SSS Awakening: Rebirth of the Strongest Vampire God novel Chapter 106

Chapter 106: Reunion

Mark fumbled with the keys to the old apartment, his movements stiff. He hadn’t been back here since Kate collapsed. Everything felt like it had happened a lifetime ago, even though it had only been days.

Kate stood beside him, unusually quiet, her hood pulled up, sunglasses hiding her crimson eyes despite the overcast afternoon. When the door creaked open, both of them stopped.

Their mother was already inside.

She sat on the couch like she owned the place, legs crossed, a wine glass in one hand and her favorite overly sweet perfume clinging to every inch of the air. A middle-aged man sat beside her, sharp suit, fake tan, eyes like a hawk with dollar signs in his pupils.

"There you two are!" their mother exclaimed, getting up with a grin that didn’t quite reach her eyes. "I was starting to think you weren’t going to show. You didn’t answer my texts, Mark."

Mark’s jaw tightened. Kate instinctively stepped forward and muttered, "We’ve been... busy."

Their mother pouted theatrically, walking over and cupping Kate’s face. "Busy? Don’t be silly. I’ve barely seen you in weeks! You look tired. Are you eating enough?" _{freeweɓnovel.cѳm}

Kate forced a stiff smile. "I’m fine, Mom." She had gone through a whole life and death ordeal in these few days, but the woman knew nothing about that.

Mark cleared his throat, tone clipped. "Why are you here?"

"Because," she said sweetly, "I missed my children. And I wanted to introduce you both to Hector." She gestured to the man behind her.

Hector stood, offering a smile that was too polished. "Pleasure. Heard a lot about you."

"Sure," Mark muttered, deadpan. "I’m sure you did."

Their mother continued without missing a beat. "We’re all going out for dinner today. I already booked a reservation. No excuses, okay? It’s a family night."

Mark opened his mouth to protest, but Kate cut in. "Okay."

He stared at her. "Kate—"

Mark looked at her with disbelief, but she refused to meet his eyes. Her mother was smiling now, victorious, already talking about the restaurant’s wine list.

After a few more forced pleasantries, their mother urged them to change into new clothes that she had gotten for them.

The dinner reservation was for seven.

Kate wore the dress her mother brought, too tight, too red. Mark ditched the suit jacket but still looked like someone crammed into a life that didn’t fit anymore.

"Wow, my two children look perfect, don’t they, Hector? Even I almost don’t recognize them!" Their mother beamed like she was the queen of some picture-perfect fantasy.

Hector just smiled, but the man’s eyes never left Kate. After her transformation, she had changed a lot more than Mark. Perhaps because Mark was turned inside the game while she was turned outside the game, Kate’s changes were a lot more noticeable.

She had become taller, her complexion had improved, and her body had matured more than before, accentuating her curves a lot more. There was a subtle, impossible-to-miss allure to her now, as if she did not belong to this mundane world.