The Second Act Revenge (Oneida and Jackson)

Chapter 2

"Cece, don't close your eyes. I'll take you home."

Jackson extended his arms and lifted the emaciated Oneida from the bed.

The flames cast a glow on the man's pale and handsome face, and his deep eyes were brimming with affection and tenderness as he held Oneida in his

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Oneida gazed at him with a blank expression and was unable to avert her gaze.

Suddenly, a charred beam crashed down from above.

With his body, Jackson shielded Oneida securely, and the falling beam hit his back, creating a dull thud.

Yet the man bore the pain without making any sound.

Even so, Oneida detected a slight smell of burning on him.

"It must hurt a lot," she thought,

The ceiling collapsed in succession, hitting Jackson one piece at a time.

The once extraordinary and noble man was covered in dirt, looking disheveled.

Oneida was totally unharmed as he held her tightly in his arms.

Slowly, she opened her mouth in an attempt to speak, but no sound came out

She gathered all her strength to force out a few syllables with labored breath. "You... should leave me..."

Though it was merely a short sentence, she said it with difficulty as she gasped for air in between each word. Upon hearing this, Jackson curled his lips into a smile and held Oneida even tighter. "I said I'd take you home." Oneida falt tears welling up in her eyes. She almost spoke hysterically, vomiting out each syllable. "You... will die..." She felt she was a hindrance, and he wouldn't be able to escape the fire with her.

She was just a useless person who would die sooner or later. If he left her, he might have a chance of survival.

"No, we will survive this together," Jackson comforted her with a soft voice.

"You... are... a fool..." After great effort, Oneida finally managed to utter the complete sentence. Her voice was infused with an imperceptible sob

Soon, a large piece of the ceiling fell down, completely blocking the entrance.

Their surrounding was engulfed in intense flames.

The burning flames kept surging toward the two. Jackson bent down and shielded Oneida with his body, keeping her between his arms and the unburned ground.

At that moment, Oneida realized that it was already too late for them to escape from the raging fire

"You shouldn't have..she said hoarsely, teagi gushing out of her eyes.

She was trying to say that he shouldn't have come to save her. He shouldn't die for a useless person like her.

Chapter 2

At that moment, Jackson lowered his head and pressed his forehead against Oneida's.

Their breaths overlapped.

"I don't regret it, Cece." His eyes were dark and focused solely on Oneida. "Dying with you is worth it."

"Jackson..." Tears flowed down Oneida's cheeks uncontrollably as she sobbed, "Jackson..."

She called out his name repeatedly

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The man tenderly wiped away her tears using his fingers. "Cece, don't be scared. I've said before that I don't want you to be alone. How pitiful it would be if you had to die alone here, my little girl. That's why I'm here to be with you. Don't blame yourself because I'm doing th Oneida bit her lip while tears streamed down her face. Finally, she parted her lips to agree.

Before she could make a sound, Jackson's lips landed on her dry lips.

Then, overwhelming darkness enveloped them.

Oneida flung her eyes open.

Surrounding her were the once familiar dilapidated walls made of mud.

her a while to realize that she was having that bad dream of past again.

Then she recalled the fact that she had been sent back to three years ago, when she was 19. She didn't know why, but she believes it happens for a reason, and this time she's not gonna mess it up again.