Reborn From Oblivion

Looking back now, he realized just how oblivious he'd been about her. For two months, she'd been quietly plotting, which meant she hadn't wanted to see him at all during that time and was just pretending to be asleep just to avoid him. Nellie had moved on a long time ago.-

Cameron felt a heavy ache in his chest, a discomfort he couldn't quite put into words. Nellie had played him.

As he stared at Nellie's seemingly innocent face, a restless energy bubbled inside him. Finally, he let out a sly chuckle. "Nellie, drop the act. No hypnotist has the power to wipe all your memories. It's just a trick."

He reached out roughly to grab Nellie, but she dodged him swiftly, refusing to let him get near. She even clung to Almos' arm, begging him, "Please, I don't want to go with him. He's being so mean to me, and if I go, he'll only hurt me. Please, don't hand me over to him." Almos shrugged. "Nellie, you're the one who left me his number."

"I regret it now," Nellie said, her voice trembling with near tears.

Determined to do the right thing, Almos gently told Cameron, "Mr. Dawson, I finally get why she wanted to forget her past. You were supposed to be the one she trusted most, but you showed no patience. You probably never realized how much she was hurting." Cameron's body tensed, the chill in his hawk-like eyes slowly melting away.

Almos continued, "Your wife's dealing with severe depression. If I hadn't stepped in, she might have seen no way out but death."

Leaning in, he added, "Do you know why she hasn't ended her life? She told me she heard that those who commit suicide can't reincarnate. After having felt the sting of loneliness, she didn't want to be alone again after death. That's why she took a chance on me." Cameron's eyes, now fiery with anger, glared at the hypnotist. "Have you had enough? You're just a crazy fraud. Do you think I buy into your hypnosis crap? Did you drug her or mess with her mind? Nellie's always been steady."

Almos replied, "Believe it or not, I've said what I needed to. Take your wife home and treat her well. If you can't manage that, then leave her at Rainbow Bridge, the last place she wanted to see."

Cameron shot a fierce warning at Almos. "If you've done anything shady, I'll make sure you end up behind bars."

Almos smiled calmly. "Mr. Dawson, I assure you, I haven't harmed your wife in the slightest. The hypnosis worked because she was willing to cooperate."

Cameron's eyes, filled with pain, turned to Nellie, "Nel, if you don't want to die, come home with me."

Nellie shook her head. Taking advantage of Cameron's momentary lapse, she suddenly dashed outside with the speed of a sprinter.

Cameron was taken aback. He wasn't a monster; why was she running from him?

In the end, Cameron found Nellie at Rainbow Bridge, curled up beneath it, just like when he had found her four years ago.

But while Nellie remained the bright, innocent soul she always was, Cameron was no longer the cold-hearted man he used to be.