Revenge is Best Served After Reborn (James) novel Chapter 1915

I’m not really the type to dwell on the past or talk much in general. But in my life, there have been three people who truly mattered: Colby, Odie, and then Elodie. The first two gave me a second chance at life, but Elodie? She gave me a whole new beginning.

At first, sticking close to Elodie was just about surviving. I played on her natural kindness to stay in the countryside and heal. During those tough days, I came to see just how much resolve it took for her to keep me around. But Elodie’s not one to spill her troubles. She’s tough, almost distant, with a bit of a capitalist edge. Her mantra? Endure the grind to rise above. And if she’s been drenched in the rain, she’d rather everyone else lose their umbrellas too.

Empathy isn’t her thing—she saved me not out of pity, but because she saw potential in me. Later on, I found out she wasn’t into having kids because she was scared of the pain. Back then, I figured it didn’t matter if we had kids. I even thought it’d be perfect if men could bear them since my only real strength is being tough and handling pain.

We didn’t get hitched right away—not because of any drama, but because I was without a legit ID. I’d spent my childhood wandering abroad, basically a ghost without legal identity both overseas and in Harbor City. We threw together a small gathering, inviting the few folks we knew. Turns out, only enough people showed up to fill a single table.

Colby, Sophie, and the others came, and though the wedding wasn’t extravagant, it felt perfect to me. Neither Elodie nor I are into big crowds. Our wedding was simple and heartfelt. That day, Sophie and Colby surprised us with a gift—they somehow sorted out my identity issue. When I got my ID card, I was floored. I’d never felt such a sense of belonging. My eyes stung with emotion. Odie told me to let it out, to cry if I needed to. He’d felt the same way when he got his ID. But I didn’t. I just wondered why it couldn’t have come a day sooner. Not that it mattered much in the end.

The next day, Elodie and I headed to city hall and finally got our marriage certificate. Holding that piece of paper, I felt a bit surreal. Elodie thought the photo was just okay, but to me, it was a treasure—the best picture of us I’d ever seen.

Reeves International was booming, thanks to Sophie’s advice to Elodie. She suggested structuring it like when she spun off S Corporation from Russell Enterprises. They became tight friends, and sometimes I thought they were cut from the same cloth—both stubborn and never backing down.

We settled down in Harbor City. Devonport was nice, but it wasn’t home. Our place was soon filled with cats, dogs, and a child we adopted. Every day was full and rich. Those old days abroad felt like a fleeting nightmare I never dreamt of again. All I know is, our future is wide open and full of promise.