: Rebirth

Ian Sutton and I shared a lifetime of love. From our youth to our twilight years, he had eyes only for me.

Reborn into this life, I stayed by his side as he went from having nothing to achieving fame and fortune.

For a full ten years, neither of us brought up getting married.

I thought it was our unspoken understanding.

But on the day his company went public, I didn't get the proposal I was waiting for. Instead, I received a wedding invitation for him and another woman.

Tears streamed down my face as I looked at the invitation, at his name perfectly matched with someone else's.

It turned out he wasn't against marriage after all.

It was just that in this life, there was no place for me in his plans.

I put the invitation away and silently signed the agreement to sell my shares.

"Ian Sutton, I'll give you what you want one last time."

'Letting you get away with your deception across two lifetimes.'

...

In my past life, Ian Sutton and I were a model couple.

He said I was his princess.

From the moment we were married, he truly doted on me like a princess.

He put up with all my moods and never missed an opportunity for a grand, romantic surprise.

Countless women threw themselves at him, but not one ever managed to even touch the hem of his sleeve.

Even when we were over seventy, I once casually remarked, "The Sweet Rice Cakes in Aethelburg are delicious."

He flew to Aethelburg that very night, bought the Sweet Rice Cakes, and returned the same day.

When he placed them in front of me, they were still warm.

Everyone said I must have bribed Cupid to be blessed with such a perfect love.

I believed it, too. That's why in this life, I waited for him, year after year, for him to come and marry me.

"Celia Sinclair! You're not happy with the men who've studied abroad, you're not happy with the ones from good families, you're not happy with the handsome ones, and you're not happy with the talented ones! Do you expect your old man to reach for the stars and marry you off to someone on Pluto?!"

Mr. Sinclair paced back and forth in the room.

I calmly took out my mother's photograph. "Dad, which planet was it that Grandpa wanted you to have an arranged marriage with?"

Mr. Sinclair's anger instantly deflated.

To marry my mother, he'd been chased and beaten by my grandfather more times than he could count. But tragically, my mother was frail and passed away when I was ten.

Mr. Sinclair swore he would take good care of me.

"Dad, for this year's entrepreneurial fund... can we invest in Heston University?"

The moment the words left my mouth, Mr. Sinclair's sharp gaze fell upon me.

"Is this for Heston University, or for that kid, Ian Sutton?"

"What's so great about that kid? His eyes are full of ruthless ambition. If I let you marry him, how could I ever face your mother?"

I wheedled Mr. Sinclair, and in the end, the investment went to Heston University's School of Economics and Management.

When Ian Sutton came to collect the fund, he looked more boyish than I remembered from my past life.

"Miss Sinclair, I hope we will meet again."

His way of thanking me was the same as with everyone else, and yet, it was different.

When he placed the "In the Name of Love" dessert on the table, his smile was as gentle as I remembered from my past life.

"Miss Sinclair, I hope you like it."

He took his leave respectfully.

I was never short on desserts, but the cake he gave me held a special kind of sweetness.

After getting the startup fund, Ian Sutton, just as I expected, worked hard and quickly began to make a name for himself.

I remembered him telling me in our past life...

...that when he first graduated, he had no connections or resources and had suffered greatly.

So, when he came to the company to discuss a partnership, contract in hand, I signed it without a second thought.

He wore the same faint, composed smile, and said the same thing: "Thank you, Miss Sinclair."

I couldn't help but let a smile grace my lips.

As we shook hands, I said softly, "To our first collaboration. I wish Mr. Sutton great success in his career and a happy home life."

His smile was gentle, and when he looked at me, his gaze was uniquely focused.

"Miss Sinclair, I'm not married yet. But I'll take your kind words to heart and hope that the woman I love can wait for me until I'm successful."

After he left that day, his voice echoed endlessly in my mind.

What I didn't see was his car parked downstairs, and inside it, a female secretary with her clothes in disarray.

Ian Sutton's career was progressing rapidly.

Partnering with my family was like adding wings to a tiger for him.

Even Mr. Sinclair began to sing his praises.

"Daughter, you've really got a good eye. That kid is something else. For a businessman, being able to seize every opportunity is more important than anything."

He went on and on, recounting Ian Sutton's achievements to me.

His calls on the stock market were even more accurate than a Star Trader's.

During the few gold price drops, he acted decisively while even a seasoned veteran like Mr. Sinclair hesitated for a long time. The profits he made were enough to increase his net worth several times over.

And that's not to mention the several emerging industries he invested in.

In every case, when others were pessimistic, he went against popular opinion and poured all his energy into his investments.

He was growing quietly, in places I couldn't see.

But I couldn't bring myself to smile at all.

This kind of behavior would only cause such a huge stir coming from a rising star in the business world.

The old, established families were still watching from the sidelines. After all, a speculator couldn't be considered a proper businessman.

But I had lived with Ian Sutton for decades.

I knew full well he didn't have this kind of ability.

Unless... he had been reborn too...

I remembered the "In the Name of Love" cake he gave me the first time we met. 'If he hadn't been reborn, how would he have known I liked that particular cake?'

For an orphan like him, a few thousand dollars was not a small sum.

Then I remembered his female secretary.

'That face... I feel like I saw it somewhere in my past life.'

: Partner

Ian Sutton started coming to see me more and more often. He always had a legitimate reason, and each time, he walked away with another investment.

Then one day, Ian Sutton set off a sky full of fireworks just for me.

Beneath the fireworks, he presented me with a carefully chosen bracelet. But along with it, he solemnly produced a contract.

"Miss Sinclair, would you do me the honor of being my business partner?"

I looked at the contract, a little disappointed.

The words tumbled out before I could think. "You create such a romantic moment for a girl, and you pull out a contract instead of a diamond ring?"

He seemed a bit embarrassed, but he quickly masked it. Looking at me earnestly, he said, "I just want to wait until I've made a name for myself before I propose to the woman I love."

I looked into his sparkling eyes, and all I saw was sincerity.

So, I agreed.

I thought we had a silent understanding. I thought that once he made his mark on the world, he would come to me with an open heart and ask me to marry him.

"Miss Sinclair, I won't let you down."

He whispered in my ear, and I couldn't help but shiver. My eyes traced the line from his brow to the corner of his lips, and with every glance, my heart skipped a beat.

We went from collaborating companies to business partners, and we were practically inseparable.

But business always came before pleasure, so I never bothered him while he was working.

Yet, every day, I would find all sorts of snacks he'd left for me at my desk.

If it rained, he would be the first one there to pick me up.

At parties, he would intercept any drinks offered to me.

He always kept a change of clothes for me in his car.

All these little ambiguous moments made every glance, every word of concern from him, feel incredibly sweet.

One of our employees even posted about our daily interactions online.

The caption read: "It's true! The 'will-they-won't-they' phase is the sweetest!"

I quietly liked the post.

Soon after, Ian Sutton popped up in the comments: "It's working hours. Get back to it."

The next day, the employee posted a picture of the bonus their boss had sent them.

The internet was filled with envious comments.

Rumors began to spread in our circles that I was taking Ian Sutton under my wing.

Some even teased me, saying I was grooming a boy-toy husband for myself.

Ian Sutton never denied the rumors, but he never confirmed them either.