A second chance as my granddaughter (Patreon)

Mikayla sighed, wiping the beads of sweat trickling down her forehead as she stepped off the treadmill. Her chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath, while Ashley, her best friend, was still going strong on the adjacent treadmill. The hum of the machine resonated in the gym, matching the rhythm of Ashley's relentless pace.

"Geez, when did you get so much energy?" Mikayla huffed out a laugh when she saw Ashley finally begin to slow down. There was an admirable determination in Ashley's eyes, a fire that Mikayla had never seen before.

"I've just been trying really hard to look a bit slimmer," Ashley confessed, jumping off the treadmill with a grace that belied the exertion. Her words held an undertone of determination that spoke volumes about her recent transformation. "I don't know how much longer I'll have this motivation, so I may as well push myself, right?"

Her skin glistening from the effort, her breath steady, she grabbed a bottle of water from her bag, downing it in a few swift gulps. Mikayla watched as Ashley tossed the empty bottle back into her bag and made her way to the showers.

Mikayla had known Ashley since their school days, their friendship spanning years of shared secrets, laughter, and occasional tears. Ashley had always been on the heavier side, comfortable in her skin, but recently something had changed. Two months ago, Ashley had embarked on a journey, a commitment to herself. She had started working out, eating healthier, taking care of her body, and the results were noticeable.

Ashley had always been curvy, but now her curves were accentuated by toned muscles, the result of her hard work and perseverance. Her transformation wasn't just physical; it extended to her personality as well. She was more confident, more comfortable in her own skin, and it showed in every step she took.

Mikayla felt a surge of pride for her friend. Ashley's journey wasn't an easy one; there were days of frustration, days where she wanted to give up, but she pushed through. Mikayla knew that her friend's strength wasn't just in her newly toned body, but in her mind, her resolve, her unyielding spirit. As Mikayla gathered her things, preparing to leave the gym, she glanced at the locker room door one more time. Ashley had come a long way, and she was proud of her. She knew this was just the beginning of Ashley's journey, and she couldn't wait to see where it would take her.

But Ashley harbored a secret that nobody seemed to catch on to. The real Ashley’s mind was trapped in a golden necklace buried beneath a pile of dirt in the wilderness. The necklace had belonged to her dead grandmother who had been a fitness guru her entire life. Tatianna had grown old like everybody else did, and when her body began to slow down and become sore, she realized that she could no longer exercise her body.

But when she passed away, her soul accidently latched onto her favorite piece of jewelry. It was pure chance that Ashley had inherited it, and when the old woman’s soul began to slip into the young woman, it didn’t take long before the real Ashley’s mind switched places with Tatianna’s spirit. Ashley remained trapped in the necklace and tried to latch onto the body thief’s arm, but the old woman was faster. She placed the necklace inside a wooden box and immediately buried all evidence of what had happened. 

Thankfully, despite not knowing anything about the granddaughter’s personal life, people were happily accepting the new Ashley. She was a fitness freak who had a bubbly personality, and that was the perfect combination for all the handsome men that thirsted for her flawless body. “And they’ll never know who I really am,” Tatianna said with a smirk as she stepped into the shower.