Rebirth: Love me Again

Later that night at the Fay residence, Cole sat in his private study, surrounded by papers, blueprints, and holographic projections as he worked meticulously on a crucial project.

He was deep into his work when his phone buzzed, its vibration breaking through the quiet hum of the room.

Without taking his eyes off the projection, he answered.

"Hello, young master Fay?" came the voice on the other end.

"Did you find what I asked for?" Cole's voice was cold and direct, cutting straight to the point, devoid of pleasantries. He had no time for idle conversation.

The voice on the other line responded immediately, understanding what it meant of speaking to Cole Fay. No one dared to make him wait. "Yes, sir. His name is Michael Blair. He's the brains behind QuantumLyfe Technology."

"A nanotech engineer?" Cole muttered to himself as his fingers danced across the interface, downloading the data that had just been sent. His spies had done well.

Michael Blair—an innovator, a genius. He had developed groundbreaking nanotechnology, but because it was still in its infancy, no one wanted to take the risk of investing in him. They wanted to see tangible results before committing.

Except for Eve Rosette.

Cole frowned, his sharp features hardening. Eve was many things, but he never imagined her as someone who truly understood high-stakes investments, especially in technology as volatile as nanotech.

What does she know about nanotechnology?

He couldn't help but question her motives. Investing in a startup company with no proven results was reckless.

It wasn't like nanotechnology hadn't been considered before—Fay Technologies had been delving into the field for years, trying to perfect it. Their goal was noble: the regeneration of cells, bones, tissues, and nerves, with the ultimate dream of restoring lost limbs and bodily functions.

For Cole, the mission was deeply personal. His father, Cain Fay, had devoted years to this pursuit, driven by a singular goal—bringing his wife, Leanna, back to her former self.

She had lost the ability to walk after a terrible accident, and despite all the wealth and influence at the Fay family's disposal, the best they could give her was a robotic wheelchair.

But Cain wanted more. He wanted her to walk again, to stand by his side like she used to. Cole wanted that too, more than anything.

But simply wanting it didn't make it possible.

There were too many complications. The technology was unstable, and even the robotic limbs they'd developed for others weren't reliable enough for Leanna's delicate condition.

Each attempt was a gamble, and no one was willing to risk her life.

Cole's thoughts were momentarily consumed by his mother's face—the fragile smile she gave, hiding her pain. He had to force himself back to the present.

Cole shook his head, bringing himself back to the matter at hand.

Eve's sudden involvement in something as ambitious as nanotech—especially when Fay Technologies was already neck-deep in their own research—was suspicious.

Why would she, of all people, get involved? And with Michael Blair, no less?

A rookie still in the nanotech technology.

Cole's frown deepened. Eve had always been an open book to him, but lately, her actions were downright baffling.

She had always been the clingy type—her entire world revolved around him, or at least that's what he had believed. She had been irritating, constantly appearing wherever he was, her lovestruck eyes following him like a shadow.

For as long as he could remember, she had no real ambition, no personal goals beyond marrying him. She had been content with that singular dream, and it had always annoyed him.

Women like her—those without drive, without their own purpose—were the type he despised the most.

But now . . . now she was different. The woman who used to cling to him like she had nothing better to do had vanished.

She no longer sought him out. She didn't wait for him outside his room or call him endlessly. Her once affectionate gaze had turned cold, distant. She spoke to him with indifference, her words sharp and devoid of any trace of the sweetness they once held.

In the past, she would have done anything just to be close to him. Now, she would do anything to stay away.

And then, the most shocking thing of all—she had suggested they break off their engagement. The engagement she had clung to since childhood, the one that had been her only dream.

What had happened to her?

Cole's hand tightened around his phone as he stared blankly at the wall. His mind was racing, trying to piece together the puzzle that Eve had become.

Had she finally come to her senses? Realized that the life she had built in her head, the one centered around him, was a lie?

He had always thought Eve was predictable, her every move dictated by her feelings for him. But now, she was anything but predictable.

"She must have found something else," he muttered under his breath.

The image of Michael Blair flashed in Cole's mind, and his brow furrowed, a deep frown settling on his face. His jaw clenched instinctively, and an unsettling weight pressed against his chest.

Cole quickly get off the idea from his head.

Perhaps she had moved on,

he thought. But the question remained—why was she investing in something like QuantumLyfe? What did she stand to gain from it?

The name Michael Blair lingered in his mind like a thorn. He had no doubt that Blair's work had potential, but potential didn't guarantee success.

And Eve . . . what did she know that he didn't?

Cole couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this than met the eye. Eve had never shown any interest in technology, let alone something as complex as nanotech.

He sighed and leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples. The transformation in her behavior was jarring. She had gone from being an annoyingly devoted fiancée to a woman he couldn't quite figure out.

What had sparked this change? Was it another man?

The thought made his jaw tighten.

No

, he told himself,

Eve wouldn't have the guts.

She had always been too meek, too desperate for his attention to even look at another man.

But then again, the Eve he had known was gone.

"When a woman has that look, it means no amount of pursuing will win her back. She's already gone. Is that what you wanted, Cole?"

Maybe she was right,

Cole thought grimly.

Maybe Eve had snapped to her senses.

But why so sudden?

The abruptness of it all gnawed at Cole, leaving him in complete bewilderment. His mind spun, trying to piece together the fragments of her transformation, yet nothing added up.

It was as if Eve had changed overnight, shedding the woman who once revolved her entire world around him. Now, she was distant, cold, and indifferent, a stranger wearing a familiar face.

Why?

He questioned silently, his chest tightening as frustration brewed within him. The shift wasn't gradual; it was as if she had flipped a switch

As much as he wanted to believe it was that simple, something about the situation didn't sit right with him.

He opened the file again, his eyes scanning over Michael Blair's profile. If Eve was serious about this investment, then there must be a reason.

Cole closed the file and stared out the window, his mind still buzzing with unanswered questions.

It was almost ironic.

When Eve had been chasing after him relentlessly, Cole couldn't have cared less. He'd brushed her off, certain she'd always be there, lingering like a shadow no matter how far he pushed her away. A part of him had believed she'd never leave, that her devotion was unwavering.

But now—now that she wanted to cut ties, now that her eyes no longer held the adoration they once did—here he was, thinking about her. Wondering why.

He should be relieved. In fact, he should be celebrating. Another woman finally over him, no longer suffocating him with her love-struck stares and cloying affection. He had always wanted peace, hadn't he?

Yet, her sudden change had rattled him, propelling him into a spiral of thoughts he couldn't escape.

Was this all a ploy?

he wondered.

Had she orchestrated this indifference just to get his attention?

If so, then she had succeeded beyond her wildest dreams.

But no—he told himself—if she wanted to stay away, it was for the best. He should be glad, he

was

glad. She wasn't at his throat anymore, clinging to a future that he'd never wanted.

Cole forced himself back to the task at hand, focusing on the work sprawled across his desk. But no matter how hard he tried, no matter how much he willed his mind to cooperate, his thoughts kept circling back to Eve.

Her cold, indifferent gaze. Her sudden detachment. It gnawed at him, clawing at the edges of his mind, refusing to let go.

Why did it bother him so much? Why couldn't he stop thinking about her?

He clenched his fists, frustration bubbling up as the weight of her absence pressed harder than her presence ever had. He didn't understand it—didn't

want

to understand it—but it was there, banging on the doors of his mind, and he couldn't shut it out.

Not tonight.