Zara's POV
Amid the confusion and throbbing headache, a memory flashed vividly before my eyes.
Aria stood before a grand mirror, her hands trembling. Her reflection was pale and haunted. Suddenly, she snatched up her car keys and turned.
Then, just as quickly as it had come, the noise in my head stopped. The pounding headache vanished, the blood stopped.
Nana had rushed to the door to summon Mr. Everhart.
"I'm fine, Nana. Just... just a flashback," I said, my voice still a little shaky.
"Really? Does that mean your memory is coming back?" she asked, hope flickering in her eyes.
"No... not exactly."
Nana sighed but managed a small smile. "Well, that's good news. I'm sure the rest will come flooding back in no time."
Tessa, who had been watching, nodded encouragingly. "That's right. And don't worry about your obligations, I'll handle everything until you're ready to return."
"Thank you, Tessa," I said, my smile forced but grateful. "Just do what I asked. If there's anything else, I'll let you know."
"Of course," she said. "In the meantime, I'll be updating your social media accounts and handling minor events in your name."
"Perfect. Thank you." I watched her leave, Nana left too.
That memory, it seems to be the day she had the accident, why was she in that state? I felt her fear. It's weird that I'm having her flashbacks, it scared me a little. Maybe my time in her body was limited.
Nana returned shortly after. "It's time for dinner, Aria. Your father has requested that you dine with him upstairs."
I nodded and headed to the bathroom to freshen up. The third floor was where my room was, but tonight, I would ascend to the fourth floor, Nana led me there.
As I reached the grand dining hall, my breath caught in my throat. Crystal chandeliers sparkling above an enormous mahogany table. Silver-domed platters concealed steaming delicacies. For a moment, I almost asked if we were expecting guests.
The chefs, clad in pristine white uniforms, moved with precision before disappearing. My hands brushed the dark velvet of my dress.
Mr. Everhart arrived shortly after. He took his seat at the head of the table. I wasn't sure whether to greet him or sit in silence, but he spared me the awkwardness.
"How are you feeling?" he asked, his voice steady, almost impassive.
"I'm much better, thank you," I said softly.
He gave a curt nod and turned his attention to his meal, slicing into his steak. The silence that settled over the table was almost oppressive. I wondered why he treated Aria this way.
He finished his meal without another word and left. Once I finished eating, I returned to my room and took the medication the doctor had prescribed.
My mind wandered to Raina. She must be looking for me by now and worried, but then I realized, I didn't have a phone. My original phone had slipped when Cassian shot me, and Aria's phone... I hadn't seen it since I woke up. Maybe it was still in that house, or perhaps Tessa had it.
Whatever the case is, I have to get to Raina. Maybe just maybe, if I found my phone in Cassian's possession, I might be able to have him arrested. I hadn't even seen him since I woke up, odd.
My mind spiraled, dragging me back to some moments Cassian and I had shared. The late-night phone calls. The soft laughter. The abrupt mood swings I brushed off. One day, he was cold and unreadable, the next, a hopeless romantic.
I remembered when he first started to pull away. I asked him why, and he claimed he'd seen me hugging someone outside my restaurant.
It had been an old friend who travelled, someone I hadn't seen in months. The hug had been exciting and harmless, but Cassian saw something else, and no matter how many times I explained, he refused to believe me.
Until, eventually, he said he did. He gets upset over the tiniest thing and becomes distant, I'm always the one seeking to resolve our problems.
"How stupid of me," I scoffed.
A day passed without an event, I remained in my chambers. The next day Late evening, Mr. Everhart called me out to the balcony, his expression unreadable as I joined him in the cool evening air.
"I've made arrangements for you to travel to India," he said abruptly. "There's a renowned doctor there who specializes in cases like yours, amnesia."
Panic flared in my chest, though I kept my face calm. My problem isn't exactly amnesia, it's the entire web of lies I'm tangled in. If I went to India, it would be exposed.
"I'm doing... pretty okay, Father," I said, forcing a small smile. "I'm already starting to have flashes of memory."
He studied me, his gaze sharp, probing. "As the president of the company, you have responsibilities. Are you sure you're up for it?" he asked. "If you make a mistake, even very little, it could ruin everything."
"I promise I'm feeling much better," I said softly, choosing my words with care. "Flying to India seems unnecessary right now."
He narrowed his eyes slightly, as if weighing my every word. I felt my palms go clammy under his scrutiny, and I looked away, focusing on the glinting lights of the city beyond the balcony.
"You seem different," he said again.
My heart lurched in my chest. "What?" I forced a nervous giggle, hoping to mask the sudden surge of fear.
He studied me for another beat, his gaze sharp and unwavering. "Aria, are you sure you're okay?"
I nodded quickly, maybe a little too quickly. "Yes, Father," I said, my voice steady but my pulse thundering in my ears.
He didn't look convinced, but he let it drop. "I'll give you some time," he said at last. "But if your memories don't come back soon, I'll have no choice but to send you to India. You can go now."
With a small nod, I rose from my seat and walked away, my steps measured even though my heart was pounding. Someone was bound to notice sooner or later that I wasn't really Aria. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't fully become her.
Before Mr. Everhart put the pieces together, I knew what I had to do, return to my own house, where I could at least control the narrative.
The first act, amnesia, was done. Now it was time for the second. I didn't know exactly how I would do it yet, but I would find a way to tear down the perfect facade Cassian built, and reclaim my own life in the process.
