Second Chance At Rebirth: Beneath The Ashes

Christine’s POV“Christine! Christine!”I heard my name being called as if from the edge of a dream. My body stirred under the silky bedsheets as the sunlight shone through the curtains, warming my face as I groaned, stretching lazily before blinking awake against the blinding light.“Christine!” the voice called again, more urgent now.My lashes finally fluttered open fully as I rubbed my eyes groggily with my fingers. Immediately I opened my eyes, the large face hovering above me came into view as I jerked up off the bed.“Grandma?” I croaked, sitting up too fast. My head spun slightly suddenly, but I didn’t care.Standing beside my bed, with her warm brown eyes and kind smile, was my grandmother, Eleanor Harrington.I gaped at her. She looked… alive, very much alive. Her old silver hair was neatly wrapped in a scarf like she always used to do, and her pearl earrings glimmered under the soft morning light.This couldn’t be real. Nothing was making sense to me. My brain… There seemed

Christine’s POVAnticipation! My heart is beating fast. I could hear my heart pounding so hard it felt like it might leap out of my chest. While I was anticipating, I laid my phone beside me, but I couldn’t resist the urge to pick it up every few minutes, checking for a response from Mr. Cade Whitlock. Each time, the screen greeted me with nothing but disappointment. No reply yet.I told myself not to dwell on it. Cade Whitlock wasn’t the kind of man who checked his email obsessively. He had assistants for that, and I could only hope mine wasn’t overlooked or dismissed. The thought nagged at me at the possibility that my email might never reach his eyes was maddening. Shortly, grandma Eleanor’s voice shattered the moment. She approached gently, steadying her balance at her old age. She shares the same age with grandpa Frederick, 65 years. They had been childhood sweethearts and had gotten married and gave birth to my father, Gregory. “Christine, my child, here,” Her voice floated int

Christine’s POV I turned my head back and saw through the back car window that Francis was standing at the mansion door, watching our car pull away. His hands were stuffed in his pockets, his face unreadable. I sighed, rolling my eyes nonchalantly. Picking up my phone, I tapped out a quick message to him. “ I’ll see you tomorrow. Then I switched off my phone, the screen going black as I shoved it into my bag. I didn’t want him to disturb me with his relentless messages. “We’re going to the Grand Meridian Hotel,” I said, glancing at Evelyn in the driver’s seat. Her head snapped toward me. Confusion written all over her face. “The Grand Meridian?” Her voice was sharp, her brows knitting together as she kept one eye on the road. I shrugged, forcing a casual tone. “We can spend the night there together.” It was a flimsy excuse, and I knew it. The truth was, Francis knew where Evelyn lived, and I could swear it’d cost him nothing to show up at her doorstep, just to see me. I wa

Christine’s POVI pulled my phone as the screen lit up with an email from Mr. Cade. My thumb hovered over the notification before I tapped it open. Then I read the subject line. “Delivery Address Not Found.” My heart skipped a beat. The email I’d sent him days ago, was now bouncing back? How was that even possible? I stared at the screen, my mind racing in hopelessness. Had I mistyped the address? No, I was meticulous about these things. Suddenly, Francis’s voice cut through my thoughts.“The family’s been worried about you. We all have. Everyone will be happy about your decision. It’s good to see you thinking about the company and this calls for celebration.” He paused. “How about we get out of here? Just you and me. A date… to relieve you of your stress.” He added.I glanced up from my phone, my expression carefully neutral. The idea of a date with Francis made my stomach twist in disgust. “I’m busy, Francis,” I said, my voice sounded nonchalant as I set the phone down on my desk

Christine’s POVI opened the photo. It was a stunning dress, a sleek, red shirt gown with a plunging neckline and a slit that promised to make heads turn when worn. My phone buzzed again, and Evelyn’s message popped up. “We’re clubbing tonight! Get ready, I got you this dress already! I won’t take no for an answer.” Then she added a winking emoji.Unknowingly. A smile curved my lip. In my past life, I rarely stepped out to chill with Evelyn or any friend because grandpa won’t let me. “Spending your time on irrelevant things will crumble the Harrington company. Invest your time more into the company, Christine.” Grandpa would always say. But this time? I’m prioritizing myself and not this damn company. Just as I was about to type a reply to Evelyn, grandpa’s voice snapped me out to reality. “Christine.” He is now standing in the doorway. “Everything you need to make this happen will be provided to you, don’t mess it up.”I blinked, regaining my senses as I nodded, tucking my phone awa