The Heiress's Comeback
Chapter 289: [ Volume 1] Chaper 289- Died long ago

Chapter 289: [ Volume 1] Chaper 289- Died long ago

Jay, her younger brother, leaned over her shoulder, his brow furrowed in confusion. "Esme... that man..." His voice trailed off as realization dawned. "That’s the same guy, isn’t it? From the other video."

Kai, ever the observant one, folded his arms and leaned in. His sharp gaze flicked between the videos playing side by side on the screen. The movements were identical, the playful mannerisms unmistakable. He didn’t need further confirmation.

"That’s your father," Kai said quietly, his voice filled with certainty.

Esme didn’t respond. Her hand moved mechanically as she clicked open another folder on her laptop. This one was labeled "Mother and Father." She scrolled through the photos inside, her vision blurring slightly as familiar faces stared back at her. She stopped on a particular image—their engagement photo.

In the picture, her mother stood radiant in a flowing blue gown, her father beside her in a tailored blue suit. They smiled at each other, their love evident in every line of their expressions. Esme’s fingers trembled as she zoomed in on her father’s wrist.

There it was—the watch. A simple yet elegant piece of jewelry. Her father had never taken it off, not once in all the memories she had of him. She clicked through to another photo from the engagement ceremony. This one was candid, capturing her parents mid-laughter.

Her father’s voice echoed in her mind, a memory she hadn’t revisited in years.

"I asked your mother for a romantic confession," he had said once, shaking his head with mock exasperation.

"And what did I do?" her mother would reply with a teasing smile.

"You gave me a watch during a proposal! Who does that?"

He had worn the watch every day after that, despite his playful complaints. Esme’s chest tightened as she recalled how he used to tilt it into the sunlight, revealing the engraving inside: R.A.E.—the initials of their family.

Her breathing quickened as she reopened the recent video. She slowed it down, frame by frame, watching the man’s wrist as he made the heart symbol. The watch caught the light, and for a brief moment, the initials reflected on the wall.

R.A.E.

Esme gasped, the sound sharp and loud in the otherwise silent room. Jay and Kai exchanged uneasy glances, their faces pale.

"Esme," Jay whispered, his voice shaking. "That watch... it’s the same. That’s your dad’s watch."

Her hands clenched into fists, her nails digging into her palms. Her heart pounded in her chest, a mix of disbelief and hope swirling within her. It couldn’t be. Her parents were gone—dead. She had been told this over and over again. But here he was.

Jay’s voice cut through her haze. "If this is your dad... Esme, how is he alive? He doesn’t even look older than he did in those photos."

Esme stared at the screen, her throat dry. Her mind screamed for answers, but none came.

Esme stared at the paused video on her screen, her breath shallow and uneven. Her heart pounded in her chest as if it, too, was trying to make sense of what her eyes had seen. She tried to focus on the man’s wrist—the watch. It shimmered faintly under the light, its pristine surface and unmistakable design catching her attention over and over again.

That watch. It wasn’t just a possession. It was a part of her father.

Her fingers trembled as she touched the screen, tracing the contours of the timepiece. R.A.E. For most people, those initials had been a simple tribute: Richa for her mother, Alex for her father. But Esme knew better. Her parents had once revealed a secret only she was meant to know.

The "E" wasn’t arbitrary. It wasn’t just a random letter. It was her. Esme.

Her parents had named her with immense thought and love, and that watch had carried a deeper meaning than anyone could have imagined. She could still hear their voices in her head, echoing through the years.

"Why do you call me Rose?" she had asked countless times, her small face scrunching in curiosity.

Her father would smile warmly and pull her close. "Because we want you to be like a rose, Esme. Soft, delicate, and full of life for those you love, but with thorns for the world. A strength no one can break."

Her mother would laugh and nod. "But we also want you to be Esme for the world—a name that stands tall, unbent and unbroken."

As a child, she used to tease them mercilessly about it. "What if I had been born a boy? Huh, Mama?"

Her parents would exchange knowing smiles, as if sharing a secret only they were privy to. Then her father would scoop her into his lap, his arms wrapping around her protectively. "We knew you would be Esme. Even before you were born. Even before your mama and I were married, I used to dream of a little girl like you. So, no, there was no ’what if.’ There was only you."

Those words had always been comforting, grounding her in their love and certainty. But now, staring at the watch in the video, that comfort was gone. It had been replaced by confusion, disbelief, and a growing sense of dread.

Her father had always insisted that the watch wasn’t just a keepsake—it was something more. She remembered their late-night conversations, the way his voice would drop to a conspiratorial whisper whenever she asked about it.

"If I ever die, Esme," he had told her once, "this watch will be destroyed. It’s connected to my heartbeat. If it stops, so will the watch. It’s an automatic failsafe your mother and I designed together."

"And if Mama dies?" she had asked, her small voice laced with worry.

"Then it will stop working," her mother had answered, placing a gentle hand on her head. "It won’t break, but it’ll stop ticking. A piece of your father’s heart will stop with it."

Esme swallowed hard, her throat dry as sandpaper. If the watch in the video was still working, then it should mean only one thing—her father was alive. But that didn’t make sense. None of it made sense. Her parents’ deaths had been confirmed. The police had closed the case. Her uncle and aunt had handled the funerals.