Chapter 1: The Beginning of the End
It was as if the eerie atmosphere thickened with Leah's chilly laughter. A shiver ran down my spine, and I felt the hair on the back of my neck rise. She looked at me with eyes that made me feel small—insignificant.
At that moment, it hit me: she had always been this way. Condescending. Superior.
And I… I had always been this timid little shadow trailing behind everyone else. I had an inferiority complex so deep it felt engraved into my soul. I always kept my head down—not just in front of her, but in front of everyone.
The girls.
Michael.
Camila.
Even my juniors at work.
It was like I was born wrong—born to impress others, born to be bullied, born to be used. I'd always known I was a loser. But tonight... tonight it became painfully clear: I had never done a single thing for myself. Everything I did was for someone else.
If it wasn't for Max, it was for Leah. Or her friends. Or my coworkers. I was everyone's errand girl. So busy pleasing people that I didn't even notice the betrayals brewing right under my nose.
Now, the signs all rushed back like broken glass slicing through my memory.
Max and Leah were always together.
She had somehow landed a job at his company, even though it was a two-hour drive from hers.
She always came to his house for dinner.
And today, they were... being nice? Too nice. They kept urging me to drink with them. That should have been my warning.
Tears slipped silently down my cheeks as the pieces clicked into place. My chest tightened.
"Hey!!" Leah's sharp voice snapped me back to reality. "What are you thinking about?! Such a crybaby," she mocked, her voice full of poison. Max chuckled beside her like it was the funniest thing he'd heard all day.
As I looked up at her, I realized something terrifying.
She wasn't the sweet, innocent girl I once thought needed protection.
No.
She was a devil—sent from hell to haunt me.
Her eyes were no longer large, meek, and watery like a rabbit's.
They were cold.
So cold, they could make anyone shiver.
Max, on the other hand... I clung to my image of him until my death bed . Or should I say... my death floor?
Even as I lay there, humiliated and broken, I didn't want him to see me weak. I wanted to be perfect. I wanted him to think I was strong, independent. I thought he admired women like that.
I was wrong.
He fell for someone who pretended to be weak, who leaned on others and begged for pity.
"Let's go, babe," Max said, his voice suddenly soft and sweet—sweeter than it had ever been when he spoke to me. Not even when I bought him a car. Not even when I paid his rent for two whole years.
"Just a moment," Leah replied in a sugary voice. But when she turned back to me, that sweetness vanished.
She crouched beside me and whispered, her voice now icy and cruel:
"Remember that girl you picked up from the street? You lost everything to her—from your job, your mother's heirloom, your boyfriend… and much more."
She paused, her lips curling into a smirk. "Bye~" she sang sweetly. But her words sent chills down my spine.
She took Max's hand, and they walked away together—laughing. They looked like the perfect couple under the faint glow of the moon.
With the last bit of strength I had left, I screamed, "I HATE YOU!!!"
And then...
Perhaps it was just my imagination, but I saw a tall, dark, shadowy figure in the distance.
Before everything went black, I fell into the abyss.
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Author's Note
I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of Reborn Soul: Vengeance. What do you think about Leah and Max? 😤 Please be patient with me—I'm a student and might not always update quickly, but I'll try to use my free days wisely.
Happy new month and thank you for reading!
Chapter 2: The Cold Stranger
I woke up to meet a strange face. Terrified, I launched a punch straight at him and tried to leap out of the bed, but I was pinned down by a pair of cold, veiny hands.
Panting, I looked up at the man whose face I had barely noticed earlier. He had sharp features that could stop a crowd—masculine yet oddly beautiful. His jawline was defined, and his cheekbones stood out under the pale light. But what stood out the most were his eyes—cold, arrogant, yet... lonely. There was a strange sincerity in them.
Unlike Leah's condescending gaze, his eyes didn't make me feel pathetic. They demanded respect. They were powerful—but real. I saw something in them. Irritation maybe. Or was it mild amusement? I couldn't tell.
His deep voice snapped me out of my thoughts.
"I know I'm handsome, but sorry—I'm busy."
Who does this guy think he is?!
"I don't—" I began, but he cut me off.
"Get some rest. The poison's effects are still lingering."
Poison? My head spun with questions. What poison? Who is this man? Where am I? Was I reborn? But no... I didn't recognize him from my previous life. This wasn't like those novels I used to read.
I wanted to scream. But I remembered something my late mother taught me. I pressed a pressure point on my palm to calm myself and asked in a shaky voice,
"What year is it?"
"2026. February 1st."
The moment he said it, everything came rushing back—Leah, Max, the betrayal... the pain. So I wasn't reborn. I was still alive. Unfortunately.
I hated it. I hated him. I hated the world. I hated that I'd wake up again to resume life as a loser. I wouldn't get revenge. I wouldn't get a fresh start.
Fueled by frustration, I stood up and rushed to the door. My fingers traced the cold metal as I prepared to pull it open.
"The door is locked," his voice rang out behind me.
I turned sharply to face him.
"You do know this is kidnapping, right? I could sue you for restricting my freedom. You're such a pervert! Do you go around kidnapping vulnerable women just to play savior? What do you do to them afterwards?"
He sighed as if I were a stubborn child. Then he walked up to me slowly.
"Really? Do you want to know what I do to them?"
I instinctively stepped back, suddenly intimidated. He chuckled—amused.
"Xavier," he called, "unlock the door and escort this miss out."
A tall man in a perfectly tailored three-piece suit emerged from behind the curtains. He looked like he was holding back a laugh.
"Shall we?" he asked, gesturing politely.
I gave the annoying man one last glare before stepping out.
"Hey!" he shouted after me.
"Even if I did kidnap women, you'd be the last on my list. No one's wasting effort on a short, flat girl."
That one stung. My fist clenched as I turned to curse at him—but the door slammed in my face.
Damn. He's so annoying.
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Author's Note:
Hope you enjoyed Chapter 2! What do you think about the cold stranger? 😩 I may be a bit slow since I don't have a computer and have to write on my phone, but I'll try my best to keep going. Please support me by reading and voting! 💖💖