Love Rewind

Chapter 8

Benjamin was worried that the drama surrounding Charles would upset me, so he cleared a huge chunk of his schedule just to take me away on a relaxing trip. He was always concerned that I might be hurt by all the chaos.

I leaned into his embrace and quietly said, "I'm not really sad, just regretting how much time I wasted loving someone like him."

He held me tighter, brushing my hair softly as he kissed my forehead. "It's okay," he whispered. "I'm here now, and I'll spend every day making sure you're happy."

On my birthday, Benjamin rented out the rooftop garden at City Plaza. I thought it was just going to be a simple celebration, but as I looked up, the building across the street lit up with a giant message: Natalie, will you marry me?

Hundreds of drones danced in the sky, forming heart shapes, rings, and Cupid's arrows. It was magical.

Benjamin knelt in front of me, holding out a ring as his friends emerged from their hiding spots, cheering.

Taking a deep breath, he looked at me with such sincerity. "Natalie, our previous engagement was just a formality, something our families agreed on. Today, I'm asking you personally, as Benjamin Simmons."

"Will you marry me?"

Tears welled up in my eyes as I smiled and nodded, my voice full of certainty. "I do, Mr. Benjamin Simmons."

I held out my hand, and he slipped the ring onto my finger. Under the stars, surrounded by the love of our friends, we shared a kiss that sealed our commitment.

The day of our wedding arrived, and it was everything I had ever dreamed of. The ceremony was grand, and everything was tailored to my tastes. Benjamin even had someone replicate my wedding dress design.

As we were about to exchange rings, Charles, who was supposed to be recovering from his injuries, suddenly barged in.

"Natalie! You can't marry him!" he shouted.

Benjamin's father, furious, immediately instructed security to hold Charles back. "You ungrateful child! Causing a scene on your uncle's big day!"

"If you don't leave now, you can forget about ever being CEO of Simmons Corp!"

For the first time, Charles defied his father, shouting, "I don't care about being CEO! I just want Natalie!"

He turned to me, his voice desperate. "Natalie, you may not believe me, but in our past life, you married me. We grew old together. That's how our story was supposed to end. Everything has gone wrong now. Come back to me. Whatever Benjamin can give you, I'll work for it too. I'll give you everything."

If I hadn't been reborn, I might have actually believed his words. But now, none of it mattered.

I stared at him, calm but firm. "Charles Simmons, your words mean nothing to me anymore."

"In case you still don't understand, let me be crystal clear: I, Natalie, love Benjamin now. And I will love only him in this lifetime."

"From now on, I'll treat you like a nephew, just like Benjamin does. I expect you to respect me and call me Aunt Natalie from now on."

With that, I turned back to Benjamin, exchanging rings and sealing my vows with a kiss, right in front of Charles. As we kissed, Charles stood frozen, unable to say a word. His injuries flared up again, causing him to collapse from blood loss.

After Benjamin and I were married, Charles didn't seem to give up. He caused even more trouble with the Simmons family, eventually leaving Simmons Corp to start his own business. He claimed he would one day defeat Benjamin and win me back.

Unfortunately for him, his abilities were lackluster at best. Without the Simmons family's resources, he couldn't get his business off the ground. He failed repeatedly, and eventually, the Simmons family cut him off as though he had never existed.

Meanwhile, Benjamin shifted his focus back to his work in the U.S. He used his international network and quickly built a strong presence in North Boston, surpassing old wealth to lead the Simmons family to new heights.

One day, I asked him, "What if you hadn't married me in this life? What would you have done?"

A shadow of sadness crossed his face before he smiled softly. "Let me tell you a story."

"Ten years ago, I came back to North Boston and attended a young lady's coming-of-age party. There was an argument, and some girls accidentally spilled red wine on a little girl. Her beautiful white dress was ruined, and she burst into tears."

"Even though it was supposed to be her special day, the birthday girl didn't care about the interruption. Instead, she rushed to her study, grabbed her paints and brushes, and turned the stain on the dress into a beautiful rose pattern. The little girl was thrilled, and I... I fell for that birthday girl instantly. She was as vibrant and clever as the rose she had painted."

"Unfortunately, she already had someone she liked at the time, and she always went after what she wanted, fearless in her pursuit of love."

"Even though I liked her, I truly wished for her to find the happiness she deserved."

I felt tears well up as I listened to his words. I buried myself in his arms as he smiled, kissing away my tears.

"So, to answer your question," he continued softly, "If I hadn't married you, I would have focused on my work abroad, building a life of solitude. But I would've done everything in my power to ensure you found happiness with the man who was lucky enough to marry you."

At that moment, I finally understood. It wasn't that I had some magical ability to bring luck, Benjamin had been silently protecting me, working behind the scenes to ensure my happiness in every lifetime.

I hugged him tightly and then, with a playful smile, I said, "Benjamin, let's have a child."

"And when they grow up, we can design little dresses for them, just like we always dreamed."

He smiled, his eyes full of love as he kissed me, pulling me closer as if he wanted to merge our souls.