The Cold-Hearted CEO's Reborn Lover

"Why am I tied up? Why can't I see anything? How do I get this blindfold off? Where... where the hell am I?" Cleopatra's voice cracked, raw and ragged, her panic clawing its way up her throat. Darkness pressed in from every side, her hands struggled uselessly against the bindings, and her heart raced as if trying to escape her chest. Every second felt like a lifetime, and terror wrapped around her like a vise.

Footsteps scraped closer to the car. Cleopatra froze, every muscle tensing the moment the doors swung open. Two figures slid inside one claiming the driver's seat, the other perching beside him with a taut, urgent energy that made her pulse spike.

"What the hell are you talking about? This wasn't our agreement!" Guinevere's voice dripped with bitterness and hate.

"Since when do you give orders?" Anthony snarled. "Without me, you wouldn't have accomplished anything. Stop being ungrateful and remember your place."

"Still, if I hadn't tricked her into meeting me, you wouldn't have this opportunity," Guinevere snapped. "Now tell me, what exactly do you plan to do with her?"

Cleopatra remained limp, feigning unconsciousness as she strained to catch every word. Then, without warning, Anthony twisted in his seat and shot a sharp glare toward the back.

"She's still knocked out. Why are you in such a hurry, Guinevere?" he asked coolly.

"What kind of question is that?" Guinevere hissed. "You know how much of a threat she is to me."

Anthony's eyes narrowed, a sharp, assessing glint cutting through his gaze as it swept over Guinevere's face, as though he were trying to peel back every mask she wore.

"Don't tell me you're still afraid of her. She never even made it into modeling; we made sure of that, and she never will." His voice held cold certainty.

"Then what do we do with her?" Guinevere snapped. "Let's just kill her already! We're wasting time, she could wake up any second!"

"What the hell?!" Anthony exploded.

"Oh, please you... you still have feelings for her, don't you?" Guinevere burst into laughter, sharp and unrestrained, the sound bordering on hysteria as it filled the confined space of the car. "My cousin has been completely bewitched. Damn it!" Rage and disbelief twisted her features as she slammed her palm against the dashboard, the impact echoing like a gunshot

"That's not it," Anthony growled, jaw tightening.

"What do you mean, 'not it'? Have you slept with her?" she demanded.

"Not yet," he said, frustration seeping from every word.

"Then that explains everything," she sneered, her lips curling with bitter amusement. "You're parading around like some ridiculous knight in shining armor." Her hands shot out, seizing his hand with a grip that was possessive and unyielding.

"Why don't you just sleep with her already?" she went on, her voice dripping with mock generosity. "I'll even give you space." Her eyes gleamed coldly as she leaned closer. "When you're done, call me back and then we'll kill her." A cruel smile stretched across her face. "We'll end this once and for all."

"Hell no!" Anthony barked.

"For God's sake, Anthony, we're running out of time!"

"Shut up, Guinevere!" he roared. "I'm not killing her, I have something far worse in mind. She's not dying; she'll be mine to control." A twisted smirk curved his lips.

"Then what do you plan to do?" she murmured, reclining slightly in her chair, her gaze sharp.

"I'm taking her to my mansion on Dawnspire Mountain, in Eban. She will spend the rest of her life there pleasing me," Anthony said, a satisfied smirk curling his lips.

"What if she escapes?" Guinevere shot back.

"No one escapes that place," he said, his eyes glinting with cruel satisfaction. "It's completely isolated and surrounded by water miles from the nearest town."

Anthony slid open the glove compartment, pulled out a pack of cigarettes, and tossed one to her with a casual flick of his wrist.

"Let's smoke outside. I'm still not okay with your plan," Guinevere muttered, sticking the cigarette between her lips.

"Too bad," he murmured, a cold smile tugging at his lips. "My decision is final."

They stepped out of the car, each movement slow and deliberate. The night seemed to hold its breath, shadows stretching long across the ground as if the world itself sensed the danger they carried.

Cleopatra froze, her heart hammering in her chest. The searing hatred in the eyes of her best friend and the one she loved cut through her like a jagged blade. Panic clawed at her throat, and an urgent, desperate need to escape surged through her. She had to get out. Now.

Luckily, her hands were tied in front of her. She bent forward, sinking her teeth into the duct tape until it finally gave way, then tore the blindfold from her eyes. With a swift tug, she slipped off an earring and used it to Saw through the tape binding her legs. A surge of adrenaline shot through her as she broke free, every nerve screaming with relief and urgency.

She pressed the unlock button and slipped out of the car in silence, their voices clashing in a heated argument up front, completely unaware of her presence.

"This is my only chance to escape," she muttered to herself.

She dropped onto all fours on the slick, rain-soaked asphalt. Pain shot through her knees and hands, but she forced herself forward, every movement fresh agony.

In that heated moment, he rushed to the car, only to find Cleopatra was no longer there. Anthony's furious shouts tore through the rain. "How did she escape with her hands and feet tied?! Damn it! Get in the car, now!" he bellowed at Guinevere.

Cleopatra's heart pounded in her chest, each beat echoing the chaos around her as Anthony's furious shouts cut through the storm. She dove behind a pile of abandoned debris, barely daring to draw a breath. Anthony's car screeched to a halt just meters away, the roar of the engine vibrating through her bones. Red taillights glared like angry eyes, he was coming back.

In an instant, her eyes scanned the wreckage before settling on a narrow weep hole just beyond the debris. It was small, barely enough but it was her only chance.

Meanwhile, Anthony and Guinevere stepped out of the car, the world around them seeming to hold its breath with every movement.

"CLEOPATRA! I know you're still here! You'd better come out, while I'm still being merciful!" Anthony's roar thundered through the air.

"I told you to kill her!" Guinevere screamed, yanking at her hair and tapping her feet. "If she escapes, it's over!"

"Just shut up and find her! She can't be far," Anthony snapped.

Cleopatra trembled at the sound of their voices calling her name. If they caught her, horrors beyond her imagination awaited especially knowing that Anthony was capable of anything. Steeling herself, she crawled into the narrow passage leading to the weep hole.

"If I crawl through that hole, I can lose them," she whispered.

Anthony and Guinevere's voices rang out behind her, sharp and insistent, calling her name. She crept forward in silence, every inch a battle, edging toward the opening until a jagged shard of glass tore into her hand, sharp pain shooting up her arm.

"Ah-ah!!" Cleopatra screamed, then clamped her hands over her mouth as hot tears fell. Her voice cut through the rain, making Anthony and Guinevere freeze, eyes wide in shock.

"Did you hear that?" Guinevere whispered.

"Yeah, a scream. She's close." Anthony's eyes darted around. "You go that way, I'll take this side."

"With all this noise, it'll be difficult to trace where it came from," Guinevere's voice called out, barely audible over the downpour.

"Still, go back in the direction I pointed!" Anthony snapped, his glare drilling into her as he gestured sharply toward the path.

As it unfolded, Cleopatra welcomed the rain like a blessing, the cold drops cascading over her battered body. She tightened her grip on the broken bottle, wrenched it free, and pressed on. Dragging herself forward with only her left arm, she fought through each agonizing movement, every inch a brutal contest against exhaustion.

Meanwhile, Anthony searched frantically, his gaze snapping to a narrow opening in the wreckage.

"Guinevere, come this way! There's a weep hole here!"

Cleopatra dragged herself across the rain-soaked earth, mud and water clawing at her as her freezing clothes clung to her skin. Each movement tore a gasp from her throat, exhaustion crushing her with every inch she gained.

She bit back the urge to cry out, forcing herself forward through sheer will alone. The cold gnawed at her limbs, her strength fading with every crawl, yet she refused to stop. Even as her body trembled and her vision blurred, her resolve remained unbroken; she would not surrender, not now, not ever.

"Anthony, do we really have to crawl into this creepy hole?" Guinevere snapped from somewhere far behind. "What if there are snakes?!"

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Anthony snarled. "Crawl, or she'll get away!"

"Never!" she screamed, her voice breaking as raw terror clawed its way out of her chest. "I'm not going down there!" Her breath came in ragged gasps as she shook her head violently, eyes wide and shining with dread. "Let's just wait until morning, please it'll be safer!" Her hands trembled as she gestured wildly, as though already trapped. "I can't risk my life in that cramped cage."

Her voice dropped to a hoarse whisper, horror tightening her throat. "What if the cables snap? What if it gets stuck?" Tears welled as she backed away, panic spiraling out of control. "What if I die down there alone, buried in the dark?!"

"Then get out of here!" he yelled, frustration radiating from every word as he pointed toward the car. "Go, wait in the car!"

Instantly, Guinevere scurried away as Anthony dropped to his knees, crawling toward the narrow passage but Cleopatra was already gone. The hole was far too small for him to squeeze through. Frustration flared in his chest, sharp and hot, and with a growl, he turned back.

By the time he reached the car, the rain had finally ceased, leaving the world slick and glistening under the dim light. He slid into the driver's seat, the engine's hum a low growl in the quiet night.

"Ahhh-blood!" Guinevere shrieked, the scream ripping from her throat as sheer horror seized her. Her face drained of color, eyes locked on the crimson stain as if it were alive, spreading, accusing.

Anthony's eyes darted across the scene, his hands trembling as he inspected every detail. "It's not mine," he muttered, a mixture of disbelief and panic tightening his voice.

"It's hers! She must have gone through that weep hole! We need to find her. Now!"

"Not through that weep hole. It's too dangerous," she protested.

"We'll find another way," he said, jaw clenched, eyes blazing with unwavering resolve. "I won't let her slip away. I have to get my hands on her."

Meanwhile, Cleopatra kept running, her feet pounding against the ground until the vast ocean stretched out before her. She dashed to its edge, crouching low to dip her hand into the water. The chill bit into her skin, and she hissed sharply, jerking her hand back as pain flared from her wound.

Trembling, she tore a strip of fabric from her clothes and bound the injury. She tried to move forward, but her knees refused to cooperate, aching from all the crawling. Her eyes frantically searched for a place to hide, and when they landed on a boulder, she dragged herself over and sank onto the coarse sand.

She brushed a stray tear from her cheek, pressed her lips together, and let her head slump against the cold stone. Her eyes closed, heavy with fatigue, as if the world itself had drained from her.

'I only went to see Guinevere because of Katie's death and all this time she had been planning to kill me? How deep does her hatred run?'

'How deep...?'

Her chest tightened, and her throat burned, making it difficult to swallow the thought.

She stared at the ocean, the silence broken only by the waves. Above, dark clouds loomed, hiding any sign of dawn.

"The clouds, they're as dark as the life I'm living," she muttered, a laugh trembling on the edge of despair. "I'm useless... just discarded junk, thrown away before anyone ever tried to mend me."

"You give me everything, your love, your life, everything without ever sparing a thought for yourself! How... how can someone be so damned selfless?!" Her voice cracked, anger and pain intertwined. "Why couldn't you just once think of yourself, you bastard?!"

Her mind lingered on Calvin's gentle devotion, and the sting of how cruelly she had repaid him gnawed at her conscience. 'He had always been so selfless, so upright. Always putting me before himself, never thinking of himself. I... I just didn't notice him, didn't understand him.'

"I shouldn't have pushed you away. I shouldn't have been so unreasonable, so foul-mouthed," she wept, her voice trembling. "I don't want the will, I just want you. Everything feels unreal, so... so unreal"

Yet seated on the coarse sand, she stared at the waves, their ceaseless motion seeming to mock her frozen immobility.

'Why am I even fighting to live?

I'm so tired. Even if I report to the police, Anthony is powerful enough to twist everything. If I run to another country, he'll eventually find me.'

Cleopatra struck herself hard, shame burning through her. How dare she even think of living after everything?

"Calvin died because of me," she whispered. "If that debt had never existed, Anthony wouldn't have used it. This is all my fault. My damn fault!"

She cried, clutching her chest as the pain constricted her. Tears streamed down her face, each sob ragged and hollow, echoing the emptiness gnawing at her soul.

"Even after Calvin left me everything, it all feels meaningless. What's the point of surviving in a world that never wanted my happiness?"

"Everyone precious to me has been taken by the cold hands of death. Where did I go wrong?"

Her eyes were swollen, tears spilling endlessly down her cheeks.

Only to be reminded once more of how tenderly Calvin had treated her, and how cruelly she had rejected his affection. A rare gem, cast aside by her own hands, its true worth revealed far too late. 'Why did I only realize my feelings now, when it's already too late?'

"I don't want the will," she sobbed, her voice breaking apart. "I can't... I can't live without you. Please I tried! I truly tried to move on." Her words dissolved into incoherent murmurs as her shoulders shook, grief swallowing the rest of her sentence.

Tears continued to cascade down her face as she buried it in her trembling hands. "If only I had never listened to Guinevere," she whispered hoarsely. "If only I had fought for my career, I could have paid it off earlier without Calvin ever knowing."

She drew in a shaky breath, her chest aching. "But I was too gullible, trusting the wrong people." Her shoulders sagged as the weight of it all crushed down on her. "I'm tired," she murmured faintly. "Nothing really matters anymore."

Then she pressed her back against the boulder, then slowly rose to her feet.

"I can't hide here forever," she murmured. "I have to keep moving forward."

At the same time, Anthony and Guinevere crept toward the ocean's edge. The waves crashed like distant warnings as they scanned the shoreline, hearts pounding, desperately searching for any sign of her in the fading light.

Suddenly, they spotted a solitary figure moving in the distance.

"Hush... stay silent," Anthony said under his breath, eyes locked on the figure ahead. "There she is."

"Heaven is on our side," Guinevere smirked. "Let's catch her unaware."

As Guinevere stepped forward, she failed to notice the rock ahead. She stumbled and crashed to the ground, letting out a scream.

"Ow! My leg!" she screamed

"Just shut up for once!" Anthony thundered, his voice cutting through the roar of the ocean.

Startled by the sudden noise, her eyes snapped toward its source, and she saw them advancing with relentless intent."

Without hesitation, she bolted unknowingly toward the only open path, which led straight to a cliff.

Anthony chased after her, not sparing Guinevere a glance as she lay on the ground.

Without delay Cleopatra ran until she reached the edge only to realize it was a dead end.

Trapped, she searched frantically for an escape as Anthony caught up.

She staggered backward, uncertainty written across her face.

"Stay the hell away from me, you monster!" she screamed, venom lacing every word."

"Come here," Anthony said, eyes locked on her like a predator's. "I said come here, you little shit! Damn!"

Cleopatra hesitated, and with a reluctant step, she drew back, carefully avoiding Anthony.

"Stay back!" she yelled

Anthony stepped toward her, but Cleopatra's scream cleaved through the air like a blade. "I said stay back," she snarled, her voice raw and unyielding, halting him instantly. Fury blazed in her eyes, so fierce that, for a fleeting heartbeat, even his most reckless resolve faltered.

Guinevere staggered to her feet, her chest heaving as ragged breaths tore in and out of her lungs. "Why are you just standing there?!" she barked, her voice sharp and frantic. "Go catch her!"

Cleopatra moved back again, but loose rocks tumbled into the sea below, forcing her to steady herself immediately.

"No, don't move!" Anthony cried, fear flooding his eyes. "Please... please come back!"

"You crazy fuck!" Guinevere screamed, grabbing his shirt. "Why are you telling her to come back? Just let her fall!"

The moment that word left Guinevere's mouth, rage flared within him. With a sharp shove, Anthony sent her tumbling to the ground.

"Shut up!" he cut in sharply.

"I can't lose her," he snarled. "I own her. She's mine!"

It dawned on both Cleopatra and Guinevere then, losing Cleopatra was a chink in Anthony's otherwise impenetrable armor.

"You're terrified of losing control because domination is all you crave, not love," Guinevere sneered. "You truly are pathetic. This is not love!"

Cleopatra raised her voice, cutting through them both.

"Over my dead body will I be your plaything." She laughed bitterly. "You fear losing me out of selfishness. That's why I'd choose Calvin over you a hundred times."

At the mention of Calvin, jealousy flared in Anthony's veins, heat twisting through him as fists clenched instinctively.

"And you think he's better than me?" he snapped. "If he was so great, why's he six feet under? Just a fool playing hero-"

Cleopatra cut him off.

"This is where you're wrong. He wasn't just a hero. He was a leader, someone who would do anything to protect those he loved. That isn't weakness; that's real love, something you'll never understand. He was a courageous soul who fought for love itself. I'd rather plunge into the abyss than spend another moment with you!"

She spun around at once, her gaze locking onto Guinevere.

"And you... you're utterly despicable. No wonder you never excel at anything. Your heart is poisoned with hate and bitterness, and even in another lifetime, Calvin would never love you."

"Shut the hell up, you trollop!" Guinevere screamed, her voice shaking.

"Guinevere, look at yourself just once," she whispered, exhaustion and grief weighing down her words. "You're beyond saving, beyond even being called human. I never thought the girl I grew up with would become this... this monster. We were best friends. We shared our childhood, our laughter, our tears. What happened to those years? What happened to the bond we had as sisters, as our mother's daughters?"

Right then, Cleopatra sobbed, her voice breaking. "Was it all so insignificant?" A hollow laugh escaped her lips. "Was I just being delusional, thinking we would always be together forever?" Her laughter faded into silence. "I suppose... I was alone in this thing called friendship."

"Guin, I'm still in denial that you hated me this much," Cleopatra whispered, her voice breaking. "It hurts so much. It really does-"

"Enough!" Guinevere snapped, cutting her off sharply.

"If you had truly cared about me, why did you keep stealing the things I loved most?!" Guinevere screamed, her voice unhinged, madness flashing in her eyes.

"Guinevere, you're deranged! I never stole anything from you!" Cleopatra shouted, her voice shaking with fury.

"Woe unto you and unto Anthony," Cleopatra said calmly. "Do you both truly lack a conscience, to take a human life without a shred of pity? Calvin may be dead, but he will always be the one I love; my selfless, unyielding shield."

Her laughter echoed as she stepped backward. She would rather die than let them capture her.

Just then, she fell. Her body tumbled down the cliff and plunged into the sea with a violent splash.

The deeper she sank, the quieter the world became. Time seemed to freeze as saltwater filled her lungs and darkness closed in.

Feeling her breath choke and fade, she muttered an earnest wish.

"If fate could be kinder, if there's a next life. Let me meet him again, I-"

Then everything went silent.

Cleopatra's consciousness returned slowly, shrouded in fog. Disoriented, her body felt broken, and a deep terror settled in her chest as distant music drifted in, making it seem as if she had been dragged back into a world that no longer felt real.

Her eyes snapped open. She gasped and coughed as though she had surfaced from deep water. Nausea twisted her stomach, and panic flooded her chest as she took in the familiar surroundings. Her gaze fell on a neatly folded uniform resting on the bench.

Suddenly, Ana grabbed her by the shoulders. A familiar face loomed before her, lips moving as if to soothe her, but no words reached Cleopatra. Her mind spun wildly, desperate to make sense of what was happening.

'Wait... this is the Atelier Club...?'

Her voice shook as she forced the words past her dry lips.

"H-How... How am I not underwater? Didn't I die?" she stammered

Her hand went to her skin, her fingers pinching sharply. Disbelief lingered, but the sharp sting searing through her confirmed it was real.

'I'm not dead. I'm ... alive.'

In the chaos, she wrenched free from Ana's grip and lunged toward the door only to slam headfirst into someone the moment it swung open.

"Ah, my head..." she groaned, clutching it. The pain confirmed it, she was truly reborn.

"Her head felt impossibly heavy as a familiar voice cut through the haze, calling her name. Soft, gentle hands steadied her, and the moment their eyes locked, her body froze every nerve ignited by a shock so profound it stole her breath."

"K-Ka...tie?" Cleopatra whispered, She couldn't believe Katie was alive and standing before her.

"Ka...tie... is this really you?" She struggled to steady herself, but faltered when Katie tried to help, Katie's movements hesitant."

Meanwhile, Cleopatra felt a strange wave of familiarity wash over her, as if déjà vu had settled in her chest. She barely had time to process it before Katie's voice cut through her thoughts.

"Are you okay?" Katie asked, a flicker of annoyance in her eyes. "Did you get hurt?" Her gaze swept over Cleopatra, widening as she searched for any sign of injury."

Cleopatra glimpsed the brief flicker of irritation in Katie's eyes, yet it stirred no reaction within her.

"You're alive, I can't believe you're alive," she sobbed. "I'm so sorry-so sorry for not believing you, and for treating you so badly."

Katie's chest constricted painfully, her words trembling yet heavy with disbelief, each one carrying the sting of years unacknowledged. "Since when did I ever matter?"

Meanwhile, confusion swirled through Katie's mind as she struggled to understand why Cleopatra was being unusually kind and asking such strange questions. Her eyes remained fixed on Cleopatra's tear-streaked face.

Still, Cleopatra drew her close, holding her as if the world itself were crumbling around them. Her grip tightened with unspoken desperation. Feeling the raw ache in her friend's soul, Katie mirrored the embrace, her hands gentle against Cleopatra's back, trying to soothe the storm within her.

"Stop crying, it's okay," Katie whispered, her hand lightly resting on Cleopatra's back, soothing yet hesitant.

Cleopatra raised her eyes to meet hers, calm on the surface but heavy with unspoken weight. "Katie, may I have a moment?"

Katie exhaled slowly, relief washing over her. 'Yes of course."

They found a quiet room where they could speak in peace. Once seated, Cleopatra wasted no time.

"Where is Calvin? How is he? Is he safe?" she asked abruptly.

Katie blinked. "Did I hear that correctly? Wow! you're asking about Calvin. He's fine," she said, astonished.

At that point, Cleopatra felt a wave of relief, a shy smile softening her lips. "We should keep in touch. Actually, there's something I've been meaning to talk to you about."

Katie fixed her gaze on her, giving her undivided attention. "Alright, go on."

In an instant she poured out everything to Katie. How Guinevere had harbored jealousy since high school, how she had manipulated her into giving up her INK Model debut after her parents' death, and how, behind a façade of friendliness, Guinevere's heart had held nothing but hatred. Katie listened in quiet composure, unsurprised; she had warned Cleopatra about Guinevere more times than she could count.

"Hello!" Katie's voice rang with unshakable confidence, sharp and unapologetic. She lifted both hands, twisting her index and middle fingers with effortless flair.

"I noticed it long ago, and I even told you back in school. She doesn't just despise you, she's envious that Calvin chose you over her."

Katie's eyes narrowed as she shook her head with sharp disdain. "You pushed my beloved brother aside and clung shamelessly to that damn Anthony."

Cleopatra smiled and offered an apology, her gaze lingering on Katie as echoes of her old, familiar warmth resurfaced only for the smile to slowly fade as she slipped into quiet reflection.

'I'm sorry, Katie. I can't tell you that I've been reborn.'

The words remained trapped in her chest. 'I'm truly disappointed in myself for pushing such a good person out of my life.'

Her gaze fell, regret tightening around her heart as the weight of everything she had lost finally settled in.

Without hesitation.

"Guinevere is still INK's model, right?" Cleopatra's voice carried a cold edge.

"Yeah. Why are you asking? Don't tell me-"

Cleopatra cut her off.

"I'm coming back into modeling." Cleopatra smirked