.
I answered.
"Hello?"
"Aria Chen." His voice was smooth like oil. It made my skin crawl. "I heard you're auditioning today at Apex. I wanted to give you some friendly advice before you embarrass yourself."
My heart pounded. "What advice?"
He laughed. Cold. Mean. "Drop out. You're not good enough. Save yourself the humiliation. A pretty girl like you has... other options. Come work with me instead. Privately."
I knew what he meant. What he wanted. He wanted me to quit the audition and become his... what? His toy? His victim?
In my first life, I said no to this conversation because it never happened. But now...
"Thank you for the advice, Mr. Zhang," I said sweetly. "I'll see you at the audition."
I hung up.
Then I realized something horrible.
Victor knew I was auditioning. He called to threaten me before I even walked in.
Which meant he was planning something bigger than just rigging my scores.
Something worse.
Three loud knocks on my apartment door made me jump.
"Aria! Open up! It's me!"
Maya's voice. Outside my door. Right now.
She wasn't supposed to come here today. In my first life, she texted me good luck but didn't visit.
Why was she here?
I walked to the door slowly. Put my hand on the knob.
What did she want? Why was this different? What else had changed?
"Aria!" Maya knocked again, harder. "I know you're in there! We need to talk! It's about the audition! It's important!"
My hand tightened on the doorknob.
Everything was already changing.
And I had no idea what was coming next.