Part 2Reborn To Reverse The Test

I had been reborn.

I wasn’t about to fall into the same trap twice. I had been ready for Sienna's attack, and as she grew more animated, my expression grew colder.

But I didn't try to refute her. Instead, I stood up abruptly, raised my hand, and slapped Sienna across the face with every ounce of force I had.

“I don’t care if you’re drunk or possessed, I order you to snap out of it!”

The silence that followed the smack was absolute.

Sienna was stunned. My parents and Aaron were also shocked into stillness.

They couldn't pretend they hadn't seen it, nor could they keep playing dumb. They all jumped up, pulling me aside, a cacophony of outrage rising around me.

Aaron Reed shielded Sienna behind him, his finger nearly poking me in the eye. “What in God’s name is wrong with you, Willow? How could you put your hands on her?”

“She’s your sister-in-law! Don’t you remember how much she’s done for you over the years?”

“No matter what she said, it was for your own good! You don’t have to appreciate it, but you certainly don’t get to hit her!”

I let out a cold, cynical laugh.

So, when Sienna was slandering me, they were deaf, dumb, and blind. The second I defended myself, they “came alive.”

But Aaron’s attempt at moral blackmail failed. I spoke softly, my voice laced with steel. “She only deserves respect when she acts respectable.”

“Did she do good things for me? Yes. But have I been good to her? You look at what she’s wearing, what jewelry she’s flaunting. Who paid for it? I did.”

“She doesn't have to thank me, but she certainly can't spew lies in front of my fiancé. That’s for my good? For whose good?”

“If we want to talk about good, I slapped her for your good. If you don't rein in that filthy mouth of hers, she’ll bring down ruin on the entire Reed family. After all, trouble comes out of an open mouth.”

All four of them were speechless.

I hadn't even bothered to deny her claims, yet I was armed with a superior logic they weren't prepared for. This was completely off-script.

In their plan, I was supposed to be sobbing, begging Graham to believe me, then pleading with them to vouch for my purity and virtue.

But you can’t clarify something that never happened using only words. So this time, I wasn't going to waste time on a battle of wits.

Sienna, however, was nearly spitting mad from the blow.

She hid behind Aaron and yelled across the room at Graham.

“I didn’t lie!”

“Willow is right; maybe I wasn’t doing this for her good. I just can’t stand how she treats relationships! I can see you’re a good man, Graham, and I don't want you to be blindsided. I don't want you to be a cuckold!”

Graham’s expression was an odd mix of confusion and stoicism.

After a long pause, he spoke. “I trust Willow’s character. Furthermore, she has been with me for most of last week. She had no time to meet any ‘stranger’ for an engagement talk.”

He was right.

My rebirth didn’t happen at this moment; it happened ten days ago.

I had already spoken to Graham. Last time, he was 80% convinced; this time, he was 100% on my side.

I stepped forward, took Graham’s hand, and turned back to Sienna, a triumphant smirk on my face.

“Sienna, you are either lying or having a sudden mental breakdown. Since you’ve always been such a sweet sister-in-law, it must be the latter. I’ll call the clinic right now and have you admitted for a mandatory 72-hour hold for psychological observation.”

“I’m sure Mom, Dad, and Aaron won’t have any objection to that, right?”