SECOND CHANCE WITH MY REBORN WIFE

Chapter 5

Ceelin

My chest felt light as I walked out of the Diamond Hotel, the seven-star hotel owned by the Salvatore Group. I was happy with the outcome of my father's evil plan. Even though I knew that once I returned home, I would be greeted by the wrath of my family, it still didn't diminish the happiness I felt. My father's plan didn't succeed.

"Ceelin! Wait a minute!"

I was already outside the hotel when I heard that voice calling me. I stopped walking and turned around with a frown. My eyebrows raised when I saw Phil coming out of the hotel. He was chasing me.

"Why?" I asked him with a serious face when he approached me.

"I'm sorry about what I did earlier. I thought you were like other women—"

"Not all women want to be your wife, Mr. Salvatore," I replied to him coldly. I didn't want to hear the rest of what he had to say so I cut him off. "And don't worry because I'm not interested in you."

Phil combed his fingers through his hair as if he were embarrassed. "Look. I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you." I was surprised when he suddenly came closer to me and gently touched my neck.

"Don't touch me!" I backed away from him angrily.

"I hurt you. Your neck is so red. Come with me. I'll put ointment on your neck," he said to me with a serious face. He must have been insulted by my action.

"Thanks, but no thanks. I can do it by myself," I quickly refused. My neck was red from the tight grip he had on my neck earlier, and it was still hurting. But I don't like him to treat me. I don't want to get closer to him again.

"I will take no for an answer." Without my consent, Phil suddenly picked me up and carried me on his shoulder like a sack of rice.

"Put me down!" I ordered him angrily as we walked. I didn't know where he was taking me. I hit his back but he didn't seem affected by what I was doing.

"Stop struggling. Or else I will throw you to the ground," he threatened after slapping my butt with his palm. I felt even more annoyed by what he had done. "Think of this as my compensation for unintentionally hurting you."

Phil took me inside his car. He took out an ointment from a small medicine kit and opened it. He was about to apply the ointment to my neck but I quickly dodged his hand.

"I said I can do it by myself," I insisted. I was about to snatch the ointment from him, but he immediately moved it away from me.

"Just stay still, okay? This is quick. If you hadn't moved, we would have been done," he said firmly in his voice. "Or maybe you were deliberately making it last longer so that you could stay with me longer?" he added in a teasing tone.

I couldn't help but stare at Phil's face. We hadn't even talked for a long time in my past life. I had never experienced him treating me like this. If only I had refused to be engaged with him before he might not have looked down on me. I secretly took a deep breath. What's the use of regretting it now? It's all over. And I was starting a new life now.

"Aren't you worried that someone might have seen us earlier when you carried me? What if it were each to my parents and they thought of a way to make me your wife again?" I asked him and ignored his teasing tone.

Phil laughed slightly at my question as if it were funny. "Let me tell you, Ceelin. No one can force me to marry a woman I don't love."

I secretly snorted at what he said. No one could force him to marry the woman he doesn't love? Then why did he marry me in my past life if what he said was true?

I silently took a deep sigh. If only he had been that determined back then, I wouldn't have experienced being tortured by his mother and sister. My heart wouldn't have been tortured. I wouldn't have to die and be reborn.

I didn't resist when he gently smeared ointment on my neck. After treating my neck, he immediately took me home. It was time for me to face the anger of my parents.

As soon as I entered the door, I was immediately greeted with a strong slap from my father.

"You still have the guts to come home after what you did!" Daddy hissed at me angrily. "You ruined my plan, Ceelin!"

I cupped my cheek with my palm. It hurts so much. I saw Lucy smiling, clearly enjoying that our father was scolding me. She's really an evil sister.

"Don't blame me for why your plan went wrong, Dad. I don't want to be Phil's wife. If you want the Salvatores to be in-laws, you should marry Lucy to him instead," I replied firmly. Before, when Daddy would scold me and slap me, I would just cry in fear. I couldn't answer him. I couldn't defend myself.

"Where did you get the courage to talk back at me, Ceelin?!" Daddy's eyes blazed with anger.

"Because I'm tired of letting you hurt me, Dad. I'm tired of letting you manipulate my life," I answered him bravely. I no longer feel even a little love for my family. All that's left in my chest for them is anger.

"Why did you seem different today, Ceelin? You weren't like that before?" Mommy asked me in surprise.

"Because I'm tired of obeying the three of you, Mom. Just let me do what I want."

Mommy angrily approached me and slapped me. "You're an ungrateful daughter! If it weren't for us, you'd be dead now! We fed and clothed you, and this is what you're going to give us in return?"

"What an ungrateful daughter!" Daddy said, his voice full of regret.

"You're right, Mom. You fed and clothed me. But you might forget that since childhood, I often ate Lucy's leftovers. I wore her old clothes and played with her broken toys. If only Grandpa hadn't died and left money in my name, I wouldn't be able to buy new clothes and I wouldn't be able to eat food that wasn't Lucy's leftovers! Sometimes I think that I'm not your real child because I didn't feel the love of a parent from you," I said to them bitterly.

My parents suddenly fell silent. I don't know if what I said hit them so they couldn't speak for a moment.

Lucy came over to me and pulled my hair tightly. "You have no right to scold my parents, Ceelin. Just be grateful that they let you live until now."

I grabbed Lucy's hand by the wrist that was pulling my hair. I pressed my nail into her skin so that she would let go of my hair if she felt pain.

I felt her grip on my hair loosen so I took advantage of it and pushed her hard. Lucy screamed as she fell to the floor.

"I will not allow you to hurt me anymore, Lucy. All of you. From now on, I will defend myself against you. If you hurt me again, I assure you that you will not like what I do," I threatened them before walking up the stairs, leaving them unable to speak with the bravery I showed to them.

"Ungrateful daughter!" Daddy shouted at me angrily. But I just ignored him.

"Why did I give birth to a daughter like you? I wish I had killed you when you were young!" my Mom shouted too.

I stopped climbing the stairs and closed my eyes tightly. I took a deep breath before facing them again.

"If you regret having me as your daughter, I also regret having you as my parents even more. I wish you had killed me when I was young so I wouldn't have to experience the cruelty of my own family," I said to them in a cold voice before continuing to climb the stairs. I heard them throwing hurtful words at me but this time, I just ignored them and didn't turn around.

When I entered my room, I jumped for joy. Instead of feeling sad because of the bad treatment my parents had given me, I felt happy now. Because for the first time I was able to release the resentment I had towards them that had been building up inside my chest for a long time. I wish that I could completely change my destiny. I also wish that in this second life of mine, I would find the right man who would give me the love that Phil failed to give me in my first life.