Rebirth Revenge Is Everything (Ariana) novel Chapter 608

Irene, who was supposed to be abroad.

Lambert's eyes narrowed slightly the moment he spotted her. No one knew that before Irene went overseas, she had actually sought him out. With a voice hoarse from suppressed emotions, she bid him farewell, apologizing for any trouble she might have caused him during that period and hoping for his forgiveness.

Lambert was no naive boy.

He wasn't stupid.

Any other man might have softened seeing their first love in such a state. But Lambert remained unmoved.

Because his relationship with Irene back then had never been about genuine affection.

Had he truly loved her, things might have been more complicated. But he didn't, so when faced with someone he didn't care for putting on an emotional performance, he saw right through it instantly. He simply watched her coldly without exposing the act.

Irene seemed to sense his indifference then, which only deepened her distress.

Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.

Still, Lambert paid her no mind. Left with no alternative, Irene delivered some overly sentimental parting words before turning away abruptly without looking back.

At the time, Lambert had been rather pleased.

Though nothing had ever happened between them, the rumors were bothersome. He disliked people spreading gossip about him with anyone other than Ariana. Even if unfounded, it still irritated him. Seeing Irene leave had satisfied him greatly.

But before his satisfaction could last more than a few days, Irene had unexpectedly returned to the country.

Stefan clearly recognized Irene, too.

After all, when Allison had that incident, the clues Stefan uncovered seemed to have some connection to this Irene as well—though not much. If it weren't for that, he would have retaliated against her just like he did with Lexi.

Even though he hadn’t taken revenge on her, that didn’t mean he held her in high regard.

So when Stefan saw Irene, his expression remained icy.

Ariana, however, raised an eyebrow.

With a faint smile, she said, "Long time no see, Miss Harper."

Irene first glanced at them in startled confusion before snapping back to reality and nodding with a bitter smile. "Long time no see," she replied. Her demeanor was subdued, her gaze deliberately avoiding Lambert, perfectly portraying the image of someone who had stumbled upon them by pure coincidence.

Especially with that hesitant, unspoken look in her eyes.

It was Oscar-worthy acting.

Ariana had no interest in chatting with Irene—partly because she already knew what kind of person she was, and partly because she simply couldn’t be bothered. So after checking her watch, she said, "I assume you’re meeting someone too, Miss Harper? We won’t keep you. See you next time."

Irene gave Ariana a pained look.

Then, her gaze flickered briefly toward Lambert, only to find his expression as cold as ever. Instantly, her eyes dimmed with disappointment.

There was a hint of self-mockery in her expression—maybe even sorrow.

"Goodbye," she said hoarsely.

With that, she turned and hurried toward her private room, her movements almost frantic, as if fleeing in defeat. It was almost pitiful to watch. Ariana’s expression darkened—no one would feel at ease having a rival like this. The audacity to act this way right in front of her...

...

Meanwhile.

Madelyn watched as Irene hurried into the room, her expression a mix of confusion and surprise.

Blinking, she asked, "What's wrong, Irene?"

Irene blinked back the tears welling in her eyes, shaking her head as if forcing down her sorrow. "It's nothing... I just got something in my eye."

Madelyn frowned. "In the bathroom? Seriously? Don't joke around—tell me what really happened." She started to rise from her seat.

Seeing Madelyn's pregnant belly, Irene quickly reached out to stop her. "Be careful," she urged.

A warmth flickered in Madelyn's chest, though her face remained stern. She fixed her friend with a concerned stare. "What happened? If you don’t want me to worry, just say it. Family trouble? Or something else?"

Meeting Madelyn’s worried gaze, Irene managed a bitter smile before recounting her unexpected encounter with Lambert and Ariana.

By the time she finished, her eyes were red-rimmed, her voice trembling. "Madelyn... What do I do? I still can’t forget him. Seeing him with his wife and kids—it hurts so much. I feel like my heart’s being torn apart."

Watching the tears roll down Irene’s cheeks, Madelyn’s own heart ached. She hadn’t imagined they’d run into them here, of all places.

Biting her lip, she tried to console her. "Don’t cry. This is my fault. I shouldn’t have picked this place."

Irene shook her head, her eyes still glistening. "How is it your fault? None of us knew they’d be here... And that look Ariana gave me—so smug, so dismissive. I wanted to ignore her, Madelyn, I really did. But it still felt like a knife twisting in my chest. I never should’ve come back... I never should’ve returned."

Madelyn’s anger flared. "What right does she have to look down on you? She’s doing this on purpose! And what do you mean you shouldn’t have come back? Just because she stole the man you loved, now you’re not even allowed to stay in the country? Who does she think she is—some kind of untouchable queen?"