From Teen Dad to Second Chance: After Rebirth, I Refuse

I lay awake the entire night.The place around me felt strange and familiar at once. There were no electronics here, not even a light.At first light, when the horizon was only starting to pale, roosters crowed outside. Everyone rolled out of bed to get ready for the fields, and I forced myself up, too.If I could make it through this stretch, I'd be approved to switch to an urban status. This time, I was going to change my life.I'd been swinging the hoe nonstop when the village head, Greg Nixon, suddenly showed up at the field with a group of people."Dexter, Bertha came to me today and said you're suddenly backing out of the engagement. Camille cried at home all night. Weren't you two engaged a long time ago? I was there myself as a witness."What's going on now? You owe her an explanation, don't you?"People nearby picked it up and closed in with their own advice."You're both young. Couples fight and make up. Nothing can't be settled by talking.""That's right. You're sti

The others turned toward the sound, and I turned with them.The woman standing there felt unfamiliar, but I couldn't shake the sense I'd seen her before.She wore a floral dress that looked out of place in the countryside. Her hair was tied into twin ponytails, and she wore light makeup. Her features were delicate.She obviously wasn't from the village.Frowning, I searched my memory but couldn't pin down where I'd seen her before. Still, the familiarity clung to me. And somehow, she knew my name.Camille panicked when the woman cut in and ruined what was supposed to be the perfect conclusion. Worse, the woman called out the father of Camille's baby, and she was right.Camille didn't even get a chance to cry. She hopped in place, finger thrust inches from the woman's face."Where the hell did you come from, you bitch? What are you spouting? The baby in my belly is Dexter's! Who's Howard? I don't even know him!"The woman stared at Camille without a word. I couldn't tell if my e

If Mr. Nixon had intercepted the acceptance letter, there was no way he was handing it over to me. I was still stuck on that thought when Camille showed up again.She started crying the second she saw me. "Dexter, someone's trying to hurt me! Please, I'm begging you. Help me!"Other than Ms. Hopkins and me, I couldn't think of anyone who'd have a reason to go after Camille, so I didn't bother playing along. With no one else around, I yanked my hand out of her grip."You and your mother are both more than capable. Who would even dare come after you? I told you not to come to me again. If you're going to keep claiming this kid is mine, then go ahead and have him."Let everyone see for themselves. Either way, I'm not marrying you!"In my previous life, the baby didn't look like me when he was born. Back then, I barely had any contact with Howard, so it never even crossed my mind that he could be the father.I remembered a friend once joking that sons always took after their fathers,

Before I went into the city for enrollment, Camille showed up at my place. We never officially ended the engagement, but after things turned that ugly, everyone acted as if it were already over.Her belly was starting to show. She sank to her knees right there on the floor and cried until she was a wreck. "Dexter, please marry me! If you don't, I can't go on."The bruises on her face were still plain as day. I heard that when Bertha found out the baby Camille was carrying was Howard's, she beat Camille badly and threatened to disown her.But what did any of that have to do with me?"Camille, didn't you ever wonder how I suddenly knew the baby you were carrying wasn't mine?"She stared at me, confused, and I told her everything about my last life. "I wasn't marrying you. Nobody's stupid enough to fall for the same con twice."Her eyes flooded with despair. She clamped a hand over her mouth as tears spilled down her cheeks. "I-I don't believe it! That's impossible! How could I do t