REBORN HEARTS

Rain crashed violently against the windows of the Reed mansion as Samantha stood alone in the living room, waiting for her husband. The clock struck midnight. Still no Samuel. Her fingers tightened around the cup of tea that had already gone cold. For weeks now, something had felt terribly wrong in their marriage. Samuel had changed. The man who once held her hand lovingly now barely looked at her. He stopped eating dinner with her. Stopped smiling at her. Stopped touching her like she mattered. But Samantha ignored every sign because she loved him too much. Love made people blind. And Samuel Reed knew exactly how to use that blindness. The front door finally opened. Samuel walked inside calmly, removing his wet coat. “You’re awake?” he asked coldly. “I was worried,” Samantha said softly. “You didn’t answer my calls.” Samuel loosened his tie with irritation. “I was busy.” “With work?” His eyes flickered for a second. “Don’t start.” Samantha swallowed her fear. “I’m not trying to fight… I just miss you.” Samuel looked at her silently before walking toward the kitchen. There was no warmth left in his gaze anymore. Only calculation. Only greed. Because Samantha didn’t know the truth. Her wealthy father had recently transferred half of his company shares into her name. If anything happened to her, Samuel would inherit everything as her husband. And Samuel wanted all of it. Every last penny. --- Across the city, Shiv Malhotra sat inside his car outside the mansion gates. His jaw tightened as he stared at the house. Something felt wrong tonight. Very wrong. For the past month, Shiv had been secretly investigating Samuel after discovering his affair with a wealthy widow named Isabella Hart. Samuel planned to divorce Samantha eventually. But recently Shiv overheard something horrifying. “Once Samantha is gone,” Samuel had said drunkenly to a friend, “everything becomes mine.” Those words had haunted Shiv for days. He couldn’t ignore them anymore. Even after all these years… Even after Samantha married another man… He still loved her. Quietly. Painfully. Completely. Shiv looked at the mansion again, unease crawling through his chest. Then suddenly— The lights inside went out. --- Inside the mansion, Samantha frowned. “The power went out?” Samuel stood near the staircase watching her. His expression looked strangely empty. “Come with me,” he said. “To where?” “The backup generator near the cliff road. I need your help.” Samantha hesitated. “At this hour?” Samuel smiled faintly. “Are you scared of me?” The question sounded wrong somehow. But Samantha forced herself to nod. “O-Okay.” --- Heavy rain poured as Samuel drove them through the isolated mountain road near their private estate. Samantha hugged herself nervously. “Samuel… where exactly are we going?” “You’ll see.” His voice sounded emotionless. The deeper they drove into the darkness, the more uneasy Samantha became. Finally the car stopped near the edge of a steep cliff overlooking crashing waves below. Samantha looked around confused. “There’s no generator here…” Samuel slowly stepped out of the car. Rain soaked his black clothes instantly. Then he opened Samantha’s door. “Come out.” Fear crawled into her chest. “Samuel…” “Come out.” Something in his eyes made her hands shake. Still, she obeyed. The wind roared violently around them. Samantha stepped carefully near the cliff edge. “Why did you bring me here?” Samuel stared at her silently. Then— He smiled. Not lovingly. Not warmly. Cruelly. “You really were stupid, Samantha.” Her blood turned cold. “What?” “You trusted me so easily.” The rain mixed with tears forming in her eyes. “Samuel… what are you saying?” He stepped closer. “I’m saying I’m tired of pretending.” Samantha’s breathing became uneven. “I know about the affair,” she whispered painfully. “But we can still fix this—” “Fix it?” Samuel laughed darkly. “Why would I fix something useless?” The words shattered her. “You married me for money…” she realized. “Finally.” Samantha stepped backward in horror. “No… no, Samuel…” “You know,” he continued casually, “I was going to divorce you at first.” Lightning flashed across the sky. “But then your father transferred the company shares.” Samantha froze. “And suddenly,” Samuel smirked, “your death became more profitable.” Her heart stopped. Samuel slowly pulled out a folded document from his coat. Life insurance papers. Samantha stared at him in disbelief. “You’re insane…” “No,” Samuel replied calmly. “I’m smart.” She turned to run— But Samuel grabbed her arm violently. “LET ME GO!” “You should’ve stayed obedient.” Samantha screamed as Samuel dragged her toward the cliff edge. Panic exploded inside her. “Samuel please! PLEASE!” But his face remained emotionless. Cold. Monstrous. “I never loved you.” And then— He shoved her. Samantha’s scream echoed into the storm as her body disappeared over the cliff. --- Samuel stood there breathing heavily. The waves crashed violently below. No one could survive that fall. A slow smile spread across his face. “It’s over.” He turned away and walked back toward his car. But hidden in the darkness nearby… Another man had seen everything. Shiv. His eyes widened in horror as Samantha disappeared into the sea below. “SAMANTHA!” Without hesitation, Shiv jumped over the cliff after her. The freezing water slammed into him violently. Waves dragged both of them deeper into the darkness. For several terrifying seconds, Shiv couldn’t find her. Then— He saw Samantha sinking unconscious beneath the stormy water. Blood stained the ocean around her. Shiv grabbed her immediately. “Stay with me,” he gasped desperately. The currents fought against him violently, but Shiv refused to let go. Not this time. Not again. Even if he died tonight… He would save her. Because Samuel had tried to kill the woman he loved. And Shiv was about to become the reason Samantha survived. The reason she returned. The reason Samuel Reed would one day beg for mercy.