After Rebirth, I Ruined Them All

SARAH

The man shuddered violently in his grip.

My lungs constricted as I stepped into the scene, my eyes widening.

"How did you let her walk out of this house?" His voice was the coldest I had ever heard. His eyes were shadowed... deeper than last night. Even though I was steps away from him, I could feel the dangerous and frightening aura oozing from him.

"Knox, do you want to kill a man?" I inquired, still unable to shake off the shock.

I was rethinking whether the rumor about him was actually true. The thought of its possibility sent a cold rush over me.

The moment our eyes met, he flung the man aside and rushed to my side. With uneven breaths, he pulled me closer, wrapping his arms around me.

My body tightened at the sudden action.

What is he doing? Why was the whole mansion weirdly quiet? He didn't lose control just because I wasn't in sight... right?

I chuckled.

No fucking way on earth. That was impossible. What was I even thinking?

He broke the hug and placed both hands on my shoulders. "Why aren't you in your room? I looked for you everywhere but couldn't find you." His breathing was erratic.

"Well, you didn't look in the kitchen," I responded, shrugging. "I was in the kitchen... making breakfast for you," I added with a smile.

His gaze shifted above my shoulders, and Jane's voice reverberated almost immediately.

"I tried to stop her, but she wouldn't listen to-"

He didn't let her finish. He lifted me off the ground into his arms and started walking toward the stairs.

I was stunned. Our proximity made his fury more evident and his presence more terrifying. I couldn't utter a word.

When we got into the bedroom, he put me on the bed and towered over me. Our gazes clashed, searching for something neither of us could name. In my case, I thought I could understand Knox for a second, but it turned out to be a dream.

He was unreadable-cold and distant, yet I could feel that there was an inner conflict within him.

"You're not here to work, little girl," he deadpanned.

I chuckled. "I wasn't working." I grabbed his arm. "I was just trying to make breakfast for you..."

"That's it," he cut in sharply. "That's exactly what I'm telling you not to do. You don't need to lift a finger whenever you are in my house." His voice was high and laced with frustration. "You are my woman, not a maid." He took my hands. "You belong beside me, not in the kitchen."

My brows raised, and my ears instantly turned crimson when he referred to me as his woman. If it were in my past life, I would have cursed him and rejected it, but hearing it in this life sounded weirdly good and addictive.

I almost begged him to repeat that statement.

But hell no. Where is my pride? My ego?

Stifling a laugh, I sat up straight and wrapped my arms around his lean neck. "You don't have to be so serious about this, Knox," I said, smiling. "It's just cooking. It's not like I lifted a truck," I added with a pout.

Despite my explanation, his expression didn't change. He stared at me like I was some sort of clown.

Oh God! Those stares almost made me vanish. I guess he was extremely angry, even though I had no idea why.

"Okay... okay," I raised my hands in defeat. "I'm not going to cook..." I mumbled. "For now," I added, flashing a quick smile before he responded, raising three fingers in a scout's honor.

He didn't react for several seconds. Later, he scoffed and stood straight.

"The engagement team will be here in a few minutes to get you ready for the day." His voice was soft, an indication that his anger had diminished. The air felt lighter-finally breathable, unlike minutes ago.

"Okay, Knox," I responded, nodding.

Still, he hadn't averted his gaze from me. He stared like I was some treasure he was guarding. After what seemed like forever, he exhaled and exited the room.

Although he didn't say a word, his silence spoke loudly. He didn't trust me. He thought I was playing him. He thought Gerald and his family sent me to him.

I knew gaining his trust wouldn't be easy, so I didn't let his reaction get to me. If I wanted sweet revenge, I needed to work hard for it.

Minutes later, the engagement team arrived with dresses, jewelry, shoes, bags, and a makeup artist. There was literally everything I needed and more in my room.

Standing, I scanned the room without blinking. They must be worth a fortune.

Soon, they got to work. While one person was fixing my nails, another was doing my hair, and another was working on my face. Despite having multiple people working on me at the same time, I didn't feel any discomfort because of their professionalism.

"Mr. Brown will surely be knocked off his feet tonight," the head of the team exclaimed as soon as I did my reveal after my final dressing.

My eyes caught my reflection in the vanity. For a second, I couldn't recognize who that woman was. I was different. I could see it clearly; I now had what I lacked in my previous life-confidence and self-love.

Afterward, the team packed up and left the room, leaving me alone. As the clock ticked, I moved nearer to the beginning of my fate. The engagement marked the beginning of my downfall in my previous life. Now, I was about to do the same thing, but with a different intention. Would that change my fate and make me win? Would that be enough to rewrite my story?

A knock on the door dragged me out of my thoughts. When I turned, I found Jane standing by the door. She was equally astounded, and a satisfied smile tugged at her lips.

"The boss said it is time," she finally said after swallowing her shock.

With a smile, I gave a sharp nod.

A loud breath escaped my lungs as I turned and headed outside.

When I got downstairs, Knox turned at the same time, and for a few seconds, he gaped. His Adam's apple stilled as though he found it hard to swallow. His eyes scanned me from head to toe, sparkling with admiration and a sense of pride.

"I didn't make a mistake choosing you, Sarah," he muttered, his eyes still on my dress, especially the slit. "You are damn beautiful, little girl," he complimented. "More than anyone in this world."

Heat crawled to my face.

I lowered my head and smiled shyly.

I knew I looked beautiful, but wasn't that a stretch? More beautiful than everyone in the whole wide world?

He walked to my side and stretched forth his hand. "Ready for our first step to forever?"

Peering into his gaze, I saw sincerity and excitement. Stifling a giggle, I pursed my lips and nodded. I took his hand, and we stepped outside.

The engagement had already started by the time we arrived. The host was saying something, but I couldn't grasp it because my mind was running wild. I didn't know what to expect.

I don't care about Gerald and Amara.

I'm more concerned about what my parents would think and whether they would give their approval.

"Let's welcome the couple as they come forward," the host announced.

My grip on Knox's arm tightened as we walked forward. He noticed how stiff I became and placed his other hand over mine, patting it softly. For someone who rarely smiled, he did it to ease my tension.

"Don't say a word. Let me handle things," he whispered, enough to calm me.

As my anxiety eased, I finally noticed the murmurs spreading across the hall.

And just like that... the real show began.