Rebirth Into My Second Chance

As Max's figure disappeared around the corner, a nagging suspicion took root in my mind. Could he be behind the surveillance? He always had an air of mystery about him.

Ronald barged through the door, finding Daniel visibly shaken. "Mr. Collins, save me! I'll spill everything I know. Just keep me alive!"

That was a stark contrast from his previous demeanor. Ronald wasted no time and began to take notes.

"What do you know?"

"Mr. Collins, could we have the room?"

Daniel shot a nervous look at the young detective tailing Ronald, his face spelling out pure fear.

With a nod from Ronald, the room cleared, leaving only the two of them inside. Daniel began, "I saw Kate about two weeks ago. She handed me a stack of cash and told me to hold Claire for a few days. 'Don't kill her, just scare her,' she said. Later, someone else came to pick Claire up. They did, I swear. Kate said to play but not to kill. But then, I heard those guys ended up killing her, and I've been scared out of my mind. That's why I was tailing Kate, but she wouldn't meet us. Then, this boss contacted us and told us to follow his orders. But it wasn't us who killed Claire!"

Daniel's confession was chilling in its brevity. Just a few sentences confirmed my worst fear.

Ronald found the simplicity of Daniel's admission almost too painful to bear.

Stepping out of the room, he leaned against the wall, his breaths coming in heavy, ragged gasps. He pulled out a photo of me from his folder, the photo likely given by Richard. I was smiling, looking happy. "Claire, I'm sorry."

Ronald was the first to apologize, but the one who should apologize was still worried about Kate.

Ronald said firmly, "We need to go full throttle in searching for Kate and double-check the identities of the other two bodies to see who they were in contact with before."

With that, he left to find Claude with evidence of my death and the recording in hand. His determination touched me.

Finally, Kate was going to face justice.

Finally, Claude's perfect lover would crumble.

After arriving at the Hart estate, Ronald was straightforward with Gabrielle about his purpose.

Gabrielle replied, "Claude isn't here, but I can speak for him."

After hearing about the evidence of my death and the recording, Gabrielle staggered back, disbelief and sorrow crashing over her like a wave.

She called for the servants, "Bring Mr. Hart down. Claire..."

She couldn't finish her sentence before she fainted, overwhelmed with grief.

At that moment, I felt Gabrielle had taken me as part of the Hart family from her heart. Apart from Richard's explosive reaction to my death, Gabrielle's collapse from grief was the most telling.

I was curious to see Claude's reaction, having denied my death all along. But when he came downstairs and saw Gabrielle in distress he glared at Ronald. "You're trying to play your games with me. My mother's health isn't good, so please leave. I won't believe a word you say unless Kate confesses to killing Claire herself."

His denial shocked Ronald.

Claude refused to accept the truth, clinging to the hope that as long as he denied my death, Kate's guilt would remain unproven.

"Mr. Hart, your stubbornness can't

change the facts. The evidence against Kate is overwhelming!" After leaving the documents there, Ronald turned to leave. He knew finding Kate was imperative.