Rebirth: Love me Again

[EVE]

The moment we stepped into the mall, I knew I had made a mistake.

The gleaming floors, the endless rows of designer stores, and the intoxicating scent of luxury all seemed to cast a spell over Haley and Mom. Their eyes sparkled like kids in a candy store, and before I could even say a word, they were off—dragging me along on their extravagant quest.

"Eve! Look at this dress!" Haley gasped, pressing a silk gown against her body. "Oh my god, this would look so good on me!"

"It's gorgeous," I admitted, glancing at the price tag. Four fucking thousand dollars.

"Let's get it!" she chirped, not even waiting for my approval before handing it to the sales associate.

I sighed but said nothing.

Then it was shoes. Then jewelry. Then perfume. One thing after another, they flitted from store to store like butterflies, completely unfazed by the sky-high price tags.

Every time I hesitated, Haley would pout or give me those big, pleading eyes, and—like a fool—I gave in.

Mom wasn't any better.

"Oh, Eve, this cream is just perfect for my skin," she gushed, holding up an elegant glass jar of moisturizer. "I heard it's the secret to staying youthful."

I peered at the label. Eight hundred dollars. For a cream.

"Mom, I can get you something just as good for a fraction of the price," I reasoned.

She gasped dramatically, placing a hand over her heart. "Are you saying I don't deserve the best, Eve?"

I opened my mouth, then closed it.

Mom had mastered this technique—subtle guilt laced with just the right amount of emotional weight. And just like that, the cream joined the mountain of bags I was now carrying.

But the final blow came when we entered a high-end boutique, its glass cases filled with luxury handbags that cost more than a small car.

Haley's eyes locked onto a sleek black leather bag with gold accents, her entire face lighting up like Christmas morning.

"This one!" she squealed.

I groaned inwardly. "Haley, I literally just bought you a designer bag last week."

"But this one's different!" she argued, clutching the bag to her chest as if it were a lost treasure. "Look at the stitching! The gold hardware! It's a collector's item, Eve!"

I crossed my arms. "No."

Haley pouted. "Please?"

"No."

Her lips quivered. "Pleeease?"

I sighed, shaking my head. "Haley, you—"

And then she did it.

Her eyes widened, shimmering with unshed tears. Her voice softened into a delicate whimper. "Eve, don't you love me?"

I froze. Oh, no.

It was a dirty move—calculated, shameless, and utterly effective.

I groaned, rubbing my temples. "Haley, this is ridiculous."

"But I love you so much," she cooed, hugging my arm like a child begging for candy. "And you spoil me because you love me too, right?"

"Go on Eve. Just go and buy your sister that. I'm sure that you can earn that money back."

I wanted to resist. I really did. But the damage had already been done.

With a resigned sigh, I waved to the sales associate. "Just put it on my tab."

Haley shrieked with joy, throwing her arms around me. "You're the best, sis!"

Mom, who had been watching the scene unfold, suddenly turned toward another display. "Well, since we're here, I might as well get a new bag, too. It's been so long since I treated myself."

I spun around. "Mom—"

She gave me a sweet smile. "You love me, don't you?"

I groaned. Not her too.

Twenty minutes later, I walked out of the store, my arms laden with bags, my bank account significantly lighter, and my dignity in shambles.

Haley and Mom, meanwhile, strutted beside me, giddy with their latest acquisitions.

I wanted to be mad. I wanted to lecture them about financial responsibility, about how money wasn't endless, about how they needed to rein in their spending.

But when I saw their radiant smiles, the way they linked arms with me like we were the closest of sisters and mother-daughter duos, something in my chest softened.

This was family. Messy, overindulgent, frustrating—but mine.

And despite everything, I couldn't say no to them.

Even if it was going to ruin me.

The mall buzzed with life, shoppers weaving in and out of high-end stores, their arms heavy with bags. I stood outside a boutique, waiting for Haley and Mom to finish their latest spree, my thoughts drifting. The weight of their purchases pressed against my arms, but my mind was elsewhere.

Then, out of the corner of my eye, something caught my attention—something that made my breath hitch and my entire body freeze.

There, just a few feet away, was Cole . . . hand in hand with Elena.

My stomach twisted painfully, a cold wave of nausea washing over me. No. This couldn't be real.

Cole was supposed to be out of the country. He told me he had business to take care of. So why was he here? And why—of all people—was he with her?

My heart pounded violently against my ribs as I watched them, his fingers laced effortlessly with hers, their steps in perfect sync. Too perfect. The kind of closeness that came with familiarity, with comfort, with something far more than just a casual outing.

I wanted to believe there was an explanation. I wanted to believe that I wasn't witnessing what I thought I was.

But then he turned his head slightly, and for the first time in my life, I saw Cole smile at someone else the way he used to smile at me.

The world around me blurred. The noise of the mall faded into a distant hum. This wasn't happening.

My feet moved on their own, carrying me forward before I could stop myself.

"Cole."

His name came out sharper than I intended, slicing through the air like a blade.

He stopped abruptly, his shoulders stiffening as he turned. Elena followed suit, her smirk appearing before her eyes even met mine.

I could barely breathe.

His gaze landed on me, expression unreadable. Something about him felt . . . wrong. He looked like Cole, but something was missing—the warmth, the familiarity, the person I thought I knew.

"Elena?" My voice cracked, barely above a whisper. Then I turned to him. "Cole, what the hell is going on? I thought you're out of the country!"

He didn't answer right away. His grip on Elena's hand didn't loosen. He didn't even flinch.

I swallowed hard, forcing my voice to stay steady. "You told me you were out of town. You lied to me."

Cole exhaled slowly, as if this was all some inconvenient formality he had to get through. When he finally spoke, his voice was eerily calm.

"I don't love you anymore, Eve," he said, voice mechanical.

The words hit me like a physical blow.

I blinked, my brain scrambling to process what he had just said. "What?"

"I love Elena." His voice was flat, devoid of emotion. "I should have told you sooner, but—"

"Stop," I cut him off, my voice sharp. This wasn't real. This couldn't be real. "You—" I sucked in a breath. "You don't just wake up one day and decide you don't love someone anymore."

He didn't react.

There was no guilt, no hesitation, no remorse. Just cold indifference.

I took a step back, my heart hammering against my ribs. "What the hell happened to you?"

Something was wrong.

And then, for the first time, I saw it.

There was no white in his eyes.

A shiver ran down my spine. No. That wasn't normal. It wasn't a person. It wasn't Cole.

A low, satisfied chuckle came from beside him. Elena.

She tilted her head, amusement dancing in her eyes. "Cole finally realized who he really loves. Let's face it, he loves even way back, so it's not really a shocker."

I tore my gaze from Cole and focused on her. She was enjoying this. She wanted me to break.

Elena took a step closer, her lips curling into a sad smile. "He didn't want to hurt you, Eve. That's why he didn't tell you immediately. But this was the perfect time to come clean."

Something in my chest twisted violently.

She was lying.

Cole was acting strange, detached—as if something had taken hold of him and erased who he was.

My fingers curled into fists. "What did you do to him?"

Elena let out a soft laugh, the sound dripping with condescension. "Nothing he didn't already want."

I turned back to Cole, searching his face for something—anything—that still resembled the man I knew.

But there was nothing.

Just an empty shell wearing his skin.

"Cole," I whispered, desperation clawing at my throat. "Look at me."

His dark, soulless gaze met mine. And for a brief moment, I thought I saw something—a flicker of hesitation, a second of struggle—but it was gone as fast as it appeared.

He didn't fight it. He didn't choose me.

"You need to go," he said simply.

Go?

Just like that? After everything?

The pain in my chest burned like wildfire. I had so many things I wanted to say, so many questions I needed answered, but my voice refused to come out.

And maybe that's what hurt the most—not just the betrayal, but the realization that whatever I said wouldn't matter.

Because Cole didn't want me anymore.

Elena slid her hand up his arm possessively, a victorious glint in her eyes as she turned them both away from me.

Just like that, they walked off—hand in hand, disappearing into the crowd like I had never existed.

I stood there, frozen, my entire world crumbling around me.

I didn't cry. I didn't scream.

I just . . . stood there.

Too numb to feel.

Too shattered to move.

Because for the first time in my life, I realized—this wasn't just heartbreak. I had died the second time around.