Love In Disguise: Rebirth of the Heiress
Chapter 104

Chapter 104: Chapter 104

I kept on staring at him as we sat at the back of the taxi. He didn’t say anything, just kept staring outside, his hand resting on the window frame. The silence between us was heavy, filled with unspoken questions that I wasn’t sure I wanted answers to.

"Are you sure you’re fine?" I asked finally, breaking the silence. My voice was softer than I intended, almost hesitant.

Jason glanced at me, his gray eyes searching my face before he nodded. "I’m fine."

"Fine?" I repeated, my brows furrowing. "You were just—" I lowered my voice, glancing at the driver, "—possessed or something. How...how does that even feel?"

Jason hesitated, his jaw tightening slightly. "Honestly? Like I wasn’t even in control. I was aware, sort of, but it was like I was watching from a distance. And then...nothing, just darkness."

I bit my lip, watching him carefully. "Nothing? You don’t remember anything?"

He shook his head, his gaze turning distant. "Not really. Just flashes. It’s all blurry." He turned to me, his expression troubled. "What if I’d hurt you, Kiara?"

"You didn’t," I said quickly, placing a hand on his arm. "I’m fine. Nothing happened."

His lips pressed into a thin line, and he looked back out the window. "But it could have. If Lucian hadn’t intervened..."

I sighed, squeezing his arm gently. "Jason, you’re overthinking this."

"Am I?" he asked, his tone sharper than I expected. "What if it happens again? What if next time, I’m not just standing there? What if I—"

"Stop," I interrupted, my voice firm. "Nothing happened. You didn’t hurt me, and you won’t. I trust you."

He blinked, his gaze snapping back to mine. "You do?"

"Yes," I said, offering him a small smile. "I believe in my guts."

Jason’s lips quirked upward, just barely. "Your guts, huh?"

"It’s never failed me...well maybe it has before though but it hasn’t failed me since."

A flicker of amusement crossed his face, but it didn’t last long. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Still... I hate that I don’t remember everything."

I hesitated, my fingers fidgeting with the strap of my bag. "Not everything?"

"No," he said, shaking his head. "Why? Did something happen that I should know about?"

My heart skipped a beat. Should I tell him about the kiss? About how he’d looked at me with those hauntingly blue eyes and said he’d missed me?

I laughed nervously, brushing it off. "Nothing. It’s fine. Nothing happened."

Jason narrowed his eyes at me, but before he could press further, the taxi slowed to a stop.

"We’re here," the driver announced.

I opened the door, eager to escape the conversation. Jason followed, his gaze lingering on me as we stepped out.

"Are you sure nothing happened?" he asked again, his voice low.

"I’m sure," I said firmly, forcing a smile. "Let’s just forget about it, okay?"

He nodded slowly, though he didn’t look convinced. "Alright. If you say so."

I made my way to the elevator, glancing back at him one last time. "Goodnight, Jason."

"Goodnight, Kiara," he said, his eyes following me as the doors closed.

Once inside, alone, I leaned against the wall and let out a long sigh. "Fool," I muttered to myself. "You’re a fool, Kiara."

Back in my apartment, I grabbed the anointing oil I got recently, and started pouring it in every corner of the room. "Nope. Not today, Satan," I muttered under my breath. "Not in my house."

Satisfied that I’d cleansed the place of any lingering bad vibes, I headed to the shower. This day had been a lot, and I needed to wash it all away.

****

The luncheon was held at one of the city’s most luxurious hotels, a sprawling venue with glittering chandeliers and tables adorned with fresh flowers and polished silverware.

The managers mingled, sipping champagne and exchanging pleasantries while soft classical music played in the background.

I found a quiet corner, nursing a glass of sparkling water, and tried to keep a low profile.

Of course, that didn’t last long.

"Kiara," a familiar voice called out behind me.

I stiffened, already recognizing the voice before I turned. Gabriel.

He approached with a fake smile, his tailored suit pristine, but his posture stiff. I glanced around to see if anyone was watching. A few heads turned, but most were preoccupied.

"Gabriel," I greeted coolly, tilting my head. "Didn’t expect you here."

"Why wouldn’t I be?" he said smoothly, standing just a little too close. "This event is for managers, after all."

"And here I thought it was for professionals," I shot back, taking a sip from my glass.

His smile wavered, but he quickly composed himself. "I deserve that. Look, Kiara, I just wanted to say I’m sorry for everything."

I raised an eyebrow, my tone laced with sarcasm. "Everything? That’s a lot to unpack. Care to be more specific?"

He exhaled heavily, his hand running through his perfectly styled hair. "I know I wasn’t... the best to you. I was selfish, arrogant—"

"Manipulative, gaslighting, unfaithful," I added, ticking off each word on my fingers. "Go on."

Gabriel’s jaw tightened, but he forced a chuckle. "Alright, I deserved that too. I’ve had time to reflect, and I realized I made a mistake. You were the best thing that ever happened to me, Kiara."

"Let me stop you right there," I said, setting my glass down and crossing my arms. "If this is your way of crawling back, it’s not going to work."

"I’m not crawling back," he said quickly, his voice lowering as he leaned in. "I just... I regret what I did. I regret losing you."

"Gabriel," I said with a mockingly sweet smile, "you didn’t lose me. I threw you out. There’s a difference."

His face darkened for a split second, but he recovered quickly. "You’re really not going to give me another chance?"

"Another chance?" I said, laughing softly. "Gabriel, you don’t deserve another second of my time, let alone a chance. Aren’t you getting married to Jessica? Does she know what you are planning right now?"

A few nearby managers were starting to take notice, their conversations quieting as they glanced in our direction. Gabriel’s eyes flickered to them before returning to me, desperation creeping into his voice.

"Kiara, I’m trying here," he said, his tone softening. "Can’t we just... move past this? Start fresh?"

"Start fresh?" I repeated, my voice carrying just enough to draw more attention. "Gabriel, the only thing you should start is therapy. Or maybe a course on how not to be a terrible person."

A ripple of laughter spread through the onlookers. Gabriel’s face turned a deep shade of red, his composure slipping.

"You think this is funny?" he hissed, his voice low but venomous.

"No," I said, my tone turning icy. "I think it’s pathetic."

I grabbed my glass and turned to walk away, but his hand shot out, grabbing my wrist.

"Kiara," he said through gritted teeth, "this isn’t over."

I pulled my hand free, glaring at him. "Oh, it is. And Gabriel?"

"What?" he spat.

"You’ll always be second place to someone like me," I said, flashing him a dazzling smile before walking away.

The room buzzed with murmurs as I rejoined my table, ignoring the stares and whispers. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Gabriel retreat to a far corner, his fists clenched at his sides.

Well, that was satisfying.