Her Rebirth.

Kai Blackwood did not like all eyes being on Amelia one bit.

In fact, he hated it so much that he was barely holding himself back from smashing the wine glass in his hand to pieces.

Kai ran his hand through his hair and let out an annoyed sigh as he watched Amelia, preoccupied, a soft smile on her lips as she spoke to the people surrounding her.

But as much as he wanted to take her away and lock her up for only him to see and admire, this was her moment, she was building connections, and he wasn’t going to disrupt it.

With a heavy sigh, he turned away, moving toward a quieter corner of the banquet hall. He grabbed another glass of wine, bringing it to his lips as his sharp eyes flickered across the room, observing.

Then, something caught his attention.

By the wine table, where crystal glasses were carefully stacked, a young woman spoke in hushed tones to a waiter, subtly slipping a small sachet into his palm.

Kai’s eyes darkened.

Wasn’t that...?

---

Kai wasn’t the only one unhappy with Amelia being in the spotlight.

Lilac took a slow sip of her wine, watching Amelia with resentment. Her fingers clenched around the stem of her glass as she listened to the endless praises showered upon Amelia. She was so engrossed that she couldn’t hear the voices of her friends around her until—

"Lilac, are you listening?" one of her friends asked worriedly, causing her to snap back to reality.

Lilac looked at her apologetically. "Just thinking about Amelia. She has run away from home for so long now... I wonder how she is surviving outside."

One of her friends scoffed. "Lilac, you’re too kind. Amelia doesn’t deserve your concern."

"She bullied you, and you still pity her?"

Lilac lowered her gaze as if pained. "But still... she is my sister."

The girls exchanged looks. Lilac was truly a pure soul, they thought.

Lilac sighed as she placed her wine glass down.

"I should go talk to her."

Meanwhile, Amelia continued greeting fellow guests, her polite smile never faltering. Compliments flooded in about her elegance, her beauty, her grace, and with each one, she responded with effortless charm.

"You look breathtaking tonight, Lady Amelia."

"Your presence truly elevates this gathering."

Amelia chuckled softly. "You flatter me too much, Mr. Everett."

However, this moment was cut short when she spotted Lilac coming over with a group of girls.

Seeing them approaching, Amelia instantly became irritated as she could smell drama from a mile away, but her expression remained composed.

"Amelia," Lilac’s voice was soft, her eyes shimmering as if on the verge of tears. She reached out, grasping Amelia’s wrist delicately. "When are you coming back home?"

Amelia’s smile thinned. "Home?"

"Father is worried about you," Lilac said, her tone gentle as if she truly cared. "He regrets everything. He wants you back. We all do."

"How strange," Amelia mused lightly. "I seem to recall being thrown out by that very same father. And now, suddenly, I am missed?"

One of Lilac’s friends stepped forward, glaring angrily at Amelia.

"Do you not appreciate Lilac’s kindness?" she snapped. "Even after everything, she still cares about you. And this is how you treat her?"

Amelia turned her gaze to the girl with a smile. "But I don’t need her kindness."

The girl opened her mouth, but Lilac gently touched her arm, shaking her head.

"Don’t argue with her," Lilac whispered. "It’s fine." Then she turned to Amelia, biting her lip. "He was just angry then, he didn’t mean it. Please, Amelia, he truly regrets it."

Amelia held Lilac’s hands, her fingers warm as they intertwined together. To outsiders, it was an affectionate gesture, but only Lilac could see the faint sneer playing on Amelia’s lips.

"I suppose I should be touched," Amelia murmured, though if one listened closely, the faint hint of mockery could be heard. "I never knew I was so deeply loved. I... truly thought you all hated me."

Lilac stiffened, a flicker of unease crossing her face.

Amelia was acting strange, really strange.

Before she could respond, a sudden force shoved her forward.

With a startled gasp, Lilac tumbled to the ground, the skirt of her gown pooling around her.

The hall fell silent.

All eyes turned to the perpetrator. It was Selene.

Selene stood with her hands clenched into fists, her face burning with righteous anger. "How dare you bully Amelia?" she spat.

Amelia froze.

This... was not part of the plan.

She had meticulously crafted her reputation at this banquet, carefully maneuvered through the murky waters that her previous reputation had splashed on her in noble society, causing them to see her in a more favorable light. And now, in one rash moment, Selene had tainted it.

Already, whispers moved through the crowd like snakes.

"How uncultured."

"Who is that girl?"

"Isn’t she close to Amelia? Such rough behavior..."

Amelia caught sight of Lilac’s friends, their faces scrunched up into a frown, their lips parting as if to lash out.

No... not now.

Before the situation spiraled, Amelia swiftly bent down, gently taking Lilac’s hands.

"Are you alright?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.

Lilac blinked, visibly stunned. "Y-Yes..."

Amelia offered her a soft, reassuring smile. "Please, forgive Selene. She was simply worried about me. She acted rashly, but she meant no harm." She turned to the gathered guests. "I will speak to her personally, and she will come to apologize."

The tension in the room shifted, the crowd praising Amelia for how gracefully she had handled the situation.

Lilac friends, clearly taken aback, remained silent. Lilac, too, seemed momentarily at a loss for words.

Still wearing her graceful smile, Amelia took Selene’s wrist and dragged her away.

Once out of the public eye, Amelia’s smile faded. She turned to Selene, arms crossed.

"Why are you here?"

Amelia hadn’t spoken to Selene since that incident at the bar, and she had even totally forgotten that Amelia Cosgrove had a friend called Selene until now. This was quite unexpected because, though Selene came from a rich home, her parents were nouveau riche and would never be invited to this kind of event.

Selene hesitated, glancing away. "You... never contacted me after that day."

Amelia’s brows furrowed.

Selene fidgeted. "It felt like you were avoiding me, so I... begged a friend to bring me here."

Amelia blinked, guilt settling in her chest. Ever since she took over Amelia Cosgrove’s body, she had truly neglected her original friends. It was just that she didn’t really feel comfortable with them.

But still, they were the original body’s friends, so...

With a sigh, Amelia said softly, "I’ve been busy. That’s all. I’m sorry."

A waiter passed by, carrying a tray of wine.

Selene quickly grabbed two glasses, offering one to Amelia.

"I’ll drink to apologize," she declared. Without hesitation, she downed the entire glass.

Amelia chuckled, shaking her head as she glanced at the wine in her hand. "I suppose I should drink too, then. I really have been a bad friend recently, haven’t I?"

Just as she raised the glass to her lips—

A hand swiftly snatched it away from behind her.

Startled, Amelia turned, only to meet the playful gaze of Kai.

"Sorry," he said smoothly, his voice lazy and playful. "My fiancée doesn’t drink alcohol."

Before she could protest, he lifted the glass to his lips, taking just a sip before whispering to Amelia, his hot breath resting on her earlobe,

"The wine has been laced with drugs."