Burned By Love, Back For Revenge

Chapter 2

THREE YEARS LATER.

The woman staring back at me from the mirror looked nothing like Ariana Monroe.

My hair, which had once fallen past my shoulders in blonde waves, was now cut short, stopping just below my ears. I had dyed it a deep red that made my pale skin look different, almost unfamiliar. Even my eyes had changed, with brown contacts covering eyes I had spent twenty-six years looking at, giving me a face that belonged to someone else.

Ava Singer. That was the name I had been using for the past three years.

Sometimes, I still had to remind myself of it.

The driver waiting outside the apartment had already called twice, so I picked up my handbag and took one last look at my reflection before leaving. There was no point wondering whether the disguise was convincing. After all, I had spent three years making sure it was, and moving back to my hometown wasn’t meant to change a thing.

Three years ago, I had walked into a police station as Ariana Monroe and believed I would walk out as a convicted criminal. Instead, I’d been given the option to leave New Jersey and work under a new identity, and I’d accepted it, since I had nothing left to lose. Now, Nathaniel Sterling needed my help at headquarters, and while I was skeptical about returning, I didn’t exactly have a say in the matter.

He had kept his end of the bargain, getting lawyers that found multiple issues with the charges held against me. To the state and anyone who cared enough to know, I was serving a ten-year sentence, but in reality, I was working for a slowly dying tech industry. Now, all I had to do was to come up with a prototype that was just as impressive as Aegis to be free from the contract I’d signed.

The car stopped in front of Sterling's headquarters in New Jersey, and I stared through the window at the towering building.

"Ms. Singer," the driver said, opening my door.

I stepped out, watching as people hurried through the entrance carrying laptops and coffee. For some reason, I felt the need to hide my face as the chances of getting recognized here were higher, but I shook the urge away.

To my surprise, Nathaniel's assistant had been at the reception and as soon as I’d introduced myself, she led me to his office. I found him standing in front of ceiling-high windows with his hands clasped behind his back, and when I shut the door, he turned to look at me with a bright smile.

"Ava Singer."

"Mr. Sterling."

He paused, studying me for a moment. "You look different. I almost didn’t recognize you."

I smiled faintly. "That’s the idea."

His expression softened as he sat down. “Please take a seat. I’m sure you’re curious as to why you were summoned.”

I nodded, doing as told on the plush black leather seat on the other side of Nathaniel’s desk. Before I could say anything else, the office door opened, and as soon as I looked at the man who walked in, I froze. It was the Sterling representative from three years ago, the one who couldn’t stop staring at me.

He looked older than I remembered, his brown hair still neatly styled while wearing a dark suit that fit perfectly. His eyes moved from Nathaniel to me, then they stopped. At that moment, it felt difficult to breathe, and I looked away, hoping he would stop staring.

Just like he had three years ago.

"Damian," Nathaniel said calmly. "You're early."

"You did say the meeting was important, Father,” Damian replied, still looking at me.

What the actual f**k? He’s Nathaniel’s son?

"There's someone I want you to meet. Miss Ava Singer, from the Delaware branch. She’s one of the promising engineers over there, so I thought to bring her over to headquarters to join your team.”

I gave him a polite smile despite being very displeased by the news."Nice to meet you."

Damian's eyes narrowed slightly. "Ava Singer, huh? Have we met?"

I forced myself to laugh softly. "I don't think so."

Something about his expression told me he wasn't convinced. Thankfully, Nathaniel stepped in before the silence became uncomfortable.

"We have a few things to discuss, so please have a seat, Damian."

The meeting lasted less than thirty minutes. Most of it involved projects, schedules and information about the department I would be joining. Damian said very little, but I could feel his eyes on me times whenever I spoke. His team was working on a new prototype, and I’d be joining them starting tomorrow.

When Nathaniel finally dismissed us, I gathered my handbag and left first.

I had barely reached the hallway when I heard footsteps behind me.

"Ava."

I kept walking, determined to out-walk him.

"Ms. Singer."

I turned the corner this time, heading straight for the elevator.

“Ariana.”

That made me pause, and I turned to face Damian. He had in fact recognized me, despite everything I’d done to alter my appearance. The satisfied smirk on his face grew bigger as he walked towards me, and just as he opened his mouth to speak, I interrupted him.

"Is there a reason you keep following me, sir?"

His eyes remained fixed on mine. “You’re Ariana Monroe, aren’t you? From W&M? I saw you three years ago.”

I sighed, feigning annoyance, when in fact I prayed the ground would open up and swallow me whole. “I’m sorry, I don’t know who that is. And I don’t like being followed, sir. I’d appreciate if you remembered that. It’s uncomfortable.”

He didn’t reply, staring at me like he hadn’t already stared enough. I rolled my eyes and pursed my lips, looking to the side instead while keeping what I hoped was a neutral face.

“I suppose I was wrong,” he finally said. “I’ll see you tomorrow at work, Ava.”

With that, Damian turned and walked in the opposite direction, while I walked to the elevator. As soon as I was inside, I fell to the floor, holding back my tears.

I’d been recognized almost immediately by someone I barely knew. Had I been overly confident about my disguise, and would it be only a matter of time before this facade of a life came to an end?

I shook the thought away, standing on my feet while wiping the tears away. I had two jobs to do, and maybe after that, Ava Singer would disappear as well.