《Second Chance At Rebirth: Beneath The Ashes》全部章節：第 21 章 - 第 30 章

Christine’s POVHis gaze was mincing and at the same time, as if he was staring into my soul. My breath caught in my throat as I stood frozen, my eyes still locked on the young man before me. He’s mesmerizing. Truly, he was. The way his suit clung to his body, the flawless sweep of his hair, it was all too perfect, too striking. My heart thudded against my ribs, a mix of awe and unease swirling in my chest. But then he broke the silence.“Look who we have here,” he said, the words dripping with a chill that sent shivers racing down my spine again and I didn't understand why I who is always bold is suddenly feeling nervous.Startled, my mind scrambling to make sense of his cold tone and words. It sounded personal, pointed, like he knew me but how? I didn’t know him. I’d never seen this man before in my life. A nervous chuckle slipped out of me, awkward and shaky, as I tried to regain my footing. “I… I don’t know what you mean,” I said.He tilted his head slightly, his cold eyes narrow

Christine’s POVI stood there, arms crossed, my heart pounding as I stared at Francis. His eyes were now icy, his jaw clenched so tight I could see the muscle twitch.“You’re not in prison, Christine,” Francis snapped. He uncrossed his arms, taking a step closer, his hands gesturing in frustration. “But you should be telling me where you’re going, who you’re meeting, like you used to. Is that too much to ask?”I tilted my head as I fought to keep my composure. My fingers dug into my arms. “This is a relationship, Francis,” I said. “In a relationship, you’re supposed to feel comfortable, happy and not fucking trapped.”“Trapped?” he repeated. “Is wanting to know what’s happening in your life trapping you? Really, Christine?”“Yes,” I shot back, my voice louder now, the frustration I’d been bottling up spilling over. “Yes, Francis, it is. I don’t need to report my every move to you. I’m not a child, and you’re not my keeper.”He scoffed, running a hand through his hair, his movements j

Christine’s POVI gripped the phone tighter, rolling my eyes to her words. My patience thinned as Evelyn’s teasing voice danced through the line. “Evelyn, listen,” I said. “My conversations with Cade’s son are strictly professional. We’re not having personal chats, and we won’t be. There’s nothing there girl.”Evelyn’s laugh burst through. “Oh, Christine, I’m usually right about these things. You’ll see, he’s got that look in his eye, I’d bet on it.”I rolled my eyes, a faint smile tugging at my lips. “Alright,” I smiled. “I’ll come see you later, Ev. I’ve got work to do, ok?” Without further conversation, we ended the call.Cade’s son still eluded me, a frustrating blank in my mind and Evelyn’s suggestion? Ridiculous. This was business, nothing more.Just then, a knock on the door jolted me from my thoughts. I straightened in my leather chair. “Come in,” I called, expecting Ruth or a junior assistant with updates on the Evosphere contract.The door swung open, and Francis stepped in,

Christine’s POVI didn’t like the sound of that, but I knew sooner or later Lisa was going to step into the picture. It was just like in my past life, and I was ready. I nodded, meeting Grandfather Fredrick’s steady gaze. “Grandfather,” I called, “are you bringing Lisa in because you think I’m incapable of handling the business?”He set the paper down as he leaned forward, elbows resting on the polished mahogany table. “Quite the contrary, Christine,” he replied. “I want Lisa to learn from you. You’re her sister, in a way, family, blood. She can help when the workload piles up at the company. You’ve got a good head on your shoulders, and I trust you to show her how we do things.”I knew he was lying. I knew he didn’t think I needed help, he thought Lisa needed reining in, and I was the leash. Still, I painted a soft smile across my face, nodding as if I believed every word. “Of course, Grandfather. I understand.”He grunted, leaning back in his chair. “Lisa’s an irresponsible girl,

Christine’s POVI decided to go see him after the meeting with the renovators. The building I’d bought for my company startup and the renovators had just given me the best news I’d heard all week. “Ma’am, we’ve assessed the space,” the lead contractor, a burly man named Tom, had said. “New wiring, plumbing updates, and a fresh interior, three months, tops. We’ll reinforce the foundation, too. You’ll have a solid base for your vision.” I’d nodded, a smile breaking across my face as I shook his hand. “That’s fantastic, Tom. Keep me posted.” Three months! I could almost see the sleek desks, the glass-walled meeting rooms, and Ashley bustling by my side, helping me bring this dream to life. My heart raced excitedly but nervously too as I climbed into my car and punched the address for Whitelock Industries into my GPS. Time to tackle the next challenge, the urgent meeting with Cade Son. The last time I was there, I had used the GPS so now? I still can’t remember the address so I’d have to