Chapter 1 Rebirth and Return
Helena Lockwood's POV
"Go to hell!"
As Knox Pemberton's voice fell, he shoved me into the freezing seawater once again.
My hands flailed wildly at the surface. The salty water choked into my lungs, burning so badly I couldn't speak.
Why!
I screamed silently, my eyes filled with despair.
For three years, I was married to Knox, and in that time, I dedicated myself to his rise. I helped the Pemberton family carve out a place in Starwave City and ultimately secure their seat among the Noble Families.
Just when Knox had achieved success and risen to power, why did he want me dead?
The open sea was deathly silent. My cries were quickly swallowed by the roaring waves.
"Scream! Keep screaming! Let's see who'll come save you!"
Knox's wild laughter was like poison seeping into my bones.
"You know why I brought you here, don't you?"
"This is the open sea. No matter how loud you scream, nobody's coming to save you."
"Helena, I've waited so long for this day. But finally, it's here."
I struggled with all my might, shouting. "Why are you doing this to me?"
"You want to know so badly? I might as well tell you."
Knox's eyes flashed with cruelty as his hand slowly tightened around my neck.
"I never loved you. No, I found even looking at you disgusting."
"Natasha and I were perfect for each other from the start. If you hadn't interfered, we wouldn't have been forced apart. I've waited ten years for this chance, and finally I'm getting what I want."
His words hit me like a plunge into a frozen abyss. "So you and Natasha's family have been scheming together all along. And my parents' deaths?"
"Bingo. Your parents' car accident was planned by all of us. Now let me send you to your death, so you can reunite with them in heaven."
"Don't blame me, Helena. Blame yourself for being blind enough to go after me!"
With Knox's wild laughter, my memories stopped in the vast, endless seawater.
"Helena, wait here for a moment. I'll go get the camera and take some photos of you with the ocean."
A man's voice instantly pulled me back. I jerked awake and looked around, only to find myself on a hotel balcony with the endless ocean behind me.
"Helena, I'll be quick, wait for me."
It was Knox's voice!
I broke out in a cold sweat.
The ocean, the hotel—had I been reborn?
"Helena, where did you put the camera?"
Knox's voice came from the bedroom next door. This time I finally believed it—I really had been reborn.
My blood instantly froze. I remembered everything Knox had done to me in my past life. Hatred surged through me.
I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms until they were bloody, but I felt no pain.
Knox, in my past life I gave everything for you, my money, my effort, willing to be the woman behind you. The moment you rose to success turned out to be my death sentence!
Three years of devotion, only to die a miserable death!
All the suffering you inflicted on me, I would make you pay back a thousand times over!
Now that I was reborn, I must avenge my past life!
With this thought, I ran to the door without hesitation, flung it open and rushed out.
"Helena, Helena, where are you going?"
Knox's voice came from behind me. Afraid he'd catch up, I didn't dare look back. I lifted my skirt and ran down the hotel corridor.
Luckily the hotel was big enough. After a few turns, I finally lost Knox.
Before I could catch my breath, Knox's voice rang out again behind me.
"Helena, where are you? Stop playing around, come out, okay?"
As Knox's voice got closer, I frantically knocked on a nearby guest room door.
The moment the door opened, I squeezed inside.
A click, the door closed, shutting out the sounds from outside.
"What's this, room service?"
A man's teasing voice sounded in my ear. I looked up, and all the blood in my body rushed to my head.
The man before me was naked except for a bath towel draped loosely around his waist, barely hanging on.
He must have just showered—water droplets rolled down from his wet hair, following the contours of his tanned skin, disappearing into the towel.
I closed my eyes and turned my head, my face flushing.
"So it's a sweet kitten who wandered into my room by mistake."
"Tell me, what are you doing in my room?"
As he spoke, he leaned closer. A fresh, clean scent swirled around my nose.
He lowered his head to my ear and took a deep breath. His warm fingers hooked under my chin, forcing me to look up.
"Or is Helena trying to throw herself at me? Are you tired of that Knox?"
Hearing my name, I looked up sharply, shocked to discover that the man before me was actually Atlas Lancaster!
Atlas was Starwave City's notorious playboy. Relying on his privileged background, he moved from woman to woman.
Once, a woman stood on top of a skyscraper threatening suicide over him. When she called Atlas, all she got was "I don't know her."
After that incident, his playboy reputation grew even stronger.
I knew him because he was Knox's business rival.
The media constantly compared them, from business to their private lives.
In my past life, I'd helped Knox steal plenty of Atlas's business. The two fought tooth and nail in the business world.
Unfortunately for Atlas, with my help, Knox always had the upper hand.
I never expected to accidentally barge into his room now.
"I—"
I'd just started to speak when a finger pressed against my lips.
Atlas's slender finger pressed against my red lips, making me flustered, unsure what he wanted to do.
I looked up to see his wicked grin.
"Don't speak. Let me guess."
Atlas deliberately drew out his words, his finger deliberately brushing against my lips.
My face flushed with embarrassment. Just as I tried to dodge, his low laugh sounded in my ear. "If you don't want me to kiss you, be good and don't move."
"You!"
I was extremely embarrassed, my eyes reddening as I cursed. "Pervert!"
Atlas laughed silently, his chest shaking, as if he quite enjoyed hearing that.
"Truly a sweet kitten—even your insults are unique."
"Do you know what other women call me?"
I turned my head away, my face red, stubbornly saying, "Don't want to know."
"That's okay, I'll tell you. Other women tell me to be gentler, more tender when I do it."
His teasing, suggestive words fell into my ear. With our closeness, my face grew even redder.
"Let me go!"
I pushed hard against him with both hands, but he didn't budge.
Instead, my hands landed on his muscular chest, making his narrow eyes fill with amusement.
"So eager?"
As Atlas spoke, he pulled me into his embrace.
I was instantly surrounded by an unfamiliar masculine scent—from a half-naked man at that!
In my past life, after three years of marriage with Knox, I was well familiar with what happened between men and women.
But now, held in Atlas's arms, my limbs went weak. I just wanted to escape quickly, to get far away from this dangerous Atlas.
"Let me go!"
To my surprise, this time Atlas obediently released me.
"You—"
I'd just started to speak when I suddenly heard violent knocking at the door.
"Helena, are you in there? Open the door!"
My expression changed drastically. It was Knox; he'd actually followed me here!