Her Rebirth.

The door of the Cosgrove mansion creaked open, and Lilac stepped inside.

Eve, who was seating in the chaise and looking quite distressed with a glass of untouched wine in hand, looked up as she caught the sound and saw Lilac passing by her.

"You’re back," Eve said, though there was an undertone of accusation. "Where have you been all this while?"

Lilac barely spared her a glance and replied, "It’s really none of your business, is it?"

Eve’s face fell into a small frown. "You’ve become quite audacious lately." Her voice became increasingly louder and harsher. "You’d do well to remember that if it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t be living this kind of life."

At that, Lilac let out a small, mockingly sweet laugh. "Alright," she said smoothly, stepping forward. "Sorry... mother."

Her footsteps echoed as she closed the distance between them, her eyes never leaving Eve’s. She paused just a few feet away, her gaze sweeping slowly around the room.

"This house," she murmured, "keeps getting emptier. The maids are leaving one by one... and even your husband doesn’t stay here anymore, does he?"

Her eyes gleamed with something dark, like repressed evil and madness, and it made Eve’s stomach twist in fear.

She instinctively stepped back. "What are you—"

Lilac took another step forward. For every step Eve took backward, Lilac followed, one slow step at a time, until Eve’s back touched the cold wall behind her.

Lilac leaned in, her eyes boring into Eve’s, causing a shiver down her spine.

"If I kill you here," she whispered, "do you think anyone would find out? It’s all your fault, after all."

Eve felt her breath pause. She tried to hide her fear, but she couldn’t help but become a stuttering mess before Lilac. "W-What are you doing, L-Lilac? T-Trying to threaten your mother?"

Lilac said nothing. She simply stared, and an eerie silence filled the space between them.

This silence broke Eve’s composure. She was scared, unsure of what Lilac was thinking or what she wanted to do. Just as her fear was about to overwhelm her, Lilac’s expression shifted. She smiled.

And then laughed.

The sound sent a chill crawling up Eve’s spine.

"Oh, relax," Lilac said, stepping back. "I was just joking. Why do you look so scared?"

She turned casually, with her usual sweet expression. "I’ve just been busy with school. That’s why I was late."

With that, she walked away toward her room.

Eve exhaled shakily, pressing a hand against her chest to steady her breath and calm herself. Her fingers trembled. She stared at it, a thought rushing into her mind. She is up to something.

.....

Weeks passed by after that day. The Cosgrove and Blackwood families had been greatly weakened. Mason Cosgrove had been kicked out from the position of CEO, and Grandfather Cosgrove took over. He had managed to stabilize the situation, but the Cosgrove empire was now merely a shadow of itself. What had taken almost a century to build had crumbled within a month. It was painful and devastating.

However, while some were going through crises, others were rising and celebrating. Due to the increasing performance of ED Technologies, the company was now becoming prominent in the industry, and a lot of people were curious about the company’s hidden CEO.

So ED released a news that caused an internet sensation. The company was going to hold a charity event where the CEO would be revealed, and all the top players in the corporate world were invited, including the now-fallen Cosgrove and Blackwood families.

And tonight was the night.

Amelia stood before the mirror. She wore a silk robe loosely tied around her waist, her back turned as Kai stepped behind her.

His arms circled her waist, his lips brushing against the nape of her neck. "You smell like heaven," he murmured against her skin.

She giggled and then said, "Don’t leave hickeys on my neck, Kai," tilting her head slightly to the side but not moving away. "We have an event tonight."

"Your hair will cover it," he replied casually, his lips testing her skin again.

Amelia rolled her eyes, though her smile gave her away. "My hair might, but my makeup artist definitely won’t miss it. I’ll die of embarrassment."

Kai sighed dramatically and pulled back just enough to rest his chin on her shoulder. "You always ruin my fun," he said, pouting.

She turned around in his arms, cupped his face, and gave him a soft kiss on the lips. "You can kiss me all you want after tonight. But right now, my team’s waiting downstairs, and I really can’t afford to be late."

"Alright, alright," Kai said, reluctantly letting go as she walked away with a teasing smile.

Later that evening, Kai descended the staircase. He was dressed in a tailored wine-colored tuxedo that hugged his frame perfectly, a rose lapel resting on the left side of the collar of the tux. His hair, usually tied back, was left loose and slicked back, making him look sexy and mysterious.

Kai’s mind was reeling on how he was going to seduce her, and then he saw her.

Standing by the entrance was Amelia, dressed in a wine silk gown that clung to her like a second skin. The halter neckline showed off her elegant shoulders, while the open back was adorned with three delicate pearl straps that shimmered beautifully under the light. Her hair was styled in soft waves, pinned just enough to reveal her slender neck—the very place he’d wanted to kiss moments ago.

For a split second, Kai forgot to breathe.

She turned slightly and caught his gaze, her lips curling, knowing what was going on in his mind.

"You’re unreal," he muttered. "How is it possible to look that beautiful?"

Amelia’s smile widened. "Wasn’t it you who said I ruin all your fun?"

He stepped closer, his voice deep and intimate. "You’re ruining my self-control."

"Good. Keep that energy for tonight."

Kai’s chest rumbled, a deeply amused laughter ringing out, then he said, his voice husky and velvety "Alright my little butterfly, I’ll keep it for tonight"

Mass release: 4/4