Chapter 1
I transcended back to three months before the apocalypse.
I stared at Alex Carter, my so-called fiancé, and Sophie Lane, my two-faced best friend, standing by my hospital bed.
They had no clue that in three days, the sun would set forever.
And the light-chasing monsters would tear them to pieces.
I smiled.
This time around, I was going to dump the cheater and take back my spatial ring.
*****
I transcended back to three months before the apocalypse.
When I opened my eyes, Alex and Sophie were standing by my hospital bed.
"Evelyn, you're finally awake," Alex said. He looked worried, holding my hand like he was concerned.
"The doctor said you passed out from exhaustion and low blood sugar," Sophie chimed in, peeling an apple nearby, her voice soft and sweet.
Everything was exactly the same as my previous life.
In my previous life, they fooled me like this.
I really believed Alex was my soulmate, and Sophie was my best friend.
Before the world ended, I accidentally unlocked the space dimension hidden inside my family's heirloom ring.
I gave Sophie a matching ring, so she could use the storage space, too.
After the endless night fell and the city was plunged into darkness, to lure the light-chasing monsters away, they lit candles and locked me inside.
I listened to the piercing shrieks of the beasts outside. I watched their retreating figures as they ran for their lives. Then, I was devoured by the monster that smashed through the door.
"Alex, I'm feeling really dizzy. Can you go get the doctor for me?" I asked.
Alex sprang to his feet.
"Alright, hang in there," he said.
He dashed out of the hospital room.
Now it was Sophie and me in the hospital room.
"Evelyn, you still look really bad. Here, have some fruit first," Sophie said.
She passed me the apple she had finished peeling.
I didn't take it from her.
"Sophie, where's my ring?" I asked.
I gestured toward the empty nightstand.
Someone had gone through my bag, and now the ring was missing.
Sophie's gaze flickered.
"Ring? I don't know what you're talking about. I haven't seen any ring," she replied, feigning ignorance.
"The one my grandpa left me. He always said it was really valuable," I said, locking eyes with her.
"It was gone the moment I woke up. You and Alex were the only ones in here. If you two didn't take it, did it sprout legs and walk off by itself?" I pressed.
Sophie's face went pale. "Evelyn, what do you mean by that? Are you suspecting me?"
"I'm not suspecting you," I said as I sat up in bed. "Let me see your hand."
Sophie's hand shot behind her back before she even realized it.
That was all the proof I needed.
I swung my legs off the bed and marched straight up to her.
Sophie was half a head shorter than me.
I seized her wrist and gave it a sharp tug.
The hand wearing the matching ring was right in front of my face.
I directly grabbed for her pocket with my other hand.
Sophie freaked out, struggling frantically to get away.
"Evelyn! What are you doing?" she yelled.
I reached into her pocket and pulled out my heirloom ring.
Busted. No more excuses.
"Well? What do you have to say for yourself?" I asked.
I let go of her.
Sophie's face flushed, then went pale.
"I-I saw you faint and was afraid the ring would get lost, so I kept it safe for you," she stammered.
"Kept it safe in your own pocket, did you?" I scoffed. "Sophie, we've been friends for ten years. I never saw your true colors before, but now I do."
Just then, Alex came back with the doctor.
He froze when he saw the tension between us.
"What's going on here?" Alex asked.
Sophie burst into tears and ran to Alex's side.
"Alex, Evelyn... she's accusing me of stealing her ring," she said.
I held up the heirloom ring for everyone to see.
"I pulled this out of her pocket," I said.
Alex's brows furrowed as he glanced at Sophie.
Sophie burst into louder tears.
"I really was trying to keep it safe for her. Honestly, I never meant to steal it!" she cried.
I was so over their drama.
I put the heirloom ring back on my finger.
I willed it.
The ring on Sophie's finger glowed for a second, then vanished into thin air.
It appeared right in my palm.
The master ring could completely override the secondary one.
Sophie was totally in the dark about this.
Sophie stared at her now bare finger and shouted, "Where's my ring? Where's my space?"
"Sophie, you got a second chance, too, didn't you?" I said.
Sophie's face alternated between shock and fury.
"Evelyn, what are you even saying? I don't understand. You gave it to me, so it's mine now. Who gave you the right to snatch it back?" she shouted.
I stared her down, making it clear, word by word. "Because I can take it back anytime I damn well please," I said.
Alex stepped in front of Sophie, trying to shield her.
"Evelyn, take it easy. Sophie didn't do it on purpose," he said.
"You two, disappear from my sight," I said, pointing at the door. "Get lost."