Rebirth Into My Second Chance

Chapter 179

I arrived at the cemetery early, only to find the tombstone bore the names Clayton and Lenore, which were my parents' names. It didn't take long to figure out Max was behind this change.

Sure enough, as I turned around toward the cemetery's main gate, there he was. Dressed in a classic black suit, Max approached me with two bouquets. That was our first meeting since our last visit to the cemetery. His presence seemed to cue the staff to begin the interment as if they had been waiting for him. It appeared Max had orchestrated everything.

I managed a faint smile. I got a second chance at life, yet it seemed the only thing I'd leveraged was Max's influence. In all other aspects, I felt utterly powerless.

As Max stepped out of his car, rain began to pour. Instantly, his bodyguards took action, one holding an umbrella over him while another rushed to offer me shelter under another. I refused.

Max walked toward me, took the umbrella from his bodyguard, and held it high above my head, sheltering us both from the rain. Meanwhile, the bodyguards ensured the staff and the ashes remained dry.

The rain intensified, hastening the ceremony's conclusion. Once the funeral was over, Max and I stood side by side under the umbrella, exchanging no words.

Floyd, the ceremony is over," one of

past month?" Max

tersely, my voice

all, if he wanted

Tracey, knowing how easy it was for someone of his stature to manipulate someone like me. I was determined to take justice into my own hands. "Richard mentioned you moved," he tried to make

help but laugh. "Do you need Richard to tell you

that, I put on

holding the umbrella over me, until the Hilton family's driver

formality made me refuse the ride. Instead, I quickened my pace, got into my car, and drove off

in the rearview mirror, I

handed the umbrella back to the driver and got into his car. It was a stark reminder that no one would be your shelter forever, that perhaps from that moment

a way