Chapter 25
Sean stayed frozen where he was, giving a stiff, almost robotic nod.”
A moment later, the girl pulled out her phone and tapped record. There was a burst of background noise, and then a voice Sean hadn’t heard in so long–Bella’s–drifted out of the speaker.
“Sean, if you’re hearing this, I’m probably already gone. I know you’ve been given another chance at life, but I can’t understand why you wouldn’t acknowledge me, even went so far as to keep hurting me. Sometimes I wondered if the person who loved me in our past life was ever real. But I guess it doesn’t matter now–I’m almost at the end.”
Bella let out a soft laugh, a little sad but mostly at peace.§
“I know I wronged you in our last life. I was stubborn and I didn’t love you, and I hurt you more than I want to admit. Honestly, I deserved what I got. This time around, I just wanted to make it up to you, to love you the way you deserved. But clearly, you didn’t want my apology, and that’s fine. Think of the pain you gave me now as my way of repaying what I owed you. We’re even, Sean. You should move on–don’t stay stuck because of me. If there’s a next life, let’s not meet again. We just weren’t right for each other.”
The recording ended, and the silence after felt endless.
Finally, Sean managed, “Could you send me that recording?”
Moria blinked, then nodded. “Of course.“@
Before she left, Sean borrowed her phone to type out a message to Bella–one last reply, as if she might somehow catch it from wherever she was now.
When Moria was gone, Sean curled up on the floor, listening to Bella’s voice on repeat.
“Go live your life. Don’t keep waiting for me…“)
“We just weren’t right for each other…“}
Not right for each other? He remembered how much they’d loved each other, how many times they’d missed their chance. Maybe she was right. Maybe they really weren’t meant to be.
He felt a sharp sting in his hand. Looking down, he realized his fingernails had dug deep into his palm, little beads of blood dotting the floor like dark roses.
Outside, rain slammed against the window. Cold air snaked in through a gap, wrapping around him tight, squeezing until he felt he might break. In every shattered piece of himself, he saw Bella: laughing with friends outside the high school gym, walking toward him in her wedding dress, running back to him in tears after coming back to life, and finally, with empty eyes, walking away from him at the airport. “Bella, I can’t do it…” he whispered into the emptiness.
Every time he closed his eyes, he saw her. How was he supposed to keep living without her?
He set his phone down and buried his head in his arms.
A clap of thunder split the night, and for the first time, a raw, broken sob tore from his throat–like an animal caught in steel chains. The rain kept falling all night. When morning finally broke through the clouds, the storm faded, and a single cold drop from the tree outside landed on his cheek, mixing with the tears he’d run dry.
Later, as Sean’s plane soared above the clouds, Bella finally received the message Moria had forwarded to her.”
Sean’s words were heavy with grief.
“Bella, I don’t know if you can hear me–maybe you’re in heaven by now. I have to say I’m sorry. I really did come back, and I really do still love
you. But I couldn’t let go of my resentment. I loved you for so long–why couldn’t you ever look back at me? At first, my friends told me to play it cool, to push you away so you’d realize how much I meant to you. I thought you’d finally come to me. But then you came back too, promising to make things right and love me for real. So I told myself, fine, let’s see how much you really care. That’s why I kept hurting you, over and over. Calista was never my golden girl–she was just someone I hired to play a part. I never thought she’d treat you like that. I had her sent to prison, and she won’t get out unless I say so.!!
Find
You told me to forget you, to live my life, but I just can’t. There were times I wanted to die with you, but I was afraid you wouldn’t forgive me. So I decided to keep living, to make up for everything, to take care of your parents, your friends, the roses in your garden, and your grandfather. When I’ve done all that, I’ll come find you. I hope you’ll give me a chance to make it up to you. Bella, I love you, and I’m sorry. If there’s a next life, let’s not meet again…”
With a quiet click, Bella turned off her phone.
Her heart twisted with emotions she couldn’t name. Tears burned at her eyes and she brushed them away, telling herself–over and over that this was for the best. Their story had been a mistake from the start. Maybe living separate lives was the only ending that made sense.
Sean, just like you wanted, we’ll never meet again.!!
Chapter 25
Let’s both move on.
Let’s never see each other again.”
