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A soft rustle.
A beam of sunlight slipped across her cheek.
Warm. Real.
Her eyes fluttered open. Her chest rose with a breath - sharp, full, alive.
She blinked.
No blood. No glass. No hospital gown.
She was... in her bed.
Sheets smooth. Curtains drawn just like they always were. Her favourite mug - the one with the chipped rim - sat untouched on the nightstand.
Her phone buzzed beside her.
7:02 AM. Tuesday.
The date hit her like a train.
It was the day of her promotion.
The day everything had begun to unravel.
The morning she walked into work glowing, unaware of Malik's lies, Cathy's envy, or the poison quietly slipping into her life.
Her hand trembled as she reached for the phone. A message blinked on the lock screen:
Zarien:
Congrats again. Proud of you. Breakfast?
Her heart twisted.
This was it.
Her second chance.
Her rebirth.
Evelyn rose from the bed, slowly, reverently. Like stepping into a life that had once been taken - and was now being rewritten.
She walked to the mirror.
Her reflection stared back. Strong. Glowing. Eyes filled not with fear... but knowing.
This time, she would not be naïve.
This time, she would choose herself.
This time, she would be ready.
And as the sun kissed her skin through the window, Evelyn whispered:
"Thank you, God. I won't waste this."
Her hand still rested against the glass, heart pounding in silent gratitude. But beneath the peace, there was purpose.
She crossed the room and picked up her phone.
It was time to begin.
She opened Malik's contact first. Her thumbs moved quickly, not a second of hesitation.
Evelyn:
I was thinking - you've always said you wanted to work closer with me. I just spoke to the director. There's an opening in Internal Relations. I can pull some strings. Interested?
She read it once, smiled softly, then hit send.
Before the bubble of disgust could rise in her throat, she tapped over to Cathy's chat.
Evelyn:
We're hiring in Admin. I remembered you said you've always wanted in. I'll talk to HR for you. You in?
Send.
That was it. The bait was cast.
They would come running - ambition always made people predictable.
And they'd think it was kindness. Mercy. Loyalty.
They'd never suspect it was a loaded invitation wrapped in velvet.
She tossed the phone gently onto the bed and let out a long, cleansing breath.
"I hope you both come," she murmured.
Her eyes flicked toward the mirror again.
"Please... come."
She moved to the corner where her small speaker sat. Fingers scrolling, she found the song - the one she used to play when things were good, before everything fell apart.
And then she turned the volume up.
The beat hit her in the chest.
And so did a sudden burst of lightness.
She laughed - real and unexpected - and let the music take her.
Her hips moved first, then her shoulders, then her arms stretched out wide like she could hug the air itself.
She danced.
In pyjamas, hair messy, sunlight sliding down her walls.
For no one.
For nothing.
Except at this moment.
Except for herself.
The girl who had been betrayed... was gone.
The woman who had been murdered... was buried.
And the one who stood here now?
The office lobby buzzed with quiet movement - the soft shuffle of polished shoes on tile, the distant ding of elevators, the hum of a Monday afternoon.
Evelyn stood with perfect posture near the reception desk, clipboard in hand, her face calm. But inside, every second pulsed with deliberate intent.
Today, she was bringing them together for the first time.
And neither of them had any idea what she already knew.
The first to arrive was Cathy - hair in a neat bun, her cream blouse tucked into a charcoal skirt. She looked every bit the new, eager hire.
"Evelyn!" she beamed, walking toward her with open arms. "Oh my God, thank you again! I still can't believe I'm here."
"You earned it," Evelyn replied smoothly, hugging her back with measured warmth. "Let's just say... I pulled a few strings."
Cathy laughed. "You're the best. Seriously. I owe you."
Evelyn smiled. "You don't. I just... thought you'd fit in here."
She glanced at the elevator.
Right on cue, Malik stepped out.
Tall, polished, and confident in his navy-blue suit. He scanned the lobby with his usual self-importance - until his eyes found Evelyn.
"There she is," he said, pocketing his phone and walking toward her. "You didn't tell me you were meeting me downstairs."
He leaned in to kiss her cheek.
Cathy's gaze shifted - just slightly.
Evelyn caught it.
"Malik," Evelyn said, turning to Cathy with poised grace, "this is Cathy. My best friend from university. She's just joined the admin team."
Malik extended his hand. "Pleasure to meet you."
Cathy shook it. "You too. Thanks again for bringing me in, Evelyn."
Evelyn let the moment breathe, then added - casually, but firmly:
"Oh - and Malik is my boyfriend."
There it was.
She said it clearly, with that practised softness in her voice. But her eyes didn't blink. She watched Cathy closely. Watched the way her smile stiffened for half a second. Watched Malik turn slightly toward her, curious.
"Lucky me," Malik chuckled, pulling Evelyn gently toward his side.
Cathy smiled. "Oh wow. That's... adorable. You two make a good pair."
"Don't we?" Evelyn said.
She held that smile, not out of affection, but precision. Because she remembered how this story ended the first time. With tears. With blood. With betrayal disguised as friendship.
But not in this life.
This time, Evelyn wasn't the fool walking into the fire.
This time, she'd built the fire herself.
And they had just walked in.
The sun poured through the tall windows of the café across the street from the office - a favourite lunch spot for employees. It was quiet, a little upscale, with soft jazz playing overhead and polished wood tables that glowed under the noon light.
Evelyn sat in the centre of the booth, a glass of iced tea between her hands. On her right was Malik, relaxed in his button-down shirt, jacket off. On her left, Cathy - smiling, engaged, hands fluttering as she told a story about a disastrous first week at her old job.
"And then the coffee machine exploded!" Cathy finished, laughing. "Exploded. All over the HR manager. I just stood there holding a mug like... welcome to hell."
Evelyn laughed politely, sipping her drink. "I remember that story."
Malik leaned in slightly toward Cathy. "That sounds like something out of a sitcom."
Cathy shrugged. "My life usually is."
Evelyn's eyes slid over Malik's subtle smile - the way he tilted his head, just slightly. How Cathy's lips parted a bit too long in response. It was the smallest flickers of body language - most people would miss them.
But Evelyn saw everything.
"You two have similar humour," she said casually, setting her glass down.
Cathy looked at her. "You think so?"
"I do," Evelyn said, smiling faintly. "That's probably why I get along with both of you."
Malik chuckled. "We're just a fun bunch."
Cathy added, "Honestly, I'm just glad to be around normal people for once. I've been in too many toxic workspaces."
Evelyn tilted her head, amused by the irony. "You don't say."
They ordered their meals - rice and peppered chicken for Cathy, a burger for Malik, and a grilled wrap for Evelyn. Conversation flowed easily. They talked about college memories, Malik's awkward first day at the firm, and Cathy's love of photography. Everything was pleasant, light.
But underneath Evelyn's calm exterior was calculation.
Cathy was leaning forward more now, laughing louder at Malik's jokes. Malik, too, glanced over every few minutes, eyes just a little too curious when Cathy spoke. They didn't realise it yet, but something electric was beginning to stretch between them.
And Evelyn wasn't stopping it.
She was guiding it.
"So, how long have you two been together?" Cathy asked as the waiter cleared their plates.
"Two years," Evelyn said, answering before Malik could. She looked at him. "Almost to the day."
Malik smiled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah... wow. Time flies."
"You didn't mention her when we spoke earlier," Cathy teased gently.
Malik laughed. "That's because she's everywhere. Evelyn doesn't need an introduction - she makes her spotlight."
Evelyn smiled at the compliment, but her eyes didn't move from Cathy.
You're already drawn to him, she thought.
You don't even realise how easily it's happening again.
And I'm watching it from the front row this time.
They lingered for another twenty minutes, finishing up drinks and sharing dessert. Cathy offered Malik the last bite of her cake. He declined, but not before smiling at the gesture.
Evelyn leaned back, soaking it all in.
Every glance. Every echo of déjà vu.
When they finally stepped out into the afternoon sun, Malik walked ahead to take a work call. Cathy fell into step beside Evelyn.
"You know," Cathy said softly, "he's sweet. I can see why you like him."
Evelyn turned to her with a perfectly pleasant smile.
"I know," she said. "He's... unforgettable."
The office was quiet when Evelyn returned from lunch.
Her heels clicked softly against the tiled floor of the admin wing as she carried a few folders in her arms. The air smelled of printer ink and lemon disinfectant. She walked past the low cubicles, nodding politely at a few colleagues before settling at her desk.
She had just begun sorting through the HR documents for onboarding Cathy when the door swung open.
Laughter echoed in before the figures appeared.
Zarien strode in, tall and confident in his tailored jacket - his arm casually looped around Sandra's waist. Sandra clung to him like the office belonged to her, her smile wide, polished, and far too proud for a mere workplace visit.
Everyone in the admin team looked up.
Zarien cleared his throat and said with a grin, "Alright, everyone - quick announcement!"
The murmur died down as heads turned.
"We're closing early today - 4 PM sharp," he continued. "Management's treating everyone to a team dinner in honour of Evelyn's promotion!"
Applause and excited chatter immediately followed.
Evelyn froze for a split second. Then, calmly, she returned her gaze to the document in front of her.
"As if that's not enough," Zarien added with a teasing smile, tightening his arm around Sandra's waist, "today also happens to be our anniversary."
A chorus of "Awwn!" and "Congratulations!" followed.
Someone whistled. Another clapped louder than the rest.
Sandra leaned her head against Zarien's shoulder and waved her hand, fake-blushing. "He remembered, ladies."
Zarien laughed. "Of course I did."
More laughter. A few whispers. One intern even shouted, "Goals!"
Evelyn didn't flinch.
She continued flipping the page in front of her, highlighting a line in yellow. She smiled politely when someone looked her way, but otherwise, she remained still. Quiet. Focused.
Let them clap. Let them celebrate.
None of this changes what's coming.
Cathy leaned over slightly from her desk, whispering, "He's good-looking, but way too full of himself."
Evelyn gave a small smile, eyes never leaving the document.
"You have no idea."
The admin office had thinned out by late afternoon. Most of the staff were already gathering their bags, applying lip gloss, refreshing cologne, buzzing about the dinner like it was a royal gala. Evelyn remained at her desk, calmly reviewing one last set of documents.
That's when she felt the perfume.
Sweet, expensive, suffocating.
Sandra.
"Still working?" came that high, sugary voice from behind her.
Evelyn turned slowly.
Sandra stood there with her arms crossed and a practised smile on her lips, the kind women wear when they're marking territory. Her dress was a tight cream sheath that hugged every curve, and her heels clicked like punctuation.
"Some things can't wait," Evelyn said simply.
Sandra stepped closer, voice dropping just enough. "You know, Evelyn... I think it's sweet how dedicated you are. Really. You're always so... focused."
Evelyn closed the folder in her hand gently, lifting her gaze with calm clarity. "Thank you. That's probably why I got the promotion."
The smile on Sandra's face wavered, just for a breath.
But she recovered.
"Of course," she said with a little laugh."And you deserve it. Honestly, I told Zarien from day one, 'She's efficient. Smart. No real threat."
There it was. The dig was wrapped in velvet.
Evelyn stood.
They were face to face now. No desks. No distractions. Just two women who had played this game before.
"Is that what you told him?" Evelyn asked softly.
Sandra tilted her head. "Among other things."
Evelyn smiled - a small, unbothered curve of her lips.
"Let's hope he's still listening to you."
She turned and walked past Sandra without another word, heels clicking just as sharply.