Reborn to Ruin You

Chapter 6

---

The walls of Selene's house pulsed with music, but Ryn barely heard it. She stood in the hallway outside the upper rooms of Selene's sprawling house, her hand brushing the textured wallpaper absentmindedly. Behind her, the low hum of bass vibrated through the floor. Below, the party raged , but up here, everything felt still.

Except for him.

Jace.

She could feel his presence before she turned. His footsteps were too soft for most to hear, but she wasn't most people anymore. When she finally did glance back, his tall frame leaned against the far wall, one hand shoved in his pocket, the other holding a glass lazily. His gaze was locked on her like a hunter to prey.

"You always run off like that?" he asked, voice low, almost teasing.

"I wasn't aware I needed permission to leave a room," Ryn replied coolly.

He pushed off the wall, slow, deliberate, each step measured. He didn't come too close, but close enough for the air between them to tense.

"You don't," he said. "But I'm curious why you keep choosing silence over all that noise downstairs."

"Maybe I just don't like clowns," she murmured, eyes flicking toward him.

His lips twitched, almost amused. "You've got bite."

"You've got eyes," she shot back.

They stared at each other for a moment, unflinching. There was no warmth in Jace's gaze, just that quiet, consuming intensity , like he was always peeling layers back in his mind.

"Don't pretend you're not watching everything," he said after a beat. "And I wonder why you do."

Ryn didn't blink.

"I watch what I need to," she said.

Jace's eyes lingered on her lips, then back up. "I bet you do."

The sound of footsteps broke their stare. Ryn took the moment to walk away , deliberately turning her back on him , and slipped into the guest room at the end of the hall. It was dimly lit, forgotten, quiet.

Perfect.

She pulled out her phone, tapped the locked folder , the one she'd spent weeks building. Photos. Screenshots. Notes. Voice recordings. Samantha's curated life had cracks. Her mother's affair with the mayor, her father's buried embezzlement case, her own secret relationship with a teacher from her summer arts program. A pregnancy scare that never saw daylight. Ryn hadn't just dug up dirt ,she'd torn up the entire garden.

She selected one photo , not the worst, just the first crack , and dropped it into a message box with a masked number.

"Do you think your mother would survive another scandal? Be careful how loud you laugh tonight, Samantha. I'm closer than you think. 💋"

She hit send.

Then she smiled.

Downstairs.

Samantha's phone buzzed as she twirled around mid-laugh. The message hit her like a slap. Her expression changed ,not dramatically, but enough for Ryn to see.

She just arrived downstairs,and was perfectly on time to see Samantha's reaction

From across the room, Ryn leaned against the railing of the staircase, sipping something cold, eyes fixed on Samantha.

Samantha's laughter died awkwardly. She looked around, frantic, but tried to cover it with another laugh. Too late.

Alina beside her saw it.

She was standing nearby with two of her little lapdogs, playing polite, her smile like glossed ice. But her eyes? They narrowed. Alina didn't know what happened, but she clocked Samantha's falter and tucked it away.

"Something wrong?" She asked sweetly, tilting her head.

Samantha forced a smile. "No. Just… my mom. Texting."

"Mothers do have a sense of timing," Alina replied. She turned toward Ryn, standing a few feet away. "Ryn, come join us."

Before Ryn could move, Selene stepped in front of her.

"You know, I'm still trying to remember you from middle school," Selene said with a faux-thoughtful expression. "You were… the one with the braces and the frizzy hair, right?"

Ryn tilted her head. " I was wasn't I, but it doesn't matter now cause look at me."

The girls nearby laughed awkwardly, unsure who to side with.

Selene's smile thinned. "Cute."

"I know," Ryn replied, brushing past her like she was invisible.

Selene tried not to laugh. Samantha tried not to spiral.

In the shadows near the back wall, Jace watched it all.

His arms were folded, jaw tense, eyes never leaving Ryn. She didn't just walk into a room ,she moved like she owned it. Like she knew every secret. And maybe she did.

He caught the flick of her gaze when Samantha stumbled again, nearly snapping at one of her friends.

Ryn sent another message.

"Smile wider, Sam. You're cracking."

Samantha nearly dropped her glass. She excused herself and walked away from the,crowd, breathing heavily. Ryn said nothing ,but her eyes glittered.

Selene watched her too. She didn't trust Ryn. But she was intrigued.

Later that night, in the upstairs bathroom.

Jace cornered her again.

This time, it was quieter. The lights above the marble sink cast soft shadows across the space. Ryn stood by the window, gazing out.

"You don't play games," he said.

"Not ones I can lose."

He stepped closer. "You know, you're not invisible anymore."

"I was never trying to be."

His hand brushed her wrist. Not grabbing. Not yet. Just a test. A question.

"You're stirring something."

"I'm just here for the punch," she said, pulling away.

But he didn't move. He stepped closer.

"You're not like before," he said. "And I don't think you've ever been scared of anyone in this school."

She looked up at him, calm, unshaken. "Should I be scared of you?"

A pause.

Jace smiled,the kind that didn't reach his eyes.

"No. But they should be scared of you."

Downstairs, Samantha was unraveling.

Her hand shook as she downed another drink. Alina smiled sweetly beside her, whispering something that made Samantha snap. Her voice rose. Eyes turned.

And Ryn just watched. Cool. Collected. The storm she'd summoned now spinning itself out.

---

Chapter Ends With a Soft Cliffhanger:

As the guests filtered out, Jace found Selene by the front hallway.

"She's interesting, isn't she?" he said quietly, not even saying her name.

Selene didn't look at him. She was too busy watching Ryn walk away down the driveway.

"Too interesting," she murmured.