Rebirth: Love me Again

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BONUS

Chapter for reaching 50GT! Thank you all! 🤍]

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[COLE]

After his conversation with his sister and cousins, Cole was determined to take a different approach with Eve.

Estelle's words echoed in his mind—he needed to give Eve the space she needed and focus on being her protector, nothing more.

Every time he tried to push his way back into her heart, she pulled further away. But maybe, he thought, if he stepped back, things would change.

That morning, Cole expected Eve to be in class. But when he checked the hidden security indicator on her location, he was surprised to see that she was still in her condo.

A sense of unease settled over him. Something wasn't right.

He quickly accessed the security cameras in her condo, and his heart stopped when he saw her collapsed on the floor. She looked pale, unmoving, a sheen of sweat glistening on her brow.

"Eve!" The name escaped his lips, filled with fear and urgency. Panic surged through him as he bolted for his car.

The streets were clogged with morning traffic, and Cole cursed under his breath, tapping the steering wheel anxiously. He should have taken the helipad.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Wasting no time, he pulled out his phone and called her guards stationed in the next room. "Get to Eve's room right now. Check on her until I arrive," he commanded, his voice tense.

As soon as her guards confirmed, Cole dialed Zen. "Zen, get a clearance on every road from Willowborne Street to Heaven's Tower. I need an open path, now," he said, his words clipped and urgent.

"I'm on it." Zen was already moving, making calls to traffic coordinators and city contacts to clear the way.

Within minutes, Cole heard Zen's voice through his earpiece, "All clear. Roads are open for you."

Cole pressed down on the accelerator of his Porsche 911 Turbo, and the car roared to life, tearing down the streets.

Traffic lights flickered from green to red, stopping every cars but his, as he sped through the city in a straight shot to her building.

He barely registered the blurs of people and cars as he flew by. His heart pounded in his chest, every nerve alive with the need to reach her.

The moment he arrived at Heaven's Tower, he swung into the underground parking lot and tossed his keys to the valet without a word. He was out of the car and running before the valet had even processed what was happening.

Rushing to her room, Cole flung open the door and found Eve lying in her bed, pale but breathing. Standing beside her was No. 1, a statuesque woman with dark skin and long, snow-white hair tied back in sleek ponytails.

She met his gaze calmly, her expression unflinching as she reported the situation.

"Don't worry, young master. Miss Eve has a fever. We administered a mild fever reducer, so she should feel better soon," No. 1 said softly. "She will sweat heavily due to the medication, so she'll need water to stay hydrated. Should I prepare an IV drip?"

Cole took a steadying breath, fighting to keep his voice level. "No, I'll take care of it. You're dismissed."

No. 1 nodded and bowed before slipping silently from the room, leaving Cole alone with Eve.

Cole sank down in the chair beside her bed, his eyes never leaving her face. She looked so small, her cheeks flushed with fever, her chest rising and falling with shallow breaths.

All of his frustrations, all of his anger and confusion, melted away as he watched her. His hand itched to reach out and brush the damp hair from her forehead, but he held back, reluctant to disturb her.

For the first time, he allowed himself to simply be present with her. He didn't need to try and prove anything; he didn't need to fight for her attention.

Right now, all he wanted was to make sure she was safe, to keep watch over her until she opened her eyes again.

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, his gaze locked on her as if he could will her back to health.

"I'll wait as long as it takes," he whispered, his voice barely audible in the quiet room. "This time, I'll do it right."

Outside, the city pulsed with its usual chaos, but in that small room, time seemed to stand still as he sat by her side, determined not to leave until he knew she was well.

As Cole continued to watch over Eve, he found himself captivated by her delicate features.

He reached out almost unconsciously, his hand moving of its own accord as he gently brushed a stray strand of hair from her face. Her skin was soft beneath his fingertips, her beauty so effortlessly captivating that his usual restraint slipped away, moment by moment.

Without thinking, his fingers traced the graceful curve of her brow, the softness of her cheek, and down to the fullness of her lips. He lingered there, mesmerized by the quiet rise and fall of her breaths, the warmth radiating from her skin.

His heart pounded fiercely, each beat resonating through his chest as he leaned closer, unable to tear himself away from her.

She was so close now that he could feel the warmth of her breath against his face, soft and steady, and his eyelids grew heavy as he drifted closer still.

In this moment, nothing else existed—no responsibilities, no pretenses, just him and her.

His heart raced with a new kind of thrill, an unguarded vulnerability he hadn't allowed himself to feel before.

Just as he hovered inches from her lips, the reality of his actions jolted him back. He gasped, pulling back so abruptly that he covered his mouth, a mixture of shock and confusion swirling in his mind.

What was he doing?

What was he about to do?

He'd always prided himself on his control, on his ability to keep emotions at arm's length. And yet, here he was, caught entirely off guard, his heart betraying him with every beat.

A rush of thoughts flooded his mind. He'd convinced himself that he only wanted to restore their old friendship, to mend what had been broken between them.

But as he looked at her now, something in him finally acknowledged the truth he had been pushing away.

Maybe this was more than friendship. Maybe he had fallen for her—deeply, profoundly, in a way he'd never experienced before.

The feelings he held for his family couldn't compare to this. What he felt now was raw, unguarded, and terrifying, but oddly . . . so addicting.

Cole's gaze softened as he continued to watch Eve, a quiet realization settling over him.

There was no denying it anymore.

He was deeply, irrevocably in love with her, and for the first time, he understood the depth of his own heart.