The City's Biggest Heiress

3. LOST AMD FOUND

EMILIA

I stopped a cab by the road side and gave the cab driver directions to the apartment where my mother and I lived right before i got married to that selfish b*st*rd.

The cab ride was quiet, but my mind was screaming. Everything felt like a bad dream I couldn’t wake up from. The driver glanced at me through the rearview mirror a couple of times, maybe wondering why I looked so broken. I didn’t care.

As the cab stopped in front of the old building, I stepped out with my suitcase. The place looked the same, yet completely different.

It was worn out, tired, like it had given up hope. I dragged my suitcase to the entrance and up the stairs. Each step felt heavier than the last, the memories coming back like waves crashing into me.

When I reached the door, I froze. An eviction notice was taped to it, bold letters screaming at me:

*“FINAL NOTICE: RENT OVERDUE BY THREE WEEKS. EVICTION SET FOR TOMORROW.”*

My chest tightened as I stared at the paper. I’d been gone so long, living in Jason’s fancy house, that I hadn’t thought about this place or its bills. I swallowed hard, my hand trembling as I unlocked the door.

The moment I stepped inside, the smell hit me first, stale air mixed with dust. Cobwebs hung from the corners like decorations for a haunted house.

The furniture was covered with a thin layer of dust, and everything felt cold, lifeless.

As I stood there, overwhelmed, I heard a voice behind me.

“Well, well, look who’s back.”

I turned around and saw Mr. Carter, my old neighbor from across the hall. He was an older man, with a friendly face and a slight limp from an injury he never talked about.

“Welcome back, Emilia.” he said, smiling. “It’s been a while. Where’s your husband? That fancy man you married?”

I sighed, not in the mood to explain. “It’s a long story, Mr. Carter. I’m really not up for talking about him right now.”

He nodded, his face softening. “I understand. Life has a way of throwing curveballs, doesn’t it?”

I gave him a weak smile and started to step inside when he stopped me.

“Oh, before I forget.” He said, lowering his voice like he was about to tell me a secret, “someone’s been coming around asking about you.”

I frowned. “Asking about me? Who?”

“Don’t know.” He said, shrugging. “Some man. Been coming every day for about a month now. Says he is looking for you.”

My stomach twisted. “Did he say what he wanted?”

“Nope. Just asked if you were around. When I told him no, he’d leave, but he always came back the next day. Strange fellow, if you ask me.”

I nodded, unsure of what to make of it. “Thanks, Mr. Carter.”

“Anytime.” He said, tipping an imaginary hat before disappearing into his apartment.

I shut the door and leaned against it, my heart racing. Who could possibly be looking for me? And why?

The apartment was eerily quiet, the kind of silence that presses down on you. As I walked through the small living room, I couldn’t help but think of my mom.

She’d spent her last days here, fighting cancer and I tried so much to get her the best medical treatment but the cancer was progressing rapidly.

As cruel as Jason was to me, he actually invested in my getting my mum back to her feet but nothing worked.

She was gone too fast

I dropped my suitcase and sat on the worn-out couch, staring at the ceiling. The tears came before I could stop them, hot and bitter.

“I’m sorry, Mom.” I whispered into the emptiness. “I’m so sorry.”

---

The next morning, a loud knock jolted me awake. My heart sank. It had to be the landlord, ready to throw me out.

I dragged myself to the door, bracing for the worst. But when I opened it, it wasn’t the landlord.

A tall, serious-looking man stood there, dressed in a black suit. He looked out of place in the rundown apartment building, like he belonged in a magazine or a movie about the mafia.

“Are you Emilia?” he asked, his voice deep and formal.

I hesitated. “Who’s asking?”

He pulled out a picture and held it up. It was me. The photo looked recent, probably taken without my knowledge.

My stomach flipped. “Where did you get that?”

“My boss sent me.” he said, ignoring my question. “He’s been looking for you for a while now.”

I crossed my arms. “Your boss? I don’t know your boss, so whatever he wants, he’s wasting his time.”

The man didn’t budge. Instead, he reached into his pocket and pulled out another photo. This one made my breath catch in my throat.

It was a picture of my mom, holding a baby. Next to her was a man I didn’t recognize, but there was something familiar about him.

I stared at the photo, my hands trembling. The baby in the picture—it was me.

“Do you know these people?” The man asked.

I nodded slowly. “That’s my mom… and that’s me as a baby. But who’s the man?”

The man looked at me, his face softening just a little.

“That’s your father. He’s the one who sent me. He wants to see you.”

My mind raced. My father? The man who had abandoned us when I was a kid? The man my mother had cursed every time his name came up?

“Why now?” I asked, my voice sharp.

“Why is he looking for me now, after all these years? He left us! He didn’t care about us then, so why does he care now?”

The man sighed, looking uncomfortable. “I don’t have the answers, Miss Emilia. I’m just here to bring you to him.”

I shook my head. “Tell him I’m not interested.”

I tried to shut the door, but he stopped it with his foot.

“Please.” He said, his voice almost pleading. “He’s been waiting for this moment for a long time. He won’t rest until he sees you. Just come downstairs. He’s waiting outside.”

I hesitated. Part of me wanted to slam the door in his face, but another part, an angrier, more curious part wanted answers.

With a deep breath, I grabbed my coat and followed him down the stairs.

---

A sleek, black limousine was parked outside the building. The windows were tinted, and the car looked like it cost more than the entire apartment complex.

The door opened, and a man stepped out. He was in his late fifties, with silver hair neatly combed back and a sharp black tuxedo that screamed money like those rich fathers from Beverly hills.

His cologne was so strong, I could smell it from a distance.

He looked at me, and his face lit up like he had just seen a miracle.

“My beautiful Emily.” he said, his voice thick with emotion.

I stood frozen as he walked up to me and pulled me into a hug. His arms were strong, but the gesture felt strange, foreign.

“Look at you.” he said, stepping back to cup my face in his hands. “You’ve grown up so fast.”

“Dad?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

He nodded, his smile wide. “Yes, it’s me. I’ve been trying to find you for so long.”

I pulled away from him, anger bubbling up inside me. “Really? Because that’s not what Mom said. She told me you left us for another woman.”

His smile faltered, and he let out a heavy sigh. “It’s not that simple, Emilia. There’s so much you don’t know. Please, give me a chance to explain.”

I crossed my arms, unsure of what to believe. “Why should I? You weren’t there when we needed you. You left us to struggle while you, what? Lived your best life?”

He reached for my hand, his eyes pleading. “Please, Emily. Just come with me. Let me tell you everything. I owe you that much.”

I hesitated, the anger and curiosity warring inside me. Finally, I nodded. “Fine. But this better be good.”

He smiled, relief washing over his face. “You won’t regret it.”

As I climbed into the limousine, my mind was a whirlwind of emotions. Anger, confusion, and a tiny glimmer of hope.

Whatever his story was, I was about to find out.