"What?" Kaden snapped into the phone, leaning against the wall with a scowl.

  "Ever the kind greeting, Young Master," Priscilla dryly commented, her gaze surveilling the shipment of flowers before her. She scowled at the sight of it.

  "There's something wrong with the silk flowers we ordered. You need to come down to the mall right now," Priscilla stated, lifting up one of the pathetic petals and letting it fall.

  Priscilla frowned at the nauseating smell in the room. This wasn't the high-quality product she was expecting and the silk flower festival was in just a week.

  "We can't deal with it on our own. Or else, I would've done it myself, Young Master," Priscilla added on before he gave her an excuse that he was busy.

  When was Kaden DeHaven not busy? This man dedicated his every waking moment to DeHaven Conglomerate, managing the main headquarters, subsidiaries, and the other branches. It was a miracle he hadn't dropped dead from his hard work.

  "I'm in the middle of something," Kaden curtly said, irritated at the inconvenience.

  Priscilla was irritating in the previous life and this one. Except, he just didn't think she'd be reborn again AND run into him.

  Kaden had a feeling this was something Priscilla could handle. Besides, he couldn't stand the sight of her. The more he looked at her, the more he was reminded of the troubles she caused in his first life. Not like Priscilla would've remembered it anyway. She was in a new body.

  "This is really something that I can't handle. If I could, I wouldn't have called you. The manufacturers are giving bullshit excuses and you need to come here to scare them shitless," Priscilla gritted out.

  Kaden pinched the spot between his brows. He thought back to Lina sitting by herself, eating that horrendous salad, and his mood darkened.

  "Fine."

  Kaden hung up the phone and slipped it into his pocket. He gritted his teeth and glared down the hallway. He wanted to cook Lina a meal and fire her chefs. What were they thinking allowing Evelyn to make a stupid salad with leaves and sprinkling of toppings?

  Kaden returned to the dining hall. Lina had put the fork down. She didn't even look at him. He knew why. She saw the contact. If her memory didn't betray her, Lina must've remembered Priscilla very well.

  "Is everything alright?" Linden asked, noticing the dark expression on his future son-in-law's expression.

  "It could be better." Kaden turned to Lina, his presence looming over her. He placed a hand on the chair next to her.

  Lina kept her eyes locked on the salad, wishing the damn leaves would wilt and die. That was how she felt right now, writhing on the inside with anger.

  "Something came up," Kaden reassured her, grabbing strands of her hair and tucking it behind her ears.

  Lean leaned away from him, her lips taut with disapproval.

  "Be good. I'll visit later." Kaden kissed the side of her head.

  Lina stiffened, her head shooting up in disbelief.

  Kaden's lips curled upwards. Caught her off-guard. Lina touched the spot, her expression turning frigid.

  "It was a pleasure to meet you both, but there's a matter I must handle," Kaden vaguely said, nodding his head towards his future in-laws.

  Then, without another glance, stormed out of the dining room.

  "Does he do that often?" Linden asked Lina who had been silent the longest time.

  "Do what?" Lina finally said.

  "Intimidate you with his height," Linden stated.

  Lina realized her father must've thought Kaden threatened her into this marriage. Lina wished she could say that. That way, she'd have something to hate about him. Instead, she tightened her hands on her lap and shook her head.

  "No. He's just unnecessarily tall and built like a mountain," Lina responded. "He has never raised a hand to me, Papa."

  Linden hummed. "Powerful men like him go through women like water. If he doesn't hurt you, he'll cheat on you, or do both."

  Lina laughed. "Papa, what does that make powerful men like you and my uncles?"

  "Horrible fathers," Linden responded in a heartbeat, startling both his wife and daughter. He couldn't even find it within himself to disagree.

  Linden rose from his seat. Instantly, Evelyn did the same. She didn't like it whenever her daughter ate. The thinner Lina was, the better. She could lose a few pounds.

  "Enjoy your meal, Lina," Linden said, giving her shoulder a soft pat and walking off.

  Lina digested her father's words. Sure, he was an absent father, but he was present in this house. Why did he think he was a horrible father? Because he went through women like water? She couldn't remember a moment that her father cheated on her mother, and vice versa.

  Then, Lina remembered what happened in the past. Realization dawned on her. So that was why. An unforgivable past that stained her relationship with her father and grandfather.

  "This house is suffocating," Lina muttered under her breath, stabbing at her salad again.

  Lia was hungry, her stomach grumbling, but she didn't want to eat this pitiful salad any longer.

  Even so, her mother went out of her way to prepare it. Lina reluctantly placed the fork into her mouth. Just then, she heard soft laughter outside the door.

  Lina stiffened. It had been a while since she heard her mother laugh at something. A moment later, the doors opened. She turned, wondering what could make her mother laugh like that.

  "Look at this video I saw on the internet Lina!" Evelyn said, her voice still filled with amusement.

  Evelyn showed her phone to Lina.

  Lina glanced over to it, curious of what could be that funny.

  Her fork loudly clattered to the ground.

  "This fat kid looks like you when you were younger! Such good memories," Evelyn chortled, laughing at the sight of the child struggling to climb onto the playground slides.

  "Goodness, I remember you used to flail like this too," Evelyn mused, her lips pulled into a fond memory of the past.

  Evelyn could still remember the little playground behind the house, where Lina was frequently crying just because she couldn't get onto the swings or slides.

  "Enough." Lina shot her mother a warning glare.

  All Lina wanted to do was enjoy her disgusting meal in peace. Her mother just had to come in and stomp on what little self-esteem she still had left.

  Lina sharply stood up. Her chest prickled with pain. She was ashamed and hurt. Disappointed even. How long would her mother continue to behave like this? Here she was, thinking her mother finally had a change of heart and would let her eat in peace.

  "What?" Evelyn demanded, unable to understand why her daughter seemed upset.

  "All I did was show you a funny video because you seem so upset. What's the problem this time?" Evelyn sniped, frowning at how ungrateful her daughter was. She had raised this girl since birth with her own two hands.

  Evelyn had never allowed a nanny or babysitter near Lina. She wanted her child's loyalty. She was a jealous woman who'd hate any other woman taking care of her own kids. Even if these children were ungrateful.

  "You still don't get it, do you?" Lina bitterly said. "This behavior will be the reason me and Milo may never care for you."

  Lina angrily left the room, deciding she was no longer angry. Her eyes pricked with angry tears. Her throat tightened.

  "Stupid." Lina wiped her tears away, irritated that she'd cried over something like this.

  Lina tried not to? let her mother's words get to her. But how could she not? To a daughter, their mother's opinion was everything.

  "God damn it," Lina mumbled under her breath. She furiously wiped at her tears, but it didn't work.

  Lina could still remember it. Laughter surrounded her on all sides, fingers pointed towards her food-stained clothes, and the howling of the children. She was still hurt by the way they whispered behind her back whenever she walked past them, the giggling whenever she ate, and the looks that went her way when she tried to run.

  No matter how many times Lina closed her eyes, she could still picture them. The diets her mother put her on. The disapproving expression whenever she ate something. And the irritated sighs whenever her weight went up.

  With each step Lina took towards her bedroom, she could feel her relationship with her mother strain further. Their connection was hanging on by a thread. Once Lina moved out, she'd move on, and the thread would snap.

  It was all within due time.