𝓕𝓻𝓸𝓶 𝓓𝓮𝓪𝓽𝓱 𝓽𝓸 𝓒𝓸𝓷𝓬𝓾𝓫𝓲𝓷𝓮 [Remarried Empress story] {HIATUS}

Ch 1. Death and Waking up again

My name is Maria La Croix.
I am 21 years old.
I'm a gamer, fanfic lover, and reader.
And I am dead. Let's rewind that right?
1 hour earlier; at a cafe.
Lenore laughs, dyed silver hair contrasting against tan skin beautifully. I watch as she grins at her boyfriend. Jack or John or something, never bothered remembering.

"Oh, Mari, Did you see that game at Target? That one you really wanted?" Renee asks and I turn to my cousin.

"Yeesss?" I question warily. Last time I answered a question like this, I woke up with bleached hair and eyebrows. And a clown face. She smiles and without looking, pulls something from her purse.
My eyes widen at seeing the game I had wanted to get ever since I had seen the trailer for it.

"Thank you so much!" I cheer as I tackle my cousin into a hug. She laughs and we pull apart. She opens her mouth to say something-
Clink!
We turn to look at a amused Lenore alongside her boyfriend.

"I have something to tell you two." Brown eyes gleam as she holds her hand out. Silence reigns as I stare at the ring on her finger.

"C-Congrats!" Renee stutters before giving a large smile. I smile as well after a few moments of shock.

"Congratulations." I state warmly. Lenore beams at me. But the happiness fades when I see her fiancé check his phone, excuse himself and leaves. The confusion on my friends face is what tells me that him leaving is not planned.

"He said that he had no plans today.. Maybe something came up?"

"Should we see if he's alright?" I question. Lenore looks torn between staying or checking if he's alright. She stands and grabs her purse.

"It won't hurt to check." I slap a 20 down on the table as the three of us hustle out of the cafe. Only for Lenore to start sprinting ahead of us in the direction of where her fiancé went.

"Hey Len, We're not all Hercules!" Reneè yells and she turns to me.

"At least you didn't ditch me." I grin sheepishly.

"Sorry." I then sprint after my friend with the protesting cries of Renee trailing behind me. I manage to keep track of Lenore but a question that plagues me as I follow is wondering how far lover boy got in such a short time. As I'm lost in thought, I don't notice Lenore's sudden stop. I slam directly into her, my nose hitting the crown of her head.

"Oww!" I step back holding my nose.

"Mari, what the heck?" She snaps and I raise an eyebrow at her tone, noting how she never even looked at me. I look up at where we stop. Starbucks.
I look at my friend in confusion and faint dread. If I look and I see what I think is happening, someone will get hurt. I follow her eyes and wince. Lover boy is with another woman. Footsteps slam against the concrete as the arrival of our third party member is heralded by gasps.

"What the-oh geeze my lung- heck, guys? Why'd- ugh- you leave me?" No response is given by us. She frowns before looking at the window where we had seen the act of infidelity.

"Oh. Maybe she's a relative he hasn't seen in a while?" She questions aloud.

"Relatives do sometimes drop in without warning." I state coldly. Like her. Renee winces, quickly catching the unspoken word. I peek to see Lenore's reaction. Her fists are clenched as she watches the two laugh and cuddle.

"Never mind!" My cousin squeaks and I grit my teeth when he kisses the other girl. Seriously? And after proposing too?

"Right so how do we- okay we do it your way." I'm cut off by Lenore storming into the little cafe. Judging from her facial expressions, she started right off the bat yelling. Renee and I share a look before we hurry in after to catch the tail end of a sentence.

"-that I don't that you decided I wasn't enough?! What the heck, Jacob?!" She yells, hurt and anger on her face. Jacob (that was his name!) disentangles himself from the brunette girl and raises his hands in defense.

"Babe, it's nothing, I didn't mean it!" He pleads and with those words, the other girl's rage is fanned.

"Nothing?!" She snaps.

"We have been dating for 9 years and you just say our relationship is nothing?!" The words are like knives for my friend as her face pales.

"W-we've been dating for 6." She breathes and that's when I jump in.

"Shame on you, you waste of human flesh, for cheating on these fine ladies, and after you proposed to someone else too!" The brunette's glare is redoubled on those words.

"You deserve neither of them. And if I catch you anywhere near my best friend, know that I will make sure that no one will ever. find. your. body." I seethe, jabbing my finger into his chest with the last four words.

"B-but- she- I-I Love her." His stutters turn quiet.

"Then ya shouldn't have cheated." I sneer before turning around to follow after a storming Lenore, leaving Cheater boy and the other girl behind.

"Right, he's an a-hole." Renee declares as Lenore storms ahead of us.

"I could've handled it! You didn't have to butt in, Maria!" Lenore snaps and I raise an eyebrow. I open my mouth to respond when a loud honking cuts me off. The next moments go by in a flash. All I see is a terrified Lenore as a truck bares down on her. It's only feet away. She's not gonna make it. I start to run towards her, Renee is screaming. Time slows down as I put my hand against her shoulder, and shove. Fear turns to shock as she stares. I smile-
WHAM.

"MARIA!"

I see no more.

"So this is her? This'll be fun. Dear girl, You've been given a second chance. Don't mess it up."

Dark eyes set in a pale face open.
"Your name shall be.. Rashta."