The Heiress Rebirth

If someone had told her this was her last night, she would’ve laughed it off and raised a glass. Because tonight was supposed to be perfect.

Today was her third year wedding anniversary with Thomas and they decided to celebrate it with friends in her luxurious penthouse.

Isabelle smiled and moved through the crowd hugging people and taking compliments. Someone handed her a rose. Someone else asked for a selfie. It felt good to be in the spotlight

Soon she stepped out onto the balcony to get some alone time and she bumped into someone.

“Oh, Thomas it’s you” she gave him a casual smile, clearly ignorant of what was about to happen to her.

She shut her eyes briefly and took in a sharp breath before opening it again. “The view is beautiful” she pointed out as she moved forward to give him a hug.

“You made a good choice picking this location” she added

“Yes I did, because it would be your last time having to see such a beautiful place” Thomas finally said with a smirk across his face.

“Don’t say that, we still have more years of marriage to…” the words died in her mouth as she saw Olivia, her cousin coming towards her with two glasses of drinks in hand.

“There she is," Olivia said, opening her arms.

Isabelle stepped in to hug her, enjoying the scent of Olivia's expensive perfume.

“You’re late," Isabelle teased.

“I like to make an entrance" Olivia replied, stepping back. “And clearly, so do you. You look like you belong on the cover of Vogue"

Olivia chuckled and handed over one of the glasses to her. “I had the bartender fix you something light.

Isabelle took it laughing “Cheers"

They, with Thomas, talked for a few minutes before Isabelle suddenly developed a migraine. Her head started to pulse, just slightly. She pressed her fingers to her temple. Just then, she sighted two men appearing from the darkness. They immediately came towards her and tied her hands behind her back.

“What’s happening?” She tried screaming but it came out as a whisper. She was already too weak to raise her voice.

“Even if you scream, nobody will hear you. I made sure I chose the penthouse with sound proof doors and glasses.” Thomas explained with a smile.

“What are you talking about?” Isabelle asked, her eyes darting from Olivia who just stood there to her lovely husband.

Thomas' face twisted to a frown. “You’re too naive to understand when I said this will be your last beautiful view and your last day.” He spat. His face contorted with disgust.

Tears streamed down her face as she turned to Olivia, expecting an explanation. It all seemed like a dream to her. Was this some sort of anniversary gift or what? She was three months pregnant, and wanted to break the news to her lovely husband that night.

“Olivia” she finally managed to whisper, “please say something. Is this a prank?”

“Why are you doing this?” she pleaded.

He gave a half-shrug. “I’m tired of pretending. You’re not what I want anymore. Look at you, you’ve let yourself go. You’re not beautiful. You’re boring.”

His words hit her like a slap. Her eyes stung with tears, but she held them back.

“I gave up everything for you,” she whispered. “I trusted you.”

“That’s your fault,” Olivia said with a smirk. “Always so naive.”

Olivia walked closer, placing a manicured hand on Thomas’s chest. Then, without shame, she kissed him.

Right there in front of Isabelle.

“Since when?” Isabelle asked, her voice cracking.

“Since always,” Olivia said, her lips brushing against Thomas’s cheek. “You were just in the way.”

Isabelle shook her head. “You’re my cousin.”

“And you’re pathetic,” Olivia sneered.

Then, suddenly, Olivia’s hand lashed out and slapped Isabelle across the face. The force made Isabelle stumble backward into the grip of the two men.

“Take her,” Olivia ordered.

“Please,” Isabelle begged, her voice breaking. “You don’t have to do this. Thomas, think about what you’re doing. I’m your wife.”

“You were,” he replied coldly. “Everything you have now belongs to me. The house, the cars, the company. I already transferred it all.”

She tried to struggle, but the drug was still in her system. Her body wouldn’t listen.

The men dragged her through the penthouse, down the elevator, and into the parking garage where her black car was parked. They opened the back door and pushed her in. One of the men got in the driver’s seat and took control of the wheel. The car started. It was quiet. Isabelle tried to move, to scream, but the weakness was winning.

She felt the cool breeze again as the car picked up speed, winding down the cliffside roads on the outskirts of the city.

Then it stopped.

The man got out, and without a word, pushed the car over the edge.

Isabelle's eyes opened just briefly to catch the sky spinning above her and when the water kissed her skin, she didn't think of Thomas, or Olivia or her empire. All she could think of was the secret she was going to die with. The tiny life growing inside of her.

************

A loud gasp shattered the silence. “Oh my God" a voice choked. “Oh my…are you...?”

The blurry outline of a woman hovered above her, with trembling hands.

“You’re awake" the woman whispered with disbelief. “Jesus, you’re awake. You’re really... alive"

Isabelle blinked repeatedly trying to make sense of everything. Her lips parted, they were dry and cracked. “Wh…where…?” .

“You’re in my home" the woman said softly, eyes glistening with tears of joy. “I found you washed up on the beach five months ago"

Isabelle stared at her in surprise “Five months?”

“I didn’t know who you were" the woman continued “Not until your face started showing up on the news. Then I realized... you were the woman they said died. Isabelle Kingsley"

“I’m Stella" the woman continued quickly as if reading her mind. “A friend of mine owns a private clinic, where I rushed you to and you got treatments. My house is in another town from yours, off the coast. You were barely breathing when I found you washed up on my beach”

Memories slammed into Belle like waves. Her stomach churned and she felt like throwing up.“They tried to kill me" she said hoarsely, barely believing the words coming from her mouth. “They actually did it"

Stella’s expression shifted and horror filled her features. “What happened to you?”

Isabelle turned her face slowly. “My cousin Olivia drugged me. My husband knew…they were having an affair. Then they got two men to take me to a cliff where they pushed the car off. "

Stella brought her hand to her chest.

“He said I wasn't beautiful to him anymore" Isabelle whispered." Tears rolled down her cheeks.

“I’m sorry" Stella said quietly. “No one deserves that"

Belle inhaled slowly and composing herself. “Why did you help me?”

“I told you…I found you on the beach. At first I thought you were gone. Then I saw your fingers twitch. I couldn’t just leave you there. And when I started seeing your face in the media…and all, I knew I couldn’t tell anyone. Well not yet, something about it all felt off"

There was a beat of silence.

Then Stella said softly, “There’s something else. You were pregnant when I found you"

Isabelle’s eyes widened as she suddenly remembered her baby “yes?”

Stella smiled “You didn’t wake up, but your body kept fighting to keep the baby alive. The doctors saved him and placed him in neonatal”

Belle’s breath hitched. “So he…?”

“He’s alive. He’s been here the whole time. In the clinic."

Isabelle didn’t say anything else, she just stared at the ceiling as more tears traced silently down her cheeks.

“You fought for him even when you couldn’t open your eyes," Stella whispered. “He’s a strong, healthy beautiful boy"

Isabelle chuckled as she touched her stomach but her smile didn’t last long. “Tell me what happened after they left me for dead"

Stella hesitated, but nodded. “Your car was found two weeks later, wrecked at the bottom of the cliff. They ruled it a suicide. Olivia and Thomas held a grand funeral. The media ran with it. They had lots of flowers, a lot of people turned up too"

Isabelle tried to picture what that would look like in her head.

“They took everything," Stella continued. “Your name, your company, your home. And since there was no body… there were no much questions"

“Of course," Isabelle murmured. She looked at Stella fiercely. “We don’t tell anyone I’m alive. "

Stella paused. “But…”

“I want revenge" She looked up and caught her reflection in the mirror opposite her. The face that stared back was unfamiliar. It was bruised and scarred all over. “They took everything from me, even my face"

She reached up with trembling fingers and touched the damaged skin.

“I don’t want this face," she said flatly. “I want to be someone else. Someone they won’t see coming"

Stella nodded slowly. “I can help. I know the best hands in reconstructive surgery. You’ll still look like you… but not enough for them to know"

Isabelle’s voice dropped to a whisper. “We should start soon. Because the next time Olivia and Thomas see me…” she trailed off “I want them to beg for the mercy they never gave me"

Stella’s lips parted in a slow smile.

Isabelle exhaled, and smiled at Stella “Take me to my son now please”