Chapter 3

I didn't even bother with my shoes. I yanked myself away from Samuel and rushed out.

"Where's James?" I shouted.

Mom was handing Vera a big, juicy strawberry. "Something came up at his unit, so he had to head back."

"Morning, Julia." Vera smiled softly, though her eyes remained fixed on me.

The fear from the loop, the memory of her snapping my fingers under her heel, washed over me all at once.

I instinctively stepped back, only to bump right into Samuel's chest. He was like a wall, blocking any chance I had to get away.

Samuel's voice came from above. "Julia."

I screamed, startled.

Vera jerked in surprise and dropped her mug.

Shattered pieces were all over the floor.

I stared at the mess, expressionless, while Samuel hurried over. "Who gave you permission to use that mug?" he snapped at Vera.

After graduating high school, I tried making a ceramic mug with my friends. When it was done, Samuel pressed his palm right over my handprint, leaving his own mark perfectly overlapping mine.

That single glance between us changed everything. Our childhood bond turned into something deeper.

That was the beginning of our love story.

So even after three loops, no matter how bad things got between us, even when we were at each other's throats, that cup never got broken.

"I... I didn't know," Vera mumbled, tears welling up in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Julia. I know I'm not welcome here. I'll go."

Samuel didn't go after her like he used to. Instead, he crouched down to gather up the shards of the broken mug.

Vera froze mid-step.

"Aren't you leaving? What stopped you?" I sneered, leaning against the stair railing.

Back then, I was terrified of losing Samuel. Every time Vera tried to stir things up between us, I'd desperately try to prove myself.

I even humbled myself, trying to please her, hoping things would stay calm.

Look where that got me.

They got their happy ending, and I paid with my life.

This time, I was not playing along.

"Yeah, you are not welcome here. Get out of here," I snapped.

"Didn't you hear?" Samuel stood up. His expression was icy as he faced Vera. "Aren't you leaving?"

Vera's eyes widened in disbelief.

Humiliated and furious, she ran out, sobbing.

Samuel gently placed the broken pieces down and came over to me. "I'm sorry, Julia. I didn't know she'd come."

I scoffed and couldn't be bothered to respond.

As I was about to leave, Mom stopped me. "Julia, Vera is Samuel's sister, which means she's your sister too. She came to see you. How could you talk to her like that?"

"It's not Julia's fault, Mrs. Stone. I should've handled things better," Samuel said.

Samuel looked at me, his eyes as warm as a summer breeze. But it only left me cold.

Here we go again.

The first time around, I died alone, wracked with pain.

When I opened my eyes again, my whole body was trembling, but I found Samuel looking at me with a tender gaze.

He wrapped me in his arms, holding me close. "Did you have a nightmare?"

His embrace was so warm, I almost convinced myself it really was just a nightmare until it all started over again.

I spent three years pouring my heart and soul into a piece, all for an art award I'd been chasing for 18 years.

But when the judging came around, my work was stolen, presented as Vera's masterpiece instead.

I couldn't accept it, so I fought back and dragged her to court.

Samuel, the only person who could clear things up, betrayed me and took her side. He even manipulated the media, turning everyone against me.

In the end, the entire art world shunned me, and I was forced to leave in disgrace.

"If you can't paint, then just don't. I'll take care of you," Samuel pulled me in, but his voice was ice, telling me to stop making a scene.

So it wasn't a nightmare.

I finally saw the truth, but it was already too late.

My career crashed and burned, and all my dreams went up in smoke.

Samuel lost all patience after all our fights, never seeing how much I was falling apart right in front of him.

Right before I was about to give birth, I found Vera sprawled out in our bed, wearing my wedding nightgown, the one I wore on our wedding night.

"Not doing so well, are you, Julia? Samuel looked like a man starving for years last night," Vera taunted.

The rage sent me into early labor. I bled out and died.

And then, in the middle of the night, I woke up again, crying so hard I couldn't catch my breath.

"What's wrong, Julia?" Samuel hugged me tight.

But I instinctively pulled away from him, and that was when it hit me.

Everything that happened was real. I was trapped in this endless cycle.

I pushed Samuel away.

I broke up with him, moved out, and cut ties for good.

Samuel must've sensed something was up. While he was busy trying to win me back, he also shipped Vera off overseas.

But Vera secretly snuck back, out for revenge.

She came at me with a knife. "You bitch. Stealing Samuel from me? I'll kill you!"

Samuel didn't even think. He used his back to shield me from the knife.

Blood poured out, and he could barely stay upright, but with trembling hands, he gently covered my eyes.

"Julia, don't be scared," he whispered.

Three days and nights of agonizing waiting outside the ER broke down all my defenses.

Maybe I should take one more chance.