All Chapters of Rebirth: In the arms of my Ex's Uncle : Chapter 1 - Chapter 4

The heat of the oven hit my face with a vengeance as I pulled out the chicken that I had spent the entire day preparing. It was seasoned to perfection. I placed it on the kitchen counter and finally took a breath as I wiped my brow. I had finished with today's dinner. Now, I could rest—"Vivian!" Clarissa, my mother-in-law, screamed, making my pulse jump.I ran to where she sat in front of the television."Yes?" I asked.Her cold eyes fell on me, a scowl on her lips. She pushed a plate in my direction. "I need more pie," she said. "It's a bit overbaked, but there's nothing else to eat around here."I picked up the plate and made a beeline back to the kitchen. My heart sank when I saw what was left of the pie. Nothing. Just then, Diane, my sister-in-law, entered the kitchen with another plate and placed it on the counter instead of in the sink."You finished the pie?" I asked.Her gaze hardened. "And? Who told you not to make enough?"She didn’t even give me a chance to speak before sh

I stood at the ATM, my fingers trembling slightly as I inserted my card. The machine whirred, the screen flashing before delivering a message that felt like a punch to my gut:Transaction Declined.I tried again, but the same message popped up. My heart sank, frustration and panic rising in my chest. Of course, Luca had frozen my account. He wouldn’t make it easy for me to leave. He’d make sure I had nothing.I clenched my fists, resisting the urge to scream in the middle of the bank. Fine, I thought. I didn’t need his money.I hurried outside, grabbing my suitcase and walking toward the nearest hotel. I had stashed some cash inside the lining of my suitcase—a lesson I’d learned long ago in case of emergencies. Luca didn’t know about it, and it would be enough to cover me for a few days.The hotel lobby was quiet, and I wasted no time booking a room. The receptionist didn’t ask too many questions, and soon enough, I was alone, sitting on the edge of the bed, my suitcase open in front