Reborn Without You

Christopher's expression didn't change. "Fine."

He seemed completely unconcerned about Amelia's mood or temper.

Anna didn't say anything either. There had been times before when Amelia had made a scene, and she always ended up coming back to appease her husband.

Meanwhile, Nathan hadn't been satisfied with his milk bath. He only calmed down when Nicole came over to cheer him up, promising that on the weekend, he would get to see a real aerospace and defense tech exhibit.

Amelia had never let him climb high or go to the amusement park.

Nathan thought his mother was poor and not as rich as Nicole. Otherwise, she wouldn't have given him cheap pens for his birthday or made him a lopsided cake herself.

On the other hand, Nicole took him to see real planes and fighter jets.

The next morning, Nathan bounced out of bed and devoured breakfast.

Today it was clam chowder, something he had specially asked Anna to prepare the night before. Amelia had never let him eat seafood, always watching and scolding him. Now, he could eat whatever he wanted.

Meanwhile, Amelia had risen early, preparing a nutritious breakfast for Evelyn and sending her off to school.

Just as Amelia left, Nathan jumped out of the Maybach.

"Ms. Nikki is taking me to see real fighter jets this weekend! She even got me a bunch of toy clay to share with all the kids," he boasted proudly.

"This is way better than the cheap building blocks you gave me! If you want to play too, you have to beg me and Ms. Nikki to let you join.

"See? Without Ms. Nikki and Daddy, Mommy would never take you to see real fighter jets in your whole life!"

Evelyn's eyes were red, and her nose stung. She had made all those toys herself. Christopher liked Nathan, so she thought if she could just win his favor, maybe Christopher would finally let her call him Daddy.

Evelyn glared at him. "You don't like the toys I gave you, fine! But how can you say that about Mommy?"

"Mommy's just a country bumpkin," Nathan snapped. "Only you like her! From now on, neither of you should come home. The Zephyr family doesn't want you! And I'm going to have a new Mommy! Yesterday it was Ms. Nikki who put me to bed!"

After Amelia dropped Evelyn off, the sky had already turned heavy and gray, the kind that warned of rain at any moment.

She caught sight of the big letters on a bus stop poster across the street.

[Valoria Airshow, Welcome—]

Amelia froze. She realized that in her last life, this was exactly when the Aerospace and Defense Technology Expo was set to begin in Northon, a city in Valoria.

The Northon Airshow was one of the world's top five airshows, held every two years. That weekend marked the fifteenth edition. The exhibits spanned land, sea, air, space, electricity, and networks, including planes, missiles, drones, satellites, and all kinds of aerospace technology.

There were also massive fighter jet demonstrations.

Amelia stared at the poster, lost in thought.

If she hadn't given up and chosen to stay home as a dutiful wife, maybe she would have been there. Maybe one of the planes on display would have been her design. Maybe she would even have been an official presenter, explaining her creative process and her journey as a designer.

Science and technology could elevate a nation. That was the kind of honor few could achieve.

Amelia snapped out of her reverie, pulling up the airshow's official ticket site. Every single ticket had already sold out.

She had just slipped her phone back into her bag when a sudden downpour came crashing down.

Morning rush hour meant the school gates were jammed with cars, packed so tight a taxi was out of the question.

Her eyes landed on a coffee shop not far ahead. She dashed toward it, hoping to take cover.

The moment she pushed open the glass door, she collided head-on with a man coming out. A cup of steaming coffee spilled all over him, soaking his crisp white shirt with a dark, glaring stain.

"I'm so sorry, I'll pay for this," Amelia blurted, looking up to apologize.

Jasper Langley froze for a split second when he saw her, then a smile spread across his face.

"Mia, you haven't changed a bit. Back in the aerospace agency's simulator test, you splashed all that reagent on me, and now coffee. Some things never change."

Amelia blinked, surprised to run into Jasper here. He had been her senior and shared the same doctoral advisor, Alfred Hale.

Alfred was now the director of Institute 511, a major figure in Valoria's aerospace field. He was someone countless people dreamed of studying under.

Amelia glanced at his shirt. "You haven't changed either. You're still the same smooth talker. Your shirt probably won't come clean. I'll pay you back for it."

Jasper shook his head. "Don't worry about it. It's been ages since I last saw you. A rare coincidence like this calls for a chat, right?"

"I was actually planning to call you myself," she admitted.

Jasper raised a brow. "Then let's go to the institute and talk. I'll change first."

-

Amelia sat in the visitor reception area of the institute.

It had been a long time since she last came.

Everything looked so familiar, every corner filled with memories. Each moment from the past seemed vivid and alive.

This was the first time she had sat here as a guest, and her heart was a swirl of mixed emotions.

Jasper returned after changing and sat across from her, smiling. "So, what do you think? Has it changed much?"

"Technology moves fast. The institute has definitely grown a lot," Amelia replied.

"What did you want to talk about? Back then, you said you were going to be a pioneer in the aerospace industry. Then you dropped out, gave up on your research, got married, had a kid, and cut ties with all of us…"

Amelia looked down, guilt weighing heavily in her chest. She had never had the courage to face them, and she still owed them an apology.

"I heard the Eos X7 Eco-Restoration Unit has been a success, and it's going to be shown at the airshow this weekend."

She pursed her lips, then added, "I should apologize for leaving so suddenly back then."

"You're well informed," Jasper said with a small smile. "When you quit, our entire project stalled for a long time before it could move forward again."

"I—" The words tangled in her throat, a knot of regret tightening in her chest. "I'm sorry."

Apart from apologizing, she didn't know what else to say.

Because of her choice and recklessness, everyone else had been held up for so long.

But technology advanced quickly. Even while she'd been home raising her child, she had never really let go of her field. She had kept studying, quietly working on her own. She believed that if she returned now, she wouldn't be left behind.

"Honestly, no one here wants your apology," Jasper said gently. "What we want is action."

Jasper was hoping she would come back. This was where she belonged, where her brilliance mattered.

"Do you think I could see the airshow in person?" she asked.

"Actually, you completed most of Eos X7's design. It took all of us years just to finish what you started. Your talents are meant for the aerospace industry, not for family life."

He looked at her with a hopeful gaze. "Why do you want to go? Have you decided to come back?"

He set his cup down and leaned forward slightly. "Tickets to the airshow are nearly impossible to get. But if you really want to see it, call me. I'll take you inside."

Amelia pressed her lips together and nodded. "Yeah. I think I belong in the aerospace field too."

From the time she was a child, the sky and the stars had always been her dream.

Her dream had never been just to design airplanes. She yearned for the stars and the vast oceans.

Somewhere along the way, she had lost herself.

In her past life, during the airshow, she had stayed home with Evelyn to finish Nathan's homework. She thought Christopher had taken Nathan to the hospital. But later, on television, she saw him there—with Nathan and Nicole at his side.

Even now, she could still remember the look on Evelyn's face, the way her daughter's eyes had filled with envy as Nathan got to watch fighter jets soar across the sky. However, Evelyn hadn't complained or made a fuss.

As a mother, Amelia had failed her.

This time, she wouldn't let Evelyn stand on the sidelines, watching Nathan live the life she longed for.

Now that she had been given another chance, Amelia was determined to find herself again. She wanted to be Evelyn's support and pride.

Even if the professor didn't accept her when she went, she could still visit the exhibition and catch up with her former classmates. Meeting the big names in the field wouldn't be bad either.

At the very least, people in the industry would know she existed.

Jasper smiled gently, clearly pleased. "The institute has a new research project. We need a chief engineer and more people. But so far, no one's been the right fit."

Amelia knew exactly what he meant.

He was inviting her back.

She wasn't sure she deserved a title like chief engineer. But starting from the ground up? That, she could do.

"I'll send in my resume."

Jasper's gaze lingered on her, steady and searching. "But you should know, we require candidates to have a settled personal life."

Amelia froze. That rule hadn't existed before. Was it because of her, as a cautionary example?

"I'm preparing to file for divorce."

Jasper was momentarily taken aback. Back then, she had thrown herself into pursuing happiness and had even given up her career for it. He hadn't expected her to make such a decision now.

Before the silence could stretch, Amelia's phone rang.

"Mrs. Zephyr, Nathan suddenly broke out in hives. His stomach hurts too. We're taking him to the hospital. Can you come right away?"