Reborn in the Enemy's Embrace

"You know the identity of the murderer, right?" I grabbed Dexter’s hand tightly in slight agitation as he remained silent. "Tell me who he is."

A look of panic crossed Dexter’s face. He turned his back against me, as if he was avoiding me. "I don’t."

"You do know who he is!" His reaction made me anxious. He must know who the murderer is, but why wouldn’t he tell me?

Dexter walked ahead in avoidance as he refused to reveal who the murderer was.

I followed him closely and questioned him repeatedly.

But no matter how I asked, he refused to budge.

I had thought of going to the police or telling Zion and Violette, but right now, I was Sofia... not Sophia.

No one would believe me.

Furthermore, from my interactions with the murderer, I could tell that he was somehow connected to Sophia.

If I went after the killer before finding out what was going on, I would spook him while implicating myself.

I rubbed my eyes in frustration.

Things were becoming more and more complicated.

I couldn’t even calm down or figure anything out right now.

It would have been simpler if I were just an outsider. As luck would have it, Sofia was related to the murderer. If I implicated myself now, it would be harder for me to investigate further in the future.

"Sophia... Let’s go home." As I struggled frustratedly in my confusion, Dexter walked over and held my hand.

I shook him off instinctively. "The Sophia you’re referring to is Sophia, right? I’m not Sophia, I’m Sofia."

I couldn’t admit that I was Sophia.

Even Dexter wouldn’t be crazy enough to believe in reincarnation.

"You’re Sophia! You’re her!" He grabbed my shoulders suddenly as if he’d lost his mind.

He was hurting me. At that moment, I was fearful. It was as if he was consciously "making" me out to be Sophia. Rather than recognizing me as Sophia, it was more like he wanted Sofia to be Sophia.

He was just like Damien. Both of them were using Sofia, a Sophia lookalike, as a puppet to avoid Sophia’s death.

Ha, that must be why Dexter had been so obedient and relaxed recently.

To him, Sophia was no longer a person but a persona he created.

He was truly a lunatic.

"You are Sophia! You must be Sophia, you can only be Sophia... If you’re not her, I’ll kill you." He was still running amok.

"Okay, okay... Calm down." My shoulders were hurting badly, so I tried anxiously to calm Dexter down and change the topic. "When did you and Sophia know each other?"

"Many years ago..." Dexter loosened his grasp suddenly and said bitterly.

"Where did you meet?" I continued asking.

"The orphanage," Dexter answered.

I looked at Dexter in shock.

Orphanage?

What...

That orphanage?

My head started to pound. The pain made me crouch to the ground as I held my head in my hands in agony.

That orphanage, those adopted red-dressed little girls, red dress...

Perhaps that was why I found those red dresses familiar.

My memory was coming back to me. I had an identical red dress when I was a kid.

But when did Dexter and I meet? Why didn’t I remember anything?

A few years ago, as part of my dad’s act of charity, he sponsored kids from the orphanage and donated resources. I’d follow my dad to the orphanage when he was carrying out his charity work.

Was that when I met Dexter?

Why did I have no memory of it at all?

"Sophia..." Dexter started to panic. He was starting to feel helpless after losing control. Crouching nervously in front of me, he said, "Let’s go home."

I nodded as I reached my hand out to touch his forehead. His fever was gone.

"Carry me home..." I whispered as I tried my best to suppress my fear.

Dexter’s eyes lit up. He nodded and turned his back toward me, inviting me to climb onto his back.

I hesitated for a moment, but I eventually got on his back.

He was strong and tall. When he stood up, the change in gravity caused me to lose my grip momentarily. I hugged him tightly.

I whispered to Dexter, "Stay home. Don’t wander around, okay?"

Martin and his people would stop at nothing to achieve their goal. Things had changed at the Black household. After removing Dexter, me, and the child I was carrying, Martin would be able to take over the Black Group and the Blacks’ estate.

Dexter and I walked on the sidewalk as cars streamed past us on the highway.

He took slow steps forward as he carried me on his back.

As I was slightly tired, I fell asleep on his back.

I had a dream. In the dream, various scenes flashed through my mind.

There was a little boy of mixed ancestry. He looked like a Prince Charming from a fairytale.

He was carrying a little girl in a red dress and running as fast as he could.

"You’ll be alright, Sophia. We’ll be home soon."

He comforted me as he ran, saying, "Sophia, wake up. Don’t fall asleep."

"Sophia, wake up. Try to eat something..."

I woke up in a startle. I took quick breaths as I observed my surroundings. I didn’t even know when I’d arrived home.

Dexter was waking me up to eat something.

I looked at Dexter and rubbed my eyes. "I don’t feel like eating."

"Just a tiny bit." Dexter pushed the bowl to me as he encouraged me to eat.

"I told you, I don’t feel like it! I’ve no appetite!" I said frustratedly as I pushed Dexter’s hand away. The soup in the bowl spilled all over the floor.

He sat there, staring at me silently.

I got up in frustration. With my head pounding, I walked back to my room.

I felt like a puppet to this lunatic. The feeling terrified me.

I was too tired, so I fell asleep again once I hit my bed.

The early symptoms of pregnancy were getting obvious. I was lethargic and emotionally unstable...

As I fell into a deep sleep, I started to dream again.

"He loves you, doesn’t he? That’s why I’m returning you to him with an appearance he’ll love...."

"You’ll be like his favorite toy. I’ll make you pretty."

"He loves you so much. Why did you lie to him? Why? You deserve your death..."

"Do you know your lies nearly killed him? How dare you forget him and be with another man? You’re so filthy... Your heart is dark, and your body is dirty."

In the dream, those blurry scenes began to come into focus. What happened before my death became clear too.

The murderer had stood at my bedside with a surgical knife. He was slowly peeling my skin and removing my nails so that he could embed diamonds into my flesh.

He looked at me with an expression of a madman and smiled savagely. "You look prettier now, I made you into a doll so that you can belong to him forever..."

He then put me into a glass display cabinet.

He said with the voice of a devil, "This used to be your favorite red dress, and it’s also his favorite. I’ve made you into what he loves. This will make him happy..."

"No, help! Help!"

My breathing hastened, and my pulse quickened. I was struggling.

But it was as if I was trapped in the dream. I could not wake up.

"Help me... Dexter, help me!"

I didn’t know why I instinctively called Dexter for help.

"Sophia? Sophia!" Dexter was calling my name.

But I could not wake up. I was trapped in a nightmare.

"Dexter... Dexter, help me."

"Sophia, I’m here." 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

In my panic, I felt someone hug me tightly. My tense body eventually relaxed.

It was already noon when I woke up the next day.

I opened my eyes exhaustedly. I was alone in my room.

"Hello?" I reached out to pick up my ringing phone. "A class reunion?"

"No, I can’t make it..." I instinctively refused.

"But our teacher was so kind to you back then. She had surgery recently, so she wants to see us... Her cancer is terminal. A lot of our high school seniors will be there too." My former classmate’s voice sounded hoarse on the other end of the phone.

I frowned. I should go. I could also find out if there were any clues about the victims.

"Alright, I’ll be at the hotel on time." I agreed to go.

"We heard you got married. Everyone’s bringing their spouses today. You should bring your husband as well. Our teacher’s keen to meet him."