Reborn In a Murderer’s Embrace

In the backyard, Coraline was throwing a tantrum, tears streaming down her cheeks as she clung to a man.

“Why is she acting all high and mighty? Daring to hit me–what gives her the right?” Coraline whined to the man beside her.

“Does she think marrying into the Langley family makes her something special? The Langleys are practically extinct, and she’s tied the knot with an imbecile–a dirty, ugly vagabond who picks through trash all year round.”

Coraline vented her frustrations, holding tight to the man’s arm.

Standing a short distance away, I snorted in derision.

Caleb? Ugly? I hadn’t seen a man more handsome than Caleb in all my years. ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

“There, there, sweetie, don’t cry. Let’s not stoop to her level. She’s just a dull, charmless idiot. A match made in heaven for idiots,” the man soothed Coraline. “She can strut all she wants, but she’s still working for you. Once she hands over her share of the Langley Group to you, we’ll have control over the whole fortune.”

Dream on, I thought.

“The stench hits you before you even arrive. Keep it PG, you two–it’s broad daylight,” I said, walking up to them with a look of disdain.

Coraline’s face went from upset to livid. “Foebe, what nonsense are you spouting?”

I glanced at Coraline, then at the man who must be Oscar. “You two are a perfect match–a match made in a dumpster.”

“How does that saying go?” I raised an eyebrow. “Trash attracts flies, a timeless tale.”

Coraline, fuming, stepped forward as if to retaliate but was restrained by Oscar.

“Foebe, what happened to you? How can you talk about your sister infsuch a way?” Oscar looked at me, his face a picture of disappointment.

Engaging with such a lowlife was already more attention than he deserved.

“If I don’t talk to her like that, what, should I hit her while I talk?” I raised my hand, threatening to slap Coraline.

Coraline cowered behind Oscar.

Oscar stepped forward to protect her.

“Touch me and see what happens. If anything goes wrong with the baby I’m carrying, good luck dealing with the consequences,” I warned, knowing Oscar wouldn’t dare lay a hand on me. They all needed this baby to secure their share of the Langley fortune, to vie for control–after

16:16

Chapter on

all, I was carrying the Langley heir.

Oscar hesitated, confirming my suspicion.

I snatched Coraline and slapped her across the face.

I had been so suppressed in my past life, but now that I was reborn and carrying the Langley child, I was on top of the world.

If everyone had something to lean on, who wouldn’t be arrogant?

“Foebe! That’s too much! Do you think this is acceptable behavior?” Oscar shielded Coraline in his arms.

“Acceptable? Why should I be acceptable? Coraline’s a masterpiece–why don’t you frame her? I sneered and turned to leave.

Coraline, clutching her cheek, trembled with rage. “Oscar, you just stood there and let her hit

me.”

“Just bear with it. She can only act tough for so long. Once we coax the shares out of her, she’s at your mercy. Besides, she married an imbecile. Just wait until the school reunion in a few days. She’ll be the laughingstock,” Oscar whispered consolingly. This reunion is for everyone to bring their plus–ones. She married an imbecile; she won’t dare show her face to him. When

the time comes…”

I walked a few steps, then paused.

A school reunion?

Foebe and Coraline, along with Oscar, were all high school classmates. Foebe had transferred in senior year, barely scraping by academically, and hadn’t made it to a prestigious university.

Coraline, after graduating high school, had been whisked away to study abroad, only to come back and snatch Oscar away.

I couldn’t care less about their petty squabbles. What caught my attention, though, was that most of the women murdered by the serial murderer had graduated from this school. I was an alumna, too, just a year ahead of Foebe.