Chapter 5

Eloise Brooke

"Justin?" My voice came out in a whisper as I stared at the person I least ever expected to see. Justin Lloyd. My college ex-boyfriend.

His footsteps echoed in the room as he counted his steps toward the bed where I was now seated.

He pulled a chair and sat in front of me. "How are you feeling now? Are you okay?"

His brown eyes bored into mine worriedly, and as his warm palm came in contact with my skin, my heart fluttered, and my throat went dry.

How could it be him? He was supposed to be dead!

"Are you hurting anywhere? Should I get the doctor?"

My mouth was only hanging open. No words came out. How could this even be?

Justin and I dated for years back in college, but we broke up before he traveled out of the country to take over his father's business after our graduation.

By the time he returned years later, I was already married to Lucas. We both had to move on, because I already did.

Then months later, I got the shocking news of my life. Justin had died in a plane crash.

I stared at him, my eyes welled up with tears, my lips trembling. He is alive! He is alive in this life.

"Eloise... Are you okay?" His gentle voice slammed me back into reality.

"Are you ok? Why are you crying?"

"Justin?" My hand trembled as I reached for his face. "This is really you?" I cupped his cheek in my palm. It was really him... He wasn't a ghost. He is really alive!

"Don't cry, Eloise... You are safe now." He kissed my hand, smiling softly, but I hugged him instead... Tightly. As if he'd vanish if I let him go. I was afraid he would.

He held me, his hand gently rubbing against my back as he whispered. "It's okay, Eloise..."

'But how did I end up with Justin here? How did he find me?'

When Lucas didn't show up to take me to the hospital after the miscarriage in my past life, I had forced myself amid the pain to drive to the hospital, but the last thing I remembered then was passing out in the middle of the road as I had lost too much blood.

That was probably how he found me.

And when I woke up, I was on the hospital bed, just as I found myself earlier. I couldn't wait then to thank the good person who had brought me to the hospital, as Lucas asked me to come home right away. If I had waited longer, perhaps I would've met Justin back then.

He reached for my face and wiped my tears.

Our eyes locked, as silence thickened around us. My heart pounded with excitement. It still felt unreal.

Then he broke the silence. "I haven't seen your husband. Does he know you are here?"

I noticed the shift in his eyes. The flicker of anger.

My heart twisted in my chest, and I forced down the lump in my throat. My cheeks burned hot. I couldn't look him in the eyes. How do I explain everything to him?

"Uhm... My husband is busy. He was in a meeting." I told him the first lie that I could think of.

His eyebrows drew apart, and he scoffed. "Meeting? What kind of a man chooses a meeting over his dying wife?" He gritted his teeth. "If I hadn't shown up there, something terrible would've happened to you."

"I'm fine now, Justin. Thank you for saving me." I forced a smile.

He went mute. At least for a minute, then threw another question at me. "Is he aware of the miscarriage?"

"No, he isn't." I denied it. How could I let him know that I ended up with a man who treated me like I was nothing, after our breakup?

He dragged his fingers through his hair. "Why didn't you tell him about---"

I cut him off softly. "I don't want to talk about this, Justin... Please."

He stared at me, his eyes dilated in shock, but he nodded and muttered. "It's fine."

"I'll go get the doctor." He forced a smile, and patted my arm before walking out, and I exhaled deeply...