: Rebirth

After My Sister was Reborn, she warned me to be careful of my childhood friend.

In her past life, he married me, stole our company's secrets, and drove it into bankruptcy. Then, he dumped me and used the whole affair as an offering of fealty to win over the Capital Heiress, who'd always been my rival.

After listening to what My Sister said, I smiled.

My Sister thought I didn't believe her. "Claire Kane," she urged, "you really have to be careful. He doesn't truly love you."

'I don't care whether his feelings are real or not. Before, I could have muddled through, treating this as a marriage of convenience that would benefit my company. But now that he's not an asset but a liability to my business and career, I have to start thinking about how to get rid of him.'

1

My Sister was acting possessed. She burst into my room first thing in the morning, completely frantic.

Normally, she would never be up this early. She had to get her beauty sleep, and even then, she wouldn't get out of bed without several maids attending to her.

When we were little, she used to light up whenever she saw me. She'd want to take me everywhere with her, or at the very least, she'd think to buy me gifts.

But after we started school, everything changed.

She'd demand to know why Mom and Dad gave her such a masculine name. She couldn't stand how everyone seemed to revolve around me. Her favorite line was, 'Don't think I'll go easy on you just because you're younger.'

And she never did go easy on me. She fought for everything—our parents' affection, our friends' attention. But I never cared about any of that. All I wanted was to study hard and build something of my own.

Now that I've graduated from college, Dad has me training at the company, which made My Sister even angrier. She threw a tantrum at home, smashing things and insisting she should be allowed to join too.

'But she's a performing arts major. Is she really going to throw away years of hard work and not go into the entertainment industry?'

I had just woken up and hadn't even finished my Americano when My Sister grabbed my face, studying it intently. Tears streamed down her face as she looked at me.

"Thank God, thank God. There's still time to fix this."

I frowned. 'Is she trying to salvage our strained, long-broken relationship?'

When I didn't say anything, she quickly wiped her tears away and explained, "Claire, you absolutely cannot marry Holden Gideon. He'll steal our family's corporate secrets, bankrupt the company, and even hurt you."

"You have to believe me. I was Reborn. I've already lived through all of this in my past life."

From her story, I gathered that in her past life, she had a falling out with Dad. Because he wouldn't let her work at the company, she'd defiantly signed with an agency and thrown herself into the entertainment world, not even coming home for the holidays.

So when she finally heard what had happened to the Kane Family, she was paralyzed with fear and filled with regret. Not only had Dad fallen ill and been hospitalized, but I had been imprisoned by Holden Gideon.

To save me, My Sister snuck into the villa, but Holden Gideon discovered her. He couldn't let us go, because I had evidence of his crimes.

We, along with the evidence, were consumed by the flames.

2

"It's okay. Even if you don't believe me, just watch Holden Gideon closely. He's absolutely not sincere with you. You can know someone's face, but you can't know their heart!"

My Sister's tone was very sincere.

She had always been arrogant, wishing everyone would fawn over her.

There was nothing in it for her to say this, and the person she couldn't stand the most was Holden Gideon.

'But this whole Reborn business is just too absurd.'

'Is she really just confusing her dreams with reality because she hates him?'

"If you don't believe me, pay close attention to Holden Gideon and that illegitimate daughter of the Quinn Family at the banquet tonight. She's incredibly cunning."

"She managed to overthrow her brother and take control of the Quinn Group. Holden Gideon bankrupted our family and used it as an offering of fealty to ally himself with her."

'What!'

'That timid, insecure Yara Quinn?'

'I despise her. Brother Quinn is such a good person, but because of her, he was constantly looked down on.'

'Besides, back in college, Yara Quinn loved to pull her damsel-in-distress act. She was always playing the victim, making it seem like we were bullying her if we said anything even slightly harsh.'

'For someone as stupid as her to be in business school... was she deliberately playing dumb?'

'But Holden Gideon and I grew up together. Why would he want to bankrupt the Kane Family?'

All these questions would, perhaps, be answered very soon.

That evening, at the charity banquet, most of the wealthy and aristocratic families were in attendance.

My Sister and I were no exception.

She used to hate these kinds of events, preferring to meet up with friends for facials rather than attend some banquet.

Before we entered the venue, invitations in hand, My Sister whispered in my ear, "I'm definitely going to get something on him tonight. Then you'll believe me!"

'I knew My Sister only passed her acting classes because her teachers gave her pity points. She really... couldn't possibly be this good of an actress.'

But what she said planted a seed of doubt in my mind, and it was beginning to sprout.

It couldn't be helped. I would not allow anyone to make a move against the Kane Family.

Not even Holden Gideon.

I scanned the room, searching for Holden Gideon.

I usually arrived late to these things, but today My Sister had dragged me here early.

Holden Gideon hadn't noticed me yet. Next to him... stood Yara Quinn.

A few of the Scions he was close with were there too. They were all talking and laughing, completely oblivious to my arrival.

My Sister suddenly pointed at Yara Quinn's gown. "That haute couture she's wearing is from a Gideon Family brand. The Quinn Family would never provide an haute couture gown for an illegitimate daughter."

"See? Now do you believe me? There's definitely something going on between them."

My Sister hmphed proudly.

Her friends came over for her, so My Sister went to join them.

I just stood where I was, silently watching them.

'If Holden Gideon were chatting with any other girl, I wouldn't even bat an eye.'

'We were childhood friends, but I've only ever seen him as a friend and confidant.'

'If I had to enter an arranged marriage for the family, I probably would have chosen him.'

'I'm not familiar with the others, but at the very least, Holden Gideon would never deceive me or lie to me.'

'But if he exploited a weakness, if he had the unmitigated gall to make a move against the Kane Family, then I... would definitely not spare him.'

: The Dress

3

I walked over, step by step, in my high heels.

His friends saw me first. The teasing smiles immediately vanished from their faces as they nudged Holden Gideon.

The man was surprised for only a moment before walking over to greet me.

"Claire, what brings you here so early today?"

"You should have texted me beforehand."

I gave him a faint smile. "You all looked like you were having such a good time. I didn't want to interrupt."

I was being sarcastic with Holden Gideon, and he knew it.

Brother Quinn is a good friend to both of us, and he can't stand his half-sister. Naturally, we don't like her either.

I'd complained to Holden Gideon several times about her playing the innocent victim around me.

To put it bluntly, I don't like Yara Quinn.

But here he was, laughing and joking with Yara Quinn when I wasn't around.

The moment Yara Quinn saw me, her smile vanished, and she became timid and cautious.

It was as if I were some kind of monster who could take her life at any moment.

"Claire, nothing is ever truly fun without you here."

"We were just making small talk."

As Holden Gideon spoke, Yara Quinn took a few steps back, leaning against him, whether intentionally or not.

Everyone knew that whenever I was around, Holden Gideon only had eyes for me.

We grew up together, and all through college, he was completely devoted to me and me alone.

So when that love was no longer exclusively mine, I was the first to feel it.

"Didn't the Quinn Family get her a dress? Since when did you become so charitable?"

My words have always had a sharp edge.

The others' expressions changed. Murmuring among themselves, they all looked to see how Holden Gideon would react.

Holden Gideon immediately explained, "Yara Quinn's dress was ruined when she arrived. You know I have a habit of getting a dress for you, so I felt sorry for her—a young woman in a bind—and just lent it to her."

A perfectly natural thing to do.

'But all I heard was that he'd given the dress meant for me to the person I hated most?'

I had to laugh.

Holden Gideon was an expert at reading my moods. He always knew when I was happy and when I was upset. So how could he not know that I was absolutely furious right now?

"Claire, if it bothers you, I'll have all the latest styles sent over for you to choose from, okay?"