Rebirth: Love me Again

[IRAYA]

As we reached the table, Kylie didn't let go of my wrist, keeping me close as if I might bolt at any second. She gestured to an empty seat beside her. "Sit! We were just talking about how beautiful the mansion looks tonight."

I sat stiffly, placing my hands in my lap to keep them from trembling. The last thing I wanted was to show any sign of weakness.

Jason remained silent, but his occasional glances in my direction were enough to keep me on edge. Kylie, meanwhile, chattered on as if nothing had ever happened between us—as if she hadn't betrayed me in the worst possible way.

"Doesn't she look stunning tonight, Jason?" Kylie asked suddenly, turning to him with an expectant smile.

Jason cleared his throat, clearly caught off guard. "Uh, yeah. You look . . . great, Iraya."

"Thanks," I said coldly, my eyes never leaving Kylie's. I knew exactly what she was doing. She wasn't inviting me here out of kindness or nostalgia. This was a game to her—a way to show off her new life, her new relationship, and remind me that she had 'won.'

But two could play that game.

I leaned back in my chair, forcing a calm I didn't feel. "So, how long have you two been together now?" I asked, my voice smooth and indifferent.

Kylie's smile faltered for a fraction of a second before she recovered. "Oh, we're not Iraya. After you two broke up. Me and Jason are just . . . you know hanging out." She squeezed Jason's arm affectionately. "I hope you don't mind."

"Hmm," I said, pretending to be unimpressed. "Good for you. I guess things worked out for the best after all."

The tension at the table grew palpable, but Kylie kept up her cheerful facade, refusing to let me see any cracks in her armor. Jason, on the other hand, looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here.

"Oh, don't be like that, Iraya," one of Kylie's friends said, her tone dripping with false concern. "You know you could never match Jason's status. Let's be real here—who are you, anyway? Just a servant that Jason took petty. You should be glad that he had enrolled you to our school."

Their laughter was light, but it cut deep, sharp and cold. I could tell Jason had already warmed up to Kylie's friends and relatives. A few of our old classmates were here too, mingling comfortably in their designer suits and gowns. I wondered what lies Kylie and Jason had fed them about me.

"I even wonder how you got invited to such a prestigious event in the first place," another girl chimed in, her voice sugary sweet but laced with venom.

Then came the inevitable gasp, followed by a conspiratorial whisper. "Wait, Iraya, don't tell us . . . you're dating another rich guy?"

"Seriously? That explains everything," someone else added, grinning maliciously.

"Is it someone like Jason? Or did you stoop so low you ended up as some old man's mistress?"

The group erupted in laughter, their cruel amusement echoing in the cold night air.

"Oh, worse—maybe she's become a sugar baby for one of the billionaire heirs here," another voice added, casual yet barbed.

"Yeah, I mean, plenty of girls from our school are doing that now. Desperate little sluts who'll do anything for money."

"Is your dress and jewelry from him too?" one of them asked innocently, her eyes gleaming with mockery. Continue your journey on My Virtual Library Empire

"It's only been like what? Two? Three days before you broke off with Jason, and you're already dating someone else?"

Jason smiled faintly from the sidelines, not bothering to stop them. Kylie, of course, played her usual role of faux sympathy, pretending to defend me. "Guys, don't be like that. I'm sure Iraya has some kind of friend here, right?" Her voice was syrupy, her words honeyed.

My tongue flicked against the inside of my cheek as I forced a sarcastic smile. "Actually, it so happens that a rich guy invited me."

"I knew it!"

"See? She clung to another rich guy's thigh."

"I still don't get what they see in her."

"Well, her beauty is exotic. Guys dig that."

"You mean she looks part Asian, right?"

I ignored the growing flood of insults, finishing my champagne in one steady gulp. Setting the glass down, I stood to leave. "Well then, if you're done insulting me and laughing at my face, I'll be going now."

"What's the rush, Iraya?" a guy called out, grinning smugly. "Stay a little while. I'm rich too, you know. Why don't you go out with me? I promise it'll be worthwhile."

I pretended to consider his offer, tapping my chin thoughtfully. "Can you buy me a Lamborghini and an apartment? If not, don't bother."

The grin on his face faltered, and his friends burst into laughter, teasing him mercilessly.

"That's a steep price for someone who's just a slut," another girl sneered, her tone dripping with disdain.

I turned to her with a sweet but sharp smile. "Baby girl, I'm an expensive slut. So, unless you can afford me, kindly fuck off."

Their smug expressions shifted. Some gasped, others whispered among themselves. If they thought they could break me with their petty insults and watch me falter, they were sorely mistaken.

"What did you say to me?" The girl stood abruptly, her eyes narrowing as she sized me up. "Do you even know who I am?"

"No. Should I?" I replied, unfazed.

She scoffed. "I'm Christina Fernand. My family owns an oil company and we have deep ties with the De Santis. I could destroy your life right here and now."

"Cousin, stop," Kylie intervened, placing a hand on Christina's arm. "I told you, Iraya isn't from here. Please, pardon her ignorance." Her voice was smooth, laced with an air of superiority, as if she were graciously offering me a way out.

"No," Christina said coldly, waving to one of the nearby guards. "I want her out. She doesn't belong here. She's disrupting the party. Guards!"

The guards, dressed in black suits with guns strapped to their waists, immediately stepped forward. They didn't know who I was based on their expressions. It seemed like they only knew that Christina was someone important.