Reborn as His Downfall

Chapter 3

"Miss, you seem to dislike me."

A tall, imposing figure loomed over her, and Dominic bent down, bringing his strikingly handsome face close to Clara’s. His expression was enigmatic, a half-smile playing on his lips, exuding a captivating, almost devilish charm. Already visually arresting, he now appeared even more alluring.

Even after being reborn, Clara's heart still raced when facing Dominic Vance. But that was all. Having already been broken once, how could she allow herself a second chance to be destroyed?

"Mr. Vance, you're overthinking it. I don't dislike you—I just don't like you!"

She spoke her mind clearly. What was there to be afraid of? In her past life, she had been entirely too cautious, always walking on eggshells. In this life, if she didn't like something, she simply didn't like it.

"Oh? Did I do something wrong?"

His piercing, narrow eyes curved slightly as he lazily crossed his arms, exuding a dangerous and magnetic confidence.

"I think you'd be unhappy if someone used you as a human shield, wouldn't you, Mr. Vance? Don't you think so?" Looking back now, she realized how incredibly foolish she had been in her past life. This man had used her ruthlessly the very first time they met, and she had loved him blindly for it.

"Oh... I see. Don't worry, I'll make it up to you."

Dominic raised an eyebrow. He pulled a checkbook from his jacket coat, smoothly signed a blank check, and slid it toward her. "Is this enough?"

Clara glanced at the numbers written on it, silently counting the zeros. Part of her wanted to grab it, but her pride refused!

"No need! Mr. Vance, let's just pretend that never happened. If you truly want to make it up to me, just ensure I never have to see you again."

She turned and walked away, though her heart ached a little. That check was for a massive sum of money. If she had taken it, she could have lived a carefree life for a very long time.

Dominic watched her leave, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Brooks, have someone run a background check on this woman. Make sure the file is detailed."

That woman was interesting. The astute Dominic Vance could tell her aversion to him wasn't an act. Disliking him? Dominic Vance? A dark chuckle escaped him. How fascinating.

"Yes, sir."

Brooks nodded respectfully. This wasn't the first time he had handled such a request. The women in Dominic's orbit fell into two categories: those who threw themselves at his feet, and those he acquired through ruthless leverage. Judging by her behavior, she was likely going to fall into the latter category.

Dominic Vance had never failed to get what he wanted. Whether it was the absolute control of the Vance empire or a woman he desired, if he wanted it, he would stop at nothing to obtain it. As for the methods he would deploy, that would entirely depend on how she played her next moves.

Clara had studied diligently throughout high school, managing to skip grades and fast-track her education. Now eighteen, she was already a college senior. She rented a small apartment off-campus, and since the final semester of her senior year was dedicated entirely to an independent internship period, she rarely needed to step foot on campus.

Sitting in her room, Clara was completely lost in thought. She was alive again. How was she going to survive this time?

In her past life, she had chosen to apply for an assistant position at the Vance Corporate Group just to engineer opportunities to get closer to Dominic. What path would she choose in this life?

"Sigh. Why didn't I pay any attention to the winning lottery numbers in my past life?"

She picked up her phone and checked the balance on her banking app.

"I only have five thousand dollars left. What can I even do with five thousand dollars?" She frowned, deeply pondering her next steps.

Suddenly, the buzzer to her apartment rang loudly. Clara got up from her bed, slipped into her house shoes, and walked straight to the front door. Opening it, her eyes widened.

"It's you?!"