Rebirth: Love me Again

[LYANDER]

Unbeknownst to Iraya, Lyander De Santis had been present on the other side of the bar earlier, casually watching the scene unfold.

He wasn't one to meddle without reason, but when Iraya arrived, he instructed that guards to let her in. Now, as he sat leisurely, a guard approached, shoving a nervous young waiter forward.

"Boss, we caught this guy talking with Miss Lee," the guard said, his grip firm on the waiter's shoulder.

Lyander, lounging in his chair, didn't immediately respond. Instead, he calmly downed the shot of whiskey in his hand, the glass clinking softly as he set it down. His eyes, cold and unreadable, flicked toward the trembling waiter.

He didn't bother sizing the boy up—it wasn't necessary. People like him always broke under pressure.

"What did she say to you?" Lyander's voice was low, smooth, and dangerous, like a blade concealed in silk.

The waiter's knees nearly buckled. He had only taken that bribe to earn extra money before Christmas, hoping to buy gifts for his younger sisters. Now, it seemed like he was in real trouble, standing face to face with Lyander De Santis, the man known as 'The Devil'.

Rumors swirled about him—how he dealt with disloyalty, how a waiter who once accepted a bribe had vanished without a trace.

"I—I'm sorry, boss!" the waiter stammered, dropping to his knees, his voice shaking with fear. "I only wanted to make some extra money to gift my sisters! Please, don't kill me!"

Lyander sighed, an air of impatience settling over him. "Answer only what I ask. What did the girl tell you to do?"

"S-She . . . she asked me to spike their drinks," the waiter blurted, hands trembling as he clasped them together. "That's all! I didn't think it was a big deal . . . it happens in most clubs, right? I thought it was harmless!"

Lyander's eyes narrowed slightly. Spiking drinks wasn't exactly uncommon in nightlife, but Iraya wasn't the type to act like that. Something didn't add up. "What drug did she give you?"

With trembling hands, the waiter fumbled inside his pocket, pulling out a small sachet of powder. He handed it to the guard, who passed it to Lyander.

Without hesitation, Lyander sniffed the contents lightly, his expression remaining calm but his mind working rapidly. He knew this substance well. A potent aphrodisiac—it explained why the crowd had suddenly dispersed and why Jason and Kylie left in such a rush.

"Hmm . . ." Lyander murmured, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Why would she do this?" He spoke more to himself than anyone else, amused by the little devil inside Iraya.

Picking up his phone, Lyander leaned back in his chair. "I want you to do something for me," he said on the guy on the other end, before turning his gaze back to the waiter.

The waiter swallowed hard, still on the floor, his eyes wide with fear. "B-Boss, if you want . . . I'll give you the money that woman paid me! Please, just don't punish me!"

Lyander's eyes glinted with amusement as he stood, towering over the cowering waiter. His deep voice, calm yet commanding, cut through the tension. "I don't care about the money. Keep it."

With an almost casual gesture, he patted the waiter on the shoulder, his grip deceptively firm. "Well done," he added, his tone strangely approving. "Tell the manager to give this guy a raise."

The waiter blinked in disbelief. "E-Eh? A raise?" Read latest chapters at My Virtual Library Empire

But before he could process what had just happened, Lyander was already walking away, disappearing into the shadows with a quiet chuckle. The waiter remained frozen, trying to comprehend how he had just gone from fearing for his life to getting a raise.

"W-What just happened . . . ?" he whispered, still stunned.

Meanwhile, Lyander stepped outside, pulling his coat tighter against the cold night air. He knew Iraya wasn't acting out of impulse. She was playing a deeper game—and he couldn't wait to see how it all ended.

Smiling to himself, he dialed a number on his phone. "Let's keep an eyes on those guys," he instructed calmly. "This is just getting interesting."

=== 🤍 ===

Meanwhile, Jason and Kylie stumbled into the dimly lit hotel room, their minds hazy and their bodies burning with unrestrained desire.

The drug coursing through their veins made every sensation ten times more intense, clouding their judgment. Clothes hit the floor in a chaotic trail behind them, and in a feverish blur, they fell onto the bed, driven purely by the chemically induced heat surging within them.

All night, they gave in to reckless passion, neither caring nor remembering to use protection. Their minds, fogged by the potent aphrodisiac, only registered pleasure—an endless cycle of heat and intensity until exhaustion finally claimed them.

Unbeknownst to them, the locked door had proven to be no challenge for someone lurking in the shadows. A figure, stealthy and efficient, slipped inside the room. They remained hidden in the darkness, capturing the entire scene on a small, high-resolution camera. Every careless action, every moment of Jason and Kylie's impulsive indulgence was recorded. With their task complete, the intruder slipped out as silently as they had entered, leaving no trace of their presence.

The next morning, sunlight streamed through the sheer curtains, casting a soft glow over the disheveled room.

Jason groaned, his head pounding from the aftereffects of both alcohol and whatever drug had been in his system. He rolled over, blinking blearily at Kylie, who was sprawled beside him, equally groggy.

"Ugh . . . what happened last night?" Kylie muttered, clutching her head. She felt a strange mix of soreness and lethargy, but the details of the previous night were a blur.

Jason rubbed his temples, forcing himself to sit up. "I don't remember . . . must've been too many drinks. Damn, I feel like I got hit by a truck."

Neither of them gave much thought to the missing pieces of the night—they were too used to blaming their reckless behavior on alcohol-fueled parties. Besides, Jason wasn't the type to dwell on things he couldn't change, and Kylie quickly shrugged it off, too eager to focus on what was coming next.