Page 22 of Reborn to Love You

“So...no kids?”

“My husband doesn’t want any, and I respect his wishes.”

No answer was forthcoming this time, but Payton didn’t let the silence get to her. This, too, was probably a test. She had heard the other girls talking about him nonstop. About how beautiful he was. But since she had started dating Eric, she had mastered the art of looking at men without really seeing them. Her husband didn’t ask this of her, of course. It was just Payton’s way of being loyal. For her, Eric was the only man—

“Do I have something on my face, Ms. Cheyney?”

Her brows furrowed. Shouldn’t it be Mrs. Cheyney? But then...who was she to correct him? Maybe ‘missus’ was just a mouthful to him. And so she simply shook her head. “No, sir.”

“Then why were you staring?”

He didn’t seem to be the insecure type to want people to flatter him all the time. Why then was he so persistent—

Oh, now she got it.

This was another test, wasn’t it?

“Because everyone was right about you, Mr. de Vindice.”

He raised a brow. “Right about what?”

“You’re very beautiful—”

Her prospective employer choked.

“But don’t worry, Mr. de Vindice. If you hire me, I can assure you wholeheartedly that I’ll consider it part of my job to prevent and protect you from being sexually objectified. I’ll make sure every writeup about you takes sufficient note of your many other sterling qualities and achievements—”

“I don’t care what strangers say about me. It’s only the opinions of people close to me that matters. You’ll have an easier time with your job when you keep that in mind.”

“DRINK, DRINK, DRINK!”

The cheering from her husband’s friends had Payton coming back to her senses, and just like that, she was back in the present, and she was once again in danger...from her own husband.

“You go, man!”

“Eric did it again!”

“Eric the Man!”

Payton’s hands started shaking. She couldn’t seem to stop it every time she heard her husband’s name. Last night, she had tried to leave the office, but her boss...

It’s fine. You can stay here. I’ll leave.

Even though it had secretly shamed her to take Niccolò up on his offer, she had accepted it. Because Fairscale...was the only place she felt safe. And throughout the night...she had just thought about it again and again, trying to come up with some kind of strategy, and that was how she ended up here.

The last time she was reborn, she had tried to change things, and it hadn’t worked.

So this time...

“We need more beer!”

Payton went out of the kitchen hearing this. But Rosé, just like before, had already stood up. “I can get it for you, Mr. Cheyney!”

Her husband shook his head. “No, don’t. You’re our guest.”

“But it’s Mrs. Cheyney’s birthday—”

“Oh, she doesn’t mind.” Eric looked at Payton. “Do you?”