Rebirth: Love me Again

[EVE]

"A family magazine?" I asked Sinclair over breakfast, doing my best to ignore Cole sitting right next to me.

"The shoot is a week from now," Sinclair replied, sipping his tea calmly.

"Should we really be doing that right now? Especially after Sophie's birthday party fiasco?" I frowned, the memory of that disaster still fresh.

"This was planned months ago for next year's edition," Sinclair explained, sounding completely unfazed.

So it was already set in stone. Canceling now would mean penalties and extra fees. Great.

And who wanted to cancel their appointment with Élysée Luxe? It often took years for other families to be featured in its prestigious pages.

The magazine selected its next feature, and those weren't in the schedule found themselves in a long line of eager contenders, all vying for the chance to shine in the spotlight.

Élysée Luxe was a prestigious luxury lifestyle magazine known for its exquisite photography and curated content on family, fashion, travel, and design.

Being featured in its pages was regarded as the highest honor and a symbol of success, as it elevates the status of individuals and brands, connecting them with an elite audience of trendsetters and influencers in the luxury market.

"And besides, any publicity is good publicity these days, no matter what," Sinclair added with a casual shrug.

"But I'm not even related by blood," I pointed out. "I shouldn't be in it."

Before I could say more, Cole casually dropped a hotdog onto my plate. I glared at him, ready to return it when Victor did the exact same thing, placing another hotdog beside it.

Now the two of them were competing, piling food onto my plate like it was some weird contest.

"

Enough

!" I hissed, narrowing my eyes at both of them. "I don't need this many hotdogs!"

"You should eat more. You're too skinny," Cole said, matter-of-factly.

I rolled my eyes at him. "Oh, really? Wait, let me dig deep for my . . . 'care-about-your-opinion' attitude." I dramatically looked around. "Nope, can't find it."

Victor, ignoring our banter, chimed in, "Eve, there's a new restaurant in town. Maybe I could pick you up later and we could try it out? Might be worth an investment."

"I've got a full day of classes, so I'll have to pass. Cafeteria food for me this time," I said, stabbing a piece of my breakfast with a fork.

"Maybe some other time?" Victor persisted.

"I'll let you know," I replied, giving him a half-smile, though I wasn't making any promises.

My hands were full at the moment.

"Anyway, back to the topic at hand," Sinclair cut in, obviously not interested in our back-and-forth. "Clear your schedule for next week. You'll need the whole day."

"Do I really have to come?" I asked, still not thrilled about the idea. The birthday party fiasco was too recent, and now we were jumping into another event with Sullivan and the others. Didn't seem like the best plan.

"You're officially adopted now," Sinclair reminded me, his tone more firm. "Bloodline or not, you need to show up. Otherwise, it'll just stir up more rumors."

Well, that was that. It was part of the deal for keeping me safe while my business was still in its early stages. I sighed, resigned to my fate.

"Fine," I muttered, poking at the pile of hotdogs on my plate.

I didn't even have the energy to argue with Cole, nor did I care to pay attention to whatever Victor was saying.

I had too much on my plate, and wasting time on these two wasn't in my plans. Let them bicker all they want—for all I care, they could fight it out while I focus on what really matters.

=== 🤍 ===

On the way to school, I didn't even have the energy to argue when Cole insisted we take the same car. He was impossible to shake, especially when he threw in the whole

"it's for your safety"

argument, completely ignoring my glares and sharp remarks.

My mind was too occupied to deal with him this late in the morning, so I just slid into the backseat with him beside me, while Zen took the front next to the driver.

Without another word, the car headed toward my school.

"Don't you have school?" I asked, my eyes glued to my phone.

"I finished the last six months of coursework through a special project, so I'm all set," Cole replied coolly.

Of course, he did.

Must be nice to be both influential

and

a genius, breezing through school like that. I wish I could do the same, I thought with a sigh.

Maybe I won't even bother with college—just take up a few short courses.

Honestly, with all the investments I've got lined up, do I really need to go?

I could just finish senior high and then dive straight into managing my business ventures full-time. That sounds like a better use of my time anyway.

"Don't you have some business stuff to attend to?" I muttered, still scrolling.

"I can multitask while guarding you."

Of course, you can.

I shot him a glare. "So, are you planning to go to school with me?"

"That's the plan."

I stared at him, my eyes wide. "Are you nuts? Don't you realize how popular you are? The gossip will be insane! What will people think when they find out you're my bodyguard?"

Cole raised an eyebrow and casually put on a mask and sunglasses. "No one's going to recognize me with this on."

I gave him a look that could melt steel. "You seriously think a pair of sunglasses and a mask will work? You're like six-foot-something and built like a Greek god. People will figure it out!"

Cole grinned behind his mask, clearly amused. "So, you think I'm a god?"

Heat rushed to my face as I realized my slip-up, but I tried to play it cool. "What? Isn't that what everyone's saying about you? Anyway, that disguise isn't fooling anyone!"

I shot him a pointed look, hoping to shift the conversation. Find exclusive content at empire

"Guess we'll find out, won't we?"

I groaned, slumping back in my seat. "This is going to be a disaster."

"Don't worry. I'll blend in," he said, leaning back like we were on a casual trip to the mall.

"Sure you will," I muttered, already dreading the day.