The Sun Forgot to Rise the Day You Stopped Believing in Me by Aven Lior Serel
“A Second Chance to Burn Them All”
The story opens in the dim light of a camping tent. The air is still, the forest outside silent except for the faint hum of crickets. Inside, Lottie sits tensely, every nerve on edge. Opposite her, Russell Odom—handsome, confident, and dripping with charm—leans close, his voice low and suggestive.
“Lottie, it’s just us here. The tent’s zipped up. Totally safe.”
His tone is warm, reassuring, intimate. To anyone else, it might have sounded romantic, even protective.
But to Lottie, those words are poison—because she’s heard them before.
A lifetime ago.
Memories of the Past Life
As Russell’s arms slide around her, the chill running through Lottie’s spine has nothing to do with fear of the dark. It’s the cold fire of memory—the brutal, unending replay of her death.
In her previous life, that same smooth voice had lulled her into letting her guard down. She had trusted him completely, believing they were alone in the wilderness, hidden from the world. When he’d kissed her and whispered that everything was fine, she believed him.
Then everything fell apart.
Two strangers—thugs armed with knives—had stumbled upon them in the middle of the night. The flickering light of the campfire had glinted off their blades, their eyes narrowing as they took in the half-unbuttoned shirt she hadn’t had time to fix.
Their grins were sick, predatory.
Their intentions, unmistakable.
Russell froze. He was terrified—of course he was—but his fear turned him into a coward. He backed away, trembling, stammering for her to do something. He wanted her to distract them, to keep them occupied while he ran to find help.
And because she loved him, because she thought his life was worth more than her safety, she did.
She played along with the monsters’ demands, pretending to cooperate just long enough for Russell to escape. She smiled through tears, bought him time, gave up her dignity so he could live.
By the time he returned—with the police and rescue teams—Lottie was barely conscious. Bruised, bloodied, humiliated beyond words. Her body was found curled in the dirt, her torn clothes evidence of the horror she’d endured.
But the world never saw her as the victim.
The World Turned Against Her
The news broke like wildfire.
What should have been a rescue story turned into a public crucifixion.
Someone had filmed the attack—every shameful second—and uploaded it online. The video spread across social media within hours, twisted by cruel captions and deliberate lies.
Headlines painted Russell as a hero, the brave boyfriend who risked his life to save his girlfriend from “an unfortunate mistake.” His image was everywhere—smiling, apologetic, perfectly sympathetic.
Lottie, meanwhile, was torn apart. Comment sections exploded with hatred.
“Disgusting whore. Selling yourself in the woods?”
“How much for a night? Free, right?”
“Bet she enjoyed it. Poor guy, imagine dating a slut like that.”
Every notification was another wound. Every comment another stone thrown by strangers who didn’t know her story. The humiliation followed her everywhere—on screens, in whispers, in pitying looks.
Within days, her name was a joke, her face a meme.
She shut down all her social media. She threw away her phone. But the voices didn’t stop. Even in her sleep, she could still hear them—mocking, laughing, condemning.
And always, above the noise, was Russell’s silence.
The Confrontation
When she finally gathered the courage to confront him, her heart still foolishly hoped he’d explain. She thought he’d hold her, tell her he’d find whoever recorded that video, that he’d stand by her.
Instead, she found him avoiding her gaze.
“You know where that video came from, don’t you?” she asked, voice trembling.
He flinched, his expression unreadable.
“We’re done, Lottie,” he said flatly. “I’m about to join a top company. I can’t have a girlfriend with… a ruined reputation.”
He didn’t even look ashamed. Just irritated, like she was an inconvenience.
Her heart cracked. “What did you say? I went through hell to save you, and you call me dirty?”
His eyes hardened.
“You are dirty, Lottie. Don’t make this harder than it needs to be.”
The words hit harder than any knife. The man she’d once died for was cutting her down without a shred of remorse.
The Fall
Before she could respond—before she could scream or cry or strike him—there was movement behind her.
A push.
Her world tilted violently.
The wind rushed past her ears as her body plummeted. For a split second before impact, she looked up—and saw Frida Dudley standing on the rooftop.
Frida’s manicured hand was still outstretched, her lips curled in a satisfied smirk. Beside her stood Russell, silent, watching.
The truth slammed into Lottie harder than the pavement ever could.
Frida Dudley—spoiled, vindictive, and beautiful—was the CEO’s daughter. She’d always hovered near Russell, flirting, flaunting her wealth, making sure everyone saw how much “better” she was than Lottie.
Now, it made sense.
Russell hadn’t just abandoned her—he’d already replaced her. He was using Frida as his stepping stone into high society, trading his guilt-ridden girlfriend for a woman with power and influence.
And the last thing he needed was for Lottie to ruin that.
So, they got rid of her.
The End… and the Beginning
As darkness swallowed her, Lottie’s final thought wasn’t of fear—it was of rage.
They killed me.
The people she had trusted most—Russell and Frida—had destroyed her reputation, stolen her future, and finally ended her life.
If only she could go back.
If only she had one more chance.
The pain faded.
The noise died.
And then—light.
A Second Life
When Lottie opened her eyes again, she was back in the tent. The same night. The same man. The same forest.
Russell’s arms were around her once more, his voice coaxing, smooth, and practiced.
“Lottie, it’s just us here. The tent’s zipped up, totally safe.”
She blinked, disbelief tightening her chest. The air smelled the same—pine and campfire smoke. Her hands trembled as she realized what this meant.
She was back.
Alive.
Reborn at the very moment everything had started to go wrong.
Her heartbeat thundered in her ears. Rage, confusion, and grim satisfaction tangled together in her veins. The universe had given her a miracle—not for forgiveness, but for vengeance.
This time, she wouldn’t fall for his words.
This time, she wouldn’t play the victim.
And this time, she would make them both pay.
The Meaning Behind the Return
In her past life, Lottie had been naive. She believed love could conquer malice, that sacrifice could buy loyalty, that kindness would be rewarded.
But rebirth changed her. The fire of betrayal had burned away her innocence, leaving behind only steel and calculation.
She now understood the cruel truth of the world: people didn’t care about right or wrong—they cared about reputation. Image. Power.
Russell had used her pain to polish his own hero narrative. Frida had used her death to secure him. The world had believed them both because it was easier to blame the broken girl than question the golden couple.
But this second chance wasn’t a gift—it was a weapon.
And Lottie intended to wield it.
The Plan
As Russell’s fingers brushed against her clothes again, the old Lottie might have trembled in embarrassment or love. The new Lottie only smiled—cold, unreadable.
She already knew what would happen next: the two thugs, the attack, the humiliation.
Not this time.
This time, she would make sure those men never got the chance to hurt her.
This time, Russell would learn what real fear felt like.
Because when she looked at him now, she didn’t see the man she once loved—she saw the first name on her revenge list.
Echoes of the Past
Her mind flickered with flashes of her previous death: the endless headlines, the online mobs, the loneliness. Every insult carved deeper into her memory.
“She asked for it.”
“She ruined her boyfriend’s life.”
“Maybe she wanted attention.”
Those words had followed her even in death, echoing like curses.
But now, she could rewrite the story.
Now, she could expose who Russell really was—how he’d fled, how he’d betrayed her, how the video had “mysteriously” appeared.
And Frida? She would crumble, too. Lottie would make sure that the princess who pushed her off a rooftop would lose everything—her image, her wealth, her pride.
They had stolen Lottie’s life.
She would steal their future.
The Flame of Vengeance
As the night wind whispered through the trees, Lottie looked out beyond the tent flap. The stars shimmered faintly overhead—silent witnesses to the birth of something far more dangerous than love.
A second life.
A second chance.
And a heart that no longer knew mercy.
Her lips curved into a faint, almost serene smile.
“You think I’m still the same, Russell?” she murmured under her breath. “Just wait. You’ll see what it means to be dirty.”
In her first life, she had died trying to protect him.
In this one, she would live to destroy him.
End of Chapter 1
The first chapter closes on this chilling note of rebirth and vengeance. Lottie’s character arc is set in motion—a woman resurrected not by grace, but by fury. Her trauma becomes her power, her humiliation her fuel.
Where the old Lottie was broken by betrayal, the new one is forged in its fire. The world that once condemned her will soon learn her name again—but this time, on her terms.
