Chapter 96

-Ava’s POV-

Pain rippled through my entire body, sharp and searing, as if every nerve had caught fire. For a moment, I thought I might still be unconscious, trapped in some cruel dream. But when I forced my eyes open–despite the heavy weight of my eyelids -I realized I was awake. And alive.

I blinked, struggling to focus on my surroundings. The wreckage the screaming tires, Grayson–they were gone. Instead, I found myself lying in the middle of an open field. The sky stretched endlessly above me, a pale gray that seemed neither day nor night.

“Grayson?” I croaked.

There was no answer. Of course, there wasn’t. I pushed myself up onto shaky elbows, my muscles trembling under the strain, and scanned the field. Nothing. Just emptiness.

“And this,” she said, gesturing toward me with a lazy flick of her wrist, “is why you’ll never get anywhere, Ava Pierce.”

The voice stopped me cold.

It wasn’t just the words that made me freeze–it was the voice itself. Familiar. Unnervingly so. My breath caught as I turned slowly, the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end.

There she was. Me.

Or at least, a version of me.

Instinctively, I took a step back. Her smile widened.

“Stop it,” I snapped, my voice trembling with equal parts anger and unease. “I am not in the mood for this today. If you’re going to try to kill me, just get it over with already.”

Her laughter was light, almost musical, but it held no warmth. “Kill you? Why would I want to do that?” She tilted her head, studying me like a scientist might study a particularly dull specimen. Then, in the blink of an eye, she vanished–only to reappear behind me.

I whirled around, my heart pounding.

“I’m not here to kill you,” she said with mock sweetness. “I am you, after all. Or at least, the better version of you.”

“Better version?” I scoffed, folding my arms over my chest despite the gnawing unease in my stomach. “You’re not me. And you’re definitely not the better version. I don’t hurt people. I don’t make them feel worthless. And I sure as hell don’t try to commit murder.”

Her smirk faltered, just for a moment. Then she clicked her tongue in mock disapproval. “Oh, poor, sweet Ava. And that is exactly your problem. Come on, walk with me.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you,” I said firmly, taking another step back. “I don’t know what this is or how I got here, but I need to get back. There was a crash, and Grayson-”

She shook her head slowl, cutting in, her expression almost… sad “You don’t get it, do you? You never have. But fine.” She turned on her heel, walking away with purposeful strides. “Follow me, or don’t. Either way, you’ll see.”

I glanced around, taking in the endless field. There was no escape. No other path forward. Cursing under my breath, I ran after her.

The ground shifted beneath my feet as I moved, the damp earth giving way to something harder, colder. When I stopped, I

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Chapter 96

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was no longer in the

was standing in the empty

muttered, turning in

appeared behind me, leaning casually against a wall. “Brings back memories, doesn’t it?” she said, her voice light,

and my heart slammed against

hallway as she vanished again, and I felt the

pouring through the halls. They moved past

then I saw her–me–hurrying down the hallway with books clutched tightly to

followed her, my steps heavy,

in relief when she saw it was empty. She moved to the front of

then his

it isn’t the lovely Ava

as I turned to see

closing the door behind him with deliberate slowness then locked it. The smile on his

knew she couldn’t hear me.

are you doing?

in front of her. “If you’re so eager to play

stop, to run, but

she reached for the key. And then everything

His eyes

claws began

right,” he murmured, his voice dripping with malice. You

froze, realizing too late what was

I whispered, tears

the professor’s desk. She struggled, but he was stronger, his claws

it!” she cried,

But he didn’t.

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Chapter 96

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And I couldn’t move.

other me said, suddenly standing beside me Her tone was cold, detached. “This is who you really

streaming down my face.

the victim,” she continued,

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continued to unfold, and I knew what was coming next. Past me reached for the pen on the desk, her last hope of defending herself. But instead of

slashed at him, her eyes

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