Chapter 1A marriage certificate killed everything I had. So I killed us both.
Plot twist? We BOTH woke up two months earlier.
Better twist? Our souls got swapped.
Today's the day I bring lunch to my husband's office. Also the day I meet his mistress.
Tessa sees me. Doesn't know the soul inside's Declan now.
Same sugar-sweet voice as before:
"Oh hey Blair, didn't know you'd be here too. Bad timing?"
Declan catches on quick.
"Nah, it's cool, Blair—"
Then he remembers. We swapped. Now HE'S Blair.
"I mean, I brought food. Wanna eat with us, Tess?"
I shrug.
Why would I stop this? I know exactly what happens next.
And I'm HERE for it.
Declan pours soup. Hands it to Tessa all smooth.
Then—crash. Bowl hits the floor.
"OWWW!"
Tessa grabs her burned wrist. Tears streaming.
"Blair, why'd you BURN me?!"
Declan looks completely lost.
Welcome to Round Two, babe.
Enjoy your "innocent" mistress's TRUE colors.
---
"I DIDN'T!"
Declan stares at Tessa like—what the hell? Then reaches for her.
"Lemme see—"
She jerks back. Hides behind me. Eyes all red.
"Declan, you're scaring me."
Declan's so confused.
"What? I never even TOUCH you."
I step in front of Tessa. Just like Declan did last time.
"You messed up, Blair. Own it. Don't play innocent just 'cause you're sleeping with the boss."
Declan freaks.
"I didn't burn her! It was an accident—I swear!"
Tessa starts crying.
"So you're saying I made this up? I'm just an assistant—why're you coming after me?"
Declan's eyes go wide. Can't get a word out.
I'm laughing inside. But my face shows nothing.
"Tessa, take an hour. Get it checked. We'll pay."
Tessa leaves crying.
Declan's jaw clenches.
"Happy now?"
I stare back.
"I'm doing the exact same shit you did. So why're YOU mad now?"
Declan still won't buy it.
"Last time you hurt Tessa on purpose? Who the hell knows. This time though? Accident."
"She's jumpy. Got spooked. Didn't see shit."
I sit down.
"Think whatever you want."
Tessa's got more tricks coming anyway.
Everything that happened to me before? His turn now.
After Declan storms out, his mom calls.
"Grandpa's seventy. Dinner at the estate."
"Yeah. Okay."
Declan—we're just getting started.
That night I bring Declan back to the estate.
He sits at the far end of the table. Where I sat for three years.
Doesn't realize till the food comes out.
From that seat? Can't reach a single dish.
Something twists in his stomach.
Oh. So that's why Blair always ate ramen after these dinners.
He used to give her shit about it too.
Declan shakes his head.
Whatever. Not like she told me.
Phone goes off. Snaps him back.
Tessa calling me.
"Declan, my power's out. My wrist's killing me. I'm scared."
"On my way."
I stand up. Declan stops me.
"You're really gonna ditch Grandpa's birthday?"
"Sit your ass down!"
I don't even look at him. Just leave.
Soon as my car pulls away, Declan's mom slaps him. Hard.
"Who the FUCK do you think you're talking to?!"
Chapter 2
His head snaps to the side.
Declan stares at the woman who's babied him his whole life.
Can't believe what just happened.
"Mom... you just hit me?"
Her face twists up.
"You think you can call me Mom?"
"I told you—when Declan's here? I'm nice. When he's not? I don't have time for this."
"If Declan hadn't wanted to marry you—some nobody from bumfuck nowhere with no degree, no family—you wouldn't even be cleaning our toilets."
"Talk back to my son again? That was nothing."
Declan looks at Grandpa. At his dad.
They're just sitting there like it's normal.
That's when it hits him.
This was Blair's life. For three whole years.
His head's spinning.
Can't eat. He heads straight to Tessa's place to get me.
Gets there—I've already had an electrician fix the wiring.
Tessa sees Declan. Goes pale.
"Oh... Blair. Didn't think you'd come."
"I was just freaked out, that's why I called. Don't—don't think anything."
That face. That voice.
How's anyone supposed to NOT think something?
Declan doesn't look at her. Stares at me.
Voice goes soft.
"It's done. Let's go. We need to talk."
Tessa sees him ignoring her. Drops down right in front of him. Crying.
"You mad at me?"
"Nothing's going on between Declan and me. I swear."
"This is on me—you wanna hit me? Scream at me? Go ahead."
Declan looks pissed off.
"I'm not mad. Just get up."
Tessa shakes her head.
"Not till you say it's okay."
First time Declan thinks she's being ridiculous.
I help her up. Look at Declan.
"You really gotta make things hard for some young girl?"
That line? Declan said it to me last time.
Right before I died, those words played in my head on repeat.
Now I'm giving them right back.
Declan's face goes red.
"I'm making things hard? I didn't DO anything!"
He glares at Tessa. Fire in his eyes.
"You weren't like this before. Why're you always twisting everything now?"
Tessa puts on her victim act. Crying like her world's ending.
"Whatever you say, Blair."
Declan can't get a word out.
He grabs my hand.
"We're going home NOW."
But Tessa throws her arms out, blocking him.
"Okay fine—I like Declan. But he doesn't like me back! Don't blame him for this!"
Then she looks at Declan. Smirks.
Declan snaps. Shoves her aside.
"Get the hell away from me!"
Tessa's foot slips. Head slams into the doorframe. Blood everywhere.
"Ow, it hurts..."
I freeze.
Tessa's head injury wasn't supposed to happen for another week. Why's it early?
Does that mean history can change?
Then what about Gran...
I can still save her?
Chapter 3
Declan comes back to his senses. Crouches down all worried.
"Tessa, you okay? I didn't mean it, you kept blocking me and..."
"I'll get you to the ER right now."
But Tessa won't even look at him.
Grabs my pant leg. Begging.
"Declan, she only did it 'cause she loves you. I'm fine—just don't be mad at her."
I get Tessa to the hospital.
Out in the hall, Declan's pacing like crazy.
"I barely touched her. How'd it turn into this?"
Forever later, he finally stops. Looks at me.
"After you left... Mom hit me. Did she do that to you a lot?"
"Not a lot. Three, four times."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Would it have mattered?"
Declan goes quiet.
Long pause.
"Blair... I'm sorry."
My heart? Doesn't even flicker.
"I stopped needing that forever ago."
Doctor comes out.
"Two stitches. Make sure she rests."
I look at Declan.
"Last time you bought her a little apartment to recover in. Where was it?"
Declan's voice comes out flat.
"I'll handle it."
I don't say anything.
After Tessa comes out, I stare at Declan.
"Blair. Apologize to Tessa."
Declan looks at me like I've lost it.
"You know I didn't do it on purpose. I'd never hurt Tessa!"
I laugh.
"Yeah, you didn't do it. Then what—she bashed her own head in?"
Declan's got nothing.
Last time I explained for hours. Cried till I had no tears left.
All I got was doubt.
Declan glares at me.
"Don't push it!"
I think that's funny.
"You said people gotta own their mistakes. Now I'M pushing it?"
Tessa tugs my arm.
"Forget it, Declan. I'm... I'm not worth it."
I step forward. Look at Declan.
Raise my hand. Slap him.
"Everything you got? Hayes family gave it to you. I gave it to you. So lose the attitude."
Those words? Declan said them to me before.
He was right. Without him, I was nothing.
But now he's the one with no power.
I tell the driver to make him kneel.
He's losing it.
"You're making me KNEEL?!"
Thud.
His forehead hits the ground. Lifts up—already bruised purple.
After that, I have the driver take Tessa home.
Don't even look at him.
I go straight to the hospital.
Gran's in bed. Sleeping.
I cover my mouth. Can't cry out loud.
My parents died in a crash right after I was born.
Gran raised me by herself.
Last time, Declan froze my accounts to punish me. Gran missed her surgery.
After Gran died, I had no reason left to keep going.
That's why I dragged Declan down with me.
This time—thank god I'm not too late.
I pay a chunk up front right away. Just in case.
Doctor tells me Gran's doing great. Surgery in a month, right on schedule.
Get home after midnight.
Declan's trashed the whole place.
Sees me. Runs over. Freaking out.
"Have you lost your damn mind?"
"You think just 'cause you're in my body you can do whatever?"
"We're switching back RIGHT NOW. And I'm letting all this go!"
I touch his stomach.
"Calm down. You'll hurt the baby."
Declan freezes.
"You're... pregnant?"
Thinking about that baby, I can't help smiling.
"Yeah. Two months."
Declan grabs my hand.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Thinking about it makes me sick.
"I called you twenty-eight times. You never picked up."
"Tessa wanted cookies from across town. You drove three hours to get them."
"While you were gone? She had people hold me down and force pills down my throat!"
