Chapter 6

• Arlene
• I stepped off the plane, the bright lights of Las Vegas flooding my vision. The city buzzed with energy, its promises of new beginnings swirling in the air. But I felt none of it. All I carried was a heavy heart—the ache of leaving behind everything I had once held dear.
• The man I had loved. The life I had known. And the small but growing life within me.
• As I walked through the terminal, my heels clicked against the polished floor, and my heart pounded in anticipation of the life I had left behind. I clutched my bag tightly, the only anchor in a sea of emotions threatening to drown me.
• “Arlene!”
• I turned at the sound of my name—my real name, not the ghost of an identity I had shed. It felt surreal yet familiar, and a faint smile tugged at my lips at the thought of reclaiming it.
• My best friend, Olivia, rushed toward me, her eyes wide with shock and excitement. Trailing behind her was my secretary, Matilda, the ever-composed and professional mother figure I had relied on in the past. She stood silently, her gaze fixed on me, equally stunned.
• They both froze when they saw me, their expressions shifting from joy to disbelief.
• “Is that really you?” Olivia quivered, her voice trembling.
• Matilda walked closer, her steps measured. “Welcome home, Miss Gomez.”
• I offered a faint smile, one that didn’t quite reach my eyes. “Olivia…”
• Olivia pulled me into a tight hug, her warmth almost too much to bear. Her tears flowed freely, soaking through my blazer. “God, I thought I lost you. I thought I’d never see you again.”
• I missed her. I missed her so much, and it struck me as funny how I was only just realizing it.
• Matilda hovered nearby, her eyes scanning me as if trying to reconcile the woman before her with the one she remembered.
• “You look… so different,” Olivia said, pulling back to examine me, sniffing and wiping her tears. I chuckled softly, brushing the streaks from her cheeks with my thumbs.
• “But what’s going on? Where have you been all these years?”
• “Yes,” Matilda chimed in. “You disappeared without a trace. Everyone thought… well, they thought the worst.”
• I swallowed hard, forcing myself to remain composed. “It’s a long story,” I said finally, my tone clipped. “Let’s talk somewhere more private.”
• “You look well, Miss Gomez,” Matilda remarked as she led me out of the terminal and into the waiting limousine.
• “And sad, too,” Olivia added quietly.
• **
• In the suite, Olivia bombarded me with questions the moment the door closed. I could sense Matilda’s curiosity, though she remained composed, watching silently.
• “Where have you been all this time?”
• “What happened after the accident?”
• “Why didn’t you reach out to us?”
• Her words came in rapid succession, each one a sharp reminder of the years I had spent in the Martinez home.
• I sat on the edge of the plush bed, taking a deep breath. “I can’t answer everything,” I said finally, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me.
• Olivia crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing. “That’s not fair, Arlene. We thought you were dead.”
• “And now you’re here,” she added, her tone softer but no less insistent. “Looking like this—completely transformed. We deserve some answers.”
• I nodded slowly. “I know. But some things are better left unsaid.”
• Matilda stepped in, her voice calm. “I think we should let her rest.”
• But Olivia wasn’t one to back down, not after years of guilt and grief over my supposed death.
• I knew she deserved answers, but I couldn’t bring myself to say more.
• Olivia’s expression softened, concern replacing her earlier frustration. “You seem… sad,” she said quietly, her voice cutting through my defenses. “Even with this new look, there’s something missing.”
• I glanced down at my attire, the image of the obedient wife still lingering in the tailored blazer and skirt.
• “You look nice,” she continued, “but it’s almost like you’re married or—”
• “I’m not,” I cut her off, my tone sharper than I intended. My eyes darkened as I glanced at my bare ring finger, relieved that I’d tossed the band away.
• “Oh… I didn’t mean to imply—”
• “I’m fine,” I said, forcing a smile. “Just tired from the flight. And this look? I’m getting rid of it today.”
• Olivia’s face brightened slightly. “I’m just glad you’re back. You came at the perfect time.”
• Her tone turned conspiratorial, her storyteller expression taking over. “Your stepmother is over the edge, parading herself as the mother of the new heiress to the Gomez fortune.”
• “Oh,” I replied, feigning innocence.
• “You don’t know?” Matilda asked, surprised. “I thought that’s why you returned.”
• I shifted the conversation, unwilling to answer directly. “How’s Daisy coping?”
• Matilda shook her head. “It’s a mess. Everyone knows Daisy doesn’t have the experience or drive to handle the position, but Mirela doesn’t care. She just wants control.”
• Their words stirred something inside me—anger, yes, but also a fierce curiosity.
• “How is Daisy handling it?” I asked softly, my protective instincts surfacing.
• Olivia and Matilda exchanged uneasy glances.
• “She’s… trying,” Olivia said carefully. “But it’s obvious she’s overwhelmed. Her mother pulls the strings, and Daisy just goes along with it.”
• I frowned, anger coursing through me. Daisy and I had always been close, despite Mirela’s attempts to pit us against each other. Now, Daisy was ensnared in the very web her mother had spun.
• “Is she happy?” I asked, my voice betraying the faintest hint of vulnerability.
• Olivia hesitated. “It’s hard to say. She’s engaged now.”
• I already knew. The whispers at the party had made it clear. Mirela wanted her daughter to claim my place.
• “Well…” I muttered, unsurprised.
• “You don’t want to know who?” Olivia prodded, raising a brow at my indifference.
• I shook my head, a small, knowing smile playing on my lips. “No. I’ll find out tomorrow. Let’s save the surprise.”
• Olivia’s expression darkened. “Oh.”