Reborn In a Murderer’s Embrace ( Dexter )

"Don't trust anyone, Phoebe, not a soul around you..." Hannah clutched at my wrist with a frantic grip, her eyes wide with fear and unease. Dexter, with a thunderous frown, glared at Caleb before turning his anxious gaze towards Hannah. "This... This is what you've been too scared to tell me?"

Hiding behind Dexter, Hannah clung to my wrist, refusing to let go. Her eyes were rimmed red, not the eyes of someone lying.

"Dad... he told me to protect you, and I will... I'll protect you," Hannah sobbed, shaking her head, pleading with me to stay away from Colin. "Phoebe, Hannah never told me any of this before. She just said we should get you away from Caleb... I can't believe he's involved with the organization." Dexter's voice was laced with anger and suspicion as he stared down Colin. "Caleb, what the hell do you want with her?"

"Phoebe." Colin pulled me into his embrace, his warning gaze fixed on Dexter and Hannah. "Dexter, back off!"

"Caleb, you're the one who needs to back the hell away!" For the first time hearing all this from Hannah, Dexter, fueled by rage, pushed Caleb aside and pulled me closer. "I won't let you hurt her."

Colin's pale fingers tightened around the umbrella handle, his gaze fixed on me with tense caution.

"Phoebe... don't believe him. I've always felt there was something terrifying about him, like he's unhinged," Dexter said, gripping my wrist tightly. "Come with me..."

"Ah... a madman and a madwoman, isn't that a perfect match?" In the car, Melody sneered, clearly scared of me leaving with Dexter.

She feared that if I went with Dexter, he'd abandon her.

I glanced back at her, offering a deliberate smile. "I've said before, I could go with you, just get rid of her. I don't want to see her around."

Melody instantly became alert, her eyes darting fearfully to Dexter. "Dexter... you know my situation. Without you, I'm dead."

She was determined to cling to Dexter till the end.

Dexter fell silent for a moment. "Phoebe, I can send her away..."

I laughed. "Don't make it hard on yourself. Even if you send her away, you'll still take care of her, using your money, looking after her behind my back, right?"

Melody's eyes reddened as she looked at Dexter. "Dexter..."

Dexter, visibly anxious, struggled to find the words, confirming my suspicions.

u'l

"Phoebe... I promise, she won't live with us anymore. I can send her away... but she's still an employee at the Fitzgerald Group. Given her current situation... I can't just fire her, Dexter explained in a soft voice, as if trying to placate me.

I pulled away from Dexter, shaking my head.

He still nature.

one wants their partner

Dan't get it. Love is selfish by

to unconditionally for another person...

Especially when that person is Melody, the woman responsible for 'Phoebe Caldwell's' downfall.

It was absurd. Dexter was moved by his own sense of love and repentance, yet blind to his own faults.

"Phoebe..." Colin finally spoke up, reaching out to shelter me with his umbrella.

He stood completely in the rain himself.

Even as Dexter pulled me away, his umbrella remained poised over me.

"Linked to the organization?" I faced Colin, my question hanging in the air.

Colin lowered his gaze, offering no explanation.

"When did this happen?" I pressed on.

Colin's eyes slightly reddened, looking almost ferocious when he faced Dexter but now, he seemed to be pleading for pity. And somehow, his act seemed to work on me.

"The year... the year our escape failed." Colin looked up into my eyes, not offering explanations but seeking my trust.

That was the year of my car

accident, the year I lost my

memories and lived a mundane life tangled up with Dexter, falling in love with him...

I took a deep breath, feeling a searing heat in my throat.

Alone, what had he done behind my back?