After Drowning in the River

I snapped my eyes open, my heart pounding wildly in my chest. The phoenix tree leaves spun down outside my window, matching that deadly afternoon in my memory to the last detail. The phone on the nightstand vibrated; the flashing name "Tina" felt like a poisoned needle. I stared at that name for three seconds, my fingertips going white. This is the owner of that number—my "best friend" Tina Miller, who dragged me into the freezing river water yesterday. "Hello?" I hit the answer button, forcing my voice to stay steady. "Reagan, He broke up with me..." The crying on the other end was utterly heart-wrenching, just like in my past life. I gripped the phone so tight my knuckles whitened, my nails nearly digging into my palm. "How could he do this to me? We were together for three years..." Tina Miller's sobs went on, punctuated by perfectly-timed choking sounds. I remember how deeply my past self cared, dropping everything to rush to her side. "Where are you?" I asked, my voice stripped of emotion. "By the riverside... I'm so cold, Reagan, please come keep me company..." Tina Miller's voice suddenly carried a faint but unmistakable urgency. Here it comes, the exact line from my memories. I leaned against the headboard, staring at the exquisite chandelier on the ceiling—that same one Mario Collins and I chose when we got married. This was the man who, after I died, held Tina in his arms and grinned smugly while counting the shares registered under my name. "I can't leave right now; there's an emergency meeting at the company." I said softly. The crying on the other end of the line stopped abruptly, silence rushing in like a tide. "Meeting? What meeting is more important than me?" Tina Miller's voice instantly changed, filled with accusation. I laughed; it was clear she couldn't keep up the act anymore. "The quarterly financial report meeting of a publicly listed company. Think that's important?" I deliberately emphasized the words "publicly listed company." That company was left to me by my father, and it was the prize Mario Collins and Tina Miller both coveted. "But... I'm really so heartbroken..." Tina started crying again, but this time it was ridiculously fake. "Be good; find a warm place to stay first." My tone was gentle yet carried an undeniable distance. "I'll come find you once I'm done, and I'll bring your favorite strawberry cake." Before she could say anything else, I hung up the phone. The moment the phone screen went dark, I caught my own reflection—eyes colder than my age should allow. Mario Collins, Tina Miller—this time, debts must be paid.