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Todos os capítulos de Second Chance At Rebirth: Beneath The Ashes: Capítulo 71 - Capítulo 80

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Chapter 71

Christine’s POVBusy with some work on my pc, the door to my office swung open as Linda’s voice filled the air.“Ma’am, there’s a fire at the Chicago branch site!” she blurted, clutching her phone so tightly. “They just called from the site. It’s bad.”My heart lurched, and I shot to my feet, knocking a stack of papers to the floor. “A fire? How? When?” My voice was sharp, but my mind was already racing, piecing together what this meant. The Chicago branch, my branch, or at least it was supposed to be until Grandfather started throwing around names like Francis and Lisa.“They don’t know yet,” Linda stammered. “It started near the scaffolding. They’re evacuating now, but you need to get down there to see.”I didn’t need to be told twice. I grabbed my coat and purse as I stormed out of the office. “Call the site manager and tell him I’m on my way,” I said. “And get me the fire chief’s number!”The drive to the construction site was a blur of honking horns and red lights in traffic. My

Chapter 72

Lisa’s POVMaking my way into the hospital building, grandfather walked beside me. We were here to see Christine, the so-called hero of the hour, and the thought made my stomach twist in hatred.The news of the Chicago branch fire had spread all over social media, and with it, Christine’s dramatic rescue of Francis. The headlines talked about her bravery, painting her as some selfless saint who’d risked her life to drag her fiancée from a burning building. And now, as we approached her hospital room, I braced myself for the performance I knew was coming.Grandfather pushed open the door, and there she was, sitting upright in the hospital bed, her hair pulled back into a loose bun, a few strands artfully framing her face. She didn't look hurt as a faint smudge of soot was still visible on her cheek. A tray of untouched hospital food sat on the table beside her, and a vase of lilies, probably sent by some sycophantic board member perfumed the air with a cloying sweetness.“Christine,”

Chapter 73

Francis’s POV“Wait.” I said, my voice sharp, filled with urgency. Lisa halted mid-step, her hand still on the doorframe, and turned back to face me. My thoughts were a tangled mess, as I got up from the bed and began to pace the small space beside my hospital bed.The image Lisa had sent me weeks ago burned in my mind now. Christine, my fiancée, caught in a grainy photo with Zane. Was it cheating? A secret meeting? Or worse, was she the one sabotaging my projects, orchestrating the chaos that had brought me to this point? The Chicago branch reduced to ash, and now Lisa’s accusations against Christine swirled in my head, each one stoking the anger simmering in my gut. I stopped pacing.“Lisa,” I said. “you can’t just drop something like that and walk out. You think Christine’s behind this? The fire, the sabotage, all of it? Then why the hell did she save me?” My eyes bored into hers, searching hers. “You sent me that picture. You wanted me to believe she’s betraying me, betraying th

Chapter 74

Christine’s POVMy discharge had been quick, barely a scratch on me, just a little ache in my chest from the smoke and the weight of everything else. I hadn’t gone to see Francis. Not after dragging him out of that inferno. As I reached the front door of the house, it swung open before I could touch the handle. Grandmother Eleanor stood there, her hair pulled back in a loose bun, her eyes filled with relief and fear as her arms opened wide, and before I could say a word, she pulled me into a fierce hug. “Christine, oh, my sweet girl,” she called worriedly, her voice filled with emotion. She pulled back just enough to cup my face, her thumbs brushing my cheeks. Her eyes, lined with worry, searched mine. “When I heard about the fire… I thought… I was so afraid you were hurt. I was ready to storm that hospital, but Fredrick wouldn’t let me. Said I’d only make a fuss.”I managed a small smile. “I’m fine, Grandma,” I said, my voice softer. “Really. Just a little smoky, that’s all. You do

Chapter 75

Christine’s POVLater that night, the house was quiet. I sat on my bed, my thoughts filled with my parent’s harsh words and Zane’s cold attitude towards me so farI couldn’t shake the weight of it all, but there was one thing I knew I had to do. A soft creak from the hallway snapped me out of my thoughts. I glanced toward the door of my room, half-expecting Grandmother to check on me again, but instead, I saw Adriana. She stood in the doorway and she wore a simple black sweater and jeans, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. Her expression was unreadable as she gave me a cold look. “What do you want?” I asked. “What are you doing here?”She hesitated, her fingers tightening around her arms before she stepped into the room, closing the door softly behind her. “I… I heard about the fire,” she said. “I’m here to check on you.” She said.I raised an eyebrow, stunned and surprised. Adriana and I weren’t exactly close. Her showing up here, in my room, at this hour, felt off.“I’m fine,

Chapter 76

Christine’s POVAs the grainy footage displayed on my phone screen, a damning tableau of Zane and Adriana naked, having s*x. Room 312 at the Grandview Hotel. Their encounter was exactly what I needed. My lips curled into a tight smile as I watched, but a nagging thought gnawed at me, how could I spread this video without it tracing back to me? I couldn’t afford to be caught, not after everything I’d already done to set this up. The camera feed looped, and I paused it, staring at Zane’s smug face. My mind churned, sifting through options, until a thought popped into my head. Yes! I could kill two birds with one stone. My mind drifted to Francis. He was the perfect scapegoat. If I could pin this on him, not only would Zane’s reputation take a nosedive, but Francis would be caught in the crossfire, his own credibility shredded. My pulse quickened in excitement at the thought. I saved the video into a flash drive as I slipped my phone into my pocket, grabbed a USB drive with the video f

Chapter 77

Christine’s POVThe morning sun filtered through the smudged windows of the Blue Bean Café. I adjusted my dress, smoothing out an imaginary wrinkle, as I scanned the room for Mr. Grayson, one of the investors Ashley had flagged from the guest list of that disastrous gala where Zane had made me feel like a loser, which happen to be one of the board members of Harrington. I made my way to a corner table, where a man in a crisp navy suit sat. His hair was neatly combed, and his eyes flicked up from his phone as I approached. But though I was being skeptical but i pushed the feeling aside.“Mr. Grayson?” I called, offering a slight smile.He nodded, gesturing to the chair across from him. “Christine, Please, sit.” His tone was polite, and the way his fingers tapped lightly on the table suggested he wasn’t entirely sold on this meeting.I slid into the seat, crossing my legs at the ankles and setting my purse on the floor beside me. I leaned forward slightly, clasping my hands on the table

Chapter 78

Christine’s POVThe news was everywhere, tearing through every channel, every screen, every whispered conversation among people as I kept walking out towards my car. My phone buzzed incessantly in my purse, notifications piling up from news apps, social media, and texts from colleagues who’d caught wind of the scandal. Channel 5, CityPulse, even the national networks, Zane Whitelock’s name blazed in bold headlines, each one more damning than the last. CEO Caught in Scandal. Whitelock Industries in Freefall. I couldn’t help the smile that curled my lips as I slid into the driver’s seat of my car. Zane’s empire, built on his father’s legacy and his own slick charm, was crumbling. And I’d lit the match.By the time I pulled into the parking lot of Cristainternational’s sleek, glass-fronted office, my mood was practically buoyant. The building, nearly complete. Inside, Ashley, was waiting for me just beyond the reception desk, her tablet clutched against her chest. And her eyes locked on

Chapter 79

Lisa’s POVThe phone vibrated against the surface of the kitchen counter as my eyes were fixed on the morning news playing on the TV. I took up the phone as I glanced at the screen, Adriana’s name flashing. Adriana didn’t call this early unless something was wrong. I swiped to answer, pressing the phone to my ear as I leaned against the counter, the cold granite biting into my palm.“Lisa,” Adriana’s voice came through like she was trying to hold herself together. “Zane just called. He’s losing it. He’s saying I’m the one who leaked that video to the press.”I froze, my grip on the phone tightening. The video… the one I am currently watching on the news. The one that had detonated Zane Whitelock’s carefully curated life, now splashed across every news outlet, blog, and social media feed. Grainy footage of him in a compromising position with someone whose Face blurred, I’d assume it was Adriana. It had gone viral overnight. I pushed off the counter, pacing toward the living room.“What

Chapter 80

Christine’s POVAs I pulled out of the Harrington Enterprises parking garage, I adjusted my grip on the steering wheel as I let a rare smile tug at my lips. For once, things were falling into place. My phone buzzed in the center console, and I glanced at the screen, it was Mr. Vandross. A quick tap on the Bluetooth speaker filled the car with his voice.“Christine, I’ve spoken with my associates,” he said. “They’re in. Three new investors, all ready to back Cristainternational. We’ll finalize the terms next week.”My heart leapt in joy, though I kept my voice even, professional. “That’s excellent news, Mr. Vandross. I’m thrilled to have them on board.”“You’ve got a solid vision,” he continued. “The vision is coming along nicely, too. It’s impressive.”“Thank you,” I said, my smile widening as I turned onto the highway. We exchanged a few more pleasantries before I ended the call, my fingers drumming lightly on the wheel at the thought of Cristainternational. My company. My legacy. F

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