Reborn From Oblivion

"I was just about to..." Nathalie was scrambling for a decent excuse to dodge her dad when, out of the blue, the young guy across the room burst out with a triumphant cheer, "Ah, I've figured out how to crack this puzzle!"

Lincoln gave him a thumbs-up, "Impressive, impressive. Holding your ground against me for two hours? You really are a brainiac from MIT."

With that, Lincoln set the chess pieces aside and said, "Alright, my dear nephew, let's call it a day. Come on over, let me introduce you to my daughter."

That's when the young man finally noticed Nathalie. She was at home, wearing a laid-back outfit, and her hair was thrown up in a careless bun. However, the toll of several sleepless nights was evident on her oily skin.

Diego was caught off guard, staring at Nathalie, taken aback by her no-nonsense appearance.

For a second, he thought about backing out.

Lincoln stood up and, holding Nathalie's hand, led her to the young man. "Vivian, meet Diego, the son of my college buddy. You two should hang out more often. Our friendship should carry on through your generation."

Nathalie nodded and said candidly, "Well, since Dad insists, I'll be sure to keep in touch with Mr. Chen."

Diego chuckled, "Calling me Mr. is way too formal. Just call me Diego. I'm a few years older than you, after all."

"Alright, Diego."

Lincoln stretched with a yawn, "Vivian, I'm a bit worn out from playing chess all afternoon. Why don't you show Diego around the garden?"

Nathalie gestured politely, "Diego, please, come with me."noveldrama

As Nathalie and Diego walked off, Lincoln watched them go with a grin.

"They really are a perfect pair."

"Vivian, I hope you find your true happiness."

Nathalie led Diego on a leisurely stroll through the garden.

Their conversation was relaxed, dipping in and out of topics.

"To be honest, I only just moved into this villa recently. I'm still getting the hang of

it," Nathalie admitted, a bit embarrassed.

Diego was surprised, "Wait, aren't you Ashley?"

Having grown up abroad, he wasn't clued into the local scene and didn't know about Nathalie's recent family reunion.

Nathalie laughed and explained, "My life is kind of split into two acts: the first half and the second half. They're like two completely different plays performed by the same person."

Diego paused, listening intently.

"Go on, I'm all ears."

"In the first half of my life, I was a kid my adoptive father couldn't stand and my adoptive mother abused. Every day was a fight to survive."

"My life's turning point was probably my ex-husband. He took me away from that miserable place. I saw a bigger world, but I also lost a lot of precious things, like my kidney and my child."

Diego stared at her in disbelief.

"You're divorced? And lost a child?"

Nathalie nodded. Despite her upbeat nature, her rocky past had left her wary and sensitive. She already had a hunch about why her dad wanted her to meet Diego.

She wanted to put an end to any romantic notions Diego might have, so she laid all her unpleasant experiences out in the open.

A shadow flickered across Diego's eyes, a hint of anger simmering beneath the surface. Perhaps he felt duped into a blind date, especially with someone who seemed like a fragile doll that had been through the wringer.

Yet, he kept his cool, "I'm guessing you know Jules set this up as a potential match. Ashley, by sharing your past, you're trying to scare me off. But let me tell you, your past doesn't faze me. What matters is your present and future. Of course, I'm not going to rush into anything; I think we both need to get to know each other better before making any decisions."