Isabelle woke up gasping for air, her chest rising and falling as if she had just run from the edge of the world. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. Her heart was racing wildly, cold sweat dampening her forehead.
Her eyes darted quickly around the room. Cream-colored walls, white lace curtains fluttering in the breeze, the scent of flowers, everything felt so familiar.
Then her eyes widened. This was her old room. The room in her parents' house.
In a rush, she threw off the blanket and looked down at her body. No wounds. No scratches. Not even a single stitch or bandage. She lifted her hands, staring at her unscathed fingers. Everything was perfect.
Panic surged in her chest as she climbed out of bed and walked quickly to the dressing table. There, the large mirror reflected her image, a younger face, fresh, without the scars or grief that had marked her life for the past five years.
Her hand touched her cheek. She couldn't believe it. "Am I dreaming?" she whispered.
To make sure, she pinched her own cheek. "Ow!" she yelped softly at the real sting of pain.
A knock came at the door a few seconds later.
"Miss, are you all right?" a gentle but worried voice called from behind the door. It was Emma, her personal assistant since she was a teenager.
Isabelle took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm inside her chest. "Come in, Emma."
The door opened, revealing a young woman in her twenties with a panicked expression.
"Miss?" she said, quickly stepping closer. "Are you feeling unwell? I heard you scream just now."
Isabelle looked at Emma for a long moment, as if trying to make sure all of this was real. Her lips trembled slightly as she asked, "Emma, what's today's date?"
"Huh?" Emma looked confused. "It's the 17th, Miss. October."
"The company's anniversary?" Isabelle pressed, her eyes sharp and intense.
"Yes, today Montgomery Corporation celebrates its 20th anniversary. The party starts later this afternoon. Didn't you already prepare your dress two weeks ago?"
Isabelle fell silent, her eyes gradually turning red. This was really five years ago. The very same day. The day that changed everything.
The day Nathan reappeared in her life, tearing down the walls she had so carefully built.
The day that ultimately dragged her into a marriage she thought was filled with love, only to find out it was a trap meant to destroy her.
Nathan Blackwell - her first love. The man who once made her heart bloom, and the same man who buried all her dreams alive.
Isabelle still remembered it clearly. That night, five years ago, Nathan came to the company's anniversary party as a freelance waiter, blending in among the guests in suits and glittering evening gowns. She was the one who approached him first. After graduating high school, she had continued her fashion and business studies in Italy. When she returned, she lost track of Nathan, the first love who had quietly occupied her heart.
That night, she saw him standing in the corner of the ballroom, carrying a tray full of champagne glasses. His sharp eyes, his calm gaze, it all brought Isabelle back to her teenage years filled with longing.
But that was then. Now, she knew everything.
She knew how the story ended.
How that man pretended to be weak, only to slowly take control. How he infiltrated her life, only to steal everything from her.
She didn't know why, but she had been given a second chance. A chance not to fall in love again. A chance not to be weak. A chance to turn the tide.
Isabelle clenched her fingers tightly. This time, there would be no tears. No regrets.Only one goal, to take back her life, and make sure Nathan knew he was never worthy to stand beside her.
"Emma," she called firmly.
Her assistant turned. "Yes, Miss?"
"Help me get ready."
Emma nodded. "Of course. For tonight's event?"
Isabelle smiled. A cold, yet captivating smile.
"Of course, for tonight. I want to look my best. So stunning that everyone will look my way and adore me."
Emma smiled back, still a bit puzzled by the sudden change in her young lady's aura. But she followed the order without question.
Isabelle chose a classic-cut evening gown with modern accents that she had designed herself. The soft maroon hue wrapped around her slender frame with elegance, while her hair was styled in a low chignon, with a few curled strands framing her face.
Her makeup was natural yet sharp, bringing life to eyes that no longer sought love, but radiated power.
She stared at her reflection in the mirror.
No longer the girl once blinded by love.
But the heiress of a business empire, a woman who knew exactly who she was, and who wasn't worthy to stand beside her.
Evening arrived, and the Montgomery family hotel ballroom was filled with esteemed guests. Shareholders, business partners, high society elites, and top-tier media, all gathered in splendor. Crystal chandeliers sparkled, glasses clinked in harmony, and orchestral music filled the room with classical elegance.
And among the crowd, just as she had expected, Isabelle saw Nathan Blackwell.
Still the same as before, black uniform, bow tie, and a tray of champagne glasses in his hands. Blending in with the other waiters, unaware that his life was about to spiral far from what he had hoped.
Isabelle smirked. This time, she wouldn't approach him. Wouldn't look at him. Wouldn't greet him, let alone ask how he was doing.She would simply stand gracefully in the center of the room, holding a glass of champagne, surrounded by her subordinates.
Soon, the event would begin, and her father would announce her engagement.
Isabelle glanced at the man in the navy-blue suit, the man who would soon become her fiancé.
He was an honorable man. Intelligent. An Oxford graduate. A future world leader ready to stand beside her without tearing her down first.
As the night grew deeper, a spotlight illuminated the small stage in the center of the ballroom. Isabelle's father stood there, proudly holding his daughter's hand.
"Thank you all for being here tonight," he said. "On this special evening, allow me to introduce my future son-in-law, the man who will soon become part of the Montgomery family."
Applause erupted through the ballroom.
Isabelle smiled. She knew Nathan must have heard it, maybe from afar, from behind the tray he was carrying, looking at her in disbelief.
But Isabelle wouldn't turn around. She no longer lived in the past. She would never fall in love again with a man who only pretended to be weak just to steal everything. Today, Isabelle chose to win. And she had no regrets.
That day was bright. The New York sky stretched out in a pale blue, decorated with thin clouds and sunlight slipping between the rows of skyscrapers.
Isabelle Montgomery had just arrived at the main branch office of Montgomery Lifestyle Group, one of the flagship companies under her family's vast business empire.
Today, she would officially be introduced as the new director of the branch. Not the highest position in the Montgomery business kingdom, but enough as a starting point, to reclaim everything.
With steady steps, she walked through the elegant lobby, greeting the staff with a warm smile and polite nod. Her hair was neatly tied up, and the ivory-white suit that framed her figure radiated the authority and grace of a young leader.
"Good morning," Isabelle greeted with a voice that was friendly yet firm. "It's a pleasure to meet you all. I hope we can work together and take this company even further."
Applause echoed. That sincere greeting was warmly welcomed by the employees, even though none of them knew that behind the kind demeanor hid a personal war far greater than mere business.
Moments later, Isabelle stood still inside her office, a spacious private room adorned with elegant wooden panels and soft neutral-toned carpet. In front of her stretched a massive floor-to-ceiling glass window, offering a grand view of New York City, the bustling traffic, towering skyscrapers, and the ever-awake lights of life.
Her arms were crossed. Her gaze was blank, staring out the window, but behind those eyes, pain and rage flowed in silence.
Slowly, the corner of her lips lifted into a smirk. "Starting today, the distance between us will only grow wider, isn't that right, Nathan?" she whispered softly, almost as if speaking only to herself. "I will never see you again."
Her eyes narrowed, recalling her father's plan, how Nathan was originally meant to become her personal secretary, working directly under her to learn the ropes of running the company.
If everything had gone according to that plan, Nathan would be standing by her side today.
But everything changed that night.
"If only I hadn't dragged you onto the stage that night, just to avoid the engagement with Theodore. If only I hadn't believed those cheap rumors about Theodore being a womanizer, maybe I wouldn't have ended up trapped in five years of hell with a lowlife like you."
Isabelle clenched her fists tightly. Her fingers trembled. "I, Isabelle Montgomery, will take back what's rightfully mine. One by one."
"All of my assets. My inheritance. My life. I will never let you touch them again, Nathan."
And this time, she swore, she wouldn't just reclaim her throne, She would destroy the man who once stole everything from her.