Deviating from the original plot

Chapter two

Anne approached her gently. "My lady, would you like to take a walk?"

Victoria looked up briefly before shaking her head. "No... I just want to go back to my room," she murmured, her voice subdued with the weight of her grief.

Anne nodded without pressing further and led her through the halls. The walk was silent, each step feeling heavier than the last. Once inside her room, Victoria settled into a chair by the window, her gaze fixed on the peaceful garden outside. But no matter how beautiful the view was, it did nothing to ease the ache in her chest.

The day dragged on, and as night fell, the mansion grew quiet. Victoria lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, exhaustion pulling at her, yet sleep felt distant. Eventually, her eyes fluttered shut, and she drifted into unconsciousness.

Instead of the restful slumber she longed for, she found herself in a strange, dreamlike realm—an endless expanse filled with soft, shimmering light, and before her, a luminous figure took form.

Victoria took a wary step back. "Where am I? And... what are you?" she asked, her voice filled with confusion.

"You are in the space between," they answered, their voice calm and unwavering. "And you are here because your destiny has taken an unexpected turn."

Victoria frowned, crossing her arms. "Unexpected turn?" she echoed. "Do you mean dying, or are you referring to the part where I woke up in someone else's body?"

The spirit chuckled softly, amused by her sarcasm "Both, actually."

Victoria's irritation flared. "It's not funny," she snapped. "Why am I really here?"

The spirit sighed. "You are here because I need to explain things to you. The truth is, you weren't meant to die in your previous life," They said. "Your death was not supposed to happen—but fate was disrupted."

Victoria's eyes narrowed. "Excuse me—hold on. You're telling me I wasn't supposed to die? Then why did I?"

The spirit hesitated for a moment before answering. "There was... a mix-up. Your soul was mistaken for another with a similar name. And once a soul has left its body, it cannot be returned."

Victoria felt her blood boil. Her fingers curled into fists at her sides. "So you're saying you killed me by mistake?"

"Yes," the spirit admitted. "And to make amends, we gave you another life."

Victoria let out a sharp, bitter laugh. "Make amends? You didn't give me another life—you kept me in someone else's body while you ruined my actual life!" Her voice shook with rage. "I had a family! friends! Dreams! And because of some stupid mistake, I've been thrown into a world that isn't mine, inside a body that doesn't belong to me. And now you expect me to just accept it?"

The spirit remained silent for a moment before responding. "This life is yours now, Victoria. I thought you would prefer this outcome due to your interests in your previous life. And your soul was the closest match to hers. Your natal chart, your star alignment—everything mirrored Victoria Valenford's."

Victoria trembled, her breath uneven. It wasn't fair. None of this was fair.

"What happened to letting my soul rest or something?" Victoria demanded, her voice laced with frustration.

"It is not yet time for you to transcend the great divide," the spirit replied calmly. "Your journey is not over. Continue your life as Victoria Valenford."

Victoria frowned, frustration and disbelief both mingling inside her. "So, you're telling me that just because we happened to share the same birthday and astrological chart, you kept my soul in her body?"

"When fate erred, we sought the best possible way to restore balance. This was the only path that allowed you to continue existing."

Victoria let out a bitter laugh. "Exist? You call this existing? I lost everything. My family, my friends, my entire world! And you expect me to just live as someone else and act like it's fine?"

They continued "I do not expect you to be fine, Victoria. But you must understand—this is your life now. You have been given a second chance. What you choose to do with it is up to you."

Victoria bit her lip, her heart aching. "And what about my family? My parents... Do they know what happened to me?"

The spirit hesitated for a moment before speaking. "To them, you are gone. In their world, your story in that world ended the moment your soul left your body. I am sorry."

As soon as the spirit spoke, Victoria jolted awake, drenched in cold sweat. The dream lingered, replaying in her mind over and over again.

She didn't sleep that night.