Rebirth: Love me Again-Chapter 315: A Reality Check

[EVE]

This time, I didn't wait. I grabbed Haley by the wrist and started dragging her toward the door, ignoring her protests.

Helen spluttered. "Eve, this is—!"

Helen sighed dramatically, shaking her head. "You're so cold, Eve. We were worried about you! We just wanted to visit and see how things were going."

I narrowed my eyes. "This is my workplace, not a family reunion."

"And yet, you refuse to respect your own family," Helen continued, placing a hand over her chest like I had just deeply wounded her. "Eve, dear, don't you think you're being a little harsh?"

I scoffed. "Harsh? Harsh is barging into my workplace uninvited when you know damn well that security is tight for a reason. Did you forget what happened last time? When dad came here? Or should I remind you of what happens when designs get stolen?"

Haley waved me off. "Oh, stop being so dramatic. You always take things too seriously. And didn't we told you, over and over . . . dad isn't to blame. He's not that one who stole your designs."

I clenched my fists, trying very hard not to explode.

"Anyway," Haley continued, flipping her hair, "I wanted to come see Dean!"

My irritation hit a new level. "This again?"

She beamed. "Yes! I knew you wouldn't introduce us, so I decided to take matters into my own hands!" She turned toward him with a practiced smile again. "Dean! It's really nice to finally meet you in person!"

Dean, who had been watching this entire disaster unfold, set down his feet on the floor.

And then, before I could even attempt to salvage the situation, he leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms, and said—

"Who the hell let you in again?" The smile and friendly demeanor from before completely disappeared from his face.

Dean felt like a completely different person—this was a side of him I had never seen before. Serious. Cold.

The air in the studio shifted.

A stunned silence fell over the room.

I blinked.

Haley's smile faltered.

Helen gasped. "Young man! Is that any way to speak to—"

Dean cut her off. "I don't recall asking." His voice was cool, completely unimpressed. He turned his sharp gaze toward the security guards by the entrance. "Why were they allowed in?"

The poor guards stiffened. "They said they were Miss Eve's family—"

"And?" Dean arched a brow. "Did Eve invite them?"

The guards hesitated.

Dean sighed, shaking his head in disappointment before looking back at Haley and Helen with an almost bored expression.

"So, let me get this straight," he said, tilting his head slightly. "You ignored the fact that this is a restricted area, you barged in uninvited, and you are now demanding Eve and my attention while I'm in the middle of important work?"

Haley frowned. "We're her family—"

"And what does that have to do with anything?" Dean's smile was sharp now. "Family doesn't mean you get to disrespect boundaries. Or do you just not believe in those?"

Helen straightened her posture, clearly offended. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," Dean replied casually, examining his nails like he wasn't outright calling them out. "For people who claim to be so worried about Eve, you sure have a strange way of showing it. Barging into her workplace, dismissing her concerns, throwing the word 'family' around to get what you want? Interesting."

Helen sputtered, her face twisting in disbelief. "How dare—"

"I dare because Eve clearly isn't saying it loud enough for you to understand," Dean said smoothly, standing up from his chair. He was taller than both of them, and when he took a slow, deliberate step forward, the weight of his presence filled the room.

"Let me make something very clear," he said, voice dropping slightly, his usual easygoing tone replaced with something dangerous. "You don't belong here. This is Eve's domain. Her workplace. You don't get to waltz in and treat her like she owes you anything."

Haley, who had been clinging to her confidence up until now, suddenly looked smaller. "I—I just wanted to—"

"You wanted to meet me, right?" Dean finished for her. He let out a low chuckle, but there was no humor in it. "And now you have. But guess what? I'm not interested."

Haley's jaw dropped.

"What?"

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"You heard me," Dean said, flashing a charming yet entirely mocking smile. "I don't have time for spoiled little girls who think they can get whatever they want just by showing up uninvited. And to be honest?" He leaned down slightly, his voice dipping into something that almost sounded mockingly sympathetic. "I find it pathetic that you thought Eve would just hand me over like some accessory for you to collect."

Haley turned red. "I—I didn't—!"

"Didn't you?" Dean smirked, feigning surprise. "Didn't you just tell Eve you wanted her to introduce us? What—did you think I'd be interested the moment I laid eyes on you? Reality check. I'm not. And from what I've seen so far, I don't think I ever will."

Haley whipped toward me, her eyes wide. "You told him?!"

I crossed my arms. "I didn't have to."

Dean chuckled. "You made it pretty obvious all on your own."

Helen, who had been stunned into silence up until now, finally found her voice. "Eve! How could you let him talk to us this way?! We are your family!"

Dean turned to her, his amusement flickering into something colder.

"And you should have thought about that before trying to use her," he said flatly. "Now, get out before I have security remove you forcefully."

The silence that followed was deafening.

Haley opened and closed her mouth, her entire face flushed with humiliation. Helen's eyes blazed with fury, but she knew she couldn't fight back without making an even bigger scene.

"Fine!" Helen spat, her eyes blazing with fury. "But don't forget, Eve—you owe everything to us! I gave birth to you! Without me, you'd be nothing! We're the only family you have left, and we sacrificed our lives in Germany to come here for you—and this is how you repay us?"