Rebirth: Love me Again

[BONUS Chapter for the 600PS! Thank you all! 🤍]

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[EVE]

Hyun's brows furrowed as he processed the absurd exchange, his emotional demeanor giving way to something steely. "So, you're one of Eve's suitors, then?" he asked, his voice cold.

Cole's smirk didn't lessen. "I'm much more than that. I've seen and touch—"

I cut him off with another sharp elbow, glaring daggers at him. "We're not doing this right now," I hissed. Turning back to Hyun, I said firmly, "Ignore him. Focus on the designs."

Finally addressing Cole, I pointed a finger at him. "And you—if you have nothing better to do than pester me, leave. I'm busy."

But Cole's sharp eyes caught the tension in the room, the urgency that clung to every corner. His voice softened, though his confidence remained. "What's going on, Eve? What's the problem?"

I hesitated, torn between telling him to leave and acknowledging that we could really use his help. With a reluctant sigh, I gave in. "Fine. Here's the situation . . ."

I explained the situation to Cole, detailing every last detail, while he stood there unusually quiet. It was so out of character that I found myself fidgeting by the time I finished.

"What is it? Why aren't you saying anything?" I asked, my worry growing with his silence.

Then, as if snapping out of a trance, he blinked and, with a flick of his wrist, pulled out his phone. He stepped away slightly, speaking in a low, commanding tone that I couldn't quite make out.

When he finished the call, he turned back to me with a warm smile that instantly disarmed me.

"You don't need to worry about help anymore," he said, his voice calm yet assured. "I've called for reinforcements."

I sighed in relief, a weight I didn't realize I was carrying lifting from my shoulders. "Thank you, Cole. We really need all the help we can get right now."

His expression softened for a moment before morphing into that insufferable smirk of his. He threw a triumphant glance at Hyun, who was busying himself with sketches, pretending not to notice. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at their ongoing silent battle. Your journey continues on empire

Just as I was about to redirect our focus, my phone buzzed in my hand. It was Michael. I answered immediately.

"Eve, are you okay?" His voice was filled with genuine concern, and it warmed me to know someone else had my back.

"Let me guess," I said with a sigh, "it's about the news, right? The whole Sophie-staircase fiasco?"

"Exactly," Michael confirmed. "You're all over every channel. Reporters are probably circling your condo like vultures. Are you somewhere safe? You can come to the lab if you need to lie low for a while. Its safe here and we have enough rooms."

His offer was so earnest it made me smile. "Thanks, Michael. That's sweet of you. I have to ask, though—you don't believe the rumors, right?"

"Eve, puu-lease." He scoffed. "If you really wanted to push someone, you'd have finished the job. Leaving Sophie alive and potentially become a witness? That's not your style."

I snorted. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, I think. Don't worry about the rumors. I will take care of it later. Right now, I've got bigger problems. I need your help."

Michael didn't miss a beat. "What kind of trouble are you in this time? It's not about the Rosette heiress, is it?"

"No, not that." I launched into an explanation of the current crisis. Midway through, an idea struck me. "Actually, Michael, do you have any of those nanobots handy? The ones that can be programmed for precision tasks?"

"What? Nanobots?" He sounded confused.

"Yes, the ones you used for—oh, I don't know—advanced quantum stitching or whatever genius thing you do. Could you program them to sew a dress in record time?"

There was a pause, long enough to make me wonder if he'd hung up. Then, he sighed. "Give me a day. I'll see what I can come up with."

"You're the best," I said, grinning. "I owe you one."

"Don't worry about it. You're practically the queen of QuantumLyfe. Whatever you decide, I follow," he said with a teasing lilt.

I laughed, shaking my head as I ended the call.

From the side, Cole muttered under his breath, "So many flies buzzing around . . ."

Hyun, without missing a beat, nodded. "Way too many."

I frowned, looking between the two. "Huh? Flies? What flies? Should I call an exterminator?"

Cole and Hyun both replied in perfect unison, "No need."

I stared at them, baffled. "What's wrong with you two? Since when are you this synchronized?"

Hyun glanced away, a faint blush creeping up his neck. Cole, on the other hand, only grinned slightly like he'd just won some unspoken competition.

Honestly, these two were going to drive me up the wall if they continued.

Cole stepped toward me abruptly and began vigorously scrubbing my forehead with what smelled like an alcohol wipe.

"What are you doing?" I yelped, batting his hand away, my forehead tingling from his sudden touch.

He didn't even flinch, his expression a mix of determination and something . . . darker. "Getting rid of that virus before it spreads. It could be contagious."

I frowned, utterly baffled. "Virus? What virus? Are you feeling okay?"

Cole's dark eyes glinted, but his face remained unreadable. Still, I caught a faint edge in his voice, something that sounded suspiciously like jealousy.

I touched my now-burning forehead. "Well, congratulations. If I wasn't infected before, I probably have a bruise now from how hard you scrubbed!"

Cole gave a casual shrug. "Better a bruise than catching something stupid."

"You're not making any sense," I said, still massaging the tingling spot on my head. "And if this gives me a pimple, I'm sending you the bill for my skincare products."

He tilted his head, his grin growing wider. "How about I treat you to a spa day instead? You know, as an apology."

I wagged a finger at him, my tone firm. "Forget the spa. If you're really sorry, you can stop being a pain and actually help out."

Cole raised a brow, looking far too amused. "Help? What do you want me to do?"

"Hmm, let's see," I said, tapping my chin theatrically. "How about you sat there, don't move, and definitely don't say anything? That would be a huge help."

His smirk didn't falter as he lowered himself onto the couch with all the elegance of a bored prince surveying his subjects. Crossing his legs, he rested his chin lazily on his hand, his eyes gleaming with mockery.

"You know," I said, placing my hands on my hips and staring him down. "For someone who claims to be helpful, you're really just a decorative nuisance."

"I aim to please," he replied.

I threw my hands up in exasperation. "You know what? Just leave already."

What I couldn't admit was how his presence was throwing me off. The way his eyes followed me around—steady, intent—made me acutely aware of every little thing I did. It was maddening.

He chuckled softly but didn't move an inch, his smug smile firmly in place. "You'd miss me if I left."

"Miss the headache? Absolutely not!" I shot back, grabbing a nearby sketch to focus on something—anything—other than his infuriatingly smug face.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw his grin widen, but he wisely said nothing.