Rebirth Into My Second Chance

"Dr. Hilton..." With no other choice, I climbed out of the car, under the watchful eyes of Claude and Kate, and took the passenger seat.

Claude looked lost in thought, a trace of displeasure flickering across his face.

As I hastily moved to the passenger side, Max said, "I never told you my name."

That caught me off-guard.

Rubbing my head, I remained silent.

Max didn't press further.

"Just drop me off nearby, I can walk to school from there," I suggested, thinking it would be a good opportunity to ask my advisor about an internship. Without much ado, Max actually pulled over and let me out.

Watching his car drive away without hesitation, I breathed a sigh of relief, wondering how I was going to explain knowing his name.

Lost in thought, I approached the school gates.

There was Claude, standing at the entrance once again, but this time, Kate wasn't by his side.

I couldn't believe how often he'd appeared in my life just from last night to now, seeking me out personally for the third time.

He spotted me, his long legs carrying him quickly in my direction, and without a word, he pulled me into his car.

"Claude, what are you doing?"

in my body was about to

home. My mom

I instinctively resisted. But a stern look from him silenced me, "You want your parents' ashes, don't you? Well, mess up and you can forget

blow from Claude, using

listen to you, you'll give me my parents' ashes? I

deadline? Claire Floyd, since when did

was referring

over me riding with

You should give me my parents' ashes by

had never spoken to him

on the brakes

"Get out."

was unpredictable, but the moment he demanded I leave,

him calling his assistant, "Find out

he looking

to me since he's a lawyer,

But what spot?

enough, when I reached the school and met with my professor, he regretfully informed me, "You've been absent a lot recently, so the scholarship spot has been

to make sure I didn't get that

my fists but said

as he handed