Rebirth: A Second chance at life
Chapter 99: Was Calvert behind it?

Chapter 99: Was Calvert behind it?

The constant knocking on the door kept buzzing like a fly in Alexander’s ears. But he didn’t move.

His body sat slouched on the floor beside the coffee table, surrounded by empty whiskey bottles and shattered silence.

His eyes were red, heavy from both alcohol and the weight of memories. His heart, though cold for so long, now felt something strange. Something warm, bitter, and confusing.

He hated her. Or at least, he told himself that again and again over the years. He hated her weak smiles, her soft voice, the way she followed him around like a lost puppy.

He hated how she looked at him like he was her whole world. But then why was he thinking about her now?

He leaned back, head thumping against the wall. His thoughts drifted to her—Aurora. Yes, she was fat and timid.

A dull girl with no presence. But those eyes... they used to shine so brightly every time she saw him.

Even if he came home reeking of alcohol, angry from a long day, ready to lash out—there she was, standing at the door, smiling. Always smiling.

He remembered the night he hurt her the second time during one of his manic episodes. She had tried to stop him from throwing a chair in the middle of a breakdown.

His rage saw no face, no name. But she didn’t scream, didn’t cry. She had only knelt beside him and held his hand, trembling but silent.

And then... there was that snowy night. On Veronica’s birthday, he had gifted her a rare family heirloom—an antique bracelet passed down through the Brown family for generations.

Aurora had thrown a tantrum, her face pale with anger and pain. In the heat of the moment, she pushed Veronica down the stairs.

Veronica got a cut on her forehead, and when Aurora didn’t apologize, Alexander lost control. In his fury, he made her kneel outside in the heavy snow for the entire night.

The wind was biting cold, snowflakes kept falling, but she didn’t say a word. She stayed there, kneeling until her body collapsed from the cold.

After that, she was hospitalized for a week. He never even went to visit her. She had caught pneumonia, and her fingers were frostbitten.

Still, when she returned home, she didn’t complain. She simply smiled and went back to cooking for him, as if none of it ever happened.

But when she returned from the hospital, she cooked soup for him like nothing had happened. She smiled and said, "You must’ve eaten junk food again. Your stomach can’t handle it."

Alexander had a sensitive stomach. He couldn’t handle spicy or oily food, and whenever he ate out for business meetings, it would take a toll on him.

His digestion would suffer terribly, sometimes leaving him in pain for days.

But for the sake of business, he had no choice—he had to smile, drink, and eat whatever was served at the table.

But she took care of that silently, without ever making a fuss. She would make him warm, nutritious soups, always checking with the housekeeper to ensure his meals were gentle on his stomach.

And it wasn’t just after their marriage—she had been doing it for years, even back when she was still in high school and his grandfather was alive.

She was just a girl back then, yet she noticed everything. And he... he never once thanked her.

How could that Aurora—his Aurora—move on from him? How could she become someone else? How could she dare to live without him?

She was his wife.

The door pounding became more frantic now, louder and urgent. It finally snapped him out of the haze. He blinked, staggered to his feet, and opened the door slowly.

Before he could even take a breath, a figure threw herself at him, arms wrapping around his waist tightly.

"Alex!" Veronica sobbed into his chest. "Thank God you’re alright!"

He stood frozen. Her grip tightened.

"I’ve been knocking for ten minutes! Maria told me you were home, but you didn’t answer... I thought..."

Her voice broke as she buried her face in his shirt. Her perfume, sweet and cloying, filled his nose.

Normally, this would have comforted him, maybe even distracted him. But not tonight.

Alexander slowly pushed her away.

Veronica’s face turned pale. She looked up at him with wide, innocent eyes, tears shimmering like diamonds on her cheeks. "Alex...?"

He didn’t respond. His eyes were distant, clouded.

She glanced past him into the apartment. There was nothing suspicious—no other woman, no mess besides the usual bottles and fallen cushions. But Alexander was clearly drunk.

Her lips curled into a slight pout. "Alex... why did you drink so much? This isn’t good for your health.

You’ll get sick again." She reached out, brushing her hand on his cheek. "Should I make some soup for you? I still remember the one you liked..."

Her voice softened, perfectly sweet and filled with false worry. The perfect white lotus act.

But something in Alexander’s heart shifted. For the first time, he didn’t feel warmth from her tears. Instead, he felt a strange repulsion, a slight discomfort.

Aurora’s face flashed in his mind—no makeup, red eyes, messy hair, bruised cheeks... but still standing strong, fighting those assassins without flinching.

That image clashed with the soft, delicate, manipulative Veronica standing in front of him now.

Why wasn’t he reacting to Veronica like before? Why wasn’t he moved?

Veronica noticed it instantly. Her chest tightened. Her hand dropped.

Why isn’t he hugging me? Why isn’t he coaxing me?

She bit her lip and looked down, her voice cracking again. "It’s okay, Alex... I just wanted to see you. I was worried.

But now that I have... I’ll leave. I won’t disturb you anymore. Please take care of your health. The press conference is in two days.

It’s going to be your biggest success, maybe even get you on Forbes’ top five list." Her voice shook, like this was their final goodbye.

She turned to leave, slowly, hoping to draw him out.

Alexander’s voice came suddenly, calm but curious. "Was there something you needed from me, Ver?"

She stopped. Her eyes sparkled.

Turning back with a shaky smile, she wiped away her tears. "No... it’s nothing. I was just scared."

Her tone was gentle, wounded. "I don’t want to burden you with my problems..."

"But... but, Alex..." she sniffed again, her voice trembling perfectly, "I... I don’t want to die."

Alexander blinked. "What?"

She looked straight into his eyes, filled with hope and fear.

"I think someone wants me dead. Black-masked men have been following me. My secret intel told me there’s a bounty on my head.

I don’t know who did it... I really don’t. I haven’t wronged anyone recently..."

She paused. Then looked down.

"...except... my sister." Her voice cracked.

"I admit it. I was wrong. Maybe this is her way of punishing me. If she wants me dead, then I... I’m ready.

I’ll accept it. But I don’t want to lose my mother. I just..." her voice trailed off as her eyes shimmered with fresh tears. "I don’t want to be alone."

Veronica’s head dropped in silence, shoulders shaking.

"But how could my sister get access to put a bounty on my head?" Veronica whispered, her voice shaking.

"Did Calvert do this for her? Just to win her over...?" Her eyes trembled with fresh tears, as if she were slowly accepting the dark, cruel reality of her life.

Alexander stood there, fists clenching. His mind raced.

Aurora.

She did this?

His heart twisted with betrayal. He felt like he was stabbed again. How could she? She lied about her identity. She tricked his grandfather. And now this?

She played them all. Lied to him, lied to his grandfather... fooled the entire Brown family. And now... she was putting bounties on people!

Of course, he didn’t believe Calvert was behind it—he had seen it with his own eyes.

He had watched Aurora, strong and terrifying, beat Calvert and his gang to a pulp like he was nothing.

She was powerful beyond imagination. But to go so far as to put a bounty on Veronica—Veronica, who was innocent in all this?

That was malicious. Wicked. How could someone so cruel have stayed by his side all this time, pretending to be so gentle and innocent?

His chest heaved with confusion and anger.

She fooled me. She fooled all of us. She smeared the Brown family name and now she’s starting petty revenge wars with Veronica? What is she doing?

Alexander took a breath and finally spoke. "Don’t worry. Stay here for a while."

Veronica looked up.

"I’ll make sure no one harms you. Not on my turf." His voice was colder now, businesslike.

He turned to the butler standing nearby. "Prepare a guest room. Veronica will stay."

The butler nodded and walked away.

Veronica turned slightly, hiding the smirk curling on her lips. Her eyes twinkled with satisfaction. She had played her role perfectly.

Alexander didn’t notice.

His heart was already too stormy. The anger, the betrayal, the guilt—all of it wrapped around his thoughts like chains.

He looked out the window, the glass blurry from rain.

He had to talk to Aurora.

He needed answers.

But most of all... he needed to see her face.

Because deep down, he still didn’t understand how the weak little girl who once knelt in the snow for his sake... had become someone powerful enough to terrify even him.