Page 36 of Crazy as Hell

For so long, two years had been an unbreakable boundary.

No matter what she did, where she went, or how carefully she tried to avoid disaster, she had never made it beyond that point.

Until today.

She had survived, finally crossing the line that had haunted her for what felt like an eternity. Two years and one day.

It was only one extra day, but to her, it felt like an entire lifetime.

And now, they were going to celebrate life in all its glorious, chaotic, unpredictable splendor.

Everyone who had become important to her throughout her previous lifetimes had gathered at The Manor for the occasion. Some of them had known her for years. Others had only recently discovered the truth about the impossible number of lifetimes she had already lived. But every person in the room represented an important connection she had made, no matter how briefly. They were people whose friendship or alliance had helped her, even if they didn’t remember.

For one night, The Manor had been closed to everyone except those who had been invited. The nightclub had been transformed into a magical fairyland, making it the perfect setting for a party where they would celebrate life in all its glory.

Thousands of tiny lights floated through the air like suspended stars, lazily drifting above the dance floor. They cast a soft, enchanting glow throughout the room and reflected off the glass dome overhead. Flowers bloomed in clusters on vines curled around the pillars, their petals shimmering with colors that shifted in the light.

Glancing around at all the happy faces, Naomi realized that everything she had been through had ultimately been worth it. Experiencing all of her deaths helped her truly appreciate life. Perhaps that was why the magical source had chosen her as the new Goddess of Second Chances.

At first, she had assumed becoming a goddess was simply a byproduct of her multiple lives. It had seemed logical enough. With every cycle, her magic had grown stronger, accumulating through experiences that should have been impossible for one person to possess. She had lived timelines that no longer existed, and carried memories that only she remembered. It seemed logical to believe all of that power had reached a point where it transformed her into something more.

However, that wasn’t actually the case.

During a particularly surprising vision, Naomi had finally learned the truth. She had attained godhood the moment she had jumped into the pit of devil fire. That realization had left her stunned. She’d thought that sacrifice had simply been another desperate choice. One more impossible decision made because she refused to stand by and accept a terrible outcome.

But that one act had changed everything.

Naomi understood better than anyone just how vital a second chance could be. During her countless lifetimes, she had experienced more than her share of failure, regret, and devastating loss. She had made mistakes she wished she could take back, and had watched people she cared about suffer because of one, single decision.

However, she had also learned that a second chance could be a gift beyond measure.

Because of those countless lifetimes, she had experienced things she never would have known otherwise. She had found friends that had become unbreaking. Had discovered people willing to stand beside her when the rest of the world fell apart. And somehow, in the middle of all the chaos, she had been given the greatest gift of all.

True love

The happiness she had discovered being Viktor’s mate was something she would always be grateful for. Without a second chance, she never would have known him the way she did now. She might have met him under entirely different circumstances, or perhaps never met him at all. That thought alone was enough to chill her to the bone.

Every moment they had shared existed because fate had allowed her to try again.

A single choice had allowed her to save him.

And in return, he had saved her as well.

One pivotal moment had the power to alter someone’s fate. A single choice could change the course of someone’s entire life. It could make or break a person. Could send them down a path toward endless happiness or trap them in a cycle of misery and despair.

One moment of courage could save a life or break it. One decision could determine who a person would eventually become. But mistakes didn’t have to be the end of the story. People could learn from them. They could grow. They could recognize the damage they had caused and choose to do better.

A second chance was a gamble.

It was the opportunity to choose differently.

Sometimes making a different decision turned out better, and sometimes it ended up worse. It all depended on who was making the choice and why.

Maybe that was why the magical source had chosen her.

Not everyone deserved a redo. Her god powers allowed her to help those who were worthy of a second chance, but their decisions ultimately determined the outcome.

While she would have loved to be locked away with her mate at their island retreat, she couldn’t exactly help people if she actively avoided them. She was also aware how important Viktor’s work as a guardian was to him. He would have given it all up for her, but she never would have asked that of him.