Rebirth Snatching Back My Stolen Luck novel Chapter 22

Chapter 22

LILITH

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I arched a brow at her demeanor, but didn’t say anything–curious to hear what she’d say.

“But do you really think he sincerely loves you as he claims?” she said, turning slightly and pointing at Brandon.

“Claire,” Brandon snapped, his voice low and laced with warning.

But she ignored him completely, her eyes locked on me.

“Then let me tell you the truth–he doesn’t. And he never will.”

I already knew that. Yet the certainty with which she delivered it stirred a flicker of curiosity in me. More than that, she looked… expectant. As if she was waiting–hoping–for me to ask.

So I humored her. “Why are you so sure?”

“Because I told him the real reason you wanted to marry him.”

Ah. So that’s what this was about.

I felt my interest immediately wane. I had suspected as much for a long time.

Brandon suddenly stepped forward and grabbed Claire’s forearm. “She’s just upset. Don’t listen to her,” he said quickly, trying to pull her outside–likely to shut her up before she said

more.

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But Claire slapped his hands away and sneered.

“Just a while ago, your mother slapped and insulted me–called me names in front of everyone–and you didn’t say a single word in my defense.”

“But now that I try to reveal Lilith’s real intentions, you suddenly come running to stop me?” Her voice turned cold. “You really take me for a fool, don’t you?”

Meanwhile, four pairs of eyes turned to me.

“What exactly is this ‘true intention‘ she’s speaks off?” Marissa asked slowly.

I didn’t answer right away. Instead, I looked at Brandon and Claire.

Their expressions were identical–calm and confident. They didn’t believe I’d say it aloud.

And honestly? The old me wouldn’t have. I wouldn’t dare–not in front of everyone here.

But that Lilith was long gone.

I held their gazes and smiled–slow and deliberate. “Oh, it’s nothing much,” I said lightly. “Just that I was desperate to marry him so I could leave this house for good.”

The air instantly turned quiet.

I watched their expressions twist into disbelief. Especially Claire’s, which practically

it? screamed: You actually dared to say

“Is this still about what you mentioned this morning?” Julian asked, his voice low and

conflicted.

gave a small nod.

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Chapter 22

My mom looked visibly shaken. Her hands trembled as she covered her mouth. “So… you were eager about this match not because you loved Brandon, but because you saw it as a way to escape from home?”

“Yes,” I said simply. Then I turned to Brandon. “I never loved him. And I never will.”

His face darkened.

Honestly, his reactions were starting to bore me. I think I’d prefer it if he completely lost it.

“But I was wrong,” I continued. “Naïve. I thought marrying out would free me, but I never realized all I was doing was trading one cage for another by placing my future in someone else’s hands.”

I caught tears glittering in my mom’s eyes, and felt a slight twinge in

But then-

my heart.

“Well said,” Claire clapped, slow and mocking, stepping forward. “You really said it well.

But her smirk soon twisted into something uglier.

“But why couldn’t you have realized that sooner?”

“You didn’t even want him, but you stubbornly clung to the engagement like a lifeline, while we were forced to hide like criminals. Your selfishness ruined everything.”

I narrowed my eyes and stood up. Before she could react, I reached out and slapped her across the face.

In the web novels I used to read, the reborn heroines always slapped first and reasoned later. But I suppose I was wired differently–because even after being reborn, I still preferred words

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over violence.

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Still, maybe those predecessors knew better.

Some people… simply weren’t meant to be reasoned with.

“You hit me?” Claire asked, touching her cheek in disbelief.

I rolled my eyes. “Obviously.”

My palm stung slightly, but I’d be lying if I said it didn’t feel good. Like some of the heaviness I carried from my past life had finally been shaken loose.

“Are you back to your senses now?” I asked, gently blowing on my hand.

“Then let me make a few things clear. First, I’m not responsible for your lies or your choices. Second, the engagement between Brandon and me was never a romantic fairytale. It was a transaction between our families, nothing more.”

“I simply played the role I was given.”

“So tell me–how is it selfish to follow through with something that was never my choice to begin with?” I stepped closer. Claire instinctively backed away. “How is it selfish to make the best of a situation I never had a hand in?”

“But if you really want to point fingers-”

I turned to Brandon.

“Then blame him. If anyone failed to play their part, it was him. No one forced him into this. He could’ve walked away at any time.”

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He had his head lowered, making his expression unreadable

Coward.

“He reaped all the benefits of the engagement while sneaking around with his so–called true love,” I said, my voice like ice.

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