Rebirth: Love me Again

Chapter 127 Beneath the Storm's Veil

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BONUS

Chapter for reaching 100 GT! Thank you all!???? ]

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[EVE]

"Eve, are you alright?" Daniel asked, breathless, his voice tinged with worry.

For a moment, I was stunned. Of all the people I expected, it wasn't him. I blinked, trying to make sense of it.

"Daniel? What are you doing here?" I asked, my eyes drifting over his soaked figure, rainwater dripping from his hair and clothes.

He ran a hand through his wet hair, pushing it back as he caught his breath. "They said you had already gone back, but your things were still in the theatre. I had a feeling something might've happened," he said, his gaze sweeping over me. "Are you okay?"

A strange warmth bloomed in my chest, a feeling I hadn't experienced in a long time.

I smiled. It wasn't one of my practiced smiles, the kind I usually give to charm or disarm people. This was different — a small, genuine smile, like a flower slowly unfurling under the first light of dawn after a long storm.

"You didn't have to come looking for me," I chortled softly, glancing towards the open doorway. "My bodyguards would've found me soon enough."

Daniel didn't respond immediately. He looked down at his drenched clothes, letting out a soft chuckle as he removed his foggy glasses to wipe them dry. He was soaked to the bone, shivering slightly, but he seemed more concerned about me than his own discomfort.

Daniel placed his hand over mine, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "You're not alone, Eve," he said softly. "Not anymore."

For the first time in a long while, I believed him.

A friend. The word felt foreign, almost unfamiliar, but it had a comforting ring to it. I hadn't realized how much I needed this — someone who saw me, not as a pawn or a stepping stone, but as a person worth caring about.

Everything was changing, and for once, I found myself welcoming it.

As I stood there, watching the rain pour down, a voice cut through the sound of the storm.

"Well, this is a sight for sore eyes," a familiar voice suddenly said.

I whipped my head around, startled.

There, by the door, was Cole, leaning casually against the frame with his arms crossed and an umbrella dangling from one hand.

I quickly let go of Daniel's hand, the gesture almost instinctive. I noticed the flash of hurt in his eyes, but I was too stunned by Cole's sudden appearance to fully process it.

"Cole . . . ?" I managed, unsure of what to say. The air around him was electric with barely contained fury, and my heart clenched in my chest.

It was a different kind of worry — not for my safety but for the danger Cole exuded in that moment.

He stepped closer, his eyes flickering between Daniel and me. Daniel didn't back down. In fact, he positioned himself slightly in front of me, as if shielding me from Cole's anger.

"What are you two doing here?" Cole's voice was clipped, his tone barely masking the anger simmering beneath. His eyes narrowed at me. "You didn't show up on time. I was worried. And now I find you here, with him? Are you sneaking out here with this guy? Are you two dating?"

I felt my shock morph into irritation. My brows furrowed, and I shot Cole a glare. "What on earth are you talking about? And it's none of your business if we're dating or not."