Chapter 6

Rihanna POV

I stared at the message until my screen went dark. My first thought was Edrian, my second thought was Arthur, my third thought was much worse. Someone else knew.

I slipped my phone into my handbag and continued walking toward the elevator. Sarah followed beside me, watching my face carefully. “Victoria, what happened?” she asked. I pressed the elevator button and kept my expression calm, Nothing i said .She frowned. “That definitely looked like something.” The elevator doors opened, and I stepped inside. “Someone just sent me a message.” Sarah entered after me. “What did it say?” I looked at her. “They know Rihanna is alive.”

Her face changed immediately. Then she asked, "Who sent it?” it was an unknown number. Sarah pulled out her phone. I can trace it. “No” I immediately refused. She looked confused. “Why not?”

“Because whoever sent it wants me to panic.” I pressed the button for the lobby. “I'm not giving them that satisfaction.”

The elevator began moving downward. Sarah folded her arms. “What if they really know who you are?”

“Then I'll find out who they are first.” “You sound very calm.” I looked at my reflection in the elevator doors. “I spent two years preparing for people who wanted me destroyed.” I smiled faintly. “One more won't kill me.”

When the elevator reached the lobby, I walked straight through the revolving doors. Reporters were still gathered outside, shouting questions about the Sterling meeting. Security immediately surrounded me, keeping the cameras away from my face.

“Miss Taylor, did you really demand control of Sterling Group?”

“Are you planning to bankrupt the company?” Why did you target Edrian Sterling?

“Are you connected to the Taylor banking family?”

I stopped for half a second.

That last question caught my attention. Then I smiled at the cameras. “No comment.”

I stepped into the waiting SUV.

The door closed behind me, blocking out the noise. Sarah climbed in beside me. That question was interesting. “Very.” Someone may have leaked something.

“Maybe.” She looked at me. “You think the message and that question are connected?” I stared through the window.

“I think someone wants to know how much I am hiding.” The SUV pulled away from the building. I leaned back and closed my eyes. For two years, Rihanna Taylor had been dead. Nobody was supposed to question that at all.

My grandfather had erased everything carefully. My medical records had disappeared. My old financial accounts had been closed. My identity had been buried beneath enough legal documents to confuse anyone who investigated.

So who knew? And more importantly, why hadn't they exposed me? That question bothered me more.

If they wanted money, they would demand it.

If they wanted revenge, they would attack. But this person had only sent five words. I know you're alive, Rihanna. It felt like a warning or maybe an invitation.

By evening, the Sterling Group had become a disaster zone. News channels reported that Taylor Global had placed the company under severe financial pressure, while analysts argued about whether Sterling could survive the next forty-eight hours. Inside the Sterling mansion, however, the situation was much worse.

Edrian stood in the living room with the same message displayed on his phone.

Arthur sat across from him. Valerie paced behind them. “She is alive,” Edrian said quietly. Arthur looked up. “Who? Rihanna.”

Valerie stopped walking. “Don't start this again.” Edrian turned toward her.

“I saw her.” “You saw someone who looked like her.” “She knew things only Rihanna knew.” Arthur's eyes narrowed. “What things?” Edrian hesitated.

“She told me I threw someone away.” Valerie scoffed. “That could mean anything.”

“No.” Edrian shook his head. “You didn't see her eyes.” Arthur slowly tightened his grip around his cane. “Enough.”

Edrian looked at him. “You don't believe me?”

“I believe you're emotional.” “She is alive.” Arthur stood. “If Rihanna were alive, she would have contacted us.” Edrian laughed bitterly. “Why would she?” Neither man spoke.

Valerie suddenly grabbed Edrian's arm. “Stop thinking about her.” He pulled away. “Don't touch me.” Her face hardened.

“You're still obsessed with her.” “I'm trying to figure out who that woman is.” “You're trying to bring your dead wife back.”Edrian looked at her coldly. “She was my wife.” Valerie's eyes filled with anger. “And I'm your wife now.”

He said nothing.

That silence hurt her more than an insult. Arthur noticed it.

“Both of you need to focus,” he said. “If Taylor Global takes control, we lose everything.”

Valerie looked toward him. “Then stop them.”

Arthur's expression darkened. “I'm trying.” No, you're panicking.

Arthur slammed his cane against the floor

“Watch your mouth.” Valerie stepped back. Edrian suddenly looked at his father.

“What if Victoria Taylor really is Rihanna?”

Arthur stared at him.

Then we have a much bigger problem. Across the city, I sat alone in my office. A glass of water rested beside my laptop. The room was quiet. So quiet that the sound of a pin could be heard.

I opened the message again. Then I noticed something. The number had disappeared, my eyes narrowed. I tried calling it.

I checked the message details and still nothing. It had vanished as if it had never existed. “Cute,” I whispered. Someone knew how to hide. That meant they weren't some random gossip.

I reached for my secure phone.

“Get me Sylas.” The call connected after two rings. His deep voice answered. “You sound annoyed.” “I am.”

“What happened?”

“Someone contacted me about Rihanna Taylor.” There was silence. “That's impossible.” “Apparently not.” What exactly did they say? I repeated the message.

Sylas went quiet again.

“Victoria, nobody outside your grandfather's inner circle should know that identity.”

“I know.”

“Then someone inside the operation talked.”

My fingers tightened around the phone. “Find out who.” “I'll need time.” “You have until morning.” He sighed.

“You really haven't changed.”

“I changed plenty.”

I looked through the window at Manhattan. “I just became less patient. He laughed softly. “Fair enough.” The call ended.

I leaned back then I heard a knock. “Come in.” Sarah entered.

She carried a small envelope. “This arrived downstairs.”

I frowned. “From whom?” “They didn't say a word.”

She placed it on my desk. There was no return address. No company name or signature.

Just my name, “Rihanna”. My heart stopped for one second. I stared at the envelope. Sarah noticed. “Should I call security?”. No, I said and picked it up.

“Leave me alone.” She hesitated.

“Victoria.” “I said leave.” Sarah nodded and walked out. I waited until the door closed. Then I opened the envelope. Inside was a single photograph. My fingers froze.

It showed me leaving the Sterling mansion two years ago. Rain poured around me. My clothes were soaked. My face was hidden partly by my hair. But there was no mistaking me.

Someone had taken that picture from across the street.

I turned it over. There were three words written across the back. You owe me answers. My stomach tightened. I looked toward the locked office door.

For the first time in two years, I felt something I hadn't allowed myself to feel. Fear for Ted.

If someone had watched me that night, they could have watched my son too. I immediately reached for my phone.

I called the security team assigned to Ted. But no answer. I called again. Still nothing. My heartbeat became faster. Then my phone finally rang. I answered immediately.

“Where is my son?” A man's voice answered. “Miss Taylor, we need to talk.” I stood frozen. “Who is this?” “You know exactly who I am.” I gripped the phone tighter. “Put my son on the phone.” The man laughed softly. “He isn't here.”

My blood ran cold.

“What did you do with Ted?”

“You should have stayed dead, Rihanna.”

The call ended. I stared at the phone.

Then another message appeared which says come alone. Under it was an address.

I recognized it immediately.

The old Sterling guest house, the place where Valerie had first held my son and called herself his mother. I grabbed my coat.

Whoever had taken Ted wanted me back in the exact place where I lost him, but why?