Rebirth Into My Second Chance

Claude's hands shook as he gathered the scattered papers off the floor and flipped through them page by page. Every detail confirmed it was Claire, and the words hit him like a punch, making him scatter the documents in a panic.

"I don't believe it. I need to see Claire's body with my own eyes." He whipped out his phone, dialing again and again. "Claire, answer the phone!"

But I didn't answer. How could I? He sent countless messages, but I remained silent. I wouldn't be gone if he had been there when I desperately needed his help.

I felt so hopeless. The world was a dark place, everything falling apart around me. I clung to a sliver of hope, only to have it eroded, until finally, in a blaze, feeling the flames yet unable to open my eyes or move to escape. I left this world with my child in that inferno. 'Claude, I'm dead.' I cried.

He stumbled out of the house, even putting on one shoe wrong, rushing to meet his childhood friends who thought his distress was because of Kate's disappearance.

"Claude, Kate will be okay. We're looking for her, too."

Claude shook off their comforting hands. "She's dead."

His use of "she" made everyone assume he meant Kate, their faces showing shock and sorrow.

"Kate..."

"How could this..."

sweet Kate, who could have

retorted, "Claire, I told you not to die.

dead. They grabbed Claude, saying, "Claude, Claire was nothing but trouble. It's her

was bizarre how the favored ones always received sympathy. Even in death, they

into his car, and drove straight to the police station, leaving

station, Claude was more frantic than

side of him was so different from the meticulous person

he

affect his

Ronald looked past

but his friends quickly said, "He's her husband,

think of this. If

of Kate's involvement in Claire's disappearance in front of them. "Kate is suspected of hiring someone to kidnap Claire. She's

were in disbelief, looking between the evidence and

Claude asked, "Where's Claire?"

"Complete the paperwork as her husband, and