Chapter 3 ECHOES OF THE FUTURE.

CHAPTER THREE- ECHOES OF THE FUTURE

~LUCY'S POV~

"Wh- what are you doing here? What do you want" I asked him.

"You weren't in your seat, so I was wondering what's wrong" he replied calmly "And you don't look so good. Are you alright?"

'That's what you get for trying to ruin our lives. You're as good as dead. So for the love of God just die already'.

His words kept replaying in my head as I stared at him.

"Lucy? Are you not feeling too well? Do you want me to get you some medicine?" he said, taking a step closer to me.

"You hypocrite. Move" I said, my voice barely above a whisper. I turned to leave

"Lucy, wait, what's wrong?" He grabbed my arm, stopping me from leaving.

"Let go of me!" I shouted which caught people's attention. "Don't ever come close to me again! Ever!"

"What's going on? I heard people shouting. Lucy, what's wrong?" Another voice called out behind me.

Suzy? That's her.

'I have my whole life ahead of me. You're going to die soon anyway.'

Her words replayed in my head. So now they came to haunt me even after my death?

"Go to hell," I told her

"Huh, what did you say? What did I do Lucy?" she asked surprisingly

"What's going on here? Lucy, are you okay?" Mrs. Cole asked with genuine concern. "Oh right, Mr. Micheal is looking for you. You should go" she said, subtly signaling that it was time for me to leave, given my current discomfort.

Mr. Michael is the Head Director of the marketing department at U&K Company, and also the C.E.O's son. He was a man of few words, who didn't speak unless it was necessary. He was tall and always wore a suit.

I got to his office to find out why he called. "You sent for me sir," I said almost trembling

"Where is the project review I asked about last week?" he said calmly.

Huh, what review? I can't even remember. "Project... what project sir?" I said, staring at him confused.

"The final review of the report from last week's meeting."

"Oh, so sorry, sir. I'll get it now,' I said, hurrying out of the office as I recalled the report I had compiled after last week's shareholder's meeting.

I returned moments later, handing it to him with a nod.

"Please remember that you're at work, Ms. Lucy. I expect you to separate your work life from your personal life."

"I'm sorry sir"

"Being able to control your emotions is a skill. Please don't trouble your colleagues with your personal problems. You can have a day off, you don't look too well" he said handing back the file to me and with a hand towel I stared at the hand towel in confusion, and he noticed my confused face.

"You're sweating; you can use it to dry your face," he said with a gentle smile.

"Thank you," I said with a smile, thinking to myself, this must be a dream. It's been so long since someone spoke kindly to me.

As I turned to leave, I failed to notice the waste bin in front of me and bumped my leg, losing my balance. Just as I was about to fall, I felt a firm hand grab me from behind, pulling me back to safety. I turned around to see Mr. Michael, his grip secure and his broad shoulders enveloping me.

For a moment, it felt like home, and I wanted to stay wrapped in his embrace.

"Are you okay? His deep and sweet voice brought me back to reality. "You seem dizzy"

"I- I'm okay" I turned and left immediately. I went back to my desk lost in thoughts.

I need to know what is happening. Have I been reincarnated?

Why?

Still lost in thought, I didn't notice my phone ringing. The persistent ringing pierced through my thoughts. Upon reaching into my pocket to retrieve the phone. Alongside the phone, I also found the 20 bucks and candy that the taxi driver had given me after picking me up from the hospital.

The taxi driver's words suddenly came flooding back to me: 'Everything will be okay, you'll get back on your feet in no time and make a lot of money, and you'll meet a man who will love you genuinely.' A startling thought occurred to me: could the taxi driver have been a chrononaut? Was it possible that he had somehow granted me a second chance, given that I had gone back in time three years?

I sprang up from my chair, overcome with emotion, and exclaimed, "Thank you, sir!" I bowed deeply, my eyes welling up with tears. My colleagues, however, seemed perplexed by my outburst, their faces a mixture of confusion and concern.

"Thank you, sir," I repeated, struggling to contain my emotions. "I promise to pick up the pieces and live a happy life from this day forward." As I spoke, I remained bowed, tears threatening to spill down my face.

The murmurs of my colleagues grew louder, their whispers and concerned glances directed at me.

"What's wrong with her?" someone asked, while another voice wondered,

"Has she gone crazy?" But I tuned them out, too caught up in my own emotions to heed their concerns.

I opened my phone and saw a text message from Dave. The message read: 'Lucy, are you okay? I've been calling you, but you haven't picked up. How about I come over for dinner and we can talk?' I glanced up to find Dave sitting across from me, his eyes darting towards me intermittently as he worked on his laptop.

"Asshole, why can't you just leave me alone," I muttered, rolling my eyes and deliberately avoiding my gaze to avoid further confrontation.

Dave and I met in college, and our relationship progressed smoothly. Suzy, my high school best friend, had become an integral part of our lives due to the closeness of our friendship. As a result, the three of us grew incredibly close, often spending time together, including going on dates as a trio.

I saw no issue with Suzy's involvement in our personal life, given my trust and comfort level with Suzy as my best friend. In hindsight, my openness and trust may have blinded me to the risks, ultimately contributing to their betrayal.

I think I should just head home. Given the unexpected second chance I've been granted, I believe it's important for me to take my personal life more serious.

With the realization that today could have been my last day, I'm determined to make the most of this opportunity. Rather than focusing on work, I need to attend to more pressing matters and devise a plan to address the wrongs I've suffered.

I intend to seek revenge.