1 Dead and Alive (1/2)
Leo Estes was frustrated. Running his hand repeatedly through his chocolate brown hair, Leo stared at the papers in front of him and battled with himself in his head. On one side, he really wanted to sign these papers that would legally wed him to Carina Camille, a beautiful and capable woman that any man would kill to have. But on the other hand, even though he never really loved his previous wife, it seemed disrespectful to her memory and her family if he went and married another woman within a week of her death. Leo knew that Carina was impatient to marry and she had always held Adeline in contempt.
While Carina hailed from a rich and influential family, Adeline Astre came from more humble backgrounds. If it weren't for the fact that Leo felt like he owed her, he would not have even considered marrying her.
Picking up the pen, Leo quickly signed all the papers on the desk. The past was in the past and whatever has already happened couldn't be changed. It was better to just move on and make the best of the rest of his life.
Adeline awoke with a splitting headache with no idea what was going on. Clutching her head, she looked around at her surroundings. She was lying in a soft fluffy bed surrounded by pillows. This room looked awfully familiar and she shot straight up when she remembered. This was the room she slept in when she was married to Leo. Why was she here? All she remembered was bright headlights heading towards her and then she woke up here… HOLY SHIT SHE WAS HIT BY A CAR!?
Adeline leaped out of bed and patted herself down. Lifting her pajama shirt she scrutinized her unblemished torso. She had no scars on her but she definitely remember being hit. The pain was not something she would forget anytime soon. Furrowing her brow, she looked in a mirror and was shocked to see her face was seven years younger.
”Did I actually die and this is what the afterlife is?” Adeline murmured while touching her cheeks. ”Wait no that doesn't make sense because why this specific point in my life? I must have been given a second chance to change my life and this is a critical moment in my past.”
Chewing on her lip, Adeline thought about the events in her past life. ”Right!” she snapped her fingers, ”This is about the time when Leo went public with Carina.” She cringed when she thought of her previous actions when she found out.
She was a fool to hang on to Leo for so long when it was clear her feelings for him were not returned. Now that she was given a second chance, she wasn't going to waste it.
Leo, clutching a bouquet of flowers, stared at the gravestone of his ex-wife. Carina, entwining her arms around Leo's asked, ”Why are we even here? You didn't love her and now she's dead and out of your life.”
”Because if it wasn't for her, my company wouldn't have existed and we wouldn't have been able to marry.”
”Hmm.” Carina held out her hand to admire the wedding band that adorned her ring finger. ”Then I suppose we should thank her.”
Laying the flowers in front of the headstone, Leo brushed the snow that had began to pile up on top the stone. Turning he led Carina out of the cemetery and to the taxi that was waiting for them.
”Where to?” the driver asked when they were settled into the car.
”I need to go to the company and pick up some papers. You can drop Carina off first.” Leo said.