Reborn, Reawakened, Rekindled novel Chapter 4

"Forget about it, Irene, I’ll make you regret the day you married me." Neil went back to his cold demeanor, as if he could see right through my intentions. "You want to live separate lives? So be it."

I was taken aback. Was he willing to accept me cheating, just to make me regret marrying him? I never thought being forced to marry me would be such a burden on him, that he’d go to such extremes for revenge.-

Just as I was struggling to understand this, Neil abruptly grabbed me, pulling me close against his body. He licked his lips, eyes hazy. "Want me to satisfy you first?"

"No!" I pushed Neil away immediately. If we were destined to part ways, there was no need for unnecessary contact.

Neil squinted, his gaze sharp. He was a smart man, he must have noticed my odd behavior these past few days. He grabbed my chin, forcing me to look up at him. "Are you Irene’s twin sister? Huh?"

How could a woman who'd loved him for ten years suddenly act so out of character?

I managed an awkward smile. "Guess."

"Irene, our marriage is not simple. If it ends, it will involve a lot of interests. I don't have time to play out some love-hate drama with you. If you can't resist the loneliness and want to have some fun..." He didn't answer my question but leaned in close to my ear. "Remember to use a condom. I'm not going to raise your illegitimate child."

I was someone who'd already experienced death, and I should've been calm. But for some reason, I slapped Neil, hard. My palm was stinging.

Neil's cheek bore the red mark of my hand. He turned his head, his perfect jawline outlining his handsome profile. Even after being slapped, he still looked so handsome.

He slowly turned his head back towards me, his eyes dark and terrifying, as if he was going to kill me the next second. My hand was trembling, not from fear, but because the slap had reopened my wound and my hand was bleeding.

Neil glanced at my hand, then turned and left, leaving me with his cold back. I watched as the blood dripped from the bandage, and it felt good, better than bleeding inside during my past life.

After that slap, Neil disappeared again. His name was all over the tabloids, appearing in nightclubs, in the office, but he never came home.

I was counting the days, just half a month till the day Neil and Bonnie met. During this time, I would occasionally bump into Bonnie, order a black coffee, and quietly watch her work. Her every smile and frown were deeply etched into my eyes. If I were a man, I would like her too.

"Bonnie, your boyfriend is here!" A coworker alerted Bonnie.

Yes, I remember she had a boyfriend, but the poor guy was no match for Neil. Even if he was deeply in love with Bonnie, he couldn't stand a chance against the power and status that Neil wielded, and he became a joke to fate.

The café door was pushed open, and a young man wearing a white T-shirt and light blue jeans walked in. He was wearing a white baseball cap, holding a box of Takoyaki, looking clean and refreshing.

I was stunned. Was he that college student?

"Oscar, what are you doing here?" Bonnie was as happy as a hamster, welcoming her food-bringing master.

"I was handing out flyers nearby, so I thought I'd come and see you. Brought you some Takoyaki." The college boy smiled, his eyes crinkled up like Bonnie's, like crescents.

They looked like a sweet couple, yet they would be forcibly torn apart by Neil.

Bonnie looked both delighted and worried. "Just coming to see me is enough. You're working so hard handing out flyers, don't waste money buying me food."