Reborn in the Enemy's Embrace

"Please don’t fall for him anymore..."

As I stepped into Dexter’s room, he suddenly pressed me against the wall.

He pleaded with me not to fall for Damien anymore.

"I don’t like him anymore," I muttered.

"Lies..." He accused me of lying.

"I..." I tried to explain, but he silenced me with a kiss.

My breaths were hot, and the room seemed to heat up.

I was still afraid of him. When he became serious, he was terrifying.

When I called him by his nickname, he seemed to regain some composure.

Indeed, his icy gaze softened momentarily when I called him Dexter. He took a deep breath and let go of me, likely concerned about hurting the baby I was carrying.

"Sophia, please don’t leave me again. Don’t lie to me," he kept repeating.

It seemed like Sophia had deceived him many times before.

But I couldn’t remember.

That night, Dexter stubbornly clung to me and refused to release his grip. Perhaps I had caught a cold in the rain, but I felt feverish and my head throbbed relentlessly.

Memories that didn’t belong to me slowly invaded my mind.

"To control Dexter, you must be like Sophia..."

"You need to mimic everything about her. Even the simplest gestures and words should be just like Sophia’s.."

"Only then can you make sure Dexter keeps you close. Then, you’ll gradually gain shares in the Black Group."

"No... I’m Sophia..."

I struggled with those memories in my dream.

Who was the person speaking?

Was it the murderer? No, the voice wasn’t right.

"No, I’m Sophia."

I woke up suddenly, breathing heavily as I sat up.

Dexter was sitting beside me, holding a towel and looking at me with concern.

"Dexter..." I suddenly felt scared and instinctively clung to Dexter.

He tensed for a moment before softly reassuring me. "Did you have a nightmare?"

I nodded. My thoughts were in a jumble.

Sofia had too many secrets.

"It’s okay, I’m here." Dexter’s voice was hoarse but comforting.

"Go back to sleep. You have a fever. You’ll feel better after some rest."

I drifted off into a heavy sleep. Unaware of how long I had been asleep, I woke up to find it was already noon the next day.

"Dexter..."

"Where’s Dexter?" I asked as I stepped out.

"Mr. Black is at the office," the new maid informed me. I hadn’t realized the change in household staff until now.

All the helpers were new faces.

When did this turnover occur?

"What about the previous housekeeper, Alex?" I inquired tentatively...

The maid lowered her head and apologized, "I’m sorry, Mrs. Black. I don’t know Alex. My name is Suzanne."

I didn’t say anything. I noticed that these new helpers seemed to show me more respect than before.

"Please inform the butler that I’ll be going to the company," I instructed.

"Of course." The new maid nodded and turned to find the butler.

"Mrs. Black, I’ve arranged the car," the butler stated upon entering. I was taken aback, realizing that even the butler had been replaced. The previous butler had been serving Ignatius for years, so this change was unexpected.

"What about the previous butler?" I asked.

Since Ignatius incapable of moving and now with no one in charge of the Black family, I couldn’t help but wonder who would have completely changed the household staff.

"The previous butler fell ill and retired. I’m the new butler. Please feel free to let me know if you need anything, Mrs. Black," the new butler informed me.

I found it puzzling and wondered if Dexter was behind the complete overhaul of the helpers. However, upon reflection, he likely didn’t have the authority to do so, considering how everyone in the Black family regarded him as a fool.

It didn’t seem plausible that he possessed such power.

I absentmindedly entered the car and massaged my temples.

Lately, I had a sense of foreboding, though I couldn’t quite pinpoint its source.

My phone buzzed, and to my surprise, it was Violette.

Since my demise, Violette’s demeanor had grown colder. She had nearly sacrificed everything in her relentless pursuit of solving the case and apprehending the murderer.

I felt sorry for her, but I didn’t know how to help her.

She remained skeptical of my words.

"Juliet’s child didn’t make it. The lunatic is still after her. Thankfully, the police intervened just in time, but she lost the baby," she said.

My heart tightened as I realized that the murderer remained determined to kill Juliet.

"Why are you sharing this with me? Don’t you doubt me?" I inquired softly.

I didn’t understand why Violette was suddenly telling me these things.

"Juliet wants to meet with you," Violette said flatly.

"She wants to meet with me?" I was surprised that Juliet would want to meet with me. After all, I was now Sofia.

"Yes, you, Sofia." Violette’s voice was chilly.

I felt a bit flustered. "When?" I asked.

"I’ll be waiting for you outside Huma Hospital at 6:00 pm," she replied.

"Okay." After hanging up, I stared blankly out of the car window.

It was strange that Juliet specifically requested to meet with me. Did Juliet also know Sofia?

"Are the Black Group and the Coleman Group currently discussing cooperation?" I asked casually as the butler chauffeured me. I wasn’t certain if he was well–informed about the company’s affairs.

"Indeed," he affirmed. Surprisingly, he appeared knowledgeable about the company’s dealings.

"Is Damien personally in attendance?" I queried.

"Yes, Mrs. Black," he replied...

I frowned, considering that Juliet’s heartbreaking loss should have caught Damien’s attention. However, he seemed unperturbed and still attended the collaboration discussion. His apparent indifference perplexed me.

He was once deeply devoted to Juliet. He would be profoundly affected by even the slightest harm to her. Yet, he appeared unaffected in the aftermath of the loss of their child.

"We’re here," the butler announced.

at the company, I stepped out of the car.

Looking up at the towering office building of the Black Group, I couldn’t help but marvel. It was indeed the flagship enterprise of the Huma business district, and the entire building belonged to the Black family.

"Mr. Coleman, this way, please," a voice called out.

It seemed fate had brought us together. Just as I entered the company, I saw Damien Coleman walking in as well.

He clearly noticed me too, and his gaze momentarily froze.

The oblivious assistant ushered us into the same elevator.

Although there were only a few of us in the elevator, the atmosphere felt heavy.

Upon reaching the second–floor lounge, a crowd of employees suddenly surged in. I found myself being pushed backward, but someone reached out and gently pulled me into a corner.

Instinctively, I looked up and met Damien’s gaze. I instantly felt a surge of discomfort in my stomach.

I felt physically uneasy whenever I saw him.

His gaze seemed complicated, as if he were trying to see through me.

"Mr. Coleman, how leisurely of you. I heard your wife lost her child, yet you still have the capacity to discuss collaboration," I remarked sarcastically.

Damien’s body stiffened for a moment before he said, "She’s not my wife."

"Oh? Weren’t you head over heels in love with her before?" I found him disgusting. Was he already tired of her?

"My wife’s name is Sophia, and she passed away." He suddenly revealed, stating that Sophia was his wife.

I felt as though I had heard something filthy and glared at Damien. I scolded him, "You have no shame. When did she become your wife? Stop tarnishing her name!"

Damien’s gaze toward me became even more complex. After a moment, he called out, "Sophia..."