Reborn: The Tyrant's Obsession

"You are awake…" Adrian pulled her into his arms.

Ella could feel his heart beating rapidly against her own. Her breathing was still heavy and the nightmare was vivid in her mind.

It felt like she went through the same pain yet again.

While Adrian hugged her, Ella raised her hand behind his back. She slowly twirled it around.

The hand looked unblemished, there were no gory wounds on it, unlike how it had been in her dreams.

"Adrian…"

Adrian slowly released her and cupped her face. "What happened?"

"Do you remember the dream I talked about?" Ella slowly looked at him.

Adrian pursed his lips, nodding slowly.

"What if I say it was not just a dream, but rather, my past life?"

Adrian frowned.

"There,. I died a very tragic death…" A finger was pressed upon her lips before she could continue.

"Not another word," Adrian's aura changed entirely.

The resolute look in his eyes told Ella that he was not going to let her speak any further.

Ella couldn't help but think that it had been the same back when they were at her apartment.

Adrian was wholeheartedly listening to her talking about her previous life but the moment she started to mention her death, the man shrugged it off as a nightmare, as something inconceivable.

And now also, he seemed determined to not continue the topic.

After a long moment of silence, Ella hugged the man. She wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in his chest, "I am right here, alive and kicking…"

Adrian's brows relaxed slightly feeling her warmth in his chest. He could not understand the unbearable ache he felt in his heart just now, as if it was about to be ripped apart.

Silently, Adrian pulled Ella closer to himself, "Nothing would ever happen to you," It seemed like he was talking more to himself than her.

They stayed in that position for a long time before Ella slowly pulled back from him, "Have I ever met Mr. Quinn before?"

Adrian paused, "He doesn't frequent here often. What happened?"

Ella remembered how she had reacted when she heard his voice, back in the Kings' Annual Event and she fell silent, "He… seems familiar to me." She lowered her head.

Adrian's brows furrowed slightly but by the time Ella glanced at him, the slight change had disappeared. His face was as impassive as ever.

"Baby, I need your help," Ella met his gaze in determination.

After a few minutes, Adrian and Ella sat on the couch while Ji Yan stood in front of them.

"Please order, Young Mistress!"

Ella was ruffled for a moment. Two pink clouds emerged on her cheeks as she coughed, "Secretary Ji, you can switch back to how you normally address me heh~ It's not that serious…"

Ji Yan stood there, ramrod straight, "Miss Yu, please order."

"I want you to investigate everything that has happened in Yu Family after my birth, especially after I joined the same school as Esther."

"I will be on it."

…

Ambrose Mansion.

"Young Miss, you are back."

Ruby walked past the servants and scanned the entire place.

"Young Miss, the Madam just went to bed. She should be resting now…"

"Where is he?" Ruby cut the maid off.

The maid paused, eyes widening in realization, "I saw the Master in the study earlier."

Ruby walked straight to the study room upstairs.

Just as she raised her hand to knock on the door, the door opened from inside.

Ruby stepped inside the place, only to find it empty.

After standing there for a moment, Ruby turned to leave. But she had just taken a step when her footsteps halted.

From the corner of her eyes, she spotted something.

She walked to the bookshelf and glanced at the photoframe. In the picture, there was Mr. Ambrose. And standing beside him was a slightly older man with a gentle smile on his face..

Ruby's memory of her biological father had grown hazy over the years. Maybe because the current Ambrose Mansion had erased all traces of her father.

When she was young, Ruby had secretly kept a picture of her biological father. It was discovered by a servant who snitched to Mr. Ambrose.

Ruby knew she had broken a rule, so she braced herself and waited for her punishment.

But nothing really happened to her that night.

Instead, the next day, she saw her mother limping, her body covered with purplish bruises that she tried to hide under her fur coat.

From that day onwards, Ruby burned most of her father's belongings that she had secretly stashed away.

Looking at the gentle smile of the man in the picture, Ruby couldn't move.

After a long moment, she put the picture back in its place.

'Bam'

Just as she had retracted her hand, a book on the shelf toppled over.

Instinctively, Ruby reached out to straighten the book. Just then-

'Clack'

The wooden spot behind the book parted, revealing a small compartment. A black box was placed there.

Ruby's eyes locked onto the box for a moment before she looked at the photo frame of Mr. Ambrose and her father in front of it.

After a beat, Ruby grabbed the box with both her hands.

'Click'

The moment the box opened, the cold expression on Ruby's face slowly cracked.

…

"Ruby?" Mrs. Ambrose looked up from the bed, "What are you doing here at this hour?"

"Do I need an appointment to see you?" Ruby's footsteps slowed by the bed.

Mrs.. Ambrose frowned, "Since you are here, you can talk. Next time, be considerate of the time and hour."

Ruby closed her eyes, inhaled a deep breath and sat beside the woman, "Mom, how did dad die?" She opened her eyes.

Mrs. Ambrose froze, "You… Why are you asking such questions? Don't you already know…"

"I don't believe he died a natural death. I went to Mr. Ambrose's study today…"

"How many times have you told you he is your father now? Wait…" Mrs. Ambrose's expressions changed suddenly. She immediately rushed out of the bed and locked the door, "Why did you go to his study?"