1 Chapter 1: I lost everything

**Serene’s POV**

I tried to move my head, but was met with searing pain. My eyelids were heavy as lead and I could barely open them.

Regret, fury, and sorrow were turning inside me and I felt tears running down my cheeks. I tried to wipe them off, but was too weak to lift my arms.

My head was pounding.

‘Where am I?’

There was something important I had to attend to...but I was too afraid to think through it. It was as if the memory would be too painful that subconsciously, I couldn’t bring myself to face it.

“How dare you! Slacking off!” Someone was roaring in my ear.

Nevertheless, I forced myself to open my eyes once more. An angry man in a hotel manager uniform was looking over me.

“Get up, NOW! The penthouse suite should be checked out now, go clean it up." After giving his order, he ran out of the door for his next assignment.

With great effort, I dragged my body up. Every inch of it hurt, but I knew I needed to keep moving.

I noticed my hair is half way down my back. I frowned, even more confused. Didn’t I cut my hair a couple years ago? Haven’t I been keeping it short since then?

Everything felt strange to me.

As I entered the hallway, I realized this was the hotel I worked in when I was 21. I stole a glance down at my clothes and saw that I was wearing my old hotel uniform.

How did I end up here? Nothing made sense!

However, I did not dare to delay and rushed to the top floor as I got more and more anxious and suspicious.

Once I opened the elegantly engraved penthouse door, the first thing I did was check the clock on the nightstand.

I froze as I saw the date on the calendar – it was five years ago.

Could someone please tell me what exactly was going on?!

Almost at the same time, I snapped my head around and realized someone was still in the bed.

A man, half naked. A man that I knew.

Argh...my head was about to explode from pain. I press my palms against my temples to provide some relief.

Yes, I knew him.

Memories flooded back to me and my heart throbbed with sadness and pain.

How could I ever forget about him...?

Damon Wilson.

*FLASHBACK*

It was pouring rain, but I ran down the street. I barely saw anyone or anything around me. I knew where I needed to be.

My hair stuck to my face and my lungs burned from the cold air. I burst into my husband’s studio downtown. The receptionist greeted me and I tried to step around her. I did not even look at her.

“Ma’am, he is busy he can’t see guests,” she said in a whiny, know it all tone. I pushed her aside.

“I am his g*dd*mn wife and I am seeing him, now!” I shouted at her and ran to the back to his office.

I burst into the office. He was not in his chair at his desk. Several people stood in the background of the room reviewing scripts. They looked in my direction, but no one said anything. They probably thought I was some homeless person who burst in off the streets.

I heard something from the lounge of the office.

Moaning? Heavy breathing? Kisses? Were they filming a porn film or something? What the h*ll was Eli doing?

I moved so I could glance around the fridge. My eyes fell on the body of my husband, Eli, entangled in an embrace with a woman. Her legs were flung over him and his pants were unzipped.

He did not see me, his eyes were shut and his face was a display of sexual ecstasy. I watched as his hands slid down her back and unhooked her bra.

“Eli!” I shouted. Blood was rushing up to my brain and I felt my foot strike the ground.

Both of them jolted in shock. She peeked back, and I saw her breasts. She giggled and hung on Eli’s neck again.

“Get-get off of my husband!” I screamed, grabbing her arm and trying to drag her off his lap.

But Eli shoved me away. He shoved me away. I felt like my heart hit the floor. What did this mean?

“Eli?” my voice grew quiet as I suddenly felt my anger turn into embarrassment.

He looked at me for a second, and finally realized who I was. I guess being soaked in rain made me unrecognizable. He zipped his pants and brushed the girl from his lap. She put a pillow in front of her breasts and giggled again in the most intolerable way possible.

“Shut up!” I shouted at her. But, soon I realized that both of them were laughing at me. Eli stood up after he managed to pull his zipper over his engorged penis once again.

“Babe, babe, babe, relax,” he said, putting his hand on my shoulder. “We were just having some fun, you know?”

I shoved his hand off of my shoulder. “Well, while you two were here having ‘fun’ our son is at the hospital dying!” I shouted, tears rolling down my cheeks. He laughed again and so did she. I didn't even have energy to tell them to stop.

“Listen, don’t be this way,” he said again, putting his hand on my shoulder. “I know you’re jealous, but don’t be. And don’t make up some bullsh*t to get my attention.”

“Bullsh*t!?” I declared, again removing his hand. “Our son has a congenital heart condition, or don’t you remember? He is dying, I need $10,000 now! We can discuss you and your ‘fun’ later.”

He pushed me away and said, “Get out of my office. Quit killing every moment of joy I experience with your drama! I’ll talk to you tonight.”

I quivered as I watched the half naked girl crawl onto his lap once more.

Embarrassed and scared, I wanted to scream and punch her, but I found myself just strolling out from the office and looking at the patterns on the rug. How did this happen? I really thought he loved me. I gave up everything to be his wife.

But first of first, I needed to get the money for Levi.

Then my phone rang. It was my doctor, Dr. Bryant. My hands were trembling but I picked it up without a split second of delay.

“Mrs. Myers, I’m very sorry, but we could not save Levi...”

I felt my heart stop and my knees crumble. The phone dropped on the ground, and so did I.

No no no... my son... my Levi.

I couldn’t breathe. My world fell. I lost everything.

“Excuse me,” someone behind me put a jacket over my drenched body. His voice quiet and gentle. “Please go take care of your son,” he said, as he handed me a black American Express card.

I looked up and saw a familiar face. He had dark hair and dark eyes, in which had more kindness than any one I’d ever seen.

I broke down in tears. I felt him embrace me, and he felt warm. As much as I wanted to hug him back, my body was frozen in shock and grief.

“Go take care of your son,” he said again. “And, take care of yourself.”

“It’s too late...” I mumbled, and then, as if someone pressed “play” on my body, I pulled myself up and ran out of the office. I would repay his kindness, I thought to myself, but, right now I needed to get to my son. I needed to see him one last time.

I saw the hospital as I continued running across the street in the pouring rain. Almost there. Levi, mommy’s coming.

Then I heard a loud horn blare, brakes screech, and a loud crash.

The last things I remembered were searing pain soar through every inch of my body, and that I seemed to be looking at myself, covered in blood...

***

I sat down on the bed next to Damon, clenching my sweaty fists.

I was dead and reborn. I was given a second chance to live my life again.

And everyone who caused me pain, would have to pay the price!