After Rebirth She Strikes Back (Simone) novel Chapter 2

Chapter 2

After leaving, Simone made her way to the Irwin Group’s office, dragging her suitcase behind her.

In her past life, she’d stumbled upon the truth about her real father from Norah–that he was Cyrus Irwin. Back then, she’d already given up on the idea of family and never considered tracking him down. But now, still underage, she needed a guardian.

The Irwin Group’s security was notoriously strict; no one got in without an appointment. Knowing this, Simone simply settled down to wait outside the gates.

As the night grew darker, the guards initially tried to shoo her away. But seeing her just sitting there, they eventually left her be.

Simone sat there, lost in her thoughts, watching the people come and go. Then, a shrill scream pierced the air, followed by a thud that jolted her back to reality.

“Mr. Irwin, I’m sorry. Please, have mercy! They forced me! If I didn’t hand over the project files, they’d kill my son,” a middle–aged man sat there, shouting frantically and looking disheveled.

“What are you talking about, Mark? When did I ever make things difficult for you?” Cyrus, standing before him, smiled, but his eyes were cold and distant.

JMr. Irwin… I’m so sorry. I’ll never cross you again. I’ll do anything to make it right, even at the price of my life. Please, spare my family!” Mark begged, his voice trembling with desperation.

But Cyrus didn’t seem to waver. His gaze was cold and dismissive, as if he were looking down at some low creature. “Whatever. You should have thought about the consequences when you betrayed me.”

Mark’s heart sank, and in a burst of anger, he shouted, “Cyrus, you’re a monster! You’ll get what’s coming to you! Your own children will suffer because of you!”

“I don’t want children,” Cyrus replied, waving his hand dismissively. “He’s making too much noise. Get rid of him.”

At his command, the bodyguards hauled Mark away without a second glance.

All this sent a shiver down Simone’s spine. She’d seen Cyrus’s sharply chiseled features countless times on the financial news in her past life. At 37, he was more striking than any movie star, untouched by the passage of time.

Simone’s eyes locked onto his broad shoulders ahead. She gritted her teeth and quickened her pace. “Cyrus!” she called out, her voice soft yet tinged with a youthful earnestness.

Cyrus turned to see her. She was dressed in ordinary clothes, but her beauty was striking. Cyrus had met plenty of pretty girls, but this one took his breath away–she was definitely an unforgettable stunner.

But her pretty face didn’t change the fact that he had zero patience for kids. Cyrus frowned slightly and asked coldly, “What do you want?”

Simone looked him straight in the eye and said calmly, “My name’s Simone. I’m your daughter.”

Cyrus’s face darkened at the word, a flicker of irritation in his eyes. ‘Another scammer,‘ he thought.

He replied curtly, “I’m not even married. How could I have a daughter your age?”

Simone didn’t flinch. “I’m not lying. I really am your daughter. You can take me for a DNA test if you need proof.”

Cyrus studied her, his mind drifting for a moment. Those eyes… They look so familiar!

But his brief moment of distraction faded quickly. His gaze sharpened. “Who sent you?”

The cold intensity in his eyes felt like a punch to Simone’s gut. The sparkle in her eyes faded. “No one sent

truth.”

” she replied calmly. “I’m telling the

Since he seemed unmoved, Simone quickly added, “And I can take care of myself. I don’t need you to support me.”

She never expected Cyrus to take care of her anyway. To her, he was just the quickest way out of the Spence family’s shadow.

Calming herself, she switched to a more businesslike tone. “The Irwin Group’s been working on that Al medical assistant for five years now, and it’s

still nowhere.”

Cyrus’s expression shifted. The AI project was the group’s most closely guarded secret, never disclosed to the public. Every prototype had failed- information only the core executives knew. He looked at her with growing suspicion. “How do you know about this?”

Simone met his gaze steadily, not revealing that it was mostly a guess. Years of experience in her past life had honed her instincts.

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Seeing his wavering resolve, she added, “I’ve got the patent for this project and you’ll like it. You know, I can give it to you.”

Shock flickered in Cyrus’s eyes, but he quickly dismissed it. He must be imagining things–this was just a schoolgirl. The idea seemed ridiculous. ‘She’s just a kid,‘ he thought. ‘Probably overheard something from someone who couldn’t keep their mouth shut.’

Cyrus chuckled at his momentary gullibility. “Shouldn’t you be doing homework instead of playing corporate spy?”

“My time is too valuable for this,” Simone said, her voice flat. At that moment, she realized he’d never believed her. After a long, heavy silence, determination flickered in her eyes. “If you won’t trust me, maybe your family will.”

“Threatening me?” Cyrus scoffed, a cold laugh escaping his lips. In his thirty–odd years, no one had ever dared to threaten him–certainly not some naive little girl.

Cyrus knew Graham, the patriarch as well as his father, cared only about profit. The AI medical assistant project was his obsession. Blood meant nothing–this technology alone would make Graham keep Simone around.

‘She’s clearly done her research on the family. Cyrus studied her face, his gaze sharpening. ‘Not bad.’

His assistant, Christian Harrison, stood by, holding his breath. He’d never seen anyone–let alone a young girl–dare to threaten Cyrus. He silently hoped his boss would show some mercy.

“So what if I am?” Simone retorted, her voice steady. Her upbringing had taught her one thing: in the fight to survive, kindness got her nowhere.

Her clear eyes locked onto his, and Cyrus felt a sharp pain in his chest again. This uncontrollable reaction irritated him. He’d been dealing with these mysterious chest pains for weeks, but every hospital test came back clear.

He glared at her, impatient. “Do you know what happens to people who cross me? If you want to live, you’d better run.”

Rain began to fall, and Simone stood there, drenched, staring at Cyrus under the umbrella. Her soaked state only highlighted her desperation. She knew she had nothing–and if Cyrus wanted her gone, she’d be gone. Her life felt as insignificant as a speck of dust.

“Cyrus! Abandoning your child is a crime!” Simone shouted, her voice cracking with anger. When he didn’t respond, she turned and walked into the rain. The day’s humiliations and rejections finally broke her, and her legs gave out as rain washed away her tears.

Watching her thin figure disappear into the rain, Cyrus’s chest ached worse than ever. Her defiant stare was hauntingly similar to the hopeless eyes from his dreams.

Christian glanced at her retreating back, feeling a pang of sympathy. “Mr. Irwin… You’re really just going to let her go like this?”

Cyrus winced, pressing a hand to his aching chest. “What do you want me to do?”

“It’s late,” Christian muttered. “Who knows what could happen to her out there?”

“Fine, follow her,” Cyrus said, waving his hand irritably. The strange tightness in his chest lingered.

Simone wandered into a 24–hour convenience store and collapsed into a chair by the window, staring out at the people passing by.