CHAPTER 8: RESHAPING DESTINY
3280words
One afternoon, as I organized data in my laboratory, my phone rang. An unfamiliar number.
"Hello, is this Emma Blake?" asked a familiar voice.
"Yes, speaking. Who is this?"
"Emma, it's me, Olivia."
I froze, surprised to hear from her. We hadn't spoken since the auction night.
"Olivia? What can I do for you?"
"I... I'd like to talk with you," her voice sounded hesitant. "I know I've treated you poorly, but I genuinely want to reconcile."
I remained silent for a moment. My previous life had taught me to be wary of Olivia, but in this life, I didn't want to live forever in hostility.
"Alright, where would you like to meet?"
"Could we meet at Willow Café on the outskirts of town? It's quiet there, good for heart-to-heart conversations."
"Fine. When?"
"Would three o'clock today work?"
I checked the time—it was noon. "Yes, I'll be there."
After hanging up, I debated whether to tell Nathan. Ultimately, I decided to meet Olivia alone first and tell Nathan later if necessary.
At three o'clock sharp, I arrived at Willow Café. It was indeed a quiet little place on the outskirts, with few customers. I chose a window seat and ordered coffee.
At ten past three, Olivia finally arrived. She wore a simple white dress and looked more haggard than when I'd last seen her.
"Sorry, traffic was terrible," she said, attempting a smile as she sat down.
"It's fine," I replied calmly. "What did you want to discuss?"
Olivia stared at her fingers, seemingly gathering her thoughts. "First, I want to apologize for my behavior. I know I've been awful to you, said terrible things."
"Including at the auction?"
"Yes, including then." She looked up, her eyes seemingly filled with genuine remorse. "I've... I've always been jealous of you. From the moment you returned to the Sinclair family, I feared you would take my place."
"I never wanted to replace you, Olivia," I said softly. "I just wanted to find my own place."
"I know that now," she sighed. "Seeing you with Nathan, how happy you both look... I realized I've been chasing the wrong things."
Her candor surprised me. "Do you really mean that?"
"Yes," she nodded. "I want a fresh start, Emma. Could we... try to be friends?"
I studied her eyes, trying to gauge her sincerity. My previous life had taught me caution, but I didn't want to live forever in suspicion and animosity.
"I'm willing to try, Olivia," I finally said. "But it will take time and sincerity."
"Thank you, Emma," she smiled. "I truly appreciate it."
We chatted about recent events, and the atmosphere gradually lightened. Olivia mentioned she was considering studying abroad, wanting to restart her life.
"I need to use the restroom," Olivia stood up. "I'll be right back."
After she left, I checked my watch—it was already four-thirty. I should text Nathan to let him know I'd be home late.
Just as I took out my phone, a stranger sat down across from me.
"Mrs. Blake, please don't panic," he said quietly, his voice calm yet threatening. "If you want to leave here safely, you'll come with me."
I eyed him warily. "Who are you?"
"That's irrelevant," he smiled slightly. "What matters is that my associates are waiting outside the café. If you don't cooperate, the consequences will be severe."
I glanced around, noticing that neither the customers nor staff seemed aware of anything unusual. Olivia hadn't returned, and I began to suspect this was a trap.
"What do you want?" I tried to stay calm.
"Your husband will know," he stood up. "Now, please come with me."
I knew that resisting in a public place might cause a commotion and endanger innocent people. I decided to go with him and look for an escape opportunity later.
"Fine," I picked up my bag and followed him out of the café.
A black sedan waited outside, its door open as another man gestured for me to get in. Just then, I spotted Olivia standing nearby, a twisted smile on her face.
She knew. This was a trap, and I had fallen into it.
I was pushed into the car, and the man quickly got in after me. The vehicle sped away. My phone was confiscated, and my hands bound behind my back.
"Who are you? What do you want?" I forced myself to remain calm.
"Mrs. Blake, all you need to know is that you're leverage for a business negotiation," the man in the front seat turned around, smiling. "As long as your husband cooperates, you'll be home soon."
My heart sank. This was an operation targeting Nathan, and Olivia was clearly involved. Her apology and reconciliation attempt had been nothing but bait.
The car drove for about an hour before stopping at an abandoned factory. I was led into a sparse room containing only a chair and a table.
"Please sit, Mrs. Blake," one of the men said politely. "We'll inform your husband of your whereabouts. Hopefully, everything will be resolved smoothly."
After they left, I surveyed the room, looking for possible escape routes. There was only one window, too high to reach. The door was locked, leaving me alone in the room.
Time passed, and eventually the door opened. A middle-aged man in an expensive suit entered.
"Mrs. Blake, I'm Victor Chen, CEO of Chen Group," he introduced himself. "I apologize for meeting you under these circumstances."
Chen Group—I remembered Nathan mentioning them as Blake Group's main competitor in the Asian market.
"Kidnapping is a serious crime, Mr. Chen," I said coolly. "Whatever business dispute you have, this approach is unacceptable."
"I completely agree," he nodded, his expression earnest. "But sometimes, extreme situations call for extreme measures. Your husband has systematically blocked all our projects in Europe over the past few months. We've lost hundreds of millions of dollars, and thousands of employees face unemployment."
"Isn't that just business competition?"
"No, this goes beyond normal competition," Chen's voice hardened. "Mr. Blake has used... unconventional methods. We're simply responding in kind."
He took out his phone, dialed a number, and put it on speaker.
"Blake." Nathan's voice came through, controlled and restrained.
"Nathan Blake," Chen said, "I believe you know where your wife is."
"If you harm her, you'll pay dearly," Nathan's voice was low and dangerous.
"That depends on you, Blake," Chen smiled. "My demands are simple: withdraw from the European market bidding and drop all allegations against our company."
"I need proof Emma is unharmed."
Chen gestured for me to speak.
"Nathan, I'm alright," I kept my voice as steady as possible.
"Emma, hold on. I'll find you," Nathan's voice was filled with determination and concern.
"You have 24 hours to consider, Blake." Chen said, then ended the call.
He turned to me: "I hope your husband makes a wise decision, Mrs. Blake."
With that, he left the room.
---
Meanwhile, Nathan sprang into action immediately after receiving the call. He mobilized the company's security team, contacted private investigators, and even utilized some lesser-known resources.
"I want Emma's exact location," he told his team. "Whatever it takes."
Simultaneously, he pondered who might have revealed Emma's whereabouts to Chen. Emma's schedule today had been decided on short notice, with few people aware of it.
Suddenly, something occurred to him, and he called Alexander.
"Alexander, did Emma contact you today?"
"No, why?" Alexander detected the tension in Nathan's voice.
"She's been kidnapped." Nathan briefly explained the situation.
"What?!" Alexander exclaimed. "Who did it?"
"Chen Group. But I suspect someone on the inside provided information. Emma's schedule today was arranged last minute, and few people knew about it."
"Wait," Alexander suddenly remembered something. "Olivia mentioned meeting with Emma recently. She said she wanted to reconcile with her."
Nathan's gaze sharpened. "Olivia?"
"I'm not certain. But she might know more."
"I'll look into it. Thank you, Alexander."
After hanging up, Nathan immediately sent people to investigate Olivia's whereabouts. Soon, he received confirmation: Olivia had indeed met with Emma before the kidnapping, and surveillance footage showed her interacting with Chen Group personnel.
Nathan's fury was barely containable. He immediately headed to the Sinclair residence.
"Nathan? What's happened?" Everyone was surprised by his sudden visit.
"Emma's been kidnapped," Nathan said bluntly. "I have reason to believe Olivia knows something about it."
"What?!" Father stood up in shock. "That's impossible!"
"Where is Olivia?" Nathan asked, his voice calm but threatening.
"She's... she's upstairs," Mother stammered. "But Nathan, you can't just accuse her..."
Nathan ignored her protest and went upstairs to find Olivia.
Olivia was in her room packing a suitcase, apparently preparing to leave. Seeing Nathan and her family appear at her door, she visibly startled.
"Nathan? What... what are you doing here?"
"Where is Emma?" Nathan asked directly.
"I... I don't know what you're talking about," Olivia avoided his gaze.
"Stop pretending, Olivia," Nathan's voice was ice-cold. "We have evidence that you met with Emma before she was kidnapped, and that you've had contact with Chen Group."
"Is this true, Olivia?" Father asked, shocked.
Olivia's face paled, but she continued to deny it. "No, I just met Emma for a chat, then we went our separate ways. I don't know what happened to her afterward."
"Then why are you packing?" Nathan pointed to her suitcase.
"I... I just wanted to travel for a few days..."
Nathan stepped closer, his gaze sharp as a knife. "Olivia, if anything happens to Emma, I will make sure you pay the price. Now, tell me where she is."
Olivia backed away until she hit the wall. "I really don't know!"
Just then, Nathan's phone rang. It was his security team—they had tracked Emma's possible location through surveillance footage and cell phone signals to an abandoned factory on the outskirts of town.
"We've found her," Nathan told the family, then turned to Olivia. "This isn't over, Olivia."
As he was about to leave, Olivia suddenly broke down. "Why?! Why is it always Emma?!"
Everyone turned to look at her.
"She took everything that should have been mine!" Olivia screamed hysterically. "My parents' love, Alexander's care, and even... even you, Nathan! I loved you for years, and you never even looked at me! Then she appears, and you fall for her instantly!"
"Olivia!" Mother cried out in shock.
"Yes, I told Chen Group where to find Emma!" Olivia continued shouting, tears streaming down her face. "I wanted her gone! I wanted her dead! All of this should have been mine!"
A stunned silence filled the room as everyone stared at Olivia in shock.
"How... how could you?" Father's voice trembled. "Emma is your sister!"
"She is not!" Olivia shrieked. "She's just a thief who stole everything from me!"
"Enough!" Mother stepped forward and slapped Olivia hard across the face. "I don't recognize you anymore, Olivia. You're not the girl we raised."
Olivia clutched her cheek, her eyes filled with hatred and despair.
"I'll handle things here," Alexander told Nathan. "Go save Emma."
Nathan nodded and quickly left the Sinclair house. In the car, he mobilized all available resources to rescue Emma.
---
Back at the abandoned factory, I had been searching for an escape opportunity. There was nothing in the room I could use as a weapon, but I noticed the window frame was loose. If I could remove part of it, perhaps I could signal for help.
As I was trying to pry open the frame, the door suddenly opened. Chen walked in, his expression grave.
"It seems your husband is quite stubborn, Mrs. Blake," he said. "Not only has he rejected our demands, but he's threatened to take action against us."
My heart tightened. "What do you plan to do?"
He gestured for his men to take me out of the room. I was led to the main factory floor, where more Chen Group personnel were gathered.
"Prepare to move," Chen ordered. "Make sure we leave no traces."
Just then, sirens and shouting erupted outside the factory.
"Damn it!" Chen cursed. "How did they find us so quickly?"
In the confusion, I seized my opportunity, shoving aside the guard next to me and running toward the exit.
"Catch her!" Chen shouted.
Several men gave chase, but the factory's complex structure and the darkness allowed me to temporarily evade them. I hid behind a pile of abandoned equipment, listening to the commotion outside.
The sirens grew closer, clearly surrounding the factory. I heard commands to "drop your weapons" and "surrender."
Suddenly, a hand clamped over my mouth. I turned in terror to see Chen, his eyes filled with rage.
"You've ruined everything, Mrs. Blake," he whispered, pressing a gun to my temple. "Now you'll pay for it."
He dragged me toward the back door, clearly intending to use me as a hostage to escape. Just then, a familiar voice came from the darkness.
"Let her go, Chen!"
Nathan stood there, also holding a gun, his gaze calm yet dangerous.
"Blake, do you really think you can win?" Chen sneered. "Even if you save her today, our war has just begun."
"This isn't a war, Chen," Nathan slowly approached. "It's just your delusion. Now, release my wife."
Chen pressed the gun harder against my head. "One more step, and I'll shoot."
Nathan stopped, but his gaze never wavered. "You know this place is surrounded. There's no way out."
"Then I'll take her with me," Chen threatened.
In that instant, I felt Chen's attention waver slightly. Seizing the opportunity, I stomped hard on his foot while jerking away.
BANG! A gunshot rang out.
Chen fell, but Nathan also staggered. Only then did I notice blood seeping from his side.
"Nathan!" I cried out in horror, supporting his swaying body.
"Emma... are you alright?" he asked weakly, his eyes full of concern.
"I'm fine, but you..." I stared at the spreading bloodstain on his side, fear washing over me like a tidal wave. "Hold on, help is coming."
Nathan's breathing became labored, his face increasingly pale. I held him tightly, tears blurring my vision.
"Don't leave me, Nathan, please..." I choked out.
"Emma," he struggled to speak, "there's something... I must tell you..."
"No, wait until help arrives," I interrupted. "You need to save your strength."
"No, I have to say it now," he insisted, his voice growing fainter. "I... I remember everything from our previous life."
I stared at him in shock. "What?"
"I remember your struggles in the Sinclair house, how hard you worked to prove yourself, how you eventually left, alone..." his voice came in fragments. "I was just a bystander then, unable to help you. But in this life, I swore to protect you, to ensure your happiness..."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
He managed a weak smile. "I wanted to tell you the truth, but I feared you'd think I was crazy. Then I saw your relationship with the Sinclairs was completely different from before, and I worried my intervention would change everything..."
"So you proposed our contract marriage to help me escape the Sinclairs' constraints?"
"Partly," he admitted. "But more than that... I fell in love with you, Emma. I did in our previous life too, but never had the chance to tell you. In this life, I didn't want to miss my chance again..."
His voice grew increasingly faint, his eyes beginning to close.
"Nathan!" I cried out in panic. "Don't sleep, look at me! Help is almost here!"
"Emma," he struggled to keep his eyes open, "if... if I don't make it..."
"No, don't say that!" Tears streamed down my face. "You'll be fine, we'll have a future together. Nathan, I love you too, truly love you. Not because of our contract, not out of gratitude, but because you're you. So please, hold on..."
Just then, rescue personnel rushed in. Nathan was quickly transported to the hospital for emergency surgery. I waited anxiously outside the operating room, praying everything would be alright.
Hours later, the doctor finally emerged.
"The surgery was successful," he told me. "The bullet didn't damage any vital organs. Mr. Blake needs rest now."
I finally breathed a sigh of relief, tears flowing once more—this time, tears of joy.
---
A week later, Nathan had improved significantly. I stayed by his side every day, giving us plenty of time to discuss our past and future.
"So you really remember everything from our previous life?" I asked curiously.
"Yes," he nodded. "I had some business connections with you then and always kept an eye on you from afar."
"Why didn't you approach me?"
"I tried," he smiled ruefully. "But you were completely immersed in your work then, hardly attending any social events. Besides, my situation was complicated at the time."
"And then?"
"Then... I heard about your accident," his expression grew sad. "I went to your funeral, but no one else came. I stood in the rain, saying goodbye to you."
I took his hand. "So it was you... you were the one in the rain..."
Seeing his shocked expression, I smiled playfully. "Rebirth isn't your exclusive privilege."
"So that's it! That's why you chose such a different path this time..." he said softly. "That night, I went home and drank heavily, then... I had an accident too. When I woke up again, I was ten years in the past."
"Just like me." I couldn't help but embrace him.
"Yes, fate gave us a second chance," he smiled. "I swore this time I would protect you, ensure your happiness."
"So you orchestrated our meeting?"
"Not entirely," he shook his head. "I was keeping tabs on you, but saving you at the bar that night was coincidence. However, when I saw you, I recognized you immediately."
"And the contract marriage proposal?"
"Partly to help you escape the Sinclairs' constraints, partly... my selfish desire," he admitted. "I wanted you by my side, even if only through a contract."
I leaned against him, feeling his warmth. "We wasted so much time."
"But we have the future," he kissed my forehead. "This time, we'll face everything together."
---
Several months later, Olivia was sentenced to five years in prison for conspiracy to kidnap. Chen received an even longer sentence for kidnapping and attempted murder.
Father and Mother, shocked and disappointed by Olivia's actions, began working harder to repair their relationship with me.
As for Nathan and me, we decided to hold another wedding ceremony—this time based not on a contract, but on true love. The wedding was simple and intimate, with only our closest friends and family invited.
"I, Nathan Blake," he said in his vows, "take you, Emma Sinclair, to be my wife. I promise to love and cherish you across two lifetimes, until eternity."
"I, Emma Sinclair," I responded, tears glistening in my eyes, "take you, Nathan Blake, to be my husband. I promise to love and cherish you in this life and the next, until eternity."
As we exchanged rings, I felt an unprecedented sense of peace and happiness. This time, we were no longer pawns of fate, but masters of our own lives.
Rebirth had given us a second chance, and we had reshaped our destiny with love.
Whatever challenges lay ahead, we would face them together, knowing that true happiness doesn't come from fighting for others' love, but from cherishing those who truly love you.
And that was the most precious gift of rebirth.
