The Reborn Omega's Revenge (Valencia)
Chapter 3

Valencia's POV

"You're twenty!!! Finally...aren't you excited? Jaxon will probably propose at the banquet tonight!" Celeste chirped, bouncing up and down in excitement, her purple silk nightgown swishing around her legs.

"Wait... twenty?"

I'm twenty? The parting words of the woman flooded back to me with crystal clarity, and my eyes widened. "It's time for you to go back to the crossroad of your life and change your destiny."

So this was the crossroad of my life? Which meant that what happened today would decide the course of my future.

My heart raced in my chest, and a wave of confusion rolled over me, threatening to drown me. But...........had I really, truly, gone back in time? Was this real? Not just some vivid, horrible dream?

"Hello? Earth to Vi?" Celeste waved a hand in front of my face, her carefree smile plastered across her lips. “What do you mean, ‘wait'? Of course you're turning twenty! That's what I'm saying. You won't be getting any younger. It's time you-Hey! Where are you going?"

I ignored her rambling and stumbled over to the cupboard. This room—it was familiar. The same iron-wrought bed. The same wooden floors. The ivory cupboard. I was back in my bedroom from six years ago. And when I had looked into the mirror, it confirmed my worst—or perhaps my most hopeful—thought.

It's real.

“Are you ignoring me?" Celeste's voice pulled me from my thoughts, and I turned to see her standing there, looking at me with mild irritation. She was eighteen. Young, bubbly, and oh-so-innocent-before she became the traitor I knew in my past life. My heart burned with anger, and disbelief, but I forced it down.

She hasn't betrayed me yet.

I reminded myself of that fact, trying to quiet the storm of rage swirling inside me. If I was really back in time, then the person standing in front of me wasn't the Celeste who had stolen everything from me yet.

Yet.

I shook off the thought. “No..... I just don't feel well,” I muttered, trying to replace an excuse to get away from her. “I think I should rest for a bit."

But before I could make my escape, Celeste rushed toward me and threw her arms around me, her voice high-pitched and whiny. “What? No, no, no! It's your birthday! You need to get dressed up! How will Jaxon propose if he doesn't—"

I shoved her off me, a shiver of disgust crawling up my spine. The thought of Jaxon proposing, of that night..... it made my skin crawl. I didn't care about his proposal. I didn't care about anything except figuring out what the hell was going on.

"Mind your manners, sister,” I snapped, my voice harsher than I intended. “I'm feeling under the weather and will come down shortly. Just... leave me alone for a while.”

Celeste stepped back, her eyes wide, and I saw the glisten of tears welling up. "What is wrong with you today?” she asked, her lower lip trembling as she turned and fled the room, her tears streaming down her cheeks.

For a moment, guilt pricked at me. I hadn't meant to lash out at her like that. She hadn't done anything yet. This version of Celeste didn't deserve my anger.

A deep sigh escaped me as I stood there, alone.

I didn't have time to wallow in misery. If I had really been reborn and that was my future then I would replace out soon enough.

I stripped out of my nightgown and stepped into the bathroom.

A low growl of frustration escaped my throat as memories of my twentieth birthday resurfaced. I quickly finished my shower. I wrapped myself in a towel and padded back into my bedroom, walking over to the wardrobe.

If this was real, if I had truly gone back, then tonight was the night Jaxon wouldn't propose to me-not because he didn't want to, but because his sister, Ana, would spill red wine all over my beige dress. I would cry and leave the banquet early, and then Jaxon would come to console me... and take my virginity in the process.

The thought made my skin prickle with revulsion. That first night had been a painful blur. I had endured it because I loved him, never realizing it was only the beginning of the pain he would cause. Allowing him that night had been the start of a life filled with suffering, enduring it again and again for his sake.

And then, the very next day, Jaxon had announced our engagement. He hadn't asked. He had simply declared it as if it were his right, and I, naive and love-struck, had accepted it. I'd been hurt but happy, truly believing it was more than I deserved.

I glanced at the beige dress hanging in my wardrobe and gulped.

Not tonight. Not this time.

My eyes landed on a small box hidden in the corner of my closet. Inside was a dress, one I'd received as a gift for my sixteenth birthday. I had never worn it because it was too daring, too revealing for the quiet, obedient Valencia I used to be.

But tonight? Tonight I would do things differently.

I pulled the dress from the box, the wine-red silk shimmering in the light. It clung to my body perfectly, the fabric hugging every curve and falling in a graceful train behind me. A slit ran up my thigh, giving the dress a dangerous edge I had never dared embrace before. I left my hair loose, letting it tumble down my shoulders, and grabbed the darkest, bloodiest shade of lipstick I could replace.

When I looked in the mirror again, I barely recognized myself.

This is it.

Taking a deep breath, I steeled myself and headed for the door. Little did I know, this small change would alter my entire future.