Chapter93MyFirstMeetingwithLukeBoltonAfterRebirth +10FreeCoina.
FromtheveryfirstmomentIlaideyesonCarter,Ifeltininexplicablefeartowardhim.Asinglecoldandsharpglance fromhimwas enoughtomakeipiefeellikeIhadbeenplungedintoanicyabyss.
Hispresencewasoverwhelming,almostsuffocating.Hisfeatureswerealreadystriking,butthoseeyeswerejustlikeahawks.ItseemedtostripawayeverylayerofpretenseItriedtohidebehind.
1forcedmyselftostaycalm .EventhoughIwasntentirelyclearonthesituationIwasin,therewasnowayhecouldknowwhoIwas.Pushingdowntheturbulentemotionsthreateningtosurface,Icurledmylipsintoafaintsmile.Oh?Werenotevenmarriedyet,and yourealreadytryingtocontrolme.
Carterdidntrespondrightaway.Hisgazestayedfixedon myface,intenseand unyielding.as thoughheweretryingtoreadmymindorfiguremeout.
Godknowshowmuchcoldsweatwasrunningdownmybackunderhisoppressivescrutiny.Yet,Ikeptthesmileplasteredonmyface,refusingtofalter.
Afterwhatfeltlikeaneternity,hefinallyspoke,hisvoiceascoldashisdemeanor.IjustwantedtoremindMs.Gardnerthatthenightairischilly,andyourenotinthebesthealth.Itsbetternot tocatcha cold.
Thankyouforyourconcern,Mr.Bolton.Mytonewas politebutdistant.
Seeinghedidntleave,Imethisgazeheadonandasked,Isthereanythingelse,Mr.Bolton? Ms.Gardner,Icantreatthemarriageregistrationtomorrowasajokeonyourpart.
Sothatswhyhewas here.Ofcourse.Afterall,theoriginalownerofthisbodyhadbeensodesperatetoavoidmarryinghimthatshehadattemptedsuicide.Then,outofnowhere,sheddecidedshewantedtogothroughwiththewedding.Anyonewouldfindthatsuspicious.
Itookadeliberatestepclosertohim,andproppedmyhandsonthearmrests ofthewheelchair,peeringathimfromabove.Mr.Bolton,youhavesomeoneyoulove,dontyou? Hedidntdenyit.Hisanswerwassimpleanddirect.Yes.
Isaidwithaknowingsmile.Ithoughtso,becauseyoucantbewithher,itdoesntmattertoyou.marry,right? Right.
whoyou Well,thatworksperfectlyforme.Mr.Bolton,ImonlyagreeingtomarryyoubecauseIwantamorecomfortablelife.Youveseenitforyourself,thingsarentexactlygreatformein theGardners.
IdidntknowtheGardnerssspecificsituationyet.However,judging fromthefactthattheoriginalownerofthisbodyhadbeenpushedtosuicide,Icouldmakeaprettygoodguess.
Theflickerinhisexpressionconfirmedmysuspicions.Iwasright! Iletmylipscurveintoaslightsmirk.Wecantreatthismarriageasatransaction.YougivemethestabilityandfreedomIneed,andinreturn,mystatusasyourwifecanofferyousomebusinessresources.IllplaymyroleasMrs.Boltonperfectly.Whatdoyouthink ? 1/4 20:02Sat,Dec 7 Chapter98MyFirstMeetingwithLukeBoonAfterRebirth +10FreeCoins Hispupilsdilatedslightly,andforamoment,helookedgenuinelysurprisedthatIwouldsuggestsomethinglikethis.
Oureyesmet,andIheldhisgaze,myexpressioncalmandsincere.
Afteralongsilence,hefinallybrokeit.Tomorrowmorning,Illcometopickyouup.IhopeMs.Gardnerdoesntgobackon herword.
Iknewthat Ihadwonthegamble..
Ireleasedthearmrests,mylipscurlingintoasoftsmile.Theroadsareslipperyandthenightscold.Takecareonyourway back,Mr.Bolton.
Cartersfacedarkenedabruptlyatmysmile.Thenheturnedhis wheelchairandleft.
Whenheleft,Damiancastmeastrange,lingeringglance.
Itouchedanyface,puzzled.Istheresomethingwrongwithmyappearance? Idontthinkso.Mymotherisstunninglybeautifuland gentle.Nottomentionthatthisfacebearssomeresemblancetomyoriginalone.
Thinkingaboutit,Irealizedthatinthechaotichourssincemyrebirth,IdbeensobusyreactingtoeverythingthatIhadnteventakenaproperlookatmyself.
Backinthehospitalroom,Imademywaytothebathroom.Standinginfrontofthemirror,IfrozethemomentIsawmyreflection.
Thefacestaringbackatmewasstrikinglysimilartomyoriginalface,withatleastan80percent resemblance.Myoriginalcomplexionhadbeenfair,butthisbodysskinwasghostlypale asifsunlighthadneveroncetoucheditinayear.
Thefeaturesweredelicate,almostdolllike,withasmallredmolenestledbetweenthebrows.
Thisfacelookedyoungerthanminehad,exudingayouthfulinnocence,almostlikeahighschoolers.Still,ifIwasoldenoughtomarry,Ihadtobeoflegalage.ThisfacejustmademelookyoungerthanIwas.

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Perhapstherecentsuicideattempthadleftitsmark.Herfacelookedverysick.
NowonderCarterlookedatme sostrangely.Anyonewouldfeeluneasybringinghomeabridewholookedlikeayoungerversionoftheirnephewswife.
Ididntmindthisface.Iquitelikedit.Itwasntjusttheresemblancetomyformerself;itwasalsothewayitfeltlikeseeingayoungerversionofme,fullofpossibilities.
Backthen,thegreatestregretofmylifehadbeenwastingthebestyearsofmyyouthonLuke,thatungratefulbastrd.
Thadlivedmostofmyshortlifeforhim,pouringeverythingIhadintoalovethatleftmebatteredandbroken.Evenwhenheshatteredme,IclungstubbornlytothetatteredremnantsofwhatIthoughtwas.
affection.
Lookingbacknow,IrealizedhowfoolishIhadbeen.
2/4 2005Sat,Dec Chapter93MyFirstMeetingwithLukeBoltonAfterRebirth Thissecondchancewasagiftfromtheheavens,andIwasdeterminedtolivethislifewell.
Emma,areyouhungry!Iwenthomeandmadeallyourfavoritedishes.Mymothersgentlevoicedriftedinfromthedoorway,filledwithwarmthIhadntfeltin years Iturnedbacktothemirrorandsmiledfaintlyatthegirlreflectedthere.
EmmaGardner,Illlivethis lifeforyou Philippagavemethemotherlyaffectionthathadbeenmissingformanyyears,andItooka biggulpoftheporridgeshehadprepared,savoringitswarmthandflavor.
Slowdown,sillychild.Dontrushoryoullchoke.Theresmoreifyouwantit.Ifyoulikeitthismuch.Illmakeitforyoueveryday,shechided,hervoicefilledwithaffection Myheartachedfaintlyasmemoriessurfaced.WhenIgotacoldorafeverandcouldntgetoutofbed,allIwantedwasmymotherscooking shewouldalwaysbebyAnnasside,accusingmeoffakingmyillnesstogetattention EvenwhenIsufferedamiscarriage.Inevertoldher.Ihadgrown usedtobeingalone,enduringeverythinginsilence.
Now,withsomeonegenuinelycaringforme,Ifeltalumprisinginmythroat.Tearsshimmeredinmyeyes,catchingmeoffguard.
AlthoughIhadntspentmuchtimewithPhilippayet,theoriginalemotionsthisbodycarriedforhermadeiteasytoaccept herasmymother.Icoulddeeplyempathizewiththeaffectionthisversionofmefeltforber.
Thankyou.Mom.Iloveyourcookingthemost.Isaidwithabright,genuinesmile.
Goodgirlsherepliedhervoicesoftwithwarmth Thatnight,shestayedbymyside,chattingwithme forhours.Forthefirsttime.Itrulyopenedmyhearttosomeone,treatingherasmyownmother.ItwasasIhadreturnedtomychildhood,nestledinamothersembrace,sharingstoriesandthoughtswithouthesitation OnceshewascertainIwasmarryingofmyownwillshegentlystrokedmyhairandsmiled.Alright,aslongasitssomethingEmmawants.Momwill alwayssupportyou.Butifheeverdarestobullyyou.Iwontlethimoff.
Okay.
Onthefirstnightofmyrebirth.Ishouldhavebeenplaguedwithanxietyanduncertainty.Yet,wrappedinmymothersarms.Isleptpeacefully.
Thenextmorningmymotherdressedmeup.
Marriageisabigeventshesaid,carefullybrushingmyhair.YoushouldlookradiantandjoyfulMycomplexionwasnaturallypale,sosheaddedalighttouchofblush andlipsticksobrightenmyface 3/4 20:02Sat,Dec7D Chapter93MyFirstMeetingwithLukeBoltonAfterRebirth Itsnicetobeyoung! 410FreeComm Thereflectioninthemirrorlookedstummingwithjusthintofcolor.Theredmolebetweenmybrowsaddedanetherealqualitytomyappearance, makingmelookalmostotherworldly.
Atexactly7:40AM,Carterarrived.WhenIopenedthedoorandhiseyesfellonme,Icaughtafleetingtraceofastonishmentinhisgaze .
IsmiledatDamian.Illdoitmyself.Illhave togetusedtothissoonerorlater.
Damiansteppedaside,allowingmetotakeoverpushingthewheelchair.
Whenwereachedtheparkinglot,Damianandthedrivermovedtolift Carterintothe car,butafamiliarvoicerangoutfrombehindus,UncleCarter.
Thevoicemademyexpressioninstantlyturncold.Mygriponthewheelchairtightenedas furybubbledupinsideme.
Myheartspatoutthenamewithbitteranger.Luke.
Ihadntexpectedtomeethimthisquickly.