Restarting Life: Back From the Dead novel Chapter 21

Sebastian hadn’t anticipated that Felicia would be so sharp, so quick to sense that something wasn’t quite right. It caught him off guard. He hadn’t intended to conceal anything; instead, he simply said, “I don’t want to argue with you anymore. I’ll let you win, okay? Not just this once—I’ll let you win every time from now on.”

Felicia blinked, unsure of what to make of his sudden surrender. But the moment she realized Sebastian was yielding, a smug smile spread across her face. She lifted her chin proudly and let out a playful snicker. “That’s more like it. But if you break your promise, I’ll hit you and bite you!” she warned, raising her tiny fists in mock menace.

Despite the threatening gesture, she looked utterly endearing—there was no real danger in her playful threats. If Sebastian had been a child, he might have found her insufferable and continued their bickering. But now, with his grown-up perspective, he knew better. This was a rare chance to start fresh, to avoid repeating past mistakes.

Felicia was surprisingly easy to appease. Once someone gave in to her, she would forget any anger in an instant. Grinning, she happily grabbed Sebastian’s hand, and together they skipped down the street toward home.

Sebastian rubbed his cheek, suddenly noticing the faint marks left by her playful bite. He let out a soft gasp—she really was a little tyrant!

When they arrived, Richard, Marissa, and Fiona were all vying to shower Felicia with affection. They spoiled her with hugs and gentle words, their faces glowing with warmth.

Sebastian watched them with a complex expression—part admiration, part unease.

Nearby, Steven’s eyes lingered on Sebastian with an intensity that felt different from usual. His normally gentle gaze now held a sharp, cold edge. “Sebastian,” he said quietly, “walk home with me. There’s something I need to tell you.”

It had been years since Sebastian had seen his older brother. Though caught off guard, he followed Steven without hesitation. But halfway there, a strange feeling crept over him—something was off.

Maybe he wasn’t the only one who had been given a second chance at life.

Sebastian frowned, disbelief creasing his brow. “That’s impossible. You’re lying. I just saw her—she’s only seven years old.”

Steven smiled gently and ruffled Sebastian’s hair. “No, I’m not lying. We were all reborn long ago, just before Felicia was born. After sharing what we knew, we decided to make it up to her in this life.”

He paused, his expression growing more serious. “But like you, we worried. We feared she hadn’t been reborn. We worried that after everything she endured in her previous life, she might not get a second chance.”

The weight of those thoughts made Steven’s voice soft with sadness. Noticing Sebastian’s anxious expression, he offered a reassuring smile. “But everything’s alright. Felicia was reborn at birth. However, the scars from her past life run deep. The pain she carried left marks on her mind so severe that her will to live nearly vanished.”

Sebastian’s heart clenched at the revelation. The little girl who seemed so full of life was actually fighting a silent battle, one that no one else could see. In that quiet moment, he understood just how fragile her spirit truly was.