Reborn: He Chases Me After Destroying Me

Chapter 2

That evening, Everett took me to the Langley family's welcome-home party.

It had happened on this same night in my last life. I'd worn a white dress from him, only to find Vanessa in an identical one. Her friends had called me a cheap imitation. Furious, I'd lashed out, and in the chaos, I'd even pushed Vanessa over.

Everett had given me the cold shoulder for an entire month.

This time, I planned to wear a black dress and stay as far from trouble as possible. But Everett stood in the walk-in closet's doorway and ordered, "Wear the white one."

His tone left no room for discussion.

I had no choice but to put it on. In the mirror, I did resemble Vanessa, especially with that mole. It looked like a tiny dot of ink someone had deliberately put where it didn't belong.

As soon as we entered the ballroom, people crowded around Everett. I took my juice and hid in a corner, but Vanessa and her friends found me anyway.

Vanessa wore the same white dress and a sweet, gentle smile.

"You're the woman who's been with Everett, aren't you? There are only two of these dresses in the entire world. Did he give you that one?"

Her eyes reddened, and the people around her immediately rushed to her defense.

"Vanessa has barely been home a minute, and this girl already has to show up dressed like that. She really thinks she's somebody."

I was about to point out that the dress didn't have Vanessa's name on it when someone shoved me from behind.

I stumbled into a server. Champagne spilled all over me and splashed half of Vanessa's skirt, too.

I'd seen this scene before. Once again, I was being set up to take the blame.

As Everett came over, Vanessa said with reddened eyes, "Everett, don't blame Celia. She probably didn't mean to."

I almost applauded her performance.

"The server saw what happened, and there are security cameras," I said before anyone else. "It won't be hard to check who started this. Whoever pushed me can pay to have Ms. Langley's dress cleaned."

The girl beside Vanessa went pale.

"Are you trying to dodge responsibility?"

"I'm not dodging anything."

I pointed to my soaked skirt.

"Someone deliberately pushed me first."

Everett looked at me as though he'd only just discovered I was capable of having a reasonable conversation.

He took off his jacket and handed it to Vanessa, then had someone escort her away to change. Only after everyone had dispersed did he take me to the car.

Once the door closed, he tugged his tie loose and asked, barely containing his anger, "What the hell happened tonight?"

"Didn't you see for yourself?"

I leaned back against the seat.

"Someone pushed me, my dress is ruined, and I'm not happy about that."

He was quiet for a moment.

"The seniors of the Langley family were there. I had to keep things from getting out of hand."

"I understand."

I smiled faintly.

"So I'd like compensation for being treated unfairly. Mr. Prescott, give me Night Passage, that top-budget production we talked about."

In my last life, that film had revived Vanessa's career. I'd begged Everett for the role. He'd said my acting wasn't good enough to carry a major production.

This time, I ranked first in the auditions. I wrote three versions of my character's backstory. I earned that role.

Everett watched me for a long moment before saying, "All right."

"And the dress."

I looked down at the wet stains.

"Cash will do."

He laughed in exasperation.

"Celia, you're really keeping a tally now, aren't you?"

"You should always keep track of what you're owed at work."

I paused.

"Once Night Passage wraps, let's end this."

His smile vanished.

"You never threw tantrums," he said, his voice heavy with warning.

I knew better than to say anything else.

I simply realized that even if I didn't fight for anything in this life, trouble would still find me for no reason at all.

Back at the house, I showered and climbed straight into bed. I didn't run his bath or pull his arm under my head to use as a pillow the way I used to.

He turned over twice beside me before finally losing patience.

"What exactly are you angry about?"

I stared at the ceiling.

"I'm not angry. You've misunderstood."

The silence in the room was suffocating.

After a while, he asked coldly, "Who taught you to act like this?"

"The sea did."

The answer slipped out before I could stop it, and my chest suddenly tightened.

Everett didn't understand. I didn't explain. I just rolled over and turned my back to him.