REBORN FOR REVENGE

CHAPTER SIX - THE RETURN

MARA'S POV

The week leading to the gala was a whirlwind, I spent my days preparing myself with the aid of Carlson’s team.

My new identity was Vanessa Moreau, a vain French heiress who was engaged to Jamie.

I had to practice my French again, which was a bit rusty since I had barely spoken any French since my college days. And then I had etiquette class, learning how to speak, to walk, to hold a glass of champagne with elegance.

The more I learned the less I felt like Mara. I could barely even remember my old face by now, everytime I looked in the mirror, there was a stranger in front of me.

Soon, it was the night of the gala and I was looking at my reflection again, I could never get used to my new face. Especially now that it was covered in makeup, my hypnotic green eyes were accentuated with smoky eyeshadow and my lips were painted red.

I felt like an evil villain, dressed in a silk red gown that hugged my every curve.

“This is who you have become Mara,” I whispered to myself, taking in my look. “You have become a villain.”

And somehow, I was fine with it.

Carlson was waiting in the living room dressed in one of his tailored black suits when I stepped downstairs.

His eyes were on his watch, looking slightly annoyed, “we are running late Ma—”

His words trailed off as his eyes landed on me, taking in my look.

“Not bad,” he said, with his lips tilting into a smirk.

“Try not to stare too hard, Grey,” I teased, loving how stunned he was by me.

“You are supposed to be my fiance, who else should I be looking at?” he commented and I rolled my eyes.

He smiled at me, holding out his arm, “let’s go and make some jaws drop, Vanessa.”

And with that, we headed to the Gala, ready to make the first step in our plan.

Our black Rolls Royce purred to a stop outside the grand ballroom where the Gala was being held.

From the tinted windows, I could see various guests as they arrived.

“How can we see inside to know when would be perfect to enter?” I asked Carlson looking back at him.

“I already made a plan for that,” he said with a small smile. And then he tapped the television in the car and within a minute, the inside of the hall was being broadcast to us clearly, even equipped with sound.

“How did you arrange this?” I asked him, clearly impressed.

“I had one of my assistants go in with an invisible camera taped to his tie, I even made sure he got a seat very close to the Anderson table so we can be well informed of what is happening before we head inside,” he explained and I smiled.

“I like a man who thinks of everything,” I said and he smirked.

On the screen, my father walked up to an elevated stage while the audience applauded. As I watched him, my heart squeezed in pain. I had missed him even more than I had realized.

He took the microphone with a wide smile on his face as the applause came to a stop. “Ladies and gentlemen, we are extremely honored to have you all here tonight. And while this gala is about giving back to society,” he paused and looked over at someone.

“I have some very big news to announce,” he said and my stomach sank in dread, like I could tell something bad was about to happen.

“It has been six months now since disaster struck my family and claimed the life of one of my daughters,” he started and Carlson turned to me, watching the way I involuntarily went still.

“The truth is that none of us in my family have been able to move on from the loss, and so I reached a decision to spend more time with my family. I will be officially stepping down from my position as the CEO of Anderson Corporation,” he said and my blood went cold immediately.

This couldn't be happening.

I knew where this was going and I knew that I could not stop it.

“s**t,” I cussed angrily and Carlson turned to face me fully.

“What is it? What is going on?” He asked

“Clara was right, she planned all of this knowing it would come to this,” I replied to him angrily, watching the screen in helpless frustration.

“However this is not the end for the Anderson Corporation,” my father announced proudly. “Our legacy continues as my daughter, Mara Anderson would be taking over my position.”

“He is making her the CEO?” Carlson asked in disbelief as I sat there, feeling nothing but undiluted rage swarm across my body.

“Mara, can you come up here to share a few words please?” My father asked and the audience began to applaud again as my sister, my impersonator stood up dressed elegantly in a long navy blue dress, walking up to meet my father with a wide smile on her face.

“Wow dad,” she said as she took the microphone. “I honestly wasn't expecting that.”

“First of all, I would like to thank you for trusting me enough to hand over the business to me. I want to assure you and every business partner and investor in this building today that you will not regret it,” she said charismatically.

Her face, her smile, the excitement in her eyes made me sick to my stomach. All I wanted to do was to snuff it out completely.

“The Anderson Corporation is famous for one thing, for rising above challenges and breaking barriers. Today signifies a new dawn for us,” she said to the audience and then turned to our father.

“I will take Anderson to new lengths, not just for you dad, but for our family and for Clara,” she said solemnly and people applauded her even more.

What an actor? I thought furiously.

“She is going to regret this,” I said angrily, already reaching to open the door and rush in there.

Carlson grabbed my hand suddenly, stopping me “before we go in, there is something I should know.”

“Are you really sure about this?” he asked me suddenly, his gray eyes locked onto mine. “Once we start this, there’s no going back.”

“I died once, Carlson. The woman that died was Mara and she was trusting and innocent, and now that version of me is long gone,” I reassured him, matching his intensity with my gaze.

“And Vanessa?”

“Vanessa is here to burn it all down,” I said, a wicked smile creeping onto my face.

“Then let’s light the match,” he replied, a smirk playing on his lips.

We walked to the large ballroom swinging the doors open with a loud noise as all eyes turned to the entrance.

I stood with Carlson with his hand entwined in mine, basking in their shocked reactions as we headed towards the stage where imposter Mara stood.

My eyes were locked on hers, loving the way her face visibly drained of color as she watched us.

“Let the games begin,” I whispered, feeling the adrenaline racing in my blood.

“I hope we aren't too late for the party?” Carlson asked, looking from my father's annoyed face to my sister's horrified one.