Chapter 3 - Miraculous survivor

Lianne's POV

In an abandoned house on the outskirts of the city.

“Dad, please don't leave me alone,” I said while holding my father's warm hand. He looked at me and smiled sadly.

“I'm so sorry Anne, that you have to experience all this” dad said, his eyes red with unshed tears.

“It's okay dad, I'm okay, I'll recover, I'll be strong just don't leave me okay” I replied frantically shaking my head

“Some situations can't be helped, I'm really sorry I do hope you can forgive me for causing you all this pain”

“No dad, no” I replied him crying

“ Whatever you do Lianne, always remember who you are” he said to me with his firm voice then he turned his back and I felt his hand slowly slip away from my grip.

“Wait dad… no.. don't leave me” I stretched out my hands at him in vain. He's gone.

I opened my eyes slowly, tears slipping out of the corners of my eyes. It is a dream. The strong smell of disinfectant attacked my nose. I looked at the unfamiliar ceiling above me, I turned my head to the side and I saw the IV line, and the fluid dripping slowly into my veins.

The realization hit me fast. I'm alive, I'm not dead, I survived the accident. I hurriedly tried to sit up and regretted it immediately, a sharp piercing pain shot through me reminding me that I just survived a very fatal accident.

“I wouldn't do that if I were you” I heard a voice say. I looked towards the door and saw a middle aged woman “who are you? How did I get here? Where is this place?”

“One question at a time, young lady”

" My name is Irene, and I am the one who has been giving you treatment and helping you to treat your wounds"

“You are currently in the outskirts of Manhattan, and you will have to stay here until you are fully recovered from your wounds”

“The person involved in the car accident which took place at 26th street has been identified to be Lianne Smith the eldest daughter and heiress to Smith corporation” A clear and loud female voice rang out from the television present in the room which I didn't even realize was there.

“Additional details about the circumstances surrounding her death are still coming up. Information will be communicated to the public as soon as it becomes available”

Then I saw them, Adrian and Celeste on the screen shedding false tears.

“Vipers” I hissed

“Lianne was the most loving and understanding girl I had ever met. Even when I fail to accompany her due to my busy schedule, she still always find time to ask about my welfare” Adrian said while holding Celeste in his arms

They can't even wait behind closed doors before they start holding eachother. Tears burned my eyes but I refuse to let them fall. I fisted the sheets in my hands, looking at the man I had once loved, the man I had given my all to. But what did he repay me with? Betrayal and death. He had said that I am not worthy to stand beside him, not worthy to be his wife.

“I promise to do my best to ensure that Smith corporation remains unbeatable and not deviate from the standards my father and sister had laid down” Celeste also said, wailing in front of the camera but barely squeezing out any tears to show her sincerity. I scoffed.

“Wait… aren't you the one in the picture the news reporter showed just now” I nodded and she gasped

“Then you shouldn't be watching news like this, it's bad for your recuperation”

Irene said and made a move to switch off the television. “No it's okay I need to be up to date with the news”.

" Oh…okay, I'll change the channel then" she replied and changed the television channel.

“For how long have I been out?” I asked Irene.

“3 days” she answered. That is quite fast of them, to have taken over the company and all other inheritance my father has left me.

The other channel she changed it to is also reporting news about them.

“Adrian Cooper, the CEO of Cooper enterprise, is now engaged to Celeste Smith, the second daughter of the Smith family. The engagement was said to have been an act of compensation from the Smiths, in order to ensure a lasting bond between the two families”

This act has however raised questions from the public about whether the marriage is purely business oriented or personal. The news reporter said, let's listen to what Adrian Cooper has to say about this.

In response Adrian Cooper admitted saying “I have never had an official dating relationship with Lianne, however Celeste has been the one I truly loved”.

“My engagement with Lianne was purely business, arranged by both families and we both had planned to divorce immediately after marriage” he continued

“Even if Lianne were still alive, we would have divorced by now and either way I'll still end up marrying Celeste”

As I watched the news a cold realization hit me. I didn't feel angry anymore, instead I felt calm. If they already concluded that I am dead then I'll remain dead to them.

But for the meantime I need to get strong and healthy again and retaliate against them.

I took the remote on the bedside table and switched off the television.

I looked at Irene and said “You haven't answered my question” and she froze as if I just said something forbidden.

“How did I get here? Who brought me here?”