All Chapters of THE HEIRESS'S REBIRTH:REBORN AS A THORN IN MY HUSBAND'S PATH: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

Derek’s POVThe smell of my father’s study always made me want to vomit. It was a thick, suffocating blend of expensive Cuban cigars, old leather books, and the lingering scent of a man who thought he was God. It was the smell of a locker room for tyrants.I stood by the heavy oak door, my hands shoved deep into my pockets to hide the fact that I wanted to wrap them around his throat. Across from me, my father sat in his high-backed velvet chair, nursing a crystal glass of amber liquid. He looked peaceful. That was the most disgusting part."I saw the maid, Father," I said, my voice as cold as the ice in his glass. "Vivian. I saw you both in your study. Do you have any shame at all? She’s barely twenty."He didn’t even look up. He just swirled his drink, watching the light catch the gold rim of the glass. "Shame? That’s a word for poor people, Derek. I am a man of honor and glory. I’ve built an empire that puts food on the tables of thousands. If I stumble into a little sin now and th

Marcus’s POVThe balcony was freezing, but the cold felt better than the suffocating warmth inside that house. I leaned against the railing, my eyes scanning the dark tree line of the backyard, force of habit while I pulled the burner phone from the hidden slit in my waistband.My fingers felt heavy as I dialed."I just sent you a message, Boss," I said, my voice barely a notch above a whisper. "They know. Everything is falling apart on this end. Rose knows you’re alive, and they’re actively digging. They’ve already linked you to Vanessa, so you need to move. Fast."The silence on the other end was long enough to make me check if the call had dropped. Then, a voice like grinding gravel came through."Who's the bitch that rattled me out in the spa?" Richard snapped. He sounded manic, like a man who was losing his grip on the steering wheel."They don't know yet," I said, keeping my tone flat, professional. "But they’re on it. Michelle is a dog with a bone. Once I get the name, I will l

Rose’s POVThe gravel screamed under the tires as the SUV fishtailed into the driveway. Before the engine had even cut out, Marcus was out of the door, his movements jerky and frantic, a side of him I had never seen. He didn’t look like the cool, composed professional anymore. He looked like a man who had just crawled out of a furnace."Move! Inside, now!" he roared, reaching back into the car to haul out the woman.She looked like she was made of porcelain that had been shattered and glued back together too many times. Pale, fragile, and eyes so hollow they looked like twin craters. We scrambled into the living room, the heavy oak doors slamming shut behind us with a finality that made my teeth ache.Michelle didn't even make it to the stairs. She just slumped into one of the velvet living room chairs, her designer sneakers scuffed and her breathing coming in ragged, ugly gasps."This is the first time in my life I have actually walked into a battlefield," she whispered, her voice tr

Rose’s POVMichelle was by my side in an instant, pulling me into a hug so tight I could barely breathe."It’s all over now, Rose," she whispered into my hair, her own voice thick with tears. "We have it. We have everything. We will send this to the police, to the news, to the whole damn world. He’s done. Richard is done."I let her hold me, sobbing into her shoulder, but through the haze of tears."We send this to the police. Right now," Silas said, his voice hard, snapping me out of the trance I was in. He was already reaching for his phone, his face set in that doctor-in-charge expression. "No more games, Rose. We have the proof against Richard."For a second, a tiny flicker of optimism sparked in my chest. Maybe it was all over. Then the screaming started.It came from the hallway, a wet, hacking sound followed by the heavy thud of a body hitting the floor. We scrambled out of the study, nearly tripping over each other. Two guards were already there, kneeling over Erica.She was

Rose’s POVThe wood of the door didn’t just knock; it exploded.I didn’t even have time to blink before Marcus was across the room. He didn’t scream. He just lunged, his hand a blur as he gripped my wrist and twisted. The small paring knife clattered across the hardwood floor, sliding under the dresser like a shameful secret."What are you doing?" Marcus roared. His voice was thick, vibrating with a panic I had never heard from him. "Rose! Look at me!"I couldn't look at him. I couldn't look at anything. I just started shaking. It started in my hands and crawled up my spine until my teeth were clacking together so hard I thought they’d shatter. I reached out, grabbing the front of Marcus’s shirt, bunching the fabric in my fists and pulling him toward me."Please," I sobbed, the sound coming from somewhere deep and jagged in my chest. "Please, just let me go. I am not supposed to be here, Marcus. You don’t understand. I am not supposed to be alive!"I was hysterical. The air in the roo