Chapter 3 ~ Reborn

“ Miss Kiana?” Came Juliana’s voice. 

“Huh?” Kiana responded absent mindedly not understanding what was happening. It was only when Juliana stepped forward and whispered in a low voice. “Is something wrong? You have tears falling on your face.” That Kiana realized she was crying.

Kiana who was still in shock looked at Juliana and enveloped her into a hug right in the middle of the office. Juliana softly pulled away blushing and in shock. ‘Is my boss in shock because of her mother’s recent death?’ 

“Should we cancel the meeting?” Juliana whispered which shocked Kiana even more because this day seemed familiar. 

‘Is someone still being cruel to me? ‘ 

‘Is this heaven? Where am I?’ Kiana looked around confused.  When she finally realized it was the day from a year ago, her heart pounded very fast. It was a week after her mother died from cancer. The door suddenly burst open and Daniel ran in dramatically with Anna right behind him.

She remembered this event too!

‘Have I come back to life one year before or is someone in heaven replaying my life events?’ Kiana thought. 

“Oh, my poor baby girl.” Came Angela’s voice as she sniffed into the handkerchief. ‘Fake tears don’t work on me anymore.’ Kiana scoffed internally. Angela was Daniel’s mother and a very cunning woman. Kiana remembered how she made remarks and embarrassed her on this day. Still unable to understand what was happening, she flinched at Daniel’s touch. 

“Baby, are you okay? I’m sorry I’m late.” Daniel said as he turned to the lawyer. “Has it been read?”

‘Yes, that’s all he cared about. The will.’ Kiana balled her hands into fists as she felt a stab in her chest from experiencing the same kind of pain and torture twice. 

She nodded her head as she turned to Juliana while pulling herself from Daniel’s hold. “Cancel the meeting we will proceed at a later day.” If she was indeed living a life from her past that only meant that the will would be the same and she didn’t want anyone else to know her mother’s request yet. 

‘If I’m alive then I need a moment to figure this out. What just happened? Was I in a dream and saw my future or did I really die?’ 

“Yes ma’am,” Juliana responded but before she walked away, Kiana pulled her by her wrist and hugged her tightly. 

“It will be okay.” Juliana soothed Kiana as she thought it was because of her mother’s death. Annabel stepped in with her usual sweet smile but Kiana ignored her completely. 

“But baby….” Daniel began but Kiana didn’t even wait for him to finish and walked away.

******

Back at home, she went online to check the articles, dates events, and anything that could explain what had happened to her. She searched for videos about being reborn, and reincarnation and saw different videos. She spent hours and hours until it was evening. Finally, it dawned on her. 

“I’ve been reborn.” She breathed. Unable to believe what she had just said out loud. 

“Wait… Does that mean I’m going to go through the same pain and humiliation?” Kiana said to herself. As the memory of her last moments flashed before her eyes. ‘Should we ever meet again, I will make you pay!’ 

‘Is this my chance to avenge what happened to me and Julina?’ Kiana paced back and forth. As she ran a frustrated hand in her hair. She walked over to her table, took out her diary, and wrote down what she had experienced. “If I have been reborn, then I might as well get my revenge!” She whispered to herself.

She sat and replayed the events in her head but the only problem was that Daniel would not let go of her easily and if she broke up with him so suddenly, they would change their plans and attack differently. ‘Being one step ahead is my biggest advantage and right now I need it.’ Kiana thought because even though she knew Daniel’s true colors, his mother had connections that would crush her. Kiana was not the CEO yet and that made her less powerful than her rivals. 

‘In my previous life, mum handed over everything to me but had a condition for me to marry Daniel. So if I reject to get married to him, I might face complications unless something is done.’ Kiana stressed as her heart beat hard against her chest as the only option she had flashed in her mind.

Arthur Reed. Her ex and the man who hated her the most in the world. Kiana had dumped him suddenly and even after begging her for years, she kept rejecting him without telling him the real reason why. Ten years had passed and he was the most powerful man in Graden City. If anyone would protect her, it was him. 

But how could she reach him? In comparison to their companies, Clear Cosmetics was way below the chain, and getting an appointment would take forever.

Unless…..

Kiana rushed to her box from when she was still in college and pulled it down hurriedly. She remembered that Arthur had a phone he always kept with him and he gave her the card to call if she ever changed her mind.

‘That was ten years ago. Kiana!’ She scolded herself. ‘Could he have kept it on still?’ Questions ran in Kiana’s head as she ran a finger on the card that had gathered dust. Her heart was pounding heavily as she shankily picked up her phone. She looked at the time and it was 7 PM. ‘I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep a wink if I don’t try this now.’ She breathed out and dialed the number.

The number started ringing which shocked Kiana as she thought of what she was going to say. ‘What if he rejects me?’ fear gripped her heart like a vice as she waited for the line to be answered. ‘How do I explain and ask for help without sounding like a completely mad person?’ Kiana ran a hand on her face. She could hear her heart pounding loudly in her ears as she started pacing up and down. 

The phone went unanswered but Kiana dialed again and this time, someone answered.

Halting her steps. ‘This is it.’ She breathed.