Semua Bab Second Chance At Rebirth: Beneath The Ashes: Bab 81 - Bab 90

Christine’s POVThe scary scene of Lisa crashing to the ground continues to echo in my mind, a relentless loop that drowned out everything else. Confused and trembling, I stared through the windshield at her motionless body still sprawled on the ground and then looked around to see if anyone was looking but none. I didn’t mean to do it. I didn’t. My fingers shook so violently I could barely grip the wheel, let alone think straight. I hadn’t even checked if she was breathing, I couldn’t. The thought of touching her, of confirming the worst, sent a wave of nausea through me. I wasn’t a killer. I wasn’t. My life, my empire, everything I’d worked for, it couldn’t end like this. Not because of her. Not because of Lisa.I fumbled for my phone in the center console, my hands clumsy as the phone fell. “Damn it,” I hissed under my breath, leaning down to snatch it up as I dialed 911. Immediately, and instantly, it rang and the receiver picked.“There’s been an accident,” I said, my words tumb

Francis’s POVI am still tied up by chains in a small room. My wrists burned where the cold metal bit into my skin, the chains rattling faintly as I shifted, trying to ease the ache in my shoulders. They had beaten me hard. My ribs throbbed with every heartbeat, and a sharp pain lanced through my side where a bruise was surely bleeding. Blood trickled from a cut above my eyebrow, painful as it mixed with sweat and dripped into my eye. I blinked it away, my vision blurry. I was losing strength, my body heavy, my thoughts sluggish. Death lurking just around me.Suddenly, the door creaked open, expecting another blow. Instead, Zane sauntered in. His hair was slicked back, and his eyes looked cold, as it locked onto mine. He dragged a rickety wooden chair across the room, its legs scraping against the concrete ground, and sat down in front of me, elbows resting on his knees, hands clasped loosely. And then a faint smirk played on his lips, as if he were savoring the sight of me broken and

Lisa’s POVMy head throbbed, a dull pulse behind my eyes too, but it was nothing compared to the fire raging in my chest right now. I ripped the IV from my arm, ignoring the sharp pain as the needle tore free. The heart monitor beeped erratically as a nurse rushed in, her face filled with concern, hands outstretched to stop me the moment she got in.“Ma’am, please, you’re not strong enough to leave yet,” she said. “You’re still weak. You need to…”“I don’t need to do anything,” I snapped, swinging my legs over the side of the bed. “You don’t get to tell me what to do. None of you do.” I yanked the electrodes off my chest, the adhesive pulling at my skin, and the monitor let out a flatline wail before someone silenced it.Immediately, a doctor appeared in the doorway. “Miss Lisa, you’ve been through a lot. Your body…”“My body’s fine,” I growled, grabbing my jacket from the chair. “I’m done here.” I didn’t look back as I stormed out, their protests fading into meaningless sounds. The h

Christine’s POVAt the thought that the company was almost ready, months of planning, late nights, and risks were finally coalescing into something tangible. I traced my fingers along the edge of a contract I had prepared for Mr. Vandross and Zane to sign, a nagging thought tugged at me, at the thought that Zane wouldn’t accept it but then, he should by the time I offer to help him clean the mess in his reputation. Moreover, I needed someone to stand at my new company to play the role of a CEO, someone I could trust to be the face of Cristainternational while I pulled the strings to handle other things. I wasn’t ready to step away from my Harrington company, not yet. Until the time was right.I really needed an acting CEO who could embody the role without asking too many questions. My mind sifted through the shortlist of employees already on board, capable, loyal, but none of them quite fit the bill. They were cogs, not leaders. I needed someone with ambition, someone who could sell

Francis’s POVThe morning came too fast. I stirred on the bed, my body still weak from last night’s moment with Lisa, the room was still lingering the scent of Lisa’s perfume.My eyes fluttered open, and there she was, Lisa, lying beside me, her blonde hair splayed across the pillow, one arm draped lazily over the edge of the mattress and for a moment, I just watched her breathe, the slow rise and fall of her chest as the reality of what we’d done hit me.I shifted, propping myself up on one elbow, the sheet sliding down my torso. Lisa stirred, her lips curling into a sleepy smile as her eyes met mine. “Morning, handsome,” she purred, her voice teasing, still husky from sleep. She stretched, her body arching under the sheet, and I couldn’t help but notice the way her curves were still attracting me as if to make love to her again. I cleared my throat, forcing a half-smile. “Morning.” My voice came out neutral, and I rubbed a hand over my face, trying to shake off the haze of my reg