Love In Disguise: Rebirth of the Heiress
Chapter 72

Chapter 72: Chapter 72

Time felt endless.

I was floating in an endless abyss.

"Kiara..."

The voice was soft, almost melodic, but it chilled me to my core. My heart raced, each beat echoing in the darkness surrounding me.

No.

Not again.

I clenched my fists, the memory of the banshee’s face flashing in my mind. Her twisted expression. Her long, clawed fingers pointing at me. Her scream.

"Kiara..."

I squeezed my eyes shut, willing it all away. Please. Not her. Not that.

"Kiara, my girl..."

The voice shifted, no longer cold and eerie but warm, familiar, achingly familiar.

Slowly, I opened my eyes.

And there it was.

A city of light stretched before me, vibrant and alive in hues of gold and red. The sky shimmered like molten glass, the air carrying the scent of something sweet and nostalgic.

"Kiara..."

I turned, and my breath caught in my throat.

She stood there, her face framed by the soft brown curls I’d almost forgotten. Her eyes glistened, and a tender smile curved her lips.

"Mother?" My voice cracked, barely above a whisper.

"Yes, my girl."

Tears filled my eyes as I took a shaky step forward. "Mother, what—how—"

But I stopped. My hands trembled at my sides, and I couldn’t bring myself to reach for her. Something wasn’t right.

Her eyes...

They were glowing red, like embers in a fire.

"You’re... you’re here," I stammered, my tears blurring the edges of her radiant figure. "But how? Why?"

She stepped closer, her smile soft but tinged with sadness. "I had to see you one last time."

My knees buckled, and I dropped to the glowing ground beneath us. "No. No, this isn’t real. It can’t be."

"It is," she said gently, kneeling before me. "I gave up my second chance for this moment. For you."

Her words hit me like a punch to the chest. "Your second chance? What are you talking about?"

She reached out, her fingers just inches from my face. "I was given a chance to start again, like you. To fix what was broken. But when I saw you, when I saw what they did to you, I couldn’t go through with it."

Tears streamed down my face as I shook my head violently. "No! No, Mother, you didn’t—"

"Shh," she whispered, her thumb brushing the air just shy of my cheek. It was as though a barrier separated us, preventing her from touching me.

"I had to see you, my girl," she continued, her voice trembling. "To tell you to make them pay. Those who hurt you. Those who took everything from you. Promise me, Kiara. Promise me you won’t let them win."

"I...I don’t know if I can," I choked out, my chest heaving with sobs.

"You can," she said firmly, her glowing eyes meeting mine. "You will. Because you are my daughter. And you were always stronger than you believed."

"I’m not, Mother," I whimpered, my hands clawing at the glowing ground beneath me. "I’m not. I’m tired, and I’m scared, and I just want you back. I miss you. I am sorry for everything I did. For being a troublesome daughter. For always crying over your meals. For blaming you for not having wealth like dad. Mum I am sorry."

Her smile faltered, and tears rolled down her cheeks, glowing like liquid fire. "I’m sorry, my love. I’m sorry I left you so early. That I couldn’t protect you when you needed me most."

"Don’t say that," I cried, my voice cracking. "You didn’t leave me. You—"

She leaned forward, her face inches from mine, her fiery eyes softening. "Shh. My time is running out."

"No!" I screamed, my voice raw. "No, please! Don’t go! Not again!"

Her lips quirked into a sad smile. "One last thing, Kiara."

I sobbed as she brought her lips to mine, a soft kiss that wasn’t quite physical.

A sudden heat rushed through me, searing but not painful. I gasped, my back arching as fire seemed to flood my veins.

Her voice echoed, distant and fading. "You have everything you need now. Be brave, my girl. Find your way home."

"Mother! No, please!" I reached out, but the light surrounding her grew brighter, engulfing her completely.

"Mother!"

The light exploded, and I was thrown backward into the darkness.

---

I woke with a violent gasp, my chest heaving as if I’d been underwater too long. My hands clawed at the sheets beneath me, my entire body trembling.

The sterile hospital room came into focus, the harsh fluorescent lights, the steady beeping of the machines, the faint scent of antiseptic.

I blinked, tears spilling down my cheeks, as the weight of what I’d just experienced settled over me.

"Mother," I whispered, my voice breaking.

The door creaked open, and a nurse peeked her head in, her brow furrowing. "Miss Williams? Are you alright? I heard shouting."

I wiped at my face hastily, nodding. "I’m fine. Just... just a bad dream."

The nurse hesitated but eventually nodded. "Alright. Let me get the doctor for you."

"No...wait."

Her voice lingered in my ears. Her warmth still tingled on my lips.

Be brave, my girl.

I gulped, blinking as the sterile white of the hospital room came into focus. My body felt heavy, but my mind raced, disjointed flashes of the warehouse, my mother, and darkness swirling like a storm.

"How...how did I get here?" I muttered to no one in particular, my throat dry and scratchy.

"Seems you passed out," she said, moving to adjust the incline of my bed. "A passerby found you in an abandoned warehouse and called for an ambulance. Lucky thing, too. Stress can do some nasty things to the body."

I stared at her, the words sinking in slowly. "Stress?"

The nurse nodded, her hands busy checking my IV line. "Doctor says you were dehydrated and overworked. We ran some tests—nothing major, just signs of extreme exhaustion. You need to take it easy."

Exhaustion. Stress. Was that it?

My mind raced, replaying the pain that had shot through my back, the scream that had torn from my throat. Was it really just stress, or was there something else they weren’t seeing?

The nurse finished her work and gave me a reassuring smile. "The doctor will be by for rounds soon. In the meantime, try to rest, alright?"

"My things?" I asked abruptly, my voice sharper than I intended.

She gestured toward the small drawer built into the side of the hospital bed. "Everything’s in there. You didn’t have much on you, but it’s all safe."

I nodded, already reaching for the drawer as she left the room. My hands trembled as I pulled it open, finding my phone, wallet, and a few other items inside.

I powered on my phone, the screen lighting up to reveal several missed calls and messages. Work.

"I left early," I whispered to myself, frowning. "I said I’d be back."

I scrolled through the notifications, Gabriel’s name flashing repeatedly. I frowned deeper, dropping the phone onto the blanket with a sigh.

Leaning back against the pillow, I rubbed at my shoulder, trying to ease the ache that had settled there.

"Dammit," I muttered, shifting slightly.

A sharp, peppery sting shot through me, and I winced. "What the hell..."

I reached up, pushing the hospital gown down slightly, exposing my shoulder. My breath caught in my throat.

There, just above the curve of my collarbone, was a mark.

It was dark and precise, shaped like a half-moon, thick and raised like a tattoo.

"What..." I gasped, my fingers trembling as they hovered over the mark. "What is this?"

Panic bubbled in my chest as I stared at the strange shape etched into my skin.

This wasn’t here before.