004- Years Later: A Phoenix Returns

The morning sun was bright, pouring in through the sleek glass windows of Aurelia Luxe Interiors, bouncing off the white marble floors and highlighting the elegance of the office that screamed prestige, class, and control and power.

Anne stood at the center of it all.

Hair in a perfect low bun, heels clicking with purpose, her black power suit sculpted around her figure like armor.

Her aura was no longer soft or uncertain,it was commanding. She exuded quiet fire, the kind that didn’t need to scream to make the world burn.

“Send the Milan samples to Valencia,” she said to her assistant without missing a beat. “And schedule the Tokyo consult for next week. Make it virtual.”

Her assistant nodded. “Right away, Ms. Hathaway.”

Aurelia Hathaway.

That was the name she now carried, legally and professionally. The past was buried beneath a new identity, one that held no room for heartbreak or weakness.

But the biggest part of her transformation stood in the corner, playing with a coloring book, humming softly to herself.

Bella.

Her daughter. Her fire. Her strength.

With Billy’s hazel eyes and Anne’s defiant jaw, she was the perfect blend of a love that once was… and a future that had no place for regrets.

---

New York City – Jackson Enterprises Headquarters

Across the skyline in a colder, darker office, Billy Jackson sat with his jaw clenched as he skimmed through merger papers.

His face was sharper now, haunted. No warmth in his expression, just calculated detachment.

The man who once laughed freely now barely spoke unless it involved profit margins or acquisitions.

He had become the kind of CEO that inspired both awe and fear, he'd become a self made billionaire without the help of his father and family.

And yet… his fingers sometimes drifted to the corner of his desk where a weathered photo sat.

Anne, laughing in his arms, the beach behind them.

He didn’t know why he kept it.

Yvette breezed into the room without knocking, tight pencil skirt, lipsticked smile. “You didn’t return my messages,” she purred, placing a coffee on his table like she belonged there.

Billy didn’t even look at her. “You’re not on my schedule, Yvette.”

“You used to make time for me.”

“That was before I saw who you really were.” Even though it came too late, he added silently to himself.

Her lips tightened. “I’m still here, Billy. When she left, I stayed. I’ve always stayed.”

He looked up then, eyes steel. “Because you made her leave with your lies. You thought one day you’d replace her. You never did. And you never will.”

He turned his chair toward the window, dismissing her with silence.

Yvette left with clenched fists.

He’d messed up. He knew it. He fell for Yvette’s lies and now, it was too late. Anne was gone. He’d searched every corner of the world for her but she was nowhere to be found.

Later that afternoon, Anne sat in her office, a wide screen glowing before her as a major corporate client appeared on the other end of a video call.

“Ms. Hathaway ,it’s an honor to have you oversee our flagship project. Your work in Paris was… exquisite.”

Anne smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “Thank you, Mr. Duvall. I believe your New York launch deserves nothing but elegance and precision. I’ll be flying in next week with my team.”

“That’s wonderful,” he said. “We’ve already coordinated with the hosting company. I believe Jackson Enterprises is anchoring the event.”

Anne’s heart paused—but only for a second.

“Of course they are,” she said smoothly, lips curling into something between irony and triumph. “This should be… memorable.”

When the call ended, Julie—now head of PR for Aurelia Luxe—entered the office, iPad in hand.

“I just saw the partnership details,” she said cautiously. “It’s his company. You okay?”

Anne stood and walked to the window, staring out at the skyline she once knew.

“I’m not just here for a project, Jules,” she said softly. “I’m here for closure. And revenge.”

Julie lowered her voice. “You sure you’re ready for this? Seeing him again? Seeing them?”

Anne turned, eyes glittering like diamonds. “I didn’t come this far to tremble now. Yvette, Luis, Billy…none of them broke me. They sharpened me.”

---

The suite was lavish, yet minimalist. Floor-to-ceiling windows looked out onto the chaotic beauty of New York.

Bella was curled up on the couch with her tablet while Julie unpacked samples from a leather trunk.

Anne stood at the window, arms crossed, wearing a silk robe and heels, her gaze stormy.

“Let the games begin,” she said coldly.

Julie paused. “You sound like you’ve got a plan.”

Anne smirked. “More than a plan. I’ve got an entire chessboard. And they’ve all walked into it willingly.”

She walked over to the dining table and tossed a glossy envelope toward Julie.

“What’s this?” Julie asked, picking it up.

“An invitation to the design gala,” Anne replied. “The one Billy’s company is hosting.”

Julie’s brows shot up. “And you’re going?”

Anne shrugged. “Of course. I don’t need anyone to tell me who’s anchoring it. Jackson Enterprises is stamped all over it.”

Julie smiled grimly. “You think he’ll recognize you?”

“I hope he does,” Anne whispered. “But not right away. I want him to wonder. I want him to ache. Then I want him to realize.”

She sat down beside Bella, brushing a curl from her daughter’s face.

“This is about more than just Billy. Luis made me feel dirty. Yvette tried to erase me. His sister… she cheered while I was exiled. And now? She’s in my secretary’s inbox begging to be the face of our next campaign.”

Julie nearly dropped her coffee. “What?”

Anne’s voice was ice. “I won’t say no. I’ll let her model. I’ll let her feel important. Then I’ll remind her who she tried to destroy.”

Julie sat across from her, stunned. “You’ve changed, Anne.”

“No,” Anne corrected softly. “I’ve evolved.”

Meanwhile, Billy sat alone in his penthouse, tie loosened, drink untouched.

He stared again at the photo, then at the unopened envelope Julie had left four years ago—still sealed. Still waiting.

He had told himself for years he didn’t care what it said. That it was probably full of excuses, not worth the read.

But tonight… it burned in his desk drawer.

The next morning, Anne attended a private showroom meeting at one of the city’s top design venues.

Paparazzi caught glimpses of her—“Aurelia Hathaway: the mystery queen of European design”—they hadn’t yet connected the dots.

Not yet.

That afternoon, Billy’s sister emailed again.

Subject: URGENT – Modeling Opportunity

Dear Ms. Hathaway,

Following up again. I believe my aesthetic matches the elegance of your brand perfectly. I would love to be featured in your NYC spring collection. Let me know how to proceed!

Anne didn’t respond right away.

Instead, she opened Bella’s photo folder, swiped through a few snaps from the Eiffel Tower, the beach in Nice, the tiny Christmas tree they decorated in Italy…

She looked exactly the same. Beautiful. Proud. Cold.

Anne couldn’t help but replay the last time she saw that face. The stinging words that she’d spat at her. How her heart had shattered into a million pieces.

Her eyes’s drifted to the mirror. That woman who had been broken… was no longer broken.

She had been reborn. Soon, they would all see.