Rebirth: Love me Again

[EVE]

I had to admit—the trip to Germany was the most memorable one so far. Although I hadn't uncovered any new clues about my parents, I left with something just as precious. Memories.

Moments shared with Cole, laughter, stolen glances, and eventually . . . us. We were finally together.

I thought everything would be okay now that we were officially a couple. After all, wasn't this what I'd always wanted in the past? And Cole's presence was a constant source of comfort, a steady reminder that I wasn't alone. It felt reassuring to know that someone had my back—especially someone like Cole Fay.

However, as soon as we stepped into my apartment lobby, a familiar figure stopped us in our tracks.

She stood tall, poised like a model, but without that stiff, fragile look. Instead, her curves flowed naturally, the simple dress she wore draping elegantly around her frame. Her face was angelic—soft yet striking—with long, wavy brown hair framing her delicate features perfectly. But what truly set her apart were her eyes, warm and deep, like melted caramel.

"Elena . . ."

Our childhood friend. Two years older than me, she had always been like an older sister back then—kind, gentle, and wise beyond her years. Everyone liked her. No, loved her. Including Cole.

If I had been the one chasing after Cole during those early years, it was no secret that he had a thing for Elena. She reminded him of his mother, not just in appearance but in temperament too. And then, one day, she left for another country, and we never heard from her again.

What's she doing here now?!

Suffice to say, I didn't like her one bit.

"Eve! Cole! Look at you two! You've grown so much!" Elena beamed, her eyes lighting up as she rushed over, pulling both of us into a tight hug. "I've been waiting for you to come back, and if it weren't for my contacts, I wouldn't have known you were returning today."
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Cole stood frozen beside me, caught off guard, while I . . . well, I wasn't exactly thrilled. I never liked Elena—not because of anything she did, but because of what she represented. She was the girl Cole once admired.

And now, after all these years, here she was—more beautiful than ever.

"Look at you, Eve! You've grown into such a stunning woman." Elena smiled at me, her voice as warm as I remembered. Then her eyes flicked to Cole, widening in surprise. "Whoa, Cole . . . the last time I saw you, you were just a scrawny little kid. Now look at you—you've grown so handsome."

I watched as Cole's normally guarded expression softened slightly, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "And you look good yourself, Elena."

That was it. Just a simple compliment. Nothing more. Yet somehow, it gnawed at me.

"How long are you planning to stay?" I asked, trying to keep my tone casual.

Elena took my hands in hers, her smile radiant. "I'm here for the holidays, but I also have a business venture in the city, so . . . I might be staying for a while. Isn't that great? We can finally hang out like old times!"

I forced a smile, one that felt painfully stretched and obviously fake to everyone except Elena, who remained blissfully cheerful.

An uneasy feeling settled in my chest. Something about this didn't feel right.

Why did she choose to appear now, just when Cole and I had finally gotten together? Wasn't this too much of a coincidence?

Just when I thought things were finally falling into place, fate decided to throw another curveball my way.

Great. Just Great.

=== ===

Inside my apartment, I busied myself unpacking my things, sorting through the mess as Cole unpacked his own stuff . . . in my room. I was so distracted by Elena's unexpected arrival that I didn't even question what he was doing at first.

Until now.

"Did you know she was going to be here?" I asked, glancing over my shoulder.

"No."

I frowned, folding a shirt. "Didn't you . . . you know . . . like her when we were kids? Did you keep in touch with her?"

"No."

I narrowed my eyes. "So why do you think she's back after all these years?"

"No idea."

I put the shirt down and turned to face him fully, hands on my hips. "Are you even interested in her anymore?"

Cole finally paused what he was doing, giving me a flat look. "No."

"Okay, but—wait." My eyes darted to what he was doing. "Why are you putting your stuff in my closet?"

Cole looked genuinely confused. "What do you mean? We're together now. I figured we'd share a room."

I blinked, taken aback. "What?"

Cole shrugged, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "We've already shared a bed plenty of times. Why not make it permanent?"

"That's not the same thing!" I sputtered. "We're not married. Go back to your own room."

A mischievous grin tugged at the corners of his mouth. "We could fix that, you know. Say yes, and we can skip this whole argument."

I shot him a glare, my face heating. "Stop trying to change the subject. You're not staying here. End of discussion."

Cole chuckled, clearly enjoying my flustered reaction. He grabbed another shirt and calmly placed it in my closet, ignoring my protests entirely. "You're cute when you're mad, you know that?"

"Cole!" I grabbed the nearest pillow and threw it at him, which he effortlessly dodged, laughing.

"Fine, fine," he said, holding up his hands in surrender. "I'll go back to my room. But you're going to miss me."

"Out. Now." I pointed to the door, trying to suppress a smile. He knew exactly how to get under my skin—and I hated that it worked.

As Cole left, I let out a sigh, collapsing onto the bed. Elena's sudden reappearance was already making me uneasy, and now I had to deal with Cole acting like we were newlyweds.

Yeah, this was going to be fun.