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Lahat ng Kabanata ng Second Chance At Rebirth: Beneath The Ashes: Kabanata 151 - Kabanata 157

157 Kabanata

Chapter 151

Christine’s POVIt was the day of the first hearing at the court. My body had healed enough to leave the wheelchair behind, though the bruises still left a faint mark on my skin that reminded me of the hell I’d survived. I stood in front of the full-length mirror in my apartment, adjusting the lapels of my tailored cream blazer. The outfit was professional. My auburn hair was pulled into a sleek chignon, and I applied a touch of red lipstick, the color bold against my pale complexion. I needed to look like the Christine the world expected, untouchable and unbreakable. Inside, my nerves churned, but I grabbed my purse. Today, Francis would face the consequences of his actions.The courthouse loomed ahead as my car pulled up, imposing under the gray September sun sky. Evelyn sat beside me, her tablet glowing with notes she’d been reviewing all morning. “You’ve got this, Christine,” she said, her voice steady as she squeezed my hand. Her eyes held a fierce loyalty that comforted me. “We

Chapter 152

Christine’s POVThe next day, I drove through the city as I gripped the steering wheel of my sleek black Mercedes. The weight of the courtroom victory still filled my heart, a mix of triumph and exhaustion settling into my bones. My cream blazer lay folded neatly on the passenger seat, I’d worn all day. Now, in my silk blouse and tailored slacks, I felt a little more like myself or at least the version of myself I was still trying to reclaim. The September air was cool, carrying the faint scent of rain as I pulled into the gated community where Evelyn lived. I parked in her driveway, grabbed my purse, and stepped out and immediately, the door swung open before I could knock, and Evelyn stood there, a glass of red wine already in her hand. Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she saw me, there was a softness there as her lips curved into a smile. “Get in here, you badass,” she said, pulling me into a hug that smelled of jasmine perfume and merlot. Her embrace was for, and for a mome

Chapter 153

Christine’s POVThe day came for the lunch with Ashley, and I’m sitting at a corner table in La Belle Vie, the upscale restaurant buzzing with the low hum of conversation. My fingers drum lightly on the white tablecloth. My phone sits face-up beside the untouched glass of sparkling water, the screen dark. It’s 1:15 p.m., and there’s no sign of Ashley.I glance at the entrance again, my eyes scanning the polished glass doors for her but there was. My stomach twists, a knot of unease tightening with every passing minute. Ashley’s not the type to flake without a reason. Either she’s figured out why I wanted to meet her, Zane’s discovery of her siphoning funds from my new tech company or something’s wrong. Really wrong.I sip my water, the cold liquid doing little to ease the heat creeping up my neck. My mind races back to her voice on the phone last night, that slight hitch, the forced calm. She knew something perhaps. I can feel it in my bones. I grab my phone and dial Zane, my thumb f

Chapter 154

Zane’s POVThe tires of my Bentley screech as I pull into the parking lot of Ashley’s high-rise condo on Riverside Drive, the sleek black exterior of my car catching the late afternoon sun. My pulse is a steady thrum, a mix of frustration and unease, as I step out. I stride toward the glass entrance of the building, my jaw tight, my mind replaying Christine’s voice from our last call. She was coming here to confront Ashley, to demand answers about the money siphoned from her tech company. But now, as I push through the doors, a sinking feeling gnaws at me. The lobby is all marble and mirrors, the kind of ostentatious wealth that screams new money. I bypass the concierge, a man in a too-tight suit who’s busy typing on his computer, and head straight for the elevator. Ashley’s condo is on the fifteenth floor, unit 1504. I memorized it from the HR file Christine mentioned. The elevator hums as it ascends, the mirrored walls reflecting my tense expression, dark brows furrowed, eyes narr

Chapter 155

Zane’s POVThe wail of sirens cuts through the evening air as two police cruisers pull into the underground parking lot of Harrington Enterprises, their red and blue lights all around the places as I still stand beside Christine’s silver Mercedes. My hands are shoved deep into the pockets of my tailored slacks, my jaw tight. I’ve been pacing for what feels like hours, though it’s only been twenty minutes since I called 911. Every second drags, each one a reminder that Christine is out there, somewhere, and I’m stuck here, useless.The officers step out of their cars. The first, a stocky man with a buzz cut and a badge that reads “Officer Delgado,” approaches me, his expression all business. His partner, a younger woman with a notepad in hand, follows close behind. I don’t wait for them to ask questions. The words spill out of me, and urgent, as I recount everything on Christine’s call, her plan to confront Ashley, the empty condo.“I tried to get the CCTV footage from the lobby,” I sa

Chapter 156

Christine’s POVI’m tied to a rickety wooden chair in the middle of a small, run-down house. The ropes bite into my wrists, chafing my skin with every futile twist I make. My heart hammers in my chest, but I force my face to stay composed, my lips pressed into a tight line as I curse under my breath. “Damn it!”I can’t believe I’m here again, kidnapped, betrayed, and by my own family, no less. My grandfather stands before me, his wiry look hunched slightly, his tailored suit out of place in this dilapidated shack. His eyes, cold and calculating, bore into mine, and I meet his gaze without flinching, even as my stomach churns with fear.“You’re a fool, Christine,” he spits, his voice low and venomous. “You think you can ruin everything I’ve built? My legacy? My company?” He paces a slow circle around me. “It hurts me to see I gave you everything, money, status, a name. And this is how you repay me? By digging into things that don’t concern you?”I laugh, a sharp, psychopath sound that

Chapter 157

Zane’s POVI sat in the precinct. The tech guy had just delivered the gut-punch news. the CCTV footage from the street where Christine vanished was wiped clean. Unrecoverable. My chest tightened, a vise squeezing my lungs. I couldn’t lose her. Not now, not when I’d finally let myself believe we could have something real. My jaw clenched as I stared at the blank monitor, willing it to give me something, anything to bring her back.I didn’t want to give up on her. I couldn’t. But the truth gnawed at me. I didn’t know what to do next. Every lead had dried up, every contact I’d leaned on had come up empty. My wealth, my connections, my name, none of it meant a damn thing if I couldn’t find her. My fingers curled into fists. I was supposed to protect her, and I’d failed.The precinct door creaked open, snapping my head up. A lady stepped inside but her face was shrouded by a dark scarf wrapped tightly around their head. She headed to Officer Daniels at the front desk. She leaned in, her vo

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