Chapter 30

Chapter 30

But before Laura could even start her car's engine, a sleek silver Porsche Taycan suddenly pulled over just in front of hers. The futuristic, low-slung design instantly caught her attention, its polished exterior gleaming under the morning sun. She watched, curious, wondering why this stunning car had stopped by their house.

The car door swung open, and to her surprise, a familiar man stepped out, his bright blue hair instantly recognizable.

"Wait... Quinn?!" Laura chuckled, immediately getting out of her car to meet the man with the flashy blue hair and ear studs.

The moment Quinn spotted her, he grinned and opened his arms wide, ready for her embrace. Laura, laughing, jumped toward him, wrapping her arms around him as he pulled her close. His grip was tight, possessive, arms looped snugly around her waist like they hadn't seen each other in ages.

"Oomf! Haha! How are you, darling?" he chuckled, his voice warm as he playfully kissed the crook of her neck, making Laura giggle.

"What do you mean, how am I? How are you?" she teased, still laughing in his arms. "I thought you applied for the army? What's with the blue hair?" She gently tugged at his vibrant locks, clearly amused.

Quinn chuckled again, his arms still around her. "Had to switch things up a bit, you know? Besides, they can't kick me out for fashion choices."

Meanwhile, Jonathan, who had been watching from the other side of the street, stepped out of his own car, his eyes narrowing at the sight before him. His heart sank, and a wave of jealousy surged through him at the intensity of Laura and Quinn's closeness. Their laughter, the way they held each other—it all felt too intimate.

And who is this man? Jonathan wondered, his fists clenched involuntarily.

"Laura!" he called out, urgency breaking through his voice. Without thinking, he closed the distance between them, reaching for her. His hand wrapped around her arm, pulling her away from the man's side as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

The stranger's eyes narrowed, but his smirk remained intact as he crossed his arms. "Oh... the 'best friend?'" he mocked, his tone dripping with arrogance. He raised a brow, glancing between Laura and Jonathan, clearly enjoying the tension in the air.

Jonathan's stomach twisted. He opened his mouth to respond, but Laura beat him to it.

"Haha... that was a long time ago," she said, brushing off the connection between them as if it had been nothing. Her words cut deep, and her tone, colder than he had ever heard, sent a chill down his spine. She took a few steps back, deliberately widening the distance between them.

Jonathan stared at her, frozen in place. "A... long time ago?" he repeated, his voice barely above a whisper, disbelief etched into every word. He searched her face, desperate for some sign that she didn't mean it—that this was all just a misunderstanding.

But all he saw was indifference.

Laura's eyes, once so familiar, were now icy and distant, and the cold rejection hit him harder than any physical blow ever could. The warmth they had shared, the bond that had been the foundation of their friendship, felt like it was dissolving right in front of him.

"That's it, huh?" Jonathan spat, his voice breaking slightly. "So you've forgotten everything? Just like that? After years of friendship, I'm nothing but a 'long time ago' to you?"

Laura shifted uncomfortably, but she said nothing. Jonathan's anger flared at her indifference, and before he could stop himself, the words tumbled out. "Guess it's easier when you've got someone else to jump to. Or maybe you've had a taste of another man?"

Quinn's smirk vanished instantly, replaced by a look of fury. Without warning, he stepped forward and, with a quick, controlled motion, his fist collided with Jonathan's jaw, sending him stumbling back.

Jonathan's vision blurred as Quinn's fist slammed into his jaw. His body staggered, instinctively closing his eyes from the impact. But when he opened them again, everything had changed.

He wasn't in the same place anymore. He was clearly and utterly confused at what was happening. Wasn't he with Laura just a second ago?

The sting of the punch vanished, replaced by an eerie stillness. He blinked, confused, as he found himself standing in a grand, sunlit church. The scent of roses filled the air, and soft organ music echoed through the sacred halls. Rows of people were seated, dressed in their finest attire, their gazes fixed ahead, oblivious to his presence.

At the front, near the altar, stood Laura.

She was wearing a stunning wedding gown, her veil cascading behind her like a river of silk. Her face was lit up with joy as she stood hand in hand with a man Jonathan didn't recognize. The stranger was smiling at her, his eyes full of love and admiration as they exchanged vows. The intimacy between them was undeniable, a bond that seemed unbreakable, like she had never known anyone else but him.

Jonathan's chest tightened painfully, disbelief flooding his senses. "Laura?" he called out, his voice trembling.

She didn't respond. She didn't even flinch. It was as though she couldn't hear him at all, as if he were a ghost in the room.

His heart pounded as he took a step forward, desperate to stop what was happening. But his legs felt like lead, weighed down by invisible chains. He could only watch in horror as Laura smiled up at the man standing beside her, her eyes sparkling with happiness. The man's hand slid around her waist, drawing her closer.

"No," Jonathan whispered, panic rising within him. He watched helplessly as the officiant pronounced them husband and wife. The stranger leaned in and kissed Laura—his Laura— sealing their union while the guests erupted into applause.

Jonathan's world crumbled. "Laura!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the empty cathedral in vain. He tried to reach her, but it was as though he was trapped in a nightmare, frozen in place, powerless to stop the scene unfolding before him.

This can't be real, he thought, desperately searching for a way to intervene. But before he could act, the ground beneath him crumbled, pulling him into a dark, bottomless void. The sensation was suffocating—he gasped, feeling like he was falling forever until, suddenly, he jolted awake.

Except, this time, everything was different.

His surroundings shifted into something oddly familiar. He found himself standing in a crowded, bustling hallway—the sights, the sounds—it was unmistakably his old university. His heart pounded in his chest as a flood of memories hit him all at once. He was back in college, back to the place where his reckless, promiscuous behavior had begun. The place where everything started to go wrong between him and Laura.

Jonathan flinched, his breath coming in short gasps as panic gripped him. His mind swirled with questions—What is happening? Why am I back here?

And then, a single terrifying thought struck him—Laura.

If this was real, if somehow time had rewound, that meant Laura would be here, too. His heart leapt with the possibility. Was this fate giving him a second chance, a way to rewrite his past mistakes and fix what he had broken?

But before he could dwell on the thought any longer, his phone vibrated in his pocket. The familiar, clunky feel of his old college phone confirmed the impossible—it wasn't just a memory. He really was back in time.

And so, he quickly shoved the phone back into his pocket and took off running, his breath shallow and frantic. He needed to find her. He needed to see her, to stop himself from making the same mistakes.

His feet carried him through the campus, searching frantically for Laura in all the places he remembered she would be during this time. But she was nowhere to be found. His pulse quickened, each minute stretching unbearably as panic tightened in his chest. Where is she?

And then, he reached the rooftop.

Jonathan stumbled to a halt, his body freezing in place as his worst fear unfolded before his eyes. Laura was there, standing close to someone—too close. But it wasn't him. It was another man, and they were kissing.

His breath hitched in his throat, and he clutched his chest. The pain was unbearable as jealousy and regret twisted his insides. It was a cruel mirror of the past—except this time, it wasn't him with someone else. It was her.

The image of her in someone else's arms, someone else's life, shattered him. His heart pounded violently as he watched, helpless. His legs felt heavy, his chest tightening as if the air had been sucked out of the world.

"Laura," he whispered hoarsely, but his voice barely made a sound.