Another Chance

However, 'Why did this scene look so familiar?'

   It wasn't just it being familiar, but the fact that she had already witnessed this day clear and fair. The familiar trees that had covered the environment, exuding a green environment. It represented hope, a hope for a new day.

Compared to the dark allies and the dark ceiling that had to serve as a refuge for her, the sky was extremely bright, a beautiful blue slightly covered by the white clouds moving far above her. 

Only the mountains side of the Central city could still preserve such a fruitful environment, green and full of colours of the rainbow. How she had missed the splendour of her country home.

 The familiarity of this bright day happened seventeen years ago, in those times when she had been Angel's shadow, following and obeying her like a lackey. If her memory served right, she left the house to search for wild mangoes for Angel but the moment she had climbed the tall tree, her body trembled due to her fear of height and she fell down and blacked out for quite while. 

   Apart from the slight head knock, she didn't have any major injuries. However, the casualties would have been serious and she would have died from the fall, luckily she survived.

   As for the reason why Angel sent her on such an errand, it was certainly not to kill, but a benefit for her. But she wasn't ignorant of her fear for height, yet she still obliged her to leave and get the fruitful mangoes at the height of the mount where tree were two times taller than Goliath.

If not for the elder lady who had passed by the forest for her routine errands, no one knew if she would have survived.

"Are you really okay?", The old lady asked again, noticing that Auriane hadn't said a single phrase since she woke up. But it wasn't that she didn't want to speak, but her throat was dry, burning as if it was inflamed.

"Here, little girl, drink some water, your throat must be dry."

   Auriane stretch out her hand and took the little gourde from the elder's hand, quenching her taste. She drank as if it had been centuries that she didn't drink a drop of water. Others would think she woke up from a few minutes comas, but she actually returned to seventeen years back. 

   Back to the days when she was just a thirteen year old teenager who hadn't seen the far end of life. No one would guess that she had at least a knowledge and experience of thirty years with her.

As for how she came back during this exact period when things had yet to escalate,she wouldn't be able to tell, she had never believed in psychic revelations. But today life had shown her that the world was indeed still a mystery.

Though perplexed about the current situation and how there was a sudden change of her fate, she couldn't care less. She was just happy to be back before the time when Angel had yet to ruin her life. Maybe God took pity on her and sent her back, then she could only thank him.

"Thank you mama Ben."

   Auriane thanked the elder woman who had yet to recover from the shock of finding an unconscious little girl in the woods.

"Don't thank me, thank fate for bringing me here."

Fate, was it?

   Could she thank fate for her past misfortune or thank fate for bringing her back and letting her remember that she had once experienced death.

"Then I should thank your fate?", Auriane said, revealing a dazzling smile, as bright as the sun that had yet to set.

   Thanking her fate was equal to declaring that she carried a lucky fate with her. She didn't deny the fact that it was fate that had brought her, but she also believed that it was her luck to meet her. The girl in front of her was not only charming, but she was tacit in her words. But her skinny body broke Mama Ben's heart, causing her to wonder how she was treated. Yet, she didn't probe any further, because she didn't like talking into other family member's problem.

"Do you feel any pain on your body, it shouldn't have been quite comfortable to lay on the ground for long... sigh...I am too old to even carry a skinny little girl as you."

  Mama Ben sighed helplessly, when she looked at the skinny girl in front of her. She wasn't much acquaintanted to the girl in front of her, the last time she came in contact with her was during her mother's funerals. The little baby that she was stood out amongst her family members, her ever green eyes seems to holding the universe itself and an impressive exotic charm in it. 

Today she was thirteen, no longer the little baby who was ignorant about life and death, but her lively self seemed to have been lost. Maybe a child without a mother was just bound to suffer and feel the lost compared to others who still had one.

"Thanks mama Ben, I feel much better now, I must have bothered you due to my mischieves. Please accept my sincere apologies."

 Auriane apologized, but she wasn't just apologizing to mama Ben, she wanted to apologize for her ungrateful nature towards the woman that saved her in her past life and still ended up saving her once again. But she was also apologizing for her past misunderstanding of the old lady who had helped. In her past life she had been arrogant and barely thanked mama Ben. 

When she met her the next day on the street, she pretended not to know her. Now she realises how it had been extremely rude. But she wasn't all at fault, this time it was another advice from Angel White. It was indeed true that everyone took mama Ben was feared by children in their quad, but that was just because she wasn't too sociable.

However, she was a good person, others just thought too much because she spent time in the forest. Who would have known that this secretive woman was versed in medicinal plants and most likely a master of poison.

'Don't go near her, she's a witch?'

   Angel had once warned her, but as for who was the witch, Auriane was fully aware of this. Mama Ben who was considered a witch was actually her savior, while Angel ruined her life.

"Fine, no need to apologize, it's normal for everyone to make mistakes, just be careful next time. Don't always let others lead you astray."

   The words that she had told her was a simple advice from an elderly, but it seemed to be hinting towards something. It was as if she knew that she came to the forest not on her own accord, but she was enticed to do so.

It was strange how she had been deaf in the past, she didn't pay attention to Mama Ben's words, words that could have saved her from ruin. But now that she was back, she definitely wouldn't miss that advice.

"I sure, I'll listen to your advice."

   Mama Ben released a warm smile at her with a relief. She was happy because if the spark in Auriane's eyes, it was a spark of life, determination and a will to change.

"Now take care yourself, I still have things to do in the forest, you should go back and rest."

    Mama Ben waved her hand, not wasting any more time to get lost in the forest. It is exactly as in her past life, Mama Ben left, advising her to go back home. But in her past life, she didn't go back home, she stayed behind to search for mangoes, but she didn't dare climb the tree any longer. Neither did she dare go back to Angel with the fear of disappointing her.

 But what she never knew that, at that same moment of her hesitation, her sister was being oppressed by her step mother who exposed her to shame. She was defamed and accused of adultery, ruining her image in the eyes of everyone.

  But the truth was that her sister had been framed by Cindy, her elder cousin, everything was planned not only to destroy her sister's image. But it was precisely because she was jealous of her sister and wanted to stop her from going to the university.

   Unfortunately, in her past life when she came back home at a late hour, giving the wicked people enough time to humiliate her sister and destroy her dignity, crushing it with their feet. That single day destroyed not only her sister's life, but hers as well. How couldcould she sit behind and let the White successful ruin the life and reputation of her only family.

No

   Even if she couldn't go back to before her sister had been taken advantage of by a stranger, she still had to avoid the next casualties and clear her image. 

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***