After being reborn, I make up my mind to stop chasing after my husband and daughter

Right before everything went black, I think | hooked my arm around Edward's neck. That near-death feeling

scaredout of my mind.

When I finally cto, my assistant was sitting beside me, her face full of anxiety as she watched me.

| was lying on the club’s couch, feeling weak and drained, like all my strength had been taken away.

| was still wrapped in that iron-gray suit jacket-every bit of warmth | felt cfrom it.

“Thank God, Ms. Murphy, you're finally awake!” my assistant exclaimed, relief flooding her face.

| groggily sat up, and when the suit jacket slid off, | realized | was wearing different clothes.

The torn royal blue dress from earlier was neatly folded and placed next to me, and now | was in an elegant

black slip dress that felt expensive.

“Did you change my clothes?” | asked my assistant.

She shook her head. “No, when | cin, you were already lying on the couch. Then that handsguy had

someone cgetand toldto look after you. He said if you didn’t wake up soon, I should take you to the

hospital myself.”

| pressed my hand to my forehead, my head still spinning from the alcohol. Honestly, I'd only woken up because |

suddenly had to pee.

Without a word, | got up and headed for the bathroom in the private room.

“Ms. Murphy, are you sure you can walk? Do you needto help you?” my assistant asked, concern in her

voice.

“No, I'm good,” | replied, stepping into the bathroom. | stared at my reflection-my hair was a mess, and my lips

felt kind of numb.

Then | caught sight of my swollen lips, and my mind freaked out. ‘How did this even happen? Why are my lips all

puffy?‘ | thought.

| bit down a couple times-they were so squishy, like jelly, and honestly, it felt like one more bite and they'd split

and start bleeding. They were seriously

swollen.

Panic hithard. My lips were swollen, my clothes had been changed by someone else, and | immediately

checked the rest of my body, mentally cursing Edward to hell and back.

Thank God, nothing else was wrong.

When | cout of the bathroom, two female attendants entered. One of them, clearly the one in charge,

smiled and said, “Miss, we helped you change. Is there anything else you need?”

| stared at them. “Wait, you changed my clothes? Who told you to do that?”

“Mr. Jennings asked us to,” the manager replied with a polite smile.

Hearing that, | felt a weight lift off my shoulders. If it was them who changed my clothes, then it really wasn't a

big deal. | thanked them a couple of times and turned to my assistant.

Turning to her, | asked, “How long was | out?”

She glanced at her phone. “About ten minutes of so. When we were looking for

you in the hallway, it was 8:50, and now it’s just 9:07.”

Feeling completely drained, | slumped back onto the couch, emotionally numb. | asked my assistant to drive me

home.

Once | got home, the first thing | did was take a shower. | tossed the clothes I'd changed out of into a bag and

glanced at the suit jacket I'd brought back

with me.

Chapter 479

Then | pulled out my phone, scrolled through my chat app, and found Edward's contact.

| sent him a quick thank-you message.

But Edward didn’t reply.

! pressed my fingers hard against my temples, desperately trying to jog,my memory

for any details.

When ! saw Richie Wallace get beaten nearly to a pulp, honestly, | was scared out of my mind.

I'd been bottling up all that fear, and with the alcohol clouding my head and Edward’s words sending chills down

my spine, no wonder | blacked out.

| kept checking my phone, but Edward still hadn't replied.

Instead, Ryan senta message-a photo.

In the picture, he stood with his hands behind his back, dressed in a classic black-and-white shirt and suit. He

was strikingly handsand masculine- so much so that | couldn't help but stare, and for a moment, | actually

forgot to breathe.

Seriously, he was a sight for sore eyes.

| was zoning out, just staring at the photo, when Ryan senta voice message. “This is my work shot. Do I look

good?”

| shot back, “You look great.”

“I'm heading back to Shaville in a couple days to grab a few things,” Ryan said-he sounded pretty happy. “We

can finally meet up.”

After tonight, | honestly wanted to see Ryan now. | replied right away, “Sure, letknow when you're here.”

Then, out of nowhere, Ryan calledon video. | answered, and there he was, standing by a glass window with

the city lights shining behind him.

“Vic, am | bothering you? Hope I'm not interrupting your night,” he asked.

| looked into his bright eyes on the screen, turned the camera to show him my place, and said, “No, it’s only ten

o’clock. I just finished taking a shower.”

Ryan’s gaze stayed fixed on me, and he let out a soft sigh. “Ever since met you, now | know what it really means

to feel lonely.”

I gave a small smile and said, “Oh? Let's hear it.”

“I can’t really put it into words. Before, whenever | cback to Braylin, it always felt like hand I loved it

here. But now, all | want is to be wherever you are,” Ryan said, a hint of helplessness and grievance showing on

that devilishly handsface of his.

“Don’t let your mind wander. It’s not like we won't see each other again,” | said gently, trying to comfort him.

“I know, | won't make a fuss about it, but honestly, my feelings have changed,” Ryan furrowed his brows, looking

a bit troubled. “Is this what they call lovesickness in those romance ?”

I nodded. “Yeah, | guess so. It's not being alone that makes you lonely-it’s missing someone that does.”

“The

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