Neoza07

Brilliant, cunning, and unmatched in every field, Aria Blackwell was a woman feared and admired — until the night her life was ruthlessly taken. When Aria opens her eyes again, it’s in the fragile, disgraced body of Elena Moore, a woman ridiculed for her stupidity and overlooked by everyone… except the powerful billionaire, Sebastian Hart.

Bound by a debt of life, Sebastian was forced by his iron-willed grandmother to marry Elena, the dimwit who once saved her. He planned to keep their marriage nothing more than a contract — cold, distant, and temporary.

But the Elena who awakens is anything but foolish. With sharp eyes, lethal grace, and an aura that commands respect, Aria, now in Elena's body, begins to turn the tables. Sebastian is drawn to this new Elena, captivated by her confidence, skill, and magnetic charm. The woman he once ignored now has his heart spiraling out of control.

As Aria uncovers the tangled secrets of her death, she also discovers the shocking truth: her past self was the mysterious woman Sebastian secretly longed for, the one who once stirred his guarded heart.

Now, with new life in a despised body, Aria vows revenge on those who wronged her — but love wasn’t part of her plan. Will she fall for the man who unknowingly loved her twice? And what will Sebastian do when he realizes the woman of his dreams was beside him all along… in a form he never expected?

“Reborn as His Captivating Wife” — a tale of vengeance, love, and fate’s cruel games.

Reborn as his captivating wife

The following mornings sun filtered softly through the Hart mansion's grand windows, casting golden light over the marble floors. Elena stood by the mirror in her walk-in closet, tying her hair into a sleek ponytail. Today, she had two meetings—one with Stratus's product distribution team, and another with a key logistics investor. The product launch had caused a ripple across tech markets, with international interest growing by the hour.

As she adjusted the cuffs of her cream blouse, her phone buzzed. A message from Sofia Lin popped up:

> "Good morning, Ms. Moore. Just a heads-up: the investor arriving at 2 p.m. is quite particular. But I've prepped everything."

> "Thanks, Sofia. Let's win him over."

Downstairs, the breakfast table was quieter than usual. Sebastian sat with a tablet in hand, scrolling through a report. The moment Elena stepped in, his eyes flickered up. He had been thinking about her ever since the kiss at the auction—her warmth, her stunned gaze, the way she didn't push him away. He still hadn't said anything about it, but it lingered between them, unspoken and magnetic.

"You look… impressive," he said, setting the tablet aside.

"Impressive?" Elena chuckled lightly. "That's one way to say I'm overdressed for breakfast."

"I meant what I said," he replied with a sly smirk. "Heading to the company?"

She nodded, pouring herself a cup of coffee. "Stratus is swimming in international inquiries. We're barely keeping up. It's exciting—but also exhausting."

He leaned back. "I've gone through the trial data. Your team's ahead of the curve. That prototype—if rolled out at full scale—could dominate multiple markets."

Elena met his gaze. "Are you trying to court me into a business deal or something more, Mr. Hart?"

Sebastian's lips twitched. "Why not both?"

She raised a brow but said nothing, sipping her coffee as a slight blush crept to her cheeks. Despite the tension that still buzzed between them, she left with a quiet smile.

At Stratus Innovations, the day flew by. Elena oversaw the reports confirming product shipments to Germany, Japan, and the UAE. A respected tech blog had even published a feature about her, titled: "From Dimwit to Disruptor: The Woman Behind Stratus's Meteoric Rise."

She took the article with grace, though she chuckled at the title. It seemed the world was finally beginning to see her for who she truly was.

Back at the Hart mansion, dusk fell. Elena returned home late, tired but fulfilled. After a long shower, she stepped out to the terrace with a glass of wine. Sebastian appeared moments later, jacket off, sleeves rolled up.

"You always come here when you're thinking," he said, joining her by the railing.

"And you always follow," she replied, her lips curving.

"I like the view," he said. But he wasn't looking at the horizon.

She laughed softly. "You're getting bolder."

"Just honest," he said, sipping from her glass. "I read the article. I'm proud of you, Elena."

The words struck something deep in her. Pride. Admiration. Trust. All the things she had once begged for from others now came without effort—from the man she least expected.

She turned to him slowly. "Thank you, Sebastian."

They stood in silence, the ocean of stars overhead watching two hearts finding their rhythm again—slowly, deeply, unmistakably.

chapter 42