All Chapters of REBIRTH: MY EX HUSBAND WANTS A SECOND CHANCE : Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

The tension in the civil affairs bureau was quite thick. A young couple stood at the counter, signing their marriage papers, while a handful of relatives beamed with joy at the union. Autumn kept her gaze averted from the bride, not wanting her glance to betray the bitterness she felt. She had been married once herself, and seeing the bride in that simple white dress, smiling blissfully in her husband’s arms, stirred old memories she’d rather forget.Why couldn't the couple marry in a church? She knew they likely had their reasons, though deep down, she realized she was projecting her own insecurities onto them. Her own wedding had also taken place in court—not because money was an issue, as might be the case for these newlyweds, but because Ivan had insisted on avoiding anything extravagant. Besides, the circumstances that led them to marry were far from idyllic, laced with their own kind of scandal, and a quiet ceremony seemed like the only option.It stung to remember that in her p

Autumn sat on the cold, sterile bench, her hands clasped tightly as she waited for her bail to be posted. She tried to piece together fragments of the interrogation, the detectives overwhelming her with questions, barely giving her a chance to breathe. She bit her lip, wondering who could have set her up. Was it Maverick, Dexter, or Iris? She strained to recall anything from the investigation, but the officers had given her no clues, only escorting her back to her cell afterward."Mrs. Ashton, your bail has been paid. You're lucky," a police officer muttered, his tone clipped as Autumn rose from the bench. It hadn’t even been an hour since the questioning ended. The cell doors creaked open, and Autumn stepped out, meeting the officer's unimpressed stare."It’s Miss Dawson,” she corrected. The officer rolled his eyes, and she followed him through the hallway, toward the lobby, where Derek was signing some documents. A small smirk formed on her lips as he put the pen down and turned to

A wedding dress—it had to be a wedding dress. Autumn scrunched her nose as she took in the sight of Iris draped in layers of white satin and lace. Iris’s face was alight with a triumphant smile, basking in the extravagance of her gown. She looked entirely out of place, like a misplaced bride, but that didn’t matter to her. She was getting exactly what she wanted: attention. Still, did she have to demand that kind of attention—at Alexander Fraser’s funeral, of all places? Everyone else wore black in solemn respect for the late Alexander Fraser, but Iris stood there in a cloud of white, aware of the stares drilling into her from all sides. Iris didn’t seem to care; in fact, her smile only grew as Autumn walked into the room alone, dressed in a simple, somber black. The crowd’s gaze shifted from Iris to Autumn, but Iris held her head high, striding over to her sister with an exaggerated smile. “You’re late, don’t you think?” Iris's voice rang out, just loud enough to ensure it carried

The room was quiet, well, not truly silent if you counted the sound of Derek chewing at the dining table. He was chewing awkwardly, almost cringing at the emptiness in the air. With everything going on in the investigation about the embezzlement, he’d thought it would be a nice break to share dinner with Autumn, a rare opportunity to sit together. But now, faced with the reality of the moment, she was... well, distant.Derek stole glances at her, hoping she might finally meet his gaze, acknowledge him—even if just for a moment. Instead, Autumn stared straight ahead, as if lost in some infinite void beyond the room. Her spoon lay untouched on her plate.‘Did she find something out about Charlie? Or does her sister have something to do with it?’ Derek wondered, concern growing. He put down his spoon and gently reached across the table, placing his hand over hers.“How was the funeral?” he asked softly.Autumn flinched, her face instantly pale. For a split second, she seemed confused, as

He lifted a hand to her cheek, pinching it playfully. “I embezzled your money so I could marry Elliot Fraser,” he mocked, his voice dripping with a diabolical sarcasm, like a dying rat’s last squeak. She squirmed, her head turning in irritation, but his grip only tightened.“I love you, Autumn,” Derek said, his voice softening. “You don’t need to say it now. Just… let me show you how much I can love you.” Before she could answer, a sudden bright light appeared down the road.“Charlie?” Autumn muttered, squinting at the oncoming headlights. But the car revved louder, speeding directly toward them. Derek reacted instantly, grabbing Autumn’s hand and pulling her with him as they sprinted for his car. But the headlights closed in, the roar of the engine growing louder. Derek, realizing they wouldn’t make it, pushed Autumn aside just as the car struck him.“DEREK!” Autumn’s scream shattered the night as she watched him fly through the air before hitting the ground with a sickening thud. Th