All Chapters of The Phoenix's Rebirth and Revenge: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

NATALIE It is true what they say then, that the heart never forgets.I might be in a new body, but one thing I realised the more I got closer to Rafael was the effect I still had on him.I had taken my time to study his new habits ever since my return, and his life, in one word could be described as boring. Went straight home from work, that is after working to exhaustion in the office, rarely sleeps, barely ever went out, except it was work related and he seemed to have abandoned all the things that made him happy in the past.The memory flooded in, as I rested my head on the headrest, fingers clasped together and placed on my knee—it felt just like yesterday, even though there was an entire two years and a transition from one body to the other that took death to actualise, I could still feel the memories of our time together. All the time we spent outdoors, going to art galleries, visiting restaurants, and literally going around the city and showcasing to any one who cared to liste

Didn’t they say ‘know your enemy’? In order to successfully manipulate someone, to have them perfectly under your control, you have to first know them. Now, how would you have that knowledge of your enemy if you don’t keep them close? That was what Natalie was doing, strategically planting herself in Rafael’s life in such a way that she could get first hand information of what happened in his inner circle—systematically, she was positioning herself as a constant, so that nothing that happened within got past her. What other way could she possibly plan her revenge?And that was exactly what she told Lorenzo as he expressed his displeasure on her recent closeness with Rafael.“You are going to the ball with him again tonight? Isn’t that a bit too much?” Lorenzo asked, his voice was calm, but the slight trembling of his lips as he brought the wine glass to it only showed that he was barely keeping it in.He was sitting on a couch in the sitting room, one of his legs crossed over the othe

ISABELLANo dirt had been dug up on Natalie Da Luca yet, but I was a hundred percent certain that she wasn't completely clean. She sure has a mission. And Rafael, I knew that look in his eyes, the intense look and that hoarseness in his voice as he defended that woman was all too familiar, I had never seen him like with any woman, not even me. Well, the only woman he had been like that with was the only woman I had ever considered a threat—Alina.It only meant one thing that he looked at Natalie the same way he looked at Alina—he was in love with her.My jaw clenched as I brought the phone to my face to take in the pictures from the ball once again. He was all over her, they were all over each other. There was one of him holding her by the waist, and she gave this all too familiar smile to the camera. And the more I looked at that picture, the more it felt like she was smiling at me, like she imagined me behind that camera and gave me a triumphant smile, as if saying 'I won.'I curled

The De Luca estate was located somewhere in the heart of Milan, one of the finest in the city, in fact. Exotic is the word closest to describing the magnificent building.Perched on a private cliffside overlooking the dark glitter of the ocean, the estate stretched like a beast at rest—silent, sprawling, dangerous. It wasn't just a mansion. It was a fortress dressed in elegance, where danger wore silk gloves.The gates alone were imposing: wrought iron laced with intricate filigree, the family crest forged into the center like a warning. A private road curved through acres of perfectly manicured grounds—black roses bloomed among sharp thorns, a fitting metaphor. Security was ever-present but invisible: cameras hidden in marble statues, guards stationed in shadows, watching without blinking.The house itself rose three stories high, a blend of old-world Italian architecture and cold modern minimalism. Smooth black stone and glass dominated the facade framed by towering columns and slee

Isabella woke with a start, the dull throb in her skull pulsing in time with the morning sun creeping through the curtains. Her mouth tasted of stale alcohol and regret. She groaned, clutching her forehead as fragmented images from the night before danced behind her eyelids—too loud, too messy, and far too public.She staggered out of bed, wincing as each step reminded her body of its hangover. The house was quiet, but not peaceful. A tension hung in the air like smoke after a fire."Urghh." She groaned as she made her way to the living room.Collapsing onto the couch in the sitting room, Isabella reached for her phone. She needed to check the extent of damage.She only remembered taking a drink from a waiter, then the rest of the events from the other nights were mere blurs, blurs that tasted like regret.Notifications flooded her screen as soon as she turned on her phone. Dozens of tags, messages, and screenshots. Her heart sank as she opened the first image—a photo of her, clearly