The Heiress' Revenge

Ariana’s POV

The meeting was long and boring, full of lawyers and accountants and people who spoke in numbers I didn’t understand, but I sat through it nodding when I was supposed to nod.

I smiled when I was supposed to smile.

I signed papers when they told me to sign. I was learning slowly, painfully, but I was learning.

Ugh!

Who would have thought I’d come back to this life again, of going back and forth in a multi-billion-dollar company?

I walked into my office, with my shoulders slumped, I was so tired,

But someone was sitting in my chair.

Ares.

He was leaning back with his feet on my desk, smiling.

That annoying smile that looked so much like my own.

He was holding a cup of coffee.

"Ares," I said, dropping the rules on the table, "You were supposed to be in the meeting, not me. You’re the one who knows about business. You’re the one who understands all those numbers I’m just learning. I’m still new at this and you—."

He broke into laughter, "I know, I know, but I also know that I have an elder sister now. Someone who can handle things and l take over. I’ve been doing this for years.... Years alone without anyone to share the burden. It’s good that I can finally rest. It’s good that I can finally let someone else carry the weight."

I walked to the desk I stood across from him. I crossed my arms. "You’re not resting. You’re avoiding. You hate those meetings as much as I do. You just don’t want to admit it."

He laughed. "Maybe, but also, I have news. Good news. Exciting news. News that might make you want to hug me."

I raised an eyebrow. "Hug you? That’s unlikely. What is it?"

He put his feet down and leaned forward. His smile got wider. "We made a partnership with Dante’s company. We’re officially business partners now."

The world stopped.

My heart stopped.

My blood ran cold.

"What?" My voice was barely a whisper. "What did you say?"

Ares stood up and walked around the desk, putting his hand on my shoulder. "I said we made a partnership with Dante’s company. Melissa signed the papers yesterday. She thinks she’s making a deal with a foreign investor."

I pushed his hand away and stepped back with my hands shaking. My whole body was shaking. "Are you insane? Are you completely insane? Melissa? You made a deal with Melissa? That devil? You partnered with her?"

Ares held up his hands. "Relax. Relax. Let me explain."

"Explain?" I shouted. "Explain what? That you’re going to be working with my enemy, or rather, you want us to be working with my enemy—"

"Ariana!" His voice was sharp but firm. "Stop and take a breath, then listen to me."

I stopped and took a breath. I crossed my arms. "Fine. Talk."

Ares walked to the window. He looked out at the city. "I didn’t make a deal with Melissa because I trust her. I made a deal with Melissa because I want to help you get to her.... With her being our partner now, she’s more vulnerable to getting to than she ever is."

I stared at him. "You tricked her?"

He turned to face me. "I tricked her, I mean, isn’t that what she likes doing? So then let’s play, I myself am much of a player, you know."

I chuckled, sending him a playful glare.

I walked to the window and stood beside him. "So the partnership... It’s fake?"

"It’s real on paper, but in reality, it’s a trap. A trap we’re going to use to get your children back and your life back."

I looked at him, a small smile playing on my lips.

"You did this for me?" I asked. "All of this?"

Ares smiled. "I did it for my sister, my niece, and nephews.. I told you, you’re not alone anymore, Ariana. You have us now."

I felt tears in my eyes. I blinked them away. "So what now? What happens next?"

Ares walked back to the desk. He picked up a folder and handed it to me. "Now, we’re going to New York tomorrow. Our plane leaves at noon. We’re going to meet with Melissa. We’re going to finalize the partnership."

I opened the folder.

"Tomorrow?" I said. "We leave tomorrow?"

Ares nodded. "Tomorrow. I know it’s soon. I know you’re not ready, but we can’t wait. Every day we wait, Melissa does more damage than she already is doing, so the earlier we take care of her, the better."

I really hope this works.

I want to inflict as much pain as she has caused me and take. "Okay. Tomorrow. We go to New York, then, and get my babies back."

Ares smiled. "Yes."

I nodded. I walked to the door. I paused. I turned back. "Ares?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you for everything, for finding me and believing in me. I know I don’t say it enough, but I’m grateful. I’m so grateful."

Ares walked to me and pulled me into a hug. "You don’t have to thank me. You’re my sister. You’re my blood. I would do anything for you. Anything."

The private jet landed smoothly.

We got to New York in no time.

New York.

The city that never sleeps.

The city where I fell in love.

The city where I got married.

The city where I had my children.

The city where I lost everything.

There was so much that happened here, good memories and bad ones.

Two months.

I had been gone for two months, and it felt like a lifetime. It felt like yesterday, but one thing was for sure: I wasn’t the same woman who left.

Ares sat across from me. He was on his phone, texting someone. He looked calm and confident, like he owned the world.

Maybe he did.

Maybe we both did now.

"Ready?" he asked, looking up at me.

I nodded. "As ready as I’ll ever be."

The door opened, and we stepped out.

The air was cold, winter was coming. I could see my breath. I pulled my coat tighter around me.

A line of black cars waited on the tarmac.

Guards stood by the doors in dark suits.

Sunglasses.

Earpieces.

They looked like something from a movie.

Something from a dream.

Something from my new life.

Ares walked beside me and put his hand on my back, gentle and reassuring. "You okay?"

I nodded, forcing a smile.

"Yes... I’m fine."

I got into the car.

The seats were soft.

Leather.

Warm.

Ares got in beside me, and a guard closed the door.

The car stopped in front of a massive penthouse, one of which the Watsons owned.

Ares got out. I got out. We walked to the front door, and Ares unlocked it.

He stepped aside.

He let me go in first.

The house was warm and Inviting.

Wood floors.

High ceilings.

A fireplace.

Bookshelves.

"There are bedrooms upstairs," Ares said. "Pick whichever one you want and settle in. Rest well, we have meetings tomorrow."

I nodded and walked upstairs and settled in one of the rooms.

Sarah

I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding.

I haven’t seen or spoken to her since that day at the airport. I was ashamed.

I pulled out my phone and scrolled through my contacts.

Sarah.