Reborn After Death

Chapter 4 He Remembered

Chapter 4

He Remembered

Lia couldn't move.

Adrian stood in the doorway, his face half-hidden by the darkness.

But she knew him.

Not because of the photograph.

Not because of her memories.

Because of the fear crawling through her body.

It was the same fear she had felt on the night she died.

"Hello, Elena."

His voice was calm.

Almost gentle.

That made it worse.

Lia gripped the silver watch tightly.

"Stay away from me."

Adrian smiled.

"You still have that voice."

"I'm not Elena."

"You are."

"I'm Lia."

"That's the name they gave you."

He stepped into the room.

Lia backed away.

"How do you know?"

"Because I watched you die."

Her heart stopped.

Adrian closed the door behind him.

"I was there."

Lia's memories came rushing back.

Rain.

The road.

A car.

Adrian's face.

Her own scream.

Then darkness.

"You killed me," she whispered.

Adrian's smile disappeared.

"No."

Lia stared at him.

"You did."

"What?"

"You trusted the wrong person."

He took another step.

"I didn't kill you, Elena."

"Then who did?"

Adrian looked at the watch in her hand.

"That's what I've been trying to find out."

Lia shook her head.

"You're lying."

"Maybe."

He reached into his coat.

Lia immediately stepped backward.

"Don't!"

Adrian stopped.

Slowly, he pulled out a small photograph.

He held it up.

Lia stared.

It was a picture of Elena.

Her old self.

Standing beside Adrian.

But there was someone else in the photograph.

A woman.

A woman Lia didn't recognize.

Adrian pointed to her.

"Do you know who she is?"

Lia shook her head.

"No."

"You will."

He lowered the photograph.

"She was the last person to see you alive."

Lia's breathing became faster.

"Who?"

Adrian didn't answer.

Instead, he said:

"Your mother."

Lia froze.

"Mara?"

"No."

Her heart sank.

"Then who?"

Adrian looked directly into her eyes.

"Your real mother."

---

Downstairs, Mara was crying.

She stood near the front door with both hands pressed against her chest.

She had known this day would come.

She just hadn't expected it so soon.

Daniel walked into the room.

"What happened?"

Mara looked at him.

"He's here."

Daniel's face changed.

"Who?"

"You know who."

Daniel immediately grabbed his phone.

"We have to leave."

"No."

Mara shook her head.

"It's too late."

"Where's Lia?"

"Upstairs."

Daniel ran toward the staircase.

Mara grabbed his arm.

"Don't."

"She's our daughter!"

Mara's eyes filled with tears.

"That's exactly why you can't go up there."

Daniel stared at her.

"What are you talking about?"

Mara whispered:

"She's not who we thought she was."

---

Upstairs, Lia stared at Adrian.

"My real mother is dead."

"No."

"She died before I was born."

"That's what they told you."

Lia felt dizzy.

"Who are you?"

Adrian looked at her for a long moment.

Then he said:

"I was your husband."

Silence.

Lia's mouth opened slightly.

"No."

"In your first life."

She remembered.

The wedding ring.

The photographs.

The promises.

Adrian holding her hand.

I will never leave you.

She touched her chest.

"You..."

She couldn't finish.

Adrian nodded.

"You married me."

Lia shook her head.

"Then why did you kill me?"

"I didn't."

"Why should I believe you?"

"Because if I wanted you dead, you wouldn't be standing here."

Lia tightened her grip on the watch.

"Then why are you here?"

"To protect you."

She laughed bitterly.

"Protect me?"

"You have no idea what you've been brought back into."

"What does that mean?"

Adrian stepped closer.

"Your second life wasn't supposed to happen."

Lia froze.

"What?"

"Someone changed the rules."

"Who?"

Adrian looked at the silver watch.

"The person who brought you back."

The woman in white.

Lia remembered her words.

Your story isn't finished.

She looked at Adrian.

"Do you know her?"

"No."

"Then how do you know she exists?"

"Because I've seen her too."

Lia's eyes widened.

"You died?"

Adrian nodded.

"Three years after you."

Lia stared at him.

"Then how are you alive?"

"I'm not."

The room became silent.

Lia slowly stepped backward.

"What?"

Adrian's face became strangely peaceful.

"I died three years after you."

He looked down at his hands.

"Then I woke up."

Lia's heart pounded.

"Where?"

"Between life and death."

She remembered the golden field.

"The woman?"

"Yes."

"What did she tell you?"

Adrian looked at her.

"That I had one chance to find you."

"Why?"

"Because your death created a problem."

"What problem?"

He hesitated.

"Someone was supposed to die."

Lia stared at him.

"Who?"

Adrian whispered:

"You."

---

Suddenly, the silver watch began to shake.

Lia dropped it.

It hit the floor.

Click.

The back opened.

A hidden photograph fell out.

Lia picked it up.

Her hands trembled.

The photograph showed a newborn baby.

A baby in a hospital.

A nurse stood beside the crib.

And written on the back were three words:

Lia wasn't first.

Lia stared at Adrian.

"What does this mean?"

Adrian's expression changed.

"I don't know."

"You said you knew everything."

"I don't."

"Then why did you come here?"

"Because someone has been watching you."

"Who?"

Before Adrian could answer—

The bedroom window shattered.

Glass exploded across the floor.

Lia screamed.

Adrian grabbed her and pulled her down.

A loud crack echoed through the room.

A bullet struck the wall.

"Get down!"

Adrian pulled Lia behind the bed.

Another shot.

Then silence.

Adrian looked toward the window.

"Stay here."

"No."

He turned toward her.

"Lia, listen to me."

She stared at him.

"For the first time in your life, trust me."

He stood.

Before he could reach the window, another figure appeared outside.

A woman.

Standing calmly in the rain.

Lia's breath caught.

She knew that face.

Not from her old life.

Not from the photograph.

From somewhere else.

From the golden field.

The woman in white.

The woman smiled through the broken window.

Then she whispered:

"Elena."

Lia felt the world disappear around her.

Adrian looked at the woman.

And for the first time, fear appeared in his eyes.

"No..."

The woman raised her hand.

The silver watch on the floor began glowing.

The room filled with golden light.

And the last thing Lia heard before everything went black was the woman's voice:

"You were never supposed to be reborn."

Then—

Darkness.