Reborn With Revenge

Let them see

(Alina)

The next morning, I sat on the couch in the penthouse, staring at the black card Damian placed in my hand.

"You're moving into my estate today," he said like it was just a normal thing to announce. "This place was just a short getaway."

I looked up at him. "Your estate?"

He nodded. "It's better. Safer. More private. You'll have everything you need."

I looked back at the card. "What's this for?"

"It's yours," he said. "No limits. Buy a new wardrobe, shoes, whatever you want since you have no intention of going back to collect your things. Everything you need, Alina. You don't have to ask."

I stared at him for a second, unsure what to say. I wasn't used to this. The ease in which he gave. The power he held like it was nothing.

But I nodded. "Okay."

He didn't smile. Just stood up and said, "We leave in an hour."

The drive to the estate wasn't long. But the silence between us felt different than last night. Not awkward, but comfortable enough.

When we reached the gates, I saw how tall they were. They are black metal. They also opened without a sound.

The estate was massive. I don't know what I expected, but not this. It looked like something from a movie. The kind of rich people liked to show off. But there was no one here to see it.

Workers were already waiting when we pulled up. Two men and a woman. All dressed in black.

"Welcome home, sir. Miss," one of them said with a small nod.

I got out of the car slowly. Damian walked around to my side and waited. He didn't touch me. Didn't rush me. Just waited.

I followed him inside.

The place was huge. High ceilings. Clean walls. Everything looked expensive. But it didn't feel cold this time. It felt quiet. Like it knew how to hold secrets.

"This way," Damian said, leading me down a hall.

We passed doors. So many doors.

"How many bedrooms are there?" I asked.

"Thirteen," he said. "You can pick whichever you want, but there's one already set up for you."

I didn't answer. Just followed.

We stopped at a large door. He opened it. Inside was a room bigger than any apartment I'd ever lived in. A king-sized bed. A walk-in closet. A view that made me stop breathing for a second.

"If there's anything you want to change," Damian said, "just tell someone. Or use the card."

I stepped inside. The air smelled clean. Not like bleach. Just fresh.

He stayed at the door.

"There's something else," he said.

I turned to him.

"Your protection. I take it seriously. You're not alone anymore, Alina. You're not unprotected. I have people-watching. If anything feels off, you tell me."

I nodded.

"And," he added, "I'm going to announce our engagement publicly. Soon."

I blinked. "Publicly?"

"Yes. That way, there's no guessing. Everyone will know. You'll be seen. That comes with risk. Which is why I want you safe. Always."

I didn't hesitate. "Good. Let them see. I want them to see I moved on. I want them to know I didn't stay broken."

He held my gaze. "Then we're on the same page."

I looked around the room once more.

It wasn't just a room. It was a new start. A new name. A new life.

I didn't feel scared.

I felt ready.

Damian turned to leave but paused.

"Take your time settling in. There's a team here if you need anything. Security. Staff. All of it."

"Thanks," I said, and I meant it.

He left, and I was alone. But not the kind of alone I used to be.

I walked to the closet. It was empty. Waiting. I looked down at the black card still in my hand.

A new wardrobe.

I didn't care about brands. I didn't care about looking rich. But I wanted to look powerful. I wanted to wear clothes that made people pause. Clothes that said I wasn't someone to mess with.

I sat on the bed and opened my phone. I found a few stores. Online shops. I started adding things to a cart. Black coats. Boots. Dresses and more.

I didn't smile. Not yet. But I felt something. Something cold. Something strong.

This wasn't love. This wasn't a dream.

This was the beginning.

And I was ready for it.

I ordered everything right there. Not caring about the prices. Just hitting 'buy' over and over until I had enough. The things I'd need to become someone else.

After I was done, I stood up and walked to the window. The view was different from the penthouse. Less city. More green. Trees stretched out far, creating a barrier between this place and the rest of the world.

Safety. Privacy. That's what Damian had said.

But something else nagged at me. A question I hadn't asked yet. But I needed to.

I found him in what looked like an office after I asked one of the workers for him. He was on the phone but hung up when he saw me.

"Everything okay?" he asked.

"Who knows I'm here?" I asked.

He didn't seem surprised by the question. "No one who matters."

"That's not an answer."

He set his phone down. "My security team. My staff. My lawyer drafted our agreement. That's it."

"Your friends? Family?"

"I don't have many friends, just Luca who you will meet at the party." he said. "And family isn't an issue."

I wanted to ask what that meant. But something in his eyes stopped me. A wall I wasn't ready to climb yet.

"What about your friends?" he asked. "Family?"

I looked away. "Chelsea was my only friend and she f****d Jason. My parents are still alive and we are close, but I'm not ready to see them as yet."

He didn't push. Didn't ask for details.

"What happens next?" I asked. "With the plan?"

"You settle in," he said. "Get comfortable. Build your new identity. Then we start moving pieces."

"How long will that take?"

"Depends on how fast you want to move." He studied me. "We can take our time. Make sure everything is perfect."

"I don't want to wait too long," I said. "I want Jason and Chelsea to know I'm coming."

"They will." He stood up. "Come with me. There's something I need to show you."

I followed him down another hallway. We passed more rooms. A huge kitchen. A dining room. A space that looked like a gym.

And then he stopped at another door. Different from the others.

He opened it and stepped back.

Inside was a room with screens. Computers. Equipment I didn't recognize.

"This is where we'll work," he said. "Everything we need is here."

I walked in slowly, taking it all in. "You really did plan for this."

"I told you I was serious." He moved to one of the computers and turned it on. "I've been tracking them. Their movements. Their habits."

The screen lit up with what looked like a map. Little dots moving.

"What is this?" I asked.

"Their locations," he said. "Real-time."

I stared, not sure what to feel. "How?"

"Their phones," he said simply. "Easy to hack if you know how."

I watched the dots move. One was at what I assumed was Jason's apartment. The other was moving. Heading somewhere.

"Chelsea's on her way to meet him," Damian said. "They have dinner plans."

My stomach twisted. "They're celebrating."

"Maybe," he said. "Or maybe they're just living."

I couldn't take my eyes off the screen. "They look so... normal."

"That's what makes people like them dangerous," he said. "They hide in plain sight."

I finally turned away from the screen. "I need to look different. If I'm going to get close to them."

He nodded. "I've already arranged it. Hair. Eyes. Everything."

"When?"

"Tomorrow, if you want."

I nodded. "Tomorrow."

We left the room, and he closed the door behind us.

"Get some rest," he said. "Explore the house. Make it yours."

I didn't tell him that nothing had felt like mine in a long time. Not since before the accident. Before the betrayal.

But this room. This house. This plan.

Maybe they could be mine.

I went back to my room and lay on the bed. I closed my eyes and tried to picture my new self.

They are going to be sorry that they ever messed with me.