Rebirth Into My Second Chance

In the end, I never got to taste Max's barbecue ribs.

Because I fled. My heart was wrestling with itself, torn between fear that Max was truly Maximilian, and the dread that he wasn't. How was I to find the real Maximilian? So, I made up an excuse and left early.

Wandering aimlessly through the streets alone.

When I longed for home, the orphanage had undergone a complete makeover.

When I missed my parents, not even a memorial stone was to be found.

No wonder in my past life, even in death, I was a restless spirit with nowhere to go.

I looked up, hoping to see the moon, but it was obscured by clouds.

After aimlessly wandering for a while, I returned to the base of my apartment building and instinctively looked up at Max's apartment. No lights were on; he sure went to bed early. Stepping out of the elevator, I saw Claude standing at my door, no longer needing a wheelchair after a few days of recovery.

"What are you doing here?"

I immediately pressed the elevator button, ready to jump back in if he tried anything funny.

"Claire, let's talk," he said, moving closer, causing me to step back.

"Claude, what's there to talk about? We have no feelings, no complications between us. We're strangers now."

given your feelings to? Maximilian?

pinned me against the elevator doors,

"I don't know him."

how did he take you away from

that was indeed Maximilian who had rescued me from the

if I did know him, what's it

be with anyone, but not him." Claude grabbed my wrist and dragged me to the

QUMS

have no right to control me!" I struggled to free my wrist from

only like people with power and despise me?" The Claude I knew

first time I saw his

turns out his father's poverty had left

and then we can talk." I feared he might do

he let go with a cold

a

about I buy you a mansion in Elmwood Springs and you move out of here? I'll come

father's hometown, where he once said he'd settle

plotting was just to turn me into your mistress? A caged pet

were

let