Chapter 5 Confusion

Sighing, I decided to just rest for now and starting tomorrow, I can start planning my revenge.

With one final glance at the mirror, I slid it back onto the bedside table and turned off the light.

The room was quiet, the kind of silence that settles deep into your bones. I sank into the mattress, pulling the covers up to my chin, letting the darkness wrap around me like a shield.

Tomorrow, everything would begin.

I would find out the truth. I would remember.

And I would make them pay.

But for now… I let myself drift off to sleep, with vengeance quietly waiting in the corners of my mind.

The next day

Waking up to the loud sound of my alarm, I stood up groggily and trudged toward the bathroom to get ready for work. The steam from the shower helped clear the lingering fog in my mind, and by the time I stepped out, towel-drying my hair, I already felt more like myself...or at least the version of me I needed to be for today.

Standing in front of the mirror, I carefully put in my contact lenses, the familiar dullness returning to my gaze. The heterochromia disappeared, replaced with the same warm brown in both eyes. Safe. Normal. Forgettable.

I packed my hair into a neat ponytail, letting it frame my almost-round face in a professional way. Nothing flashy. Just clean and composed. Exactly what was expected of me.

After grabbing my bag and checking that everything was in place, I left my apartment, locking the door behind me.

To my surprise, the familiar sleek black car was already waiting outside.

The passenger-side window rolled down smoothly, revealing the man behind the wheel.

Mark.

"Good morning, sir" I said politely, offering a respectful nod as I approached the car.

"You're late" he replied coolly, his eyes hidden behind dark sunglasses.

I bit back a sigh and opened the car door. "Apologies. It won't happen again."

He didn’t respond. Just waited until I settled in before pulling out onto the road.

The silence between us stretched, but it wasn’t awkward, just…typical.

Breaking the silence, I said "I can go to work myself, you don't have to pick me up."

"....."

I was met with silence, I turned my head slightly, glancing at him from the corner of my eye. His jaw was set, eyes still fixed on the road, as if I hadn't said anything at all.

Typical Mark.

"I mean it" I added, keeping my voice even. "I appreciate it, but I don’t want to inconvenience you."

Still nothing.

Was he ignoring me on purpose? Or was he just being his usual, emotionally constipated self?

Just as I was about to let the topic drop, he finally spoke...quiet, flat, and with no room for argument.

"It’s not an inconvenience."

I blinked, caught off guard by the simplicity of his response.

That was it? No explanation? No further conversation?

"...Okay" I said softly, turning my gaze back to the window.

Whatever his reasons were, I wasn’t going to push. Not yet. I had bigger things to figure out. But still…

That small, unshakable part of me wondered, why was he really doing this?

What does he want from me? I couldn't quite wrap my head around it, his odd behaviour. In my past life, he never did anything like this, he was always cold and unapproachable.

He never drove me to work. Never cared if I was late. Never even looked at me long enough to notice if I was tired or hurt.

And now, here he was, showing up outside my apartment like it was normal. Like this was just another day between two people who weren’t complete strangers behind a marriage certificate.

But that wasn’t us. Not then.

So why now? Why the change?

Did he remember something too?

I looked at him again, but his face was unreadable. Focused. Still driving like he didn’t just throw my entire understanding of him out the window.

One thing was certain, this version of Mark was a mystery I hadn’t prepared for.

But I was going to solve him, too.

The car came to a stop, pulling me out of my train of thoughts. We got down and walked into the company building, side by side.

I could feel the eyes on us as we made our way towards the private elevator, exclusive only for the use of the CEO.

The quiet hum of the elevator as the doors closed behind us only seemed to heighten the tension. It was like the entire building was watching us, waiting, wondering. The way people glanced at us as we walked, whispering behind their hands, made my skin prickle.

We didn't speak. Mark stood tall, composed, his usual indifference radiating off him as though he was immune to the attention. I, on the other hand, couldn’t shake the feeling that every single person in this building was analyzing us.

The elevator ascended, the soft ping of each passing floor echoing in the otherwise still air.

Mark’s presence was suffocating, but it wasn’t just him. It was what he represented...power, control, and something deeper that I hadn’t quite grasped yet. Something that felt like it had been there all along, hidden behind layers I was just starting to peel away.

Finally, the elevator doors opened, and we stepped out into the lavish CEO floor. The sleek glass walls and polished furniture were as cold and immaculate as ever.

Mark led the way without a word, his strides confident and deliberate, while I trailed behind, still trying to make sense of the strange, unsettling dynamic between us.

Getting to my work station, I stopped, dropping my things on my table before noticing Mark staring at me.

"Do you need anything, sir?" I asked, confused as to why he also stopped.

He didn’t answer right away. Just stood there, staring at me with that same unreadable expression that made it impossible to know what he was thinking.

I straightened my posture a little, suddenly very aware of how close he was standing.

"No" he finally said, his voice low and measured. "Just...get to work."

And with that, he turned on his heel and walked away, disappearing into his office like nothing happened.

I blinked, trying to process that odd moment.

What was that about?

There was something in his eyes. Something I couldn’t quite catch in time.

Curiosity? Doubt? Recognition?

Whatever it was, it lingered with me far longer than it should have.

I shook my head and sat down. Focus, I reminded myself. I had a plan. I had things to uncover. And the first step? Play the role. Stay close. Watch carefully.

Even if that meant working right under the nose of the man I once called husband… and maybe, my future enemy.

Taking my laptop out of my bag, I turned it on and decided to get some work done before lunch time. I didn't see Charles today, maybe he isn't in the office.

The screen lit up, bathing my face in a soft glow as I began clicking through emails and project files. Routine tasks. Numbers. Schedules. Things that used to feel dull now felt oddly grounding, something familiar to keep me from spiraling too deep into questions I couldn’t yet answer.

But still, my mind wandered. Where is Charles?

He was always early. Always punctual to a fault.

I glanced at the clock in the corner of my screen. Nearly 10 a.m. Definitely not like him to be missing.

Maybe he took the day off? Or maybe Mark sent him on an errand?

Still...it nagged at me.

Charles was the one constant in both lives. Loyal, sharp, observant...and someone who, deep down, I always felt I could trust.

I shook the thought off, deciding I’d ask later if I didn’t see him by lunch. For now, I buried myself in the numbers on the screen, letting work pull me back into focus.

But in the back of my mind, a quiet thought lingered...what if something was already shifting beneath the surface?

*Lunch time*

I wasn't really hungry, so I decided to get some personal work done. Clicking on the search icon in my laptop, I typed 'The Garrett family'

My fingers hesitated for a second before I hit Enter.

The search results loaded quickly, the name pulling up articles, financial records, old society pages...everything you'd expect from one of the most influential families in the country.

Photos of polished smiles and luxury galas. Business deals and political handshakes. A family built on power and secrecy.

My eyes scanned through the headlines, looking for something, anything that could connect the dots in my memory.

"Garrett Family Heir Dies in Tragic Car accident"

"Garrett Pharmaceuticals Under Fire for Concealed Test Results"

"Disappearance of Mariah Garrett Still Unsolved"

That one made my breath hitch.

Mariah Garrett. The name sounded familiar but I couldn't remember where I heard it from.

I clicked on the article, the words blurring slightly as I leaned in. It was dated seventeen years ago.

No leads. No confirmed sightings. Just… gone.