Prologue : His Rebirth
LOUIS
(My past life)
“Verran Quantum's latest car has just hit the market and millons of people are rushing to buy it. The car valued at $350 billion has a V8 engine….” the reporter said.
I didn’t even realize when I got up.
A grin spread across my face as I continued to watch. My chest felt tight, but in a good way. My hands curled into fists as I stared at the screen, replaying the words over and over in my head.
It worked.
My first project… my first real achievement… and it wasn’t just successful, it was massive.
“$350 billion…” I muttered under my breath, almost in disbelief.
A low laugh escaped me. For a moment, I just stood there, letting it sink in. All the sleepless nights, the endless calculations, the pressure, it had all paid off.
I ran a hand through my hair and reached for my phone.
There was only one person I wanted to call.
But just as my fingers brushed the screen, the phone vibrated sharply in my hand.
“Hello?”
“Is this Mr. Louis Verran?” The voice on the other end was rushed. Breathless. Urgent.
My smile faded.
“Yes. Who is this?”
“It’s from Dome General Hospital. You need to come immediately. Your sister-in-law, Mrs. Verran been admitted. It’s serious.”
For a second… I didn’t understand.
“…What?”
“She was rushed to the hospital and you were listed as her emergency contact. Please come to the hospital as soon as possible.”
“Okay,” I whispered nervously. “I'll be there right now.”
The line went dead.
My hand slowly lowered, the phone slipping slightly in my grip.
Blossom was at the hospital?
“Marcus! Get the car ready, we are going to the hospital!”
*****************************************
The drive felt like a blur.
I couldn’t even remember how many lights I ran or how fast I was going. My hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly my knuckles turned white.
Blossom…
The name kept echoing in my head, over and over again.
My chest tightened as the hospital building finally came into view. I didn’t even wait for the car to fully stop before I pushed the door open and rushed out.
The moment I stepped inside, the cold, sharp smell of antiseptic hit me.
“Blossom,” I said quickly, my voice strained as I approached the front desk. “Blossom Verran. Where is she?”
The nurse looked up, startled by my urgency.
“Who are you to the patient?”
“I'm her brother in law.” I swallowed, panting. “I was called earlier.”
“She was brought in not long ago,” she said, scanning her screen. “Second floor. Emergency ward… room 12.”
I didn’t wait for anything else.
“Thank you.” I said running to the emergency ward.
The moment I got there, my eyes scanned the room. Dozens of beds were lined together in the room, the sound of machines beeping so loudly I thought I would turn deaf.
Then I spotted her.
My sister in law lying down all bruised up and weak. Her face was covered with ash, her clothes torn and burned.
“Blossom,” I called out as I walked to her.
She didn't answer. She was covered up with an oxygen mask and tubes.
The doctor walked in.
“Are you Mrs Verran’s husband?” He asked.
I turned to Blossom.
It was no secret I had a crush on her. She was two years older than me but I didn't care. Rather than being her brother in law, I would give anything to be her husband.
Unfortunately she married my stepbrother.
“No,” I swallowed. “I'm her brother in law. What's wrong with her? Why is she in this state?”
“Mrs. Verran has signs of excessive smoke inhalation,” the doctor said grimly, his voice low but heavy with urgency. “Her lungs are severely irritated which shows she must have swallowed a dangerous amount of smoke. And…” He hesitated for a brief second, as if choosing his words carefully. “There are multiple contusions across her body. Old and fresh.”
My chest tightened.
He continued, more quietly now, “Plus she’s also showing clear signs of malnutrition. Whatever she’s been through…it was too much for her body. Especially with the baby on the way.”
My eyes widened.
“Baby?” I asked, stunned. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. Mrs. Verran is twelve weeks pregnant. She has been coming to the hospital for her regular antenatal checkup.”
My heart pounded even faster.
Baby. Checkups. Bruises.
I'd been gone for seven months after Elijah had gotten married to Blossom. I couldn't bear to see them together. Not after the fact I'd fallen for her first and I knew Elijah was nothing more than a cheating scum that didn't deserve her.
But how did I not know about any of this? My nanny had promised to let me know if anything happened.
“Doctor,” I said grabbing his hand in mine. “Please take care of her. You have to save her and the baby. Don't worry about the cost.”
The doctor nodded, spouting words about duty and whatever while I rushed home to confront Elijah and my stepmother.
The moment I arrived, the door was open. I banged it so hard I was sure it echoed through the house. Walking up the stairs, I headed to my father's bedroom. He was the one that could handle this injustice towards Blossom.
I turned the doorknob of his bedroom and walked in.
“Dad?” The words died in my throat.
My father wasn’t there.
Instead… my stepmother was.
And she wasn’t alone.
Lying down naked in bed, she wrapped her arms around a strange man I’d never seen before. For a second, I stood watching as she f**ked the man in my father's bed.
“You w***e,” I whispered, catching their attention.
My stepmother jerked, climbing off the man she had been moaning to earlier. Her eyes widened with fear as if she had been forced to swallow poison.
“Louis…” she said, her voice low, but steady. “It's not what you think.”
Without saying a word, I reached into my pocket and brought out my phone.
The moment she saw it, her composure broke.
“What are you doing?” she snapped, stepping forward quickly.
I ignored her and tapped the screen, holding the phone up so it captured everything clearly.
“You can explain it to him yourself,” I said, my voice calm but firm. “I’m sure my father would like to see this.”
Her face turned pale.
“Stop this nonsense and give me that phone!” she demanded, her voice rising as she rushed toward me.
I stepped back immediately, keeping my distance.
“Don’t come any closer,” I said coldly.
My grip tightened around the phone as I lowered it, already having more than enough recorded.
“You’re unbelievable,” I said quietly. “And today…you're leaving this house.”
She stared at me, her expression darkening.
I didn’t wait for her response.
I turned around and walked out of the room.
“Louis!” she called after me.
I ignored her and headed for the stairs, my mind already set on what I needed to do next.
“Louis, stop right there!” she shouted again, her footsteps rushing behind me.
“Elijah!” she yelled again. “Someone, stop him!”
I frowned slightly at the sudden panic in her tone, but I didn’t stop walking.Before I could take another step, a sharp pain hit my side.
My body jerked, and my breath caught instantly.
I looked down slowly and saw the handle of a knife buried in me.
My hands trembled as I turned my head.
Elijah stood behind me, his face cold and expressionless, as if what he had just done meant nothing to him.
“You…” I tried to speak, but the words barely came out.
He pulled the knife out without hesitation.
The pain worsened immediately, and before I could react, he shoved me hard.
My foot slipped on the edge of the step, and I lost my balance.
I fell.
My body hit the stairs and rolled down, each impact sending pain through me until I crashed at the bottom.
For a moment, I couldn’t move.
My vision began to blur, but I could still see them standing at the top of the stairs, looking down at me.
Neither of them moved.
They just watched as if they had planned this a long time ago.
My fingers twitched weakly against the floor.
Blossom…
The thought of her came to me as everything started to fade.
She was still in the hospital. Still hurt. Still carrying a child. His child.
And I couldn’t do anything.
My chest tightened as my breathing grew weaker.
If I had another chance…
I would not let this happen again.
My eyes slowly closed as everything went dark.