Even after Her Death by Rita Bond

Chapter 484 His Focus

The frames of his glasses gleamed under the light, their edges catching and reflecting a cold brilliance. Behind them, his eyes held a weighty depth, calm yet piercing; impossible to decipher.

When our gazes locked, a shiver ran through me. My defenses, carefully built and painstakingly maintained, fell apart in an instant.

There was no hiding from him. He saw through everything.

"You weaseled that answer out of me."

"I thought we were friends."

His expression barely shifted, yet there was a flicker of something that looked like disappointment. "In half a year," he began, his tone heavier now, "not once did you reach out. Not one message, not a single call either."

I glanced toward the door and realized he had closed it quietly; leaving me no chances to escape.

"When did you figure it out?" I asked, my voice quieter than I intended.

"Chloe," he said, almost incredulous, "I was your therapist for years. Did you honestly believe you could pull this off without me noticing? Why do you think I went along with exposing Anna as a fraud? Do o you think I have nothing better to do?" "Then why pretend not to recognize me?" I shot back, though my voice lacked conviction.

"At first, I thought it was too far-fetched to be real," he admitted, his tone measured. "I couldn't believe it. The idea was absurd. But the way you spoke, the way you moved-it all reminded me of you. Still, it wasn't enough. So, I started looking deeper. Over the last six months, I've traveled, gathered information, and connected the dots. Turns out, this sort of thing-souls switching bodies-is rare, but not unheard of."

I froze, caught between disbelief and resignation. A weak laugh slipped out despite myself. Leave it to Sergio to turn this into a full-blown investigation. I wouldn't have been surprised if he had charts, graphs, maybe even a presentation to back it all up.

"I dug into Zoey's history," he continued, his voice sharp yet deliberate. "Then I watched you at the competition. The shifts in your emotions, the way you reacted-it confirmed what I already suspected. The soul in that body doesn't belong there. But here's what really stings. Tell me, Chloe, if your friend hadn't needed therapy, would you have come back at all?"

"I... "The words caught in my throat. I didn't know what to say.

Back when the Sanders family and Luke had pushed me to the brink, Sergio had been my anchor. He helped me piece myself back together, one session at a time. He even stayed while I painted, offering quiet encouragement when I couldn't find my way. Most of those works were still with him, though I hadn't thought about them in years.

We were friends, yes. But the kind whose closeness faded over time, not the ones you'd share every secret with.

After

my rebirth, every step had been a calculated risk. Trusting anyone, even someone like Sergio, felt reckless.

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Chapter 484 His Focus

And announcing my return to the world? Impossible.

+8 Pearls

and moved closer, his footsteps deliberate. His gaze held a weight I hadn't seen before, as though Thad crossed an invisible line. There was no anger in his eyes, only something heavier, something personal. "Or maybe," he said, his voice low, almost a whisper, "I don't even qualify as a

I blurted.

busy." The excuse sounded feeble even to

with an intensity that made my skin prickle. A faint,

steady; a man of reason. But now, standing before me, he seemed different.

me. "I've been busy, okay? And think about it-my death wasn't exactly a quiet affair. If anyone finds out I'm alive, I might not stay that way

cut through my words, searching for cracks, for anything that didn't hold

he seemed to let his guard down. For a moment, he looked like the Sergio

said, his voice even,

you did for me. Back then, you gave me the strength

expression, casting a shadow across his face. "But I couldn't save you in the end. I failed

head. "What

respond, the door swung open. Whitney stood in the

said, her voice steady, "your methods don't seem

a mask of professionalism. He turned to her, his tone measured. "Then we'll need to try something

between us before settling on me. "Maybe if she stays with

laughed at the absurdity. Did she honestly think Sergio would hurt me? It felt more like an excuse to keep me under

to be my little sister, she

one.

didn't argue.

him into

to follow

my struggles and ready to face them. Whitney, though, was a different story. She refused to acknowledge she needed help

00 000

becam

attempted to hypnotize her, it a clash of wills. Whitney didn't just resist; she pushed back, trying to dismantle his techniques

This wasn't therapy.

It was a duel.

delicate, but her will was forged from something unyielding. Her whole self will was forged from something unyielding.

silent standoff, I decided to intervene. "Maybe we should grab some

we were mostly here for show,

arrange it. Ms. Sander, do

she replied

moment to relax." He

her eyes scanning the whole room. Once she was satisfied there were no cameras, she leaned closer and lowered her voice. "You shouldn't share so much about yourself. The more people know, the more power they have over you. That doctor isn't

knows who I am," I said, keeping my voice steady, though unease