Revenge is Best Served After Reborn (James)

Odie's voice dropped a few notches, growing colder.

Sophie just shrugged it off with a casual grin, saying, "The Silent Shadows are like a nasty weed in this world. My inner superhero kicked in, so I figured, why not wipe them out in one go? Does that make it easier for you to swallow?" Odie let out a skeptical laugh, "Your inner superhero? Since when did 'heroic' have anything to do with you?"

Sophie chuckled, "Odie, what's that supposed to mean?"

Odie paused before asking, "Is it because of me?"

As he spoke, he locked eyes with Sophie. The irritation she felt melted away under his gaze.

Odie went on, "You and Colby didn't have to come save me. I chose to go."

"Chose to walk into danger?" Sophie retorted, "Do you realize if we hadn't stepped in, you could have died? Is your life worth so little to you?"

Odie shrugged it off, "I've done plenty wrong in my life. Dying would be my due. Like I said, I chose it. You two didn't have to dive into this mess."

"You expect me and Colby to just stand by and watch you walk into a trap? Now that The Silent Shadows have their claws in, they won't let go. Do you have any idea how risky it is now that you're away from the Aldridge family?"

Sophie's brow furrowed as she continued, "Colby's always seen you as a brother. He wouldn't leave you hanging, and neither would I. They nabbed you, and you just went along with it? Since when did you become so easygoing? If they threatened you, you should've gone and taught them a lesson! Ending up in this sorry state, do you still have the nerve to call yourself the king of Summerfield?"

"If they'd only threatened my life, I'd have fought back with everything I had! But they used you..." Odie's gaze shifted, his voice chilling, "I couldn't risk your life and Colby's."

"So you left a note for Colby, letting him know we were targets, and then went off on your own? Odie, do you think that's noble? If you had died, Colby and I wouldn't have let The Silent Shadows get away with it either. But at least now, you're still here."

Odie opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He wanted to live.

Even when things were tough, he wanted to live.

But caught in the mire that was Summerfield, each day felt like a blur.

All he thought about was getting back at Colby.

Revenge was just an excuse to demand an explanation.

He figured that's how his life would play out.

But out of nowhere, he found that fierce urge to cling to life.

He wanted to live, but part of him felt losing his life wasn't a big deal.

Yet regret lingered in his heart.

Sophie had quietly approached his t bedside, slipping a piece of hard candy into his mouth.

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The sweetness dissolved on his tongue.

Odie blinked, momentarily caught off guard.

Sophie said. "You get to enjoy candy only if you're alive. No candy for the dead, got it?" Content belong

Odie glanced at the rainbow candy. wrapper in Sophie's hand and said,

"I'm not a kid, I outgrew hard candy ages ago."

Sophie frowned, "Really? But Colby said you've got a sweet tooth."