Rebirth Into My Second Chance

In the dead of night, I had just dozed off when I thought I heard someone fiddling with the lock. Instinctively, I grabbed my phone and hid in the corner, only to see the guy who was supposed to fix the stainless steel appliances earlier, trying to unlock my door. Richard was getting impatient.

But the moment he managed to get the door open and stepped inside, he just froze and collapsed onto the floor with a loud thud. I walked out from my hiding spot, rubbing my forehead in frustration.

Max, armed with a baseball bat, had knocked Richard's guy out cold.

"Why couldn't you just go with the flow and let Richard's thug cart me away?"

After stepping over the unconscious intruder, Max's bodyguard dragged the guy away without a word. Max approached me with a smirk, his voice dark and ominous, "I agreed to play the part of a couple on the rocks, but I never intended to let anyone think the Hilton family's security is anything less than stellar."

I couldn't help but let out a derisive laugh, which seemed to irk him, for the next second, I found myself lifted off the ground in his arms.

"I've been looking for an excuse to sneak in and sleep next to you," he murmured, his voice husky in my ear. For some reason, Max had become unusually clingy lately.

"Max, you weren't like this before."

"And how was I before?" His question made me pause. Truth be told, I didn't really know him before my rebirth. The Max I knew was the one who, to prevent harming me, endured the pain of purging the drugs from his system alone. The one who, thinking I was infatuated with Claude, kept his distance to protect me, always appearing cold and indifferent.

Then there was the Max who taught me that the world wasn't just about love and heartache. That there were sorrows out there far greater, and that even the convicted deserved a chance at life. He was nothing like the typical domineering male protagonists in those rebirth stories.

Wrapping my arms around his neck,

I smiled and said, "Most stories have these domineering CEOs forcing their love or causing heartache, but my leading man is healing my heart, showing me there's more to fe than dwetting on my own pain. You've become my advisor, encouraging me to pursue what I truly want."

It was probably the first time I had openly praised Max.

He just rubbed his nose against mine, opting to enjoy the moment in quiet.

Just as I thought he had fallen asleep, he whispered, "I'll always be your advisor, standing by your side. But you can't run away on your own."

I didn't respond, closing my eyes as

memories of joyful times at the

Haven of Hope Orphanage mingled with the horrifying images of pregnant girls turned into charred bodies. I wasn't a saint, but now that I was caught in this cycle of cause and effect, I felt compelled to help if I could.

"Max, can we bring Kate over to our side?"

He hummed in confusion at my request.

I turned to face him, my expression serious. "In my past life, Kate only kidnapped me because she wanted to snatch Claude away. And in this life, Claude has already rejected her. I believe Richard would never expect us to become allies. I want to make Kate our inside person, close to Richard. What do you think?"

As I spoke, I watched Max's frown deepen. Just as he was about to speak, I covered his mouth and continued, "I get it, you think I'm being wild. 'Cause Kate's a big threat, she could hurt me, and you wouldn't let any harm come near me."