Chapter 10
It took me eight years to walk a completely different path from the last
time.
When I came back to this city for work, I felt a bit lost.
Last time, around this time, I found out Antonio had always hated me. And not long after that, we both went back in time with the time machine to change things.
Because of Antonio’s parents, I still came to their house when they invited
- me.
Antonio looked way more worn out than he did last time at this point.
When he saw me, his eyes finally lit up.
“It has been a long time. How have you been these years?”
I nodded gently. “I’m good.”
“I heard you haven’t got married.”
After saying this, Antonio looked at me nervously.
After a long silence, I nodded again.
Just as he was about to say something excitedly, I beat him to it.
“Seeing my parents fight and eventually divorce when I was young, and then going through some other things later, I realize that marriage isn’t that important to me. I like being alone better.”
The smile on Antonio’s face froze right away. He quickly averted his gaze
and wiped away the tears from the corner of his eye.
I used to tell him that what I wanted most was a warm home because my parents‘ divorce made me scared of being alone.
That was true back then, but after spending eight years in a marriage that felt like a facade with Antonio, I started to fear family life instead.
Kiana hadn’t had it easy these eight years. She still hadn’t escaped Kole and kept going down with him.
Now, they live–streamed every day, but the money they made wasn’t even enough to cover their meals, because people were watching them for the drama.
Helen said they owed a lot of money now and might lose their home soon.
After she finished talking, Antonio looked at me with a sad smile.
“Looks like my first choice was the right one. Grace, can we talk alone for a bit?”
Antonio and I went out to the balcony, and he looked at me seriously.
“Grace, you also came back using the time machine, didn’t you?”
I thought for a moment and nodded.
After getting my answer, Antonio couldn’t hold back his tears anymore.
“I made you suffer for eight years and then left you all alone. I really regret it. I want to go back and make a different choice.”
I knew what he meant. The time machine would be ready soon, and he wanted to go back and change things.
“Antonio, no matter how many times you go back, there will always be things you can’t fix. Stop beating yourself up.
1955
“You once saved me, and now I hope you can save yourself. Don’t get stuck in the past. I hope you can move on soon.”
***
In the first month after Grace left, the time machine was invented again, and Antonio couldn’t wait to go back to the past.
He wanted to change the ending, choose Grace without hesitation, and give her a stable and warm home.
But he soon realized that no matter what he did, he couldn’t change the way things went.
He kept going back, only to lose Grace over and over again.
Every time he lost her, he had to wait eight years all alone, in pain.
Even so, Antonio didn’t give up, because those few short days he spent with Grace every time he went back were the only hope that kept him. alive.
Antonio stepped into the time machine once more and closed his eyes…
