My Reborn Admirer Wins Over My Heart novel Chapter 2

**TITLE: He Returned to Break and Own Me and for His Queen 2**

**Chapter 2: Cursing**

That night, Grant didn’t come home.

For the first time in three long years, Oriana awoke with the sun, her body finally surrendering to the natural rhythm of rest instead of the relentless alarm clock that usually dictated her mornings.

In the past, Grant had been a man on a mission, consumed by his ambition to build his empire. Oriana, though not particularly skilled in the kitchen, had always risen early on her days off, slipping out to the café downstairs to fetch breakfast. She wanted to ensure that he never started his day on an empty stomach, a small act of devotion in a life filled with his tireless work.

But today was different. When she finally unlocked her phone, her heart sank as she saw the screen filled with missed calls from him—four in total—and two unread messages that beckoned her with a sense of dread.

The first message, timestamped at 2 a.m., read: “It’s too late. I’ll stay at the office tonight and head back tomorrow morning. Good night, Oriana.”

The second, sent just an hour ago, felt like a hollow promise: “Sorry, Oriana. There are still a few loose ends to handle. I’ll wrap things up this afternoon and come back to keep you company.”

Just then, a familiar face lit up her screen as her best friend, Zara Radcliffe, initiated a video call.

Oriana answered, and Zara’s bright smile nearly filled the entire display, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. “Big gossip, Oriana! You won’t believe it! Luna’s dating! She’s livestreaming on TikTok right now, strolling along the beach with her new boyfriend. And get this—she even showed off a hickey on her neck, bragging that her man was so worn out he had to rest today!”

The words hit Oriana like a slap, reverberating in her mind. Her body reacted before her thoughts could catch up; her stomach twisted, bile rising in her throat.

She clamped a hand over her mouth, trembling as the reality of Zara’s words settled in.

“Oriana, you’re disgusted, too, aren’t you?” Zara teased, but her tone shifted as she noticed the pallor of Oriana’s face. “Wait. You don’t look well. Are you sick? Where’s Grant? Isn’t today your birthday? And he’s not even here?”

“I’m fine. Probably just low blood sugar,” Oriana murmured, biting down hard on her lip until she tasted copper.

Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to swallow the rising tide of emotions and steadied her voice.

Her blood-stained tongue brushed against her lips as she rasped out a warning, halting Zara before she could dial Grant’s number. “Zara, don’t. He’s busy with work.”

Zara’s expression darkened, her brow furrowing in disapproval. “Busy? Typical. Men chase success and forget the woman who stood behind them. Doesn’t he realize what day it is? Back in the day, no matter how packed your schedule was, if he needed you, you dropped everything and ran to his side. And what about him? That ungrateful—”

She froze mid-sentence, her hand flying to her mouth in shock.

Damn it. She hadn’t meant to voice that last part.

Oriana adored Grant; hearing anyone insult him twisted her insides.

But before Zara could retract her words, Oriana found her own voice. “Yes,” she muttered hoarsely, the admission tasting bitter. “He’s a jerk.”

Zara blinked, momentarily stunned, as if she couldn’t believe her ears.

“Oriana, did you just call Grant a jerk?” Zara asked incredulously.

Oriana didn’t shy away from the truth. “Yes.”

“Holy hell. Did pigs just sprout wings? I actually lived long enough to hear you curse—at Grant of all people!” Zara exclaimed, her voice a mix of disbelief and amusement.

Zara knew better than anyone how deeply Oriana felt for him.

When Grant had dismissed her in the past, mocking her as a spoiled heiress with nothing better to do than play at love, Oriana had never wavered. She had endured every slight, every bruise, until she finally broke through the walls he had built around himself.

Now, he adored her, protected her, and their life together seemed like a golden dream. Yet here was Oriana, the one pulling away first, and it felt surreal.

As Zara’s mind raced, she recalled a moment from the other day when she had caught Oriana searching on Aurora for ways to leave a family. A sense of alarm flared within her, like a siren blaring in the night.

“Wait a sec. Oriana, that search for leaving a family? Don’t tell me something’s wrong between you and Grant?” Zara asked, her voice low and serious.

A self-deprecating smile tugged at Oriana’s lips, but even through the screen, Zara could sense that something was off.

Yet Grant, who lived with Oriana day in and day out, hadn’t noticed a single crack in their facade.

“Don’t overthink it, Zara,” Oriana replied softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Zara, though not tall, was a force of nature—fiercely protective, she had been Oriana’s champion from the very start. When the Sterling family had brought Luna home, Zara had stormed into their house to defend Oriana. Owen Sterling had run his mouth, and Zara had floored him with a punch that knocked out a tooth. The grudge between them had yet to cool.

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