After Rebirth She Strikes Back (Simone) novel Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Simone glanced around discreetly. The villa’s gray–and–white decor was sleek and luxurious, every piece of furniture a masterpiece. The surfaces were almost bare, giving the place an untouched, pristine feel.

“Pick any room upstairs,” Cyrus said, gesturing toward the staircase. “Need anything, just ask Matthew the butler or Christian.” He had no intention of getting personally involved in raising her.

“Thanks,” Simone murmured, following him quietly. She was polite but distant, knowing that a loving father–daughter bond wasn’t in the cards for them. She didn’t hate Cyrus; she was just using him as a way out of the Spence family’s grip.

With that, Cyrus left with Christian, leaving Simone to settle in on her own.

The DNA test had confirmed Simone was Cyrus’s daughter, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t being manipulated. A flicker of something dark crossed Cyrus’s face. “Christian, dig up some dirt on her.”

Christian felt a pang of unease and thought, ‘She’s just a teenager, still so young and innocent. Is it too harsh on her?‘ He couldn’t help but speak up. “Mr. Irwin, she’s your daughter… Isn’t this a bit much?”

JAre you questioning my judgment?” Cyrus’s gaze was like a freeze, making Christian’s heart skip a beat. The look was a clear warning.

“Never, sir,” Christian muttered, feeling his pulse quicken. He already regretted speaking up. No one ever questioned Cyrus’s decisions. He must have been out of his mind.

“Get out,” Cyrus said, his voice colder now.

Christian wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and slunk out of the office.

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Simone was wandering through Serenity Estates, completely unaware of the stir she had caused.

The house was typically quiet and cold, so Matthew, the butler, was genuinely delighted when Cyrus brought home his own daughter. She looked so small and sweet that Matthew’s heart instantly softened. “Miss, if you need anything, just come find me,” he said warmly.

Simone nodded politely, picking up on his kindness. She asked casually, “Do you know when Cyrus… uh, Dad usually gets home?”

Matthew hesitated. Cyrus was a phantom–disappearing for months at a time was normal. He paused thoughtfully before speaking, “It’s hard to say. He’s rarely here. He works around the clock, and most nights, he ends up sleeping at the office.”

Not wanting Simone to feel left out, he added, “If you ever want to talk to him, you can call him.” He then recited Cyrus’s number to her.

She didn’t really want it, but seeing Matthew’s earnestness, she couldn’t bring herself to refuse.

Back in her room, Simone lay on the bed, staring at the number for a good ten minutes. In the end, she didn’t save it.

Meanwhile, Cyrus sat in his office, his brow furrowed.

“Seeing your daughter made your heart react more intensely?” asked Hendrix Dalton, his private doctor.

Cyrus had been dealing with this for six months now. Hendrix’s expression grew more serious. He’d never seen anything like it before. He’d run every test imaginable–Cyrus‘ heart was perfectly fine. It just didn’t make sense.

Cyrus despised this feeling of being out of control. “Yeah. When she’s upset, it hits me harder.”

“Your condition might be related to your daughter,” Hendrix said seriously.

“But I only found out about her today,” Cyrus replied in disbelief.

A

As his personal doctor, Hendrix spoke sincerely, “Cyrus, you should think about seeing a therapist.”

Cyrus fell silent.

It was late, and Simone was about to call it a night after slapping on a face mask when her phone buzzed with a message.

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It was from Christian: [Miss, pick any high school–we’ll get you in.]

She opened the image stuck to it to see a list of Sogin’s top high schools–both public and private. The private ones had price tags that made her eyes widen.

Simone barely glanced at it before shutting her phone. Then she replied: [Thanks, Christian, but I’m good.]

She had no intention of transferring. Sogin High was already the best school in town, and more importantly, the only one that valued academics over everything else. Plus, Stella was there.

Meanwhile, the forum of Sogin High School was on fire. Two videos had gone viral on the school’s website.

One showed Simone in a hospital, facing a crowd of people who were tearing her apart. The other caught Stella tumbling down the stairs, with Simone’s hand outstretched just in time. The comments section was a cesspool of vitriol.

[Unbelievable. I thought Simone was already the lowest of the low, clinging to the Spence family like a leech. But this? This is a whole new level of shameless.]

[A kid with no parents–no wonder she’s so desperate. She’s nothing but trash.]

The Spence family took her in, and this is how she repays them? Trying to kill their real daughter? It’s a real–life cautionary tale.]

[Pathetic. She’s nothing but a beggar. Worthless.]

[Why hasn’t she just disappeared yet?]

[Karma’s a real thing. No wonder she’s deaf in one ear.]

[I don’t get why the Spence family even bothered with her. She’s useless. Not even worth a fraction of what Stella is.]

[Heard the Spence family finally kicked her out and cut ties. About time.]

[Really?]

[Swear to God it’s true.]

[Good riddance. She brought this on herself.]

[She needs to get out of our school. Now.]

*****

The next morning, Matthew had a driver waiting to take her to school. Simone didn’t object.

In Class 8, Grade 11, the students were clustered together, gossiping about the latest drama on the school forum from the day before. The moment Simone walked in, the room fell silent, and all eyes turned to her.

Simone was used to it. She gave a quick, mocking smile at the stares and dropped into her seat with a casual shrug.

As soon as she sat down, a classmate nudged her arm and said quietly, “Simone, you should check the school for

The girl, Claire Davis, had a short, spunky haircut and a sharp, no–nonsense look. It was the first time Simone had really looked at her–one of the few who had ever shown her any kindness.

“Thanks,” Simone said, offering a rare smile.