Rebirth: Love me Again

[IRAYA]

Parking my McLaren in the school lot, I sat there for a moment, allowing myself a deep breath before stepping out.

The engine's purr had barely faded when a familiar sight caught my attention—a custom Rolls-Royce gliding into the lot and pulling into the spot right beside me.

My custom white Rolls-Royce.
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My stomach twisted, anger flaring as the passenger side door opened. Jason and Kylie stepped out of the back seat, her laughter ringing through the air as he held the door open for her.

Of course. I should've known that Jason's father would disregard my order and still fetch his son and Kylie.

I had truly been played for a fool. I had been nothing but kind, and it was clear that Mr. Benson had definitely taken advantage of that kindness.

However, for my plan to succeed, I needed to continue playing the part, ensuring everyone—especially Kylie—believed that Jason was indeed a wealthy billionaire's son.

I would see to it that they ended up together, and I'd make sure Kylie regretted ever ending up with Jason while the man would remain trapped in a family that would forever look down on him.

Back to the present, Kylie's eyes lit up when she saw me, her expression the picture of innocent excitement. "Oh my, Iraya! Is that you?" she chirped, her voice sugar-sweet.

She looked radiant—flawless makeup, perfect waves in her hair, and a dress that hugged her figure just right. She was cute. Hot, even. I understood why Jason had fallen for her.

What I couldn't understand was why he hadn't just ended things with me. If he'd told me the truth, if he'd chosen Kylie over me outright, I might have been hurt but would've accepted it. But no. He stayed with me, leeching off my money and my status to fund his ridiculous facade. Worse, he used my resources to impress her.

Kylie was clueless to Jason's real circumstances, probably thought she was winning. She had no idea the man she saw as a good catch was a parasite feeding off me.

They had first met as children, long before being reunited here at school. Back then, and even now, Kylie had no idea what Jason's parents did for a living.

If she knew the truth, knowing Kylie—the daughter of a small hotel chain owner in this country—she wouldn't give Jason a second glance, no matter how good-looking he was.

My gaze flicked to Jason. He was frowning, his eyes scanning me from head to toe. "What did you do to your hair?" he asked, his tone laced with disdain. "And what's with those boring, old-lady clothes?"

I didn't dignify him with an answer. Instead, I turned my attention to the driver's seat of the Rolls-Royce. Tapping on the window, I waited as it slid down, revealing Mr. Benson's pale, anxious face. He looked every bit the part of a man caught red-handed.

"M-Miss Lee," he stammered, his voice trembling.

"Mr. Benson," I said, my tone sharp but controlled. "I thought I made it clear—you didn't need to drive me today. So, tell me, why are you out with my car without my consent?"

He opened his mouth, but no words came out. The guilt was written all over his face, his eyes darting nervously toward Jason, who had gone rigid beside Kylie.

"Jason told me you were okay with it," Mr. Benson finally managed, his voice barely above a whisper.

I raised an eyebrow, my anger simmering just below the surface. "Did he now?" My gaze shifted to Jason, whose confident smirk faltered as I locked eyes with him.

Jason stepped forward, his expression hardening in an attempt to regain control of the situation. "It's not a big deal, Iraya," he said dismissively. "You weren't using the car, so I figured—"

"You figured you could do whatever you wanted with something that doesn't belong to you?" I cut him off, my voice cold.

Kylie placed a hand delicately on Jason's arm, her voice laced with honey. "Jason? What is she saying? It's your car, right? Iraya why are you so upset? It's not even your car."

I shifted my gaze to her, my expression calm but laced with an edge of amusement. I forced a tight smile, my words deliberate and cutting. "Oh, you didn't know? It's my car, Kylie."

Her smile wavered, confusion flashing in her eyes, while Jason's face flushed with a mix of irritation and panic.

"I—I gifted it to her," Jason stammered, his wide eyes pleading me for support. "Right?"

The hesitation in his voice was deliciously satisfying, a crack in the carefully constructed facade he had so shamelessly relied on.

I tilted my head slightly, savoring the tension that now hung in the air. My silence was louder than any accusation, and I could see the cracks forming in Jason's composure.

Jason's discomfort was on his face, and it took everything in me to keep my smirk from breaking through. Let him squirm. Let her wonder. For now, I would say nothing.

"Wow, Jason. You're so romantic and rich that you gifted your car to Iraya? Do you also own that McLaren over there that Iraya drove?" Kylie asked, her voice innocent, though there was a trace of something else beneath her words.

Jason's eyes flickered briefly to me, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Oh, that?" he said casually, his tone a little too rehearsed. "That's right. I just bought it, and I let Iraya drive it first."

Kylie's eyes widened, and she laughed lightly, though there was an edge to it. "Wow, I'm so jealous, Iraya. Jason really loves you! I'm so jealous!"

I turned to Kylie, giving her a sweet smile that didn't reach my eyes. "That's right," I said, my voice dripping with mock sweetness. "I'm so lucky. Jason is so rich and romantic, he gifted me a car. He's such a catch."

In the past, whenever Jason boasted about his wealth—which was actually mine—I let it slide. He always reasoned that without it, he'd look uncool and out of place in the elite private school. He claimed he didn't want to face embarrassment or bullying for being seen as a commoner. Out of love, I willingly agreed to his charade.

I will still do for my plans to work, but it didn't mean that I didn't want him to squirm here and there.