Chapter 5

Vincent's eyes widened in horror. He stared at the face inches away from his own, unable to believe what was happening.

It wasn't until he could feel Samara's breath washing over his lips that he snapped back to his senses and fought back with all his might. Without hesitation, he pushed away the woman who was pressing herself against him.

Had she lost her mind?

Vincent was completely thunderstruck. The fury at having been harassed like that burned within him.

Samara could sense his strong resistance, and her expression darkened at once. Without warning, she shoved him in the shoulder, her eyes flickering with shock and displeasure.

For a moment, Vincent's breath faltered. He even got the feeling that she'd kill him. But before the fear had even receded, she leaned in once more. This time, she planted a soft, gentle kiss on his lips.

Her lips seemed to convey a sense of tender longing and cherished affection, but the sensation only made his stomach churn.

Once again, he fought hard to get her away from him. His eyes slowly filled with anger and fear. He couldn't stop himself from snarling, "Get away from me!"

Samara froze immediately. A flicker of clarity returned to her eyes. Only now did she realize that the man in front of her was already glaring at her, his eyes reddened with fury. His entire body was shaking from anger.

At last, it occurred to her just how far she'd crossed the line with what she'd just done to him.

Vincent wasn't her husband right now. It was only the second time they'd met. How could she have acted so rashly, forcing herself on him so recklessly?

She hurriedly pushed herself upright, awkwardly straightening his shirt for him before resting her head against his chest. She traced small circles against his chest with her finger, like a young woman in love, but her words were harsh and overbearing.

"I forbid you from leaving!"

She refused to let Vincent leave. She wasn't going to let him disappear from her world.

Samara couldn't bear the pain of losing him again. It was pure agony, as if blades were carving right into her bones, making it hard for her to even breathe.

Vincent sucked in a sharp breath before glaring at Samara, his eyes filled with anger and confusion.

It was getting increasingly hard for him to understand the Samara in this life. She was acting like a complete lunatic, leaving him at once perplexed and terrified.

Samara kept holding onto Vincent throughout the whole ride. Eventually, the car came to a stop outside a restaurant, and his emotions had settled down as well. He glanced down at her and said in a firm voice, "I want to go home."

He wanted to leave. He had no desire to have dinner with a woman who looked like she'd go off her rocker at any moment, nor did he want any further involvement with her.

But of course, Samara simply responded with an indifferent dismissal, denying him the right to choose where to go. "I'll take you home after dinner."

Her tone left no room for refusal, as if her word was law.

Unsurprisingly, she was just the same as she had been in his previous life. She would never listen to his opinion and would make decisions for him unilaterally.

Vincent was brimming with frustration and anger. He felt like a puppet, unable to take charge of his own life.

Meanwhile, Samara opened the door and forcibly dragged him out of the car with her.

"Just what the hell do you want?" Vincent snapped.

He was beside himself with frustration. Since they were still pretty near the university, he didn't want anyone to see him involved with some crazy woman.

"Let go! I can walk on my own."

Vincent struggled to free himself from Samara's grip, but she acted as if she hadn't heard him, hauling him into a private room in the restaurant herself.

She'd made a reservation beforehand, and the food was served within minutes of them taking their seats.

Everything that was brought to the table was one of Vincent's favorites. He stared at the food in silence, pondering the situation on the inside. He and Samara had only just met in this lifetime, so how did she know about his preferences?

If this wasn't a coincidence, then it felt downright unsettling.

The more he thought about it, the stranger Samara's change in attitude seemed to him. In fact, it wasn't just strange. There had to be more to it, something that he couldn't quite perceive.

Vincent eyed Samara, his gaze curious and scrutinizing.

He wanted to know why she was acting completely opposite from the woman he remembered from his previous life. He also wanted to find out her motive. Just what was she trying to achieve?