After a painful divorce, I thought I'd hit rock bottom. But then, an accident changed everything. I inherited a new identity and a multi-million-dollar company. However, my past refuses to stay buried. My ex-husband wants me back, but I've moved on. Can I survive the secrets and lies surrounding me, or will my new life become a deadly game?
View MoreKiara's POV
Lately, I have been suspecting my husband. Whenever I confronted him about my suspicions, he'd kiss me on the lips and tell me not to worry—it's just business deals. He'll never lie to me, right? He loves me. And I love him too. I have been married to Nicholas Chavez, a top billionaire in Florida, for three years now. We don't have kids yet, but I've been seeing signs of pregnancy. He's not bothered about having kids, but his mother is. So, I plan on going to see the doctor tomorrow. It's his birthday and I want to spend time with him as he promised. I was covered in flour, focused on making his favorite cake for his birthday when he walked into the kitchen. I didn't hear him at first, too wrapped up in wanting everything to be perfect. It had been a while since we'd spent a real evening together. He is always going on business trips and barely even has time for me, his wife. Today, which was his birthday, he promised me he wouldn't go to work, yet I woke up alone without seeing him by my side. Deep down, I knew something was wrong. The signs had been there for months—the late-night phone calls he wouldn't answer in front of me, the text messages he always hid, the distance in his touch. But I told myself it was just business, just as he assured me. I fought back my tears and made up my mind to bake a cake. I wanted to remind him of us, of how we started our love. I told my maid, Agnes, to leave the kitchen island for me because this was something I needed to do myself. I just wanted to impress him. I smiled to myself as I soon heard his footsteps approaching. The smell of his cologne filled my nostrils as I breathed in. He was looking just as handsome as the first day I saw him. "Hey, baby. Happy birthday!" I called out, grinning as I whisked the icing. But he didn't smile back. He didn't even look at me like he used to. His eyes...they were cold. My heart sank, but I ignored the feeling. Maybe he's just tired. I thought, trying to reassure myself. That was when I noticed the folder in his hands. Why was he holding a folder? Did something happen at the company? My chest tightened as he placed the folder on the counter. "Is everything okay?" I asked, forcing a smile. He clicked his tongue, avoiding my gaze. "Kiara, I need you to sign this. " His voice was like ice, each word cutting through me. I was trying so hard to think positively. It's probably just a business deal his wife needs to sign. Yes, I remember I signed one last year! But...he didn't even look happy. My heart was beating very fast as I rinsed my hands and dabbed it on my apron. I stared at the folder, my hands trembling as I opened it. The words on the first page hit me like a slap: Divorce Agreement. "No," I whispered, my heart breaking into pieces. My stomach churned so hard I could hear it. "This can't be real." Nicholas finally proved me right. I saw this coming, I did. But I never thought it could happen this way, or now, or forever. I swallowed saliva and looked up at him, desperate for an explanation. "Nicholas Johnson Chavez, is this some kind of joke?" His face stayed emotionless. His eyes were darkened like I was some piece of shit standing in front of him. "I'm serious, Kiara. Sign it." I couldn't breathe. My hands shook as I clutched the papers. This wasn't happening. We were supposed to be happy. I had ignored all the signs because I loved him too much to believe he could ever hurt me like this. He couldn't even look at me...oh God. "We're happy... aren't we? Three years of being with you, I've always done right by you, Nicholas." My voice cracked, the words feeling heavy in my throat. "Things change," he said coldly. My legs felt weak, tears slowly streaming down my cheeks. "Things change?" I repeated in my head, disbelief crashing over me. How could he say that after everything we've been through? "Sarah's back." His words felt like a punch to my chest. I froze, staring at him, my mind racing. So, it was Sarah all along. The trace of lipstick I found on his shirt that day was Sarah's. The woman he said was his past. His college ex-girlfriend. I muttered something under my breath as I bit my lip so hard it was bleeding. "She...has my son," he said softly like that would make it easier for me to hear... A son? My whole body went numb. I thought I knew Nicholas. I thought I was his everything. But all this time, there was a part of him I didn't know, and now it was here to take him away from me. "Hold on." I wiped my cheek, sniffing to regain my composure. "Remember, my birthday last month, you suddenly left dinner when you had a phone call. And you never came back until three days later. Was it her?" He nodded his head, staring blankly into my eyes. "Yes, Kiara. Look I'm sorry..." I cried out, holding my chest as tears spilled down my face. "You're sorry? For leaving me?" I whispered, almost scoffing. "Throwing everything we have because she came back?" "It's the right thing to do, I can't let her go to another man with my child." He said it as if it was just something simple. The right thing? For whom? Not for me. Not for the woman who loved him enough to overlook all the red flags. The woman who gave up her dreams just to be by his side. "Nicholas, please..." I begged at the thought of losing him, my voice trembling. "We can fix this. We can—" "There's nothing to fix, Kiara!" He yelled, his eyes burning like inferno crystals. "Sign the damn papers and stop making this harder than it needs to be." It was these eyes I first noticed when we met three years ago at his dad's office. I remembered the day like it was yesterday. Yes, I am an orphan. I worked so hard to go to college and get a degree. Afterward, my first job application was at Nicholas' dad's company. He was yet to be the successor at that time, and I was just a girl trying to get a job. After getting the job, we got along and became love birds, and on my 21st birthday, he proposed. He promised never to leave me, he promised he would stand by me through life and death. But what now? I flinched at his harsh tone, my heart breaking even more. When I didn't move, he stepped closer and grabbed my wrist. "You're are my wife, and I have the right to do whatever I want with you." His grip was firm, and before I could react, his lips crashed against mine, passionate and demanding. "Stop, Nicholas!" I cried, trying to push him away. "Let me go!" But he didn't stop. He removed my apron and his hands moved to unbutton my shirt, and I felt a surge of anger and despair. "Enough!" I yelled, kicking him hard in the groin. He stumbled back with a groan, his eyes burning with fury. "Madam!" Agnes' voice broke through the tension as she rushed into the kitchen. Her eyes darted between us, taking in the scene... Nicholas straightened, his face darkening with embarrassment. "Please don't hurt her sir," Agnes said softly, placing herself between us. Her voice trembled, but her resolve didn't waver. Tears streamed down my face as I grabbed the pen, my hands shaking. Every stroke on that paper felt like it was tearing through my soul. "There, it is done," I said, pushing the papers back to him. My voice was hollow, lifeless. "I don't want to meet you here by the time I'm back." He commanded, grabbing the folder without a word. His jaw tightened as he stormed out of the kitchen. I'll never forget that last look on his face. Agnes turned to me, tears in her own eyes. I broke down, sobbing in her arms. It felt like my heart was ripping out of my chest. "It's over, Agnes, it's really over." I cried more, holding her tightly. "I'm sorry, Madam." She broke into tears. I coughed, choking on my saliva as I wanted to speak again. "I don't know what to do anymore... I- I love him." I cried out, feeling a pang of nausea. "I know, I know you do. You have to be strong, Miss Kiara. This isn't the end." Agnes said in a shaky voice. My stomach grumbled as I slowly sat on the floor and I threw up, feeling dizzy and weak. "Oh my, I need to clean you up. Are you pregnant?" She knelt, examining my eyes. A few minutes later, I had managed to eat a bowl of porridge Agnes prepared after cleaning up. Agnes was the only person I always talked to and confided in. Even though she was old enough to be my mother, we were best friends. She taught me a lot of things, she was there for me when Nicholas wasn't. Nicholas just made me his housewife and wouldn't let me work. Agnes sighed, her warm hand touching my forehead. "Do you feel better now?" “I'm fine, Agnes. Thank you for everything you've done for me.” I said, tears breaking through my eyes as I gave her a final hug. Later, I packed my things and left Nicholas's house with nothing less than fifty dollars in my account. I had nothing. No friends, no money. All because I loved him, I lived like a caged bird in his mansion, having everything I wanted, but never free. As I was about to cross the road, with a lot of thoughts flooding my mind, a car suddenly hit me, and the last thing I heard was yelling. Everything went black.Nicholas’ POV“I don’t know how to handle this, I’ve never been this stuck,” I ran a hand through my hair, clenching my jaw. I had been discussing with Luca about what had happened with Hollis. He was the only one I could confide in. “Fuck!” I scowled, tightening my fists harder. “What are you going to do about Kiara?” Luca asked.My life was a fucking mess right now. I didn’t know what I’d do. How would she even feel watching me get married to another woman? My stomach dropped at the thought of losing her forever. She would continue to resent me and I don’t know if I’d ever be able to fix that. “I don’t know, Luca.” I heaved a sigh.I couldn’t picture myself getting married to Hollis. I regret everything. Fuck.My phone rang, but I didn’t want to answer it even without knowing who it was. I shut my eyes and let it buzz, ignoring it.“You might want to take this…” Luca said.I was uninterested in taking any calls right now—whoever it may be. But I didn’t know my heart would thump t
Damon’s POV My eyes opened slowly to a familiar surrounding. A dull ache throbbed through my skull, sharp enough to make me wince. My body felt heavy, like I had been asleep for days. The memory came rushing back—Sarah’s face beneath my hands, my rage taking over, her gasps for air. Then… the hit. Something hard had struck my head. Darkness. “You’re awake,” a voice rang out. Sarah’s voice. The sound made my chest tighten. She had ruined my relationship with Kiara. How would she even trust me after all these? I forced my eyes to focus as Sarah walked toward me with a cup of coffee in her hand like nothing had happened. She looked too calm, too collected. I was still in my house. My bedroom. The curtains half-drawn, daylight spilling through. I wondered who hit me, darn it. It was a hard one. “You almost killed me, Damon.” She smiled as she sank onto the edge of the bed. A small smile played on her lips. Why the hell was she smiling even after what I’d just done to
Damon’s POVI had been in a hotel room since I left Kiara’s office that day. I didn’t want Sarah to make it any worse, so I texted her that I wouldn’t be home for a few days. I just needed some time alone, to clear my head. What Kiara did never made me love her less, but it rather made me jealous—maybe a little bit or a lot. I couldn’t imagine them working together. I hated him around her and wanted to protect her at all costs.When I found out that Nicholas was the one who saved her when she had an accident, I decided to take the credit because I was jealous again. What if Kiara falls for him again after knowing that? What if she stops loving me because of that jerk?The thoughts were messing with my head. I just couldn’t afford to lose Kiara. She’s been through a whole lot and deserves to be loved the right way. She deserves to be happy. “See you next time Sir,” the receptionist smiled widely as I dropped the room key and checked out. On getting home, Sarah was fixing breakfast a
Kiara’s POVThe clinking of cutlery and the gentle hum of the hotel restaurant chatter filled the space. I was seated at a table with Taylor, Simon, and Rosa, and we were having breakfast tacos. I tried to get myself together because I couldn’t afford to let my emotions show. Yesterday, the meeting with Nicholas infuriated me more than I expected. I felt a sting of regret when he asked me why I chose him to work with me. Everything felt overwhelming at that moment, and I managed to regain my composure even though I felt his eyes on me all through the meeting.Nicholas has always been so intelligent, and when I was with him, I would see a lot of investors begging to work with him. Chavez Enterprise was one of the most successful companies in the US. I couldn’t imagine him starting to get wrecked, not even in the slightest way. He had allowed himself to be brainwashed by the woman he called his first love. I’m so certain she must have been a professional gold digger. Well, all I want
Nicholas’ POV I walked into the meeting room early. It was quiet. I had told Luca to wait for me outside, that I'd handle it all by myself. Rosa was fixing the projector, while two other people were checking some files. After exchanging subtle greetings, I pulled out a chair and sat down, feeling restless for no reason. Kiara was going to be here anytime soon. My fingers drummed on my knee, my jaw clenched as I observed the highlights of the meeting on the projector. Wondering why she had chosen me for this project, I took a deep breath. Then the door opened. She walked in. Kiara. My angel. My heart paused for a second. She looked good. Too good. Drop-dead gorgeous. Oh my… My chest hurt because the woman making her way to her seat was once mine. I noticed her face… It was empty. She didn't smile. I knew she hated to see me, but she didn't even frown. She just acted like I wasn't there.Why did she look so tired? This was something that just anyone could see. I knew her better t
Kiara's POV My stomach twisted at the thought that I had lost Damon. I sighed, staring blankly at Jamie as I scratched my head. “Don't overthink it, girl. He loves you. You know that right?” Jamie placed her hand on mine, giving me a reassuring look. Right. I was overthinking again. I never wanted to hurt Damon and wished I had explained everything to him. I pressed my lips together, chuckling slightly as she smiled widely, pulling me into a hug. I needed this. “Thanks, Jamie,” I whispered, closing my eyes as a wave of relief crashed through me. We started to get ready for my three-day trip. She had agreed to stay back at the office, handling things with Collen. Tomorrow was the day I'd have an official business meeting with my ex-husband, Nicholas. An hour later, Jamie went to bed while I sat in the mirror. Taking a deep breath, I thought about my decision. Did I make a mistake bringing Nicholas onboard? I planned to use him to get things done. Damon was the person I love
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