After Rebirth, I Became My Ex's Aunt-in-Law

”We need bottle service,” Zoe announced as she bounced in her seat. ”We need a VIP booth at 1OAK. I want sparklers. I want to stand on a banquette and spray a thousand-dollar bottle of champagne over a crowd of finance bros!”

Aria let out a soft, exhausted chuckle, leaning her head against the cool glass of the window.

”Zoe, I literally just got shot at,” Aria reminded her dryly. ”If someone spots the ’traumatized, hunted victim’ throwing ass in a nightclub an hour later, we are right back to square one.”

Zoe paused, her hyped-up energy deflating just a fraction. She crossed her arms and pouted. ”Okay, fine. You’re right.”

”Plus,” Aria added, pressing a hand to her stomach. ”I got black-out drunk last night. My liver is actively punishing me. I am staying far, far away from alcohol for the foreseeable future.”

”Okay, but we still have to celebrate,” Zoe insisted, her eyes suddenly lighting up with a brilliant idea. ”What if we just throw a private celebration party? You know? Close friends, invite-only? No press, no cameras, just us.”

Aria’s emerald eyes sparked. She sat up slightly.

”I actually love that idea,” Aria smiled, a slow, calculating, matchmaking gleam taking over her features. ”We should definitely do that. Mostly so we can invite Leo.”

Zoe stiffened. ”Leo? The teenager? You’re still set on that?”

”He’s nineteen, Zoe, and he’s adorable,” Aria countered smoothly, fully committed to her agenda of setting her best friend up with a human golden retriever instead of toxic playboys.

Zoe sighed, ”Umm. Yeah. Sure. Whatever. But where do we host it?” She gasped, slapping her knee. ”What about the penthouse?!”

Aria burst out laughing.

”You must be joking,” she wheezed. ”Damien’s penthouse?! I’m going to pretend you didn’t ask that.”

”Well, we can’t do my apartment,” Zoe groaned, slumping back. ”It’s a mess. Even cockroaches and rats are intimidated by it.”

”We’ll find a venue later,” Aria promised, checking the time on the dashboard clock. ”Tonight, you just need to get some sleep. The adrenaline is speaking for you right now, Zoe. When it crashes, you’re going to sleep for a week.”

”I am perfectly fine!” Zoe argued, her eyes wide and manic. ”I am not even tired! I could run a marathon!”

The SUV glided to a smooth halt outside Zoe’s apartment building.

”Go to bed, Zoe,” Aria ordered gently, pointing a finger at the door.

Zoe let out a loud, dramatic sigh, but grabbed her purse. ”Fine. But I am brainstorming venues in my sleep. Call me tomorrow!”

”Will do,” Aria smiled.

The SUV merged back into the late-night traffic. For a moment, Aria only stared blankly out the window, her mind completely occupied. Then her phone vibrated. She pulled her phone out of her pocket. Before she could even unlock the screen, a notification banner dropped down.

[Zoe: LOG ONTO INSTAGRAM. NOW. URGENT.][Zoe: BELLA IS LIVE.]

Aria frowned. She tapped the notification, the app opening directly to her feed. At the very top of the screen, Bella Vale’s profile picture glowed with a purple ’LIVE’ ring.

Aria tapped it.

The livestream loaded. There were currently over 250,000 people watching.

Bella was holding her phone up on a selfie stick. She was wearing a chic, understated cashmere lounge set, her hair pulled back into a messy, effortless clip.

But it wasn’t Bella’s outfit that caught Aria’s attention. It was the background.

Bella was standing in the grand, sweeping foyer of the Sinclair Penthouse.

”Hey guys,” Bella said to the camera, her voice dripping with a sickly-sweet, humble tone. ”I know things have been really crazy today with the news about Aria. We’re all just praying for her well-being. But I wanted to give you guys a little life update.”

Bella panned the camera around, showing off the massive, floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Manhattan skyline, and the sleek, imported marble floors.

”I have officially moved into the Sinclair Penthouse,” Bella announced, unable to keep the smug, victorious smirk off her lips. ”Since my amazing mother-in-law—well, future mom-in-law—Diana was injured in a terrible accident, I’ve stepped up to be her live-in caretaker.”

Aria’s jaw dropped.

In the background of the video, struggling up the marble steps with a massive, incredibly heavy stack of Louis Vuitton moving boxes, was Lucas. He was sweating profusely through his designer t-shirt, his face red from exertion.

”Lucas, be careful with the shoe trunk! That leather is vintage!” Bella snapped over her shoulder, completely dropping her sweet persona for a millisecond before instantly pivoting back to the camera with an angelic smile.

”I know people are going to speculate,” Bella continued, walking into the minimalist living room. ”But I actually have an official contract to be here! Just to keep things super professional with the estate.”

Bella reached off-camera and pulled a crisp piece of paper into the frame.

She held it up proudly, tapping the signature line.

”It’s signed by Damien Sinclair himself,” Bella bragged, reading the text aloud. ”He personally approved me living here for the next three weeks to provide emotional and physical support for his sister. We are really just pulling together as a family right now to heal.”

The comments on the livestream were flying by at warp speed.

Omg she moved in with the Demon King?!Wait, does Aria know? Bella is literally taking her house!The upgrade from Lucas to Damien is crazyyy.

Aria stared at her phone screen in the quiet, dark cabin of the SUV.

She wasn’t angry. She wasn’t even slightly offended.

She was genuinely surprised.

Diana had actually teamed up with Bella against her?

A low, breathy chuckle escaped Aria’s lips.

The chuckle quickly bubbled into a full-blown, wicked laugh.

She thought about what the next three weeks were going to look like. Her and Bella, living together under the same roof. It was going to be an exact, picture-perfect replica of their childhood growing up in the Vale estate.

Except...

Aria wasn’t the helpless, abused, neglected sister anymore. She was the lady of the house. She had the authority. She had her terrifying, untouchable billionaire husband wrapped around her pinky finger.

”Oh, Bella,” Aria whispered to the glowing screen, a grin spreading across her face. ”You’ll regret it.”