Rebirth: Love me Again

Chapter 242 Leander's Wrath, Eve's Echoes

Iraya's holidays were anything but restful. She spent her days running errands left and right for Leander's whims, while he indulged in his carefree lifestyle.

Tonight, she was out in town, searching for specific cuts of rare meat that Leander had demanded.

Meanwhile, Leander was sprawled in a dimly lit bar, surrounded by his rowdy friends, their laughter echoing off the walls as they emptied one bottle after another.

"So, this Iraya girl," one of them began with a mocking chuckle, leaning back in his seat, "is she your new errand girl now?"

The group erupted into laughter.

"Where'd she come from, anyway?" another chimed in, slurring his words slightly.

"I heard she's from some far-off country," a third one added, his tone laced with derision.

"Yeah, a foreign student," someone else sneered. "Bet her parents are loaded with cash."

"Isn't her boyfriend that rich guy? Probably just leeching off his money while she plays servant for you. That's probably why she's a push over."

Their jabs were punctuated by laughter, harsh and biting. Leander remained silent, his face unreadable as he tipped back his beer.

One of the bolder ones leaned closer to Leander, his grin sly and his eyes glinting with mischief. "Hey, Leander," he drawled, wiggling his eyebrows, "how about you lend her to me for a night? She's not my usual type, but that body of hers is something else. And that chestnut hair? Definitely worth a try."

Another friend joined in, egging him on. "Yeah, share her around with us! She's your toy anyway, right?"

"Hey, I call next!"

"Don't forget me!"

I had the dream again.

It always started the same way—soft, distant voices that I could barely make out, like echoes carried on the wind.

I strained to hear them, but they remained just out of reach, teasing me with their familiarity. Then came the faces—blurred and indistinct, yet somehow I knew they were my real parents.

In the dream, I was in a house. Not a grand mansion or anything extravagant, just a small, cozy home filled with warmth. My parents were there, their laughter filling the air as they bustled about. I never saw their faces clearly, but I could feel their love, the unspoken bond that tethered me to them.

There were children too—three of them, my siblings. They were rowdy and full of energy, their playful chaos filling every corner of the house. Sometimes, one of them would drag me into a game or tug on my sleeve to share a secret. Other times, we'd all sit around the kitchen table, sharing stories and laughing until our sides ached.

We didn't have much, but we were happy. Genuinely happy. The kind of happiness that didn't need words to explain.

And then, like always, I woke up.

Reality hit me like a cold wind, leaving an ache deep in my chest. The warmth of the dream faded, replaced by the stark emptiness of the present.

Each time, I tried to hold on to the remnants of the dream, but they slipped through my fingers like sand.

Disappointment followed, sharper and more unbearable with every awakening.

Maybe the dream was just my mind's way of giving me something I could never have. A family that didn't exist. A love that had never been mine.

And each time I dreamed, the hole grew wider, the ache more profound. Because deep down, I feared that the happiness in my dreams was nothing more than a cruel illusion, a fleeting glimpse of something I might never truly find.

However, this time, when I woke up, it wasn't the emptiness of reality that greeted me—it was Cole's face.

"Good morning," he said casually, his voice smooth and calm, as though this were the most normal thing in the world.

I bolted upright, heart racing. My eyes darted around, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings. We were in a room, the soft morning light filtering through the curtains of the plane. I was lying on a bed—a bed I definitely didn't recognize. And beside me was Cole!