Reliving the same day twice felt like the universe was giving me a second chance. But second chances weren’t gifts. They were tests. The question is, will I pass this time?

Reality had a cruel way of looping itself, running the same scenes over and over until my sanity teetered right on the edge. It was like being stuck in a song that just wouldn’t end. Familiar, relentless, and maddening.

That’s exactly where I found myself. I was walking toward town, determined to throw myself headfirst into this Bizarr-O-Day. Even now, as I think about it, I can feel that weird twist in my gut, like everything was slightly off-kilter but pretending not to be.

I needed answers. I needed something real. The only way to get that was to retrace my steps, dig through the noise, and look for those key moments that might prove whether today really was a rerun or if my brain had finally cracked.

Three events stood out in my mind, seared into my memory like scars. If they played out again, exactly the same, every word and movement lining up with what I remembered, then I’d have no doubt. This wasn’t just a weird dream or dumb luck. It had to be something bigger. Magic, maybe. Or fate. Or some bored god screwing with me for reasons I couldn’t even begin to guess.

I stood outside my house, morning air brushing against my skin, sharp enough to make me suck in a breath. The chill wasn’t what made me shiver, though. It was the feeling, that eerie weight in the air like the world was holding its breath. Something told me I was on the edge of something that mattered.

Was this someone’s twisted idea of a second chance? A test, maybe, to see if I’d crash and burn all over again?

And why me?

Why Alex Stormbourne?

My family was full of people more qualified for a cosmic redo. My dad, with his unshakable sense of duty. My mom, who kept everything together like it was second nature. Even Aiden or my older cousins had their strengths. Me? I was just… me.

But they weren’t here.

I was.

And that had to count for something.

I started walking, gravel crunching beneath my boots in that oddly satisfying way that made things feel grounded. Whatever this version of reality was, I was in it. No question about that. This wasn’t a dream. This wasn’t some make-believe afterlife either. This was real. And if today really was yesterday on repeat, then what the hell was I supposed to change?

The last time, if I could even call it that, I couldn’t stop any of it. Everything fell apart. People I loved died. And every choice I made led straight to that ending.

If some higher being thought I had what it took to rewrite that story, they were putting way too much faith in me.

What could I possibly do that would be enough?

Then the thought hit me hard.

What if that was the point?

What if I was meant to relive this day, over and over, until I got it right? Until I figured out the perfect set of actions to stop the attack and save everyone? It sounded like something out of an old legend. One of those cruel fates where a hero had to repeat their failures until they finally stumbled onto the right path.

Or maybe I was just losing my damn mind, spiraling into madness one repeated day at a time.

Nah. That couldn’t be it.

If I had any shot at stopping this, I needed help. The problem was, I had no time to get it. If the attack were a few days away, I could send a message to Uncle Dane. He’d ride in with his forces and crush Catherine and her soldiers before they even reached the estate. He would believe me. I’d bet my life on it.

But I didn’t have days.

I had hours.

Damn it. Why did this have to be so close? Whoever or whatever threw me back into this day didn’t even think of giving me a little more breathing room. If I’d woken up just one day earlier, my father would still be here. Maybe I could have convinced him of what was coming. If not him, then my mother. She might’ve believed I’d seen a vision or a premonition. Even Alice could’ve helped sway them.

But now? Now I was alone in this, trying to fight against fate itself with nothing but my own determination.

I stopped walking and took a deep breath, eyes sweeping over the estate grounds. This place held so many memories.

Moments of laughter, of childhood games, of late-night talks by the fire. And yet, right now, it felt like the stage of a tragedy I couldn’t rewrite. The trees, the hedges, the grand buildings that had stood proudly for generations. They all felt tainted, touched by an impending doom that only I could sense.

I shook my head, forcing down the rising anxiety. I’d been in danger before. I’d fought through worse.

But this?

This felt different.

I stepped forward, ready to keep moving, but something shifted in the air and made me pause. A subtle change. An instinctual nudge that shot a warning through my whole body. Slowly, I turned, scanning the space behind me.

And there he was.

Aiden.

Standing just a few yards away, frozen like a statue, staring at me with wide eyes and a face full of disbelief. I could practically hear the gears in his head turning, trying to make sense of what he was seeing.

He’d been trying to sneak up on me. Probably using some skill to mask his presence. Solid move, honestly. If I hadn’t already known this meeting was coming, he might’ve actually pulled it off.

Sorry, Aiden, it’s not that your stealth skills are weak. You just never had a chance this time.

For a brief second, I almost rushed toward him, almost threw my arms around him like I had with Alistair. But the moment passed, and reason kicked in.

Aiden had been alive when Catherine killed me. He wasn’t the one I had lost. And in some small, bitter way, I couldn’t shake the feeling that part of this entire disaster was his fault. If he had never gotten engaged to that scheming, backstabbing bitch in the first place, maybe none of this would have happened.

Seriously, Aiden, of all the noble ladies in the kingdom, why her? He had options. Plenty of them. He was charming, well-spoken, and decent-looking, not as handsome as me, obviously, but still a catch by noble standards. What woman in high society would be dumb enough to turn him down?

So why Catherine?

I groaned internally, but the answer was clear. That rooftop dress.

No doubt it had played a role in this whole mess. The way she carried herself, the way she exuded that dangerous allure, she was a walking, talking trap designed to take men down before they even realized what was happening. And I got it, to some degree. Even I, for the briefest, most shameful moment, had found myself… distracted by her. That ridiculously revealing outfit had been a weapon all on its own.

But whatever fleeting attraction I might have felt had been obliterated the moment she drove her fist straight into my groin. Any illusions I had about her disappeared in an instant, and all that remained was cold, undeniable truth.

She was a viper.

Her beauty was just another one of her weapons, a tool to get what she wanted. And somehow, Aiden had fallen right into her trap.

“Alex,” Aiden called out, snapping me back to reality. “About—”

I raised my hand to stop him from continuing. “I know, I know. I’m sorry I didn’t show up for the farewell gathering last night. I got wasted in town and lost track of time. I don’t even remember coming back.” I paused. “And yes, I know that—” Shoot, I almost let slip “sexy bitch” out of my lips. Seriously, I needed to get the image of her in that outfit out of my head. “—that your fiancée Catherine is coming. And I’ll try to be present at the lunch reception and be more friendly with her.”

My mind screamed against attending that function, knowing what would happen, but I couldn’t let this conversation drag on.

Aiden looked surprised, clearly caught off guard that I knew so much.

“Did Alistair fill you in on all this?” he asked, squinting at me.

“Uh-huh,” I lied again. “Look, I need to make a trip into town for some personal matter. I’ll be back before lunch.”

He nodded, still looking a little confused.

“Sure thing, Alex. Thanks.”

With that, I spun on my heels and headed toward the estate gate.

I needed a plan, and I needed it fast. The attack on the estate was coming, and I had to stop it. Uncle Dane was out of the question. There just wasn’t enough time to get him involved. I had to come up with something more immediate, something I could act on today.

Maybe I could gather some information while I was in town. Catherine’s plan had to involve moving parts. People she worked with. Places she visited. Loose ends she hadn’t tied up. If I could dig up anything at all, I might be able to find a weak spot. Someone had to listen. Someone had to believe what was coming.

Jitters might help. Not directly, obviously. He was just a cat. But he got me in ways people didn’t. He made me think. He pushed me to look at things from strange angles. If anyone could help me stay grounded in this absurd time loop, it was him.

Before anything else, though, I needed confirmation.

Was today really a repeat of yesterday? Was I stuck in some twisted cycle, or was my mind just messing with me? I had to see it for myself. I needed to catch the small details, the ones that would prove everything was playing out exactly the same.

First up was the old man in the market, locked in a stubborn tug-of-war with his mule. The poor guy kept tugging at the reins, muttering under his breath, while the mule stood its ground, unbothered and unmovable. It was like its only goal in life was to make the old man’s morning as miserable as possible.

I didn’t step in. I just waited.

“Come on, kid… you should be here any second now.”

Right on cue, a young boy came sprinting over, a handful of oats clutched in his tiny hands. The mule’s ears twitched, its whole vibe changing in an instant. One sniff, and just like yesterday, it gave up the fight and followed the boy without a fuss. The old man ruffled the kid’s hair, pulling a burst of giggles from him before they walked off, the mule now cooperative.

One down.

I moved on, heading for the next spot.

A middle-aged merchant was busy failing to balance a stack of crates on his old, creaky cart. I didn’t need to help. I already knew how this would go. As he tried to round a corner, the top crate wobbled, tipped, and crashed to the ground, scattering its contents across the cobbled street.

Apples everywhere.

And here come the kids—

Sure enough, a pack of children came racing in, their laughter echoing as they gathered up the runaway apples. They tossed them back into the crate without missing a beat. The merchant let out a relieved sigh and thanked them before carefully re-stacking the boxes, this time with a bit more caution.

Two for two.

I kept walking, heading for the final location.

A scrappy little dog burst from an alley, yipping wildly as it chased a group of children. He was fast, a streak of brown and white fur zipping through the street. Up ahead, in his path, stood a woman balancing a basket full of eggs.

Part of me wanted to shout a warning, but I knew I didn’t have to.

The dog zoomed past her, almost knocking her off balance. She shouted a stream of curses, shaking her thin fist at the blur of fur and mischief. He didn’t even glance back. He just kept going, ears flopping, chasing the laughter of the kids ahead. The woman checked her basket, breathed a sigh of relief, and moved on.

Three for three.

This wasn’t just a dream. It wasn’t some freak coincidence. Everything was unfolding exactly as it had before.

Which meant the attack on the estate would happen again.

I didn’t have any more doubts. The loop was real. If I didn’t figure something out, I’d be stuck watching it all fall apart again.

But first—Jitters.

I headed for my last stop, needing him more than I liked to admit. If anyone could help me sort through this madness, it was that cat. Right now, I needed every bit of clarity I could get.