“What… what?” Thelma couldn’t believe it. “How could this be? Ava and Eric?” She couldn’t believe that these two people would betray her!
This news was like a thunderbolt on a clear day for her. But she knew Samantha would never lie to her.
After a moment of stunned shock came an uncontrollable surge of anger. “I’m going to find them and get an explanation! Why would they do this to me?”
Samantha grabbed her and said, “How are you going to find them? That was five years ago. Time has passed, and if you stir things up now, people will only think you’re ridiculous!”
Thelma suddenly snapped back to reality. That’s right, it was already 2018. That had happened five years ago.
Why? Why had everything changed after just one night of sleep? A few days ago, she and Ava had been planning to save up money to move out and live on their own, completely cutting ties with that family. But now, after one night, everything was gone.
And Eric—he had always seemed cold and aloof, but inside, he was warm and tender, and his gentleness was always reserved for her. She had always thought he was her one true love.
Suddenly, Thelma thought of something and asked, “What about Dad? Didn’t he do anything when Ava did this to me?” Besides, she had been living with her father. If she woke up, she should have been at his house. Why was she at Samantha’s?
Samantha sneered and said, “Dad? That so-called good father? After your accident, he sided with Ava, thanks to Ava’s mother’s influence. You were so heartbroken that you cut ties with him.”
Hearing this, Thelma felt as if she had been struck by lightning. She took a step back.
Her father had sided with Ava after what she had done. She had always believed that no matter what, her father loved her. After all, she was his flesh and blood.
She couldn’t believe it. She refused to believe it!
Samantha saw her standing there, frozen, and felt sympathy. She patted her gently and said, “Alright, let’s go home. I’ll make you some pancake n.”
Thelma followed Samantha back home, but she wasn’t hungry and had no appetite. Samantha told her to lie down and rest for a while.
Thelma sat on the edge of the bed, looking lost. Samantha knelt down to help her take off her shoes. Only then did Thelma react, saying quickly, “I can do it myself.”
She pushed Samantha’s hands away and rolled up her pant leg to take off her shoes. But as soon as she rolled up her pant leg, she saw a large tattoo on her calf. It was of a witch with blood-red eyes, draped in a luxurious robe and holding a staff. The image was eerie and alluring.
Beneath the tattoo, Thelma noticed some scars. She asked curiously, “Why do I have such a big scar on my leg?” She had always taken great care of her skin and couldn’t tolerate even the slightest blemish.
Samantha replied, “You accidentally burned yourself. You didn’t like the scar, so you had a tattoo done to cover it.”
Thelma: “…”
Perhaps it was because the day had been so overwhelming, but seeing the scar didn’t upset her as much as it normally would. She simply nodded blankly and lay down on the bed. She wished that everything she was experiencing was just a dream and that when she woke up, she would return to reality. Everything would go back to the way it was, and she would still be the ambitious, idealistic college student with Ava and Eric by her side.
Samantha left after she lay down, but Thelma tossed and turned, unable to sleep. She took out her phone and logged into her social media account, only to find that many of her contacts were gone—college classmates and old friends she had chatted with online.
Had time really changed everything?
No, it couldn’t be. Just fall asleep. When I wake up, it’ll all be fine.
Eventually, Thelma fell asleep. When she woke up, it was afternoon. The golden light of the setting sun streamed through the window, giving the room a hazy, dreamy atmosphere, like an illusion.
She was still in her room in Mapleton City.
She walked to the mirror and sat down. The woman in the mirror had bandages wrapped around her head and a pale complexion.
But even with her pallor, she was beautiful, with an enviable face, large and bright eyes, a delicate, well-defined nose, and high cheekbones that gave her an exotic allure.
Both she and Samantha had inherited much of their beauty from their father. He came from a rural village and left home at a young age to work in Mapleton City. After several twists and turns, he became an apprentice at the Peace Hotel. Because of his good looks, the restaurant owner’s daughter liked him and brought him into the family.
Their father was ambitious and eventually expanded the restaurant, earning enough money to open a branch in another city. Over time, he developed the small restaurant into the Peace Grand Hotel, which combined dining and lodging.
After his success, his old childhood sweetheart, Susan, who had once looked down on him for being poor, came back into his life. The two rekindled their old feelings and started an affair. At that time, their father’s business had already grown significantly. For Susan, he was even willing to give up half his assets to divorce their mother.
Both she and Samantha hated their father, but they couldn’t deny that their beauty owed much to him.
Nothing had changed in front of her. She hadn’t woken up and returned to her vibrant, promising twenties.
Five years later, her life had become this—no voice, no lover, no friends, and a life that was not only unaccomplished but also a complete mess.
Everything seemed so hopeless.
What should she do? How was she supposed to accept waking up to this?
And it seemed there was no way back.
She slowly raised her head and stared at the haggard yet stunning woman in the mirror. But then, she thought, five years had passed, hadn’t they? She had survived, hadn’t she?
No retreat. No choice. She had to move forward.
If the changes hadn’t defeated the Thelma of five years ago, they wouldn’t defeat the Thelma from five years later, either.
