Rebirth: A Second chance at life-Chapter 31: Bishop returned to the mansion.

Aurora stepped into her mansion, and the quiet hum of technology filled the space as the automated system came to life.

"Welcome back, the most beautiful girl in the universe... How was your day?"

A robotic, childlike voice echoed through the grand halls, warm and familiar.

Aurora’s lips curled slightly—a ghost of a smile. This AI wasn’t just a machine; it was her creation, something she had built with the help of someone she had never met. A friend. A shadow.

They had connected through the dark web, their bond forged in encrypted messages and shared knowledge. For years, he had been a constant presence in her life—her partner in cybernetic crime, the only one who truly understood her mind.

And then, a year ago... he vanished.

No warnings. No messages. No trace of him anywhere.

But Aurora didn’t dwell on it.

In their world, death was inevitable—a shadow that followed closely, waiting for the right moment to strike. If he was gone, then that was simply the nature of their line of work.

And if he was still out there...

Then one day, their paths would cross again.

"Had a blast, Jojo!" Aurora chimed as she stepped further into the mansion.

"Ahhh! How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?!" the system huffed in mock exasperation. "My name is Zoey! I am the most intelligent AI in the whole universe!"

Aurora smirked, amusement flickering in her eyes. "Sure, Jojo," she teased deliberately.

A dramatic pause followed before the system practically wailed in digital agony.

"Argh! If you ever call me that again, I swear I’ll blow up this house L..!"

Aurora chuckled, shaking her head as she made her way inside. "I’d like to see you try."

Aurora ascended the grand staircase, her thoughts swirling with the events of the evening. Every encounter, every lingering gaze, and every carefully spoken word replayed in her mind like pieces of a puzzle waiting to be solved.

Stepping into her room, she allowed herself a moment to breathe before heading to the bathroom. The warm water washed away the tension clinging to her, soothing muscles that had long been accustomed to exhaustion.

Freshened up, she made her way downstairs, the silence of the mansion broken only by the faint hum of Jojo—or Zoey, as it so desperately preferred to be called.

Entering the kitchen, she rolled up her sleeves and got to work.

Even though she had once ruled as a queen in her past life—commanding fear as the leader of the most dangerous and ruthless clan—cooking was something she had always enjoyed. There was something grounding about it, something personal. It was a rare indulgence, one she had once reserved only for her master.

Her master...

A shadow flickered across her gaze as she stirred the ingredients, memories clawing at the corners of her mind. After his death, she had abandoned the act altogether, unable to bear the weight of nostalgia that came with it.

But now... she had no choice.

Finishing her meal, she quietly savored the flavors, allowing herself a rare moment of peace before heading back upstairs. Stepping into her dimly lit room, she made her way to the balcony.

The moon cast a pale silver glow over the ocean’s restless waves, its reflection shimmering like liquid mercury against the dark expanse of water. The quiet solitude of the mansion wrapped around Aurora like a cloak, offering her the peace she craved—though her mind was anything but calm.

She had a plan now. A clear vision of what was to come.

Tomorrow, she would make her way to the Smith family.

They had clung to her—or rather, to the body she now inhabited—for far too long. Their influence, like a lingering shadow, still tainted the air around her. But she would change that. It was time to settle accounts, time to remind them that the girl they once trampled on no longer existed.

But before that, there was someone else she had to deal with.

A friend... or a foe?

That, she would have to see for herself.

"Come out..." she said, her gaze unwavering as she leaned against the balcony railing. "I know you’ve been hiding there. I sensed you the moment I stepped into the house."

Aurora’s voice was calm, almost lazy, yet it carried an unmistakable edge of authority.

The night remained still for a moment, the silence stretching thin. But Aurora’s patience was limitless.

She tilted her head slightly, a smirk ghosting over her lips.

"Do I need to drag you out myself, or will you save us both the trouble?"

A figure slowly emerged from the shadows, his movements silent, precise—honed by years of mastery. Yet, as his gaze settled on the girl standing before him, a rare flicker of shock passed through his otherwise impassive expression.

She hadn’t turned to face him, her back still to him, yet she had sensed his presence the moment she stepped into the house. That alone sent a ripple of unease through him.

Impossible.

He was one of the world’s top mercenaries, a ghost among men—undetectable, unseen. Apart from his boss, no one had ever been able to locate or sense him. Yet this girl had called him out without a moment’s hesitation, as if it were second nature.

His sharp eyes traced her form, his mind racing as he replayed every moment since she arrived. He had been watching her, keeping meticulous tabs on her movements, expecting to find a weak, oblivious girl.

But what he saw instead made his breath hitch.

It can’t be...

The way she moved, the confidence in her stance, even the air around her—it was all identical. Every detail, every subtle flick of her fingers, the way her presence seemed to command the space around her...

It was her.

His boss.

But that was impossible. He had buried her. He had seen her body was reduced to ashes, had witnessed the very flames that erased her existence from this world.

And yet, as he stood there, frozen in place, his carefully constructed reality began to crack.

Then, the final blow came.

"Jojo," she had called Zoey.

Exactly the way his boss used to.

He had come to this town with a single purpose—to track down the mastermind behind the explosion. The evidence, though scarce, had led him here, to a place he never thought he’d return to.

After setting the trap, ensuring every piece was in place, he made his way back to the mansion—a place that had once been more than just walls and stone.

It had been home.

Not just for him, but for all of them. A sanctuary, a stronghold, a place where they had built their foundation under her leadership. His boss had always favored this mansion, retreating here when the weight of the world pressed too heavily on her shoulders. It was where strategies had been crafted, where victories had been celebrated, and where the unbreakable bond of their squad had been forged.

Tonight, however, he wasn’t here for tactics or war.

Tonight, he came seeking something else—a trace of her. A remnant of the force she once was, something to remind him that she had truly existed beyond the ashes he had buried.

"Who are you, and what are you doing in this house?" he demanded, his deep voice cutting through the silence like a blade.

His sharp gaze locked onto her, scanning for the slightest hint of deception. There was no way an outsider could have slipped past the high-level security set in place—not without triggering even the smallest alarm.

His fingers twitched instinctively toward his weapon as he took a slow step forward.

"And more importantly," he continued, his voice laced with suspicion, "how did you get past the security system? And why is Zoey responding to you?"

Zoey—an AI coded to recognize only Luna, his boss. An AI that should have raised hell the moment an intruder set foot inside.

Yet here she was. Calm. Unbothered. Welcomed.

It didn’t make sense. And he didn’t like things that didn’t make sense.