Rebirth Snatching Back My Stolen Luck novel Chapter 36

Chapter 36

I nodded slowly. I knew the feeling. Even after May assured me I’d been reborn, even after I confirmed it myself, the fear of losing it all again lingered. Even now, I still felt a sense of unreality from time to time.

Afraid this was all a dream.

Dean continued, “He was only accepted into that family because my mom and I left. It came so easily. So now, he’s terrified it’ll disappear just as easily.”

“When I wasn’t in the country, it was probably easier to forget and ignore. But now that I’m here–right when he loses his engagement to you? That fear is eating him alive.”

He chuckled, then glanced at me as he started the car.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if he thinks I orchestrated the banquet reveal. That I came back to take everything from him.”

Not just him, I thought, rubbing my nose guiltily. Everyone at the banquet, including my own family, probably thought the same.

O

To them, I was just the innocent fiancée who had trusted the wrong people… only to uncover their affair on the en- gagement day.

The poor, unsuspecting victim.

“For taking the fall for you,” Dean said with all seriousness, “how do you plan to repay me?”

Because I was undeniably guilty, I was agreeable for once. “What do you want? As long as it’s within reason, I’ll do it.”

He smiled slightly.

“Then… let me keep calling you Princess.”

LILITH

Uh?

What was that?

I squinted at him suspiciously. “What do you mean?”

“Nothing,” he said as he drove off. “I just realized there are too many people calling you Lily.”

“So I’d prefer something unique.”

It took me less than a minute to figure out the root of the matter.

0.0 %

18:25

Don’t tell me he was possessive over the name just because Brandon called me that earlier?

But… if that was really it, wouldn’t that be a little childish of him?

Besides… our relationship wasn’t that clear–cut yet.

In fact, I wasn’t even sure what I wanted it to be.

Sure, there was this wild chemistry between us. This low simmer we both kept stoking without acknowledging.

Yet…

I frowned.

This might sound jaded, but if the time came to define us officially, I wasn’t sure I’d accept him.

Yes, Dean had been incredibly good to me, despite the short time we’d known each other.

But so had Claire, Brandon, and even my parents.

They’d all been good to me before. Or so I believed.

I spent decades trusting, loving and treating them like family, and in the end, what did I get?

So how could I–how dare I–love or trust another person like before? Especially when the memories of my previous life were still fresh and raw.

Also… I hadn’t even avenged my baby yet.

I didn’t even dare think of her, not since my rebirth. Not when I still felt unworthy.

Until I did right by her by taking revenge on the duo who’d caused us to be separated by life and death, I couldn’t- shouldn’t–dream of forgiving myself.

Much less move on.

Still, I thought with a reluctant sigh, I couldn’t bring myself to cut Dean off.

y landlord and in just a few days, wou

benme part

Not that I even could, now that he was of my everyday life.

But to keep interacting with him like this, without clarifying anything, would be nothing short of leading him on.

A classic scumbag behavior.

A voice in me protested: Neither of you has said anything. How could

at be considered leading him on?

Another voice chimed in dryly: Oh, right. B, all those teasing and flirtatious moments happen between normal

acquaintances all the time.

Keep lying to yourself, Lilith.

With both voices throwing jabs at each other in my head, it felt like a mental tug–of–war.

36.4 %

18:25

Chapter 36

Eventually, I made up my mind.

If things weren’t clear, then I’d make them clear.

I turned to Dean, wearing a serious expression and asked out of the blue, “Are you interested in me?”

His fingers, which had been tapping lightly on the steering wheel, paused.

Then the car slowed down as he turned to glance at me.

The air was tense, yet expectant as we stared at each other in silence for a few seconds.

200 IVOUCHE

He must have seen something in my expression, and was the one to look away first, his gaze shifting back to the road as he let out a soft chuckle.

“You silly girl. What kind of question is that?”

“I’m technically from the same generation as your older siblings. So, how could I possibly be interested in a little girl like you?”

I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.

What was the emotion I felt at that moment?

Relief? Disappointment? I couldn’t even tell.