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Chapter One- Collisions of fate


"Go away and never return!" Lavender’s voice cut through the air, her face twisted in a fury that made Ximena’s stomach churn.
Ximena’s lips parted, but the apology caught in her throat. Her mother’s eyes, cold and unrelenting, pinned her to the spot. She felt the weight of Lavender’s anger like a physical blow. Without another word, Ximena turned on her heel, her footsteps heavy as she made her way out of the house. Her heart pounded as she yanked open the car door and sped down the street, her knuckles white against the steering wheel.

---
Willow’s fingers hovered over her phone, the live feed paused, while her eyes flicked to the glowing alarm clock in the next room. "Seriously?" she muttered, pushing herself off the bed. Her feet slapped against the hardwood floor as she rushed into Rex’s room. The alarm blared on his nightstand, but Rex lay sprawled across the bed, oblivious. With an exasperated sigh, she grabbed the clock and shoved it close to his ear.
He jerked awake, blinking rapidly. “Oh, Willow…”
Willow folded her arms, her foot tapping impatiently. “That’s what you get for ruining my live stream,” she said, her voice dry as she turned and left the room.
Rex rubbed his eyes, the events of the day slowly filtering back into his mind. “Today is—Oh, no!” He shot out of bed, his bare feet sliding across the floor as he dashed into the bathroom. The sound of rushing water was followed by his frantic footsteps as he tore through the closet, throwing on a suit, barely glancing in the mirror. He grabbed his briefcase and keys before bolting out the door.
Stopping by his favorite coffee shop, Rex ordered his usual, but his mind was elsewhere. As he rounded the corner, he barely registered the black Rolls-Royce Phantom before it scraped the side of his car with a screech.
“Hey! Watch it!” Rex shouted, leaning out the window. The driver, a woman with sunglasses and a smirk, rolled down her window, raised her hand, and flipped him off before speeding away.
Rex’s jaw...