Chapter 3 Going Home
937 Words
Rebecca's gaze flickered ever so slightly at the golden invitation in his hand.
She did need to attend this ball.
Andrew, an internationally renowned producer, would be there to select an actress for his new reality show, and Layla was going to be his choice.
This reality show, which no one had high hopes for, became an overnight sensation after it aired. Layla thus became the nation's most beloved actress, earning widespread acclaim.
In the past, Rebecca had been arrogant, dismissing such flashy reality shows, and had handed the opportunity to Layla on a silver platter.
It was this mistake that allowed Layla to paint Rebecca as the vicious woman who stole another's love, earning her the scorn of the entire country. Even though she was Adrian's wife, no one was on her side.
But now, Rebecca had to throw her pride away.
She would seize every opportunity and use every bit of power she could muster to ensure that Layla could no longer hurt her or the people she cared about.
But...
She didn't plan on obtaining this invitation from this mysterious man.
She didn't know what was behind his sudden kindness or what kind of scheme he might be planning.
He was dangerous, and she didn't want him to see through her, let alone gamble on any potential risk.
Rebecca looked up slightly, feigning indifference. "Well, it seems you guessed wrong. I'm actually not that interested in the invitation. You should keep it for yourself."
He raised an eyebrow, seeming a bit surprised.
He stared into Rebecca's eyes, unblinking, as if trying to read her.
The weight of his gaze almost made Rebecca want to reveal her true intentions, but she managed to suppress the urge.
His amber eyes were deep and captivating, his voice husky and low. "You're lying, Rebecca."
He was confident in his ability to read people.
Though she declined, he could tell she desperately wanted to go.
What puzzled him was her firm refusal of such a tempting offer.
This piqued his interest in her even more.
Being seen through made Rebecca's heart skip a beat, and a hint of irritation bubbled up inside her.
'Does he really think it's fun to presumptuously guess others' thoughts?'
Rebecca chose to stick to her original stance.
"I don't see what good lying would do me."
He watched her for a moment longer, seemingly waiting for her to change her mind, but Rebecca was determined not to seek his help.
Suddenly, he chuckled.
"Well then, I suppose I was being nosy."
He casually crumpled the invitation in his hand, shoved it back into his coat pocket, and waved at Rebecca.
"Well, I look forward to seeing you at the ball, lovely Rebecca."
With that, he propped a hand on the balcony railing and gracefully vaulted over just as he had arrived. In a few swift moves, he vanished into the night.
Rebecca let out a sigh of relief, feeling a thin layer of sweat on her palms.
That brief encounter had been more nerve-wracking than any moment in her past life.
She scanned every corner outside to ensure he was truly gone and no one was lurking in the shadows before carefully closing the window, drawing the curtains, and locking the door.
Only when she was alone again did she allow herself to relax slightly.
She knew Layla wanted to harm her, but she had no proof, no allies, and absolutely no room for error.
One misstep, and she'd be facing death again!
All she had now was a fragment of memories from her past life and her own wits.
She couldn't afford to overlook any suspicious detail. She had to think carefully and plan rationally if she was going to save herself, her family, and her friends.
Rebecca rubbed her hands together, forcing herself to focus. She took a diary out from the drawer of her writing desk.
She began organizing her thoughts, noting down every detail she could remember, searching for any critical points she could exploit, sorting through her ideas, and formulating a detailed strategy.
When she was done, she locked the diary and stashed it deep in the drawer before locking that as well.
From this moment on, the diary would be her deepest secret and her greatest weapon.
'Whether I can turn the tide depends on this!'
*****
At the break of dawn, Rebecca concealed her actions from Adrian and quietly returned to her family home, Garcia Manor.
As she walked down the wide cobblestone path past the familiar two-tiered fountain, she noticed that the trees lining the road were as tall and lush as she remembered.
In her previous life, she had devoted all her attention to Adrian. After marrying him, she had never once returned home.
Later, when Adrian threw her out of Rodriguez Manor, she tried to come back to her parents, only to find that they had long since committed suicide by jumping off a building due to bankruptcy. Even Garcia Manor had been repossessed and become someone else's home.
Even if she wanted to return, she couldn't then.
As Rebecca walked, her mind raced with a flurry of thoughts.
'Why did I let myself miss out on so much for the sake of a love that only existed in my imagination? I was so utterly wrong!'
It wasn't until she pushed open the doors of the estate and saw her parents' familiar, slightly wrinkled faces smiling warmly at her that she felt like she was truly back. She ran to hug them, holding them tightly.
Tears streamed down Rebecca's face. "Dad, Mom, I'm home."
- Writer
