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."

feelings? Who have you given your feelings to? Maximilian? When

the elevator doors, his

"I don't know him."

how did he take you away from

I realized that was indeed Maximilian who had

did know him, what's

can like anyone, be with anyone, but not him." Claude grabbed my wrist and dragged me to the corner of the wall. I

QUMS

I struggled to free my wrist

You used to love only me. Is it because you met Maximilian? Do you only like people with power and despise me?" The

first time I

father's poverty had left him feeling inferior all

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

let go with a

a man like

you a mansion in Elmwood Springs and you move out of

where he once said he'd

plotting was just to turn me into your mistress? A

were nothing

let go