The Billionaire Heiress Rebirth

Selena “I am very sorry, Mrs. Selena, but your father is gone,” the doctor said. The words sank into me like stones dropped in water, rippling outward until everything inside me was shaking. My father—the strongest, most commanding man I had ever known—was gone. Just like that. I stared at the doctor, waiting for him to take it back, waiting for him to say it was all a mistake, that Father had opened his eyes again, that his booming voice would call my name as it always did. But there was only silence, the heavy kind that smothers hope. I couldn’t breathe. My legs trembled, threatening to give way beneath me. The hospital walls seemed to close in, the sterile white so unbearably empty without him. Father, with his dominating presence, his unyielding will, his rare but powerful smile—how could he be gone? We had all agreed when I suggested bringing him to Lancaster, far from our quiet Milkshire. Milkshire had been his kingdom, our home, but it wasn’t enough. Not when his health was slipping. He needed the best care, and I had been determined to give it to him. Kael, my husband of five years, didn’t question me. He left everything behind without hesitation—his work, his responsibilities—to follow me here. He had always been that way. Steady. Loving. Mine. I had leaned on him through every agonizing hour by Father’s bedside, his hand always reaching for mine when I broke down. Without him, I would have crumbled long ago. Later, Elmira—my dearest friend in the world—joined us. She slipped into my days like sunlight through a c***k in the curtains, bringing warmth where I felt only cold. She made me laugh on the nights I thought I would drown in my tears. She reminded me to eat, to rest, to live. Between the two of them, I had managed to hold myself together. Darius, my brother, couldn’t be here, though he tried in his way. He called often, his face appearing on the screen as he checked in on Father, as he checked in on me. He couldn’t leave the Ardyn empire, not when the weight of our father’s legacy rested entirely on his shoulders. Father had built an empire that spanned industries, and Darius was now the one holding it all together. He could be overbearing, yes, but I didn’t blame him. He had always been a good son, even if we clashed as siblings. Sometimes he was harsh with me, especially after I married Kael, but he was still my brother. And I believed—no, I knew—he loved me in his own way. But none of that mattered now. Nothing mattered. My father was gone. I don’t know how long I stood frozen in the hallway before I heard my name. “Selena!” I turned, and there was Elmira, rushing toward me with her arms stretched wide. Her eyes were red, tears slipping freely down her cheeks. I stumbled into her embrace, and together we wept, just as we had since the first day we became friends. Elmira and I had been inseparable since high school. She was the one who introduced me to Kael and his circle of friends. My family had adored her from the beginning, even adopting the nickname I gave her—Elira—after I mispronounced her name when we first met. To this day, everyone called her that. She had always been there for me, through every heartbreak, every storm. Even Father, stern as he was, had softened toward her. She had a way of making everyone feel seen, even when they didn’t deserve it. “I can’t believe the old man’s gone,” Elira whispered, her voice trembling. “I can’t believe it either,” I murmured, my chest tightening with every word. “What happens now?” she asked, her hands cupping my shoulders as though she could shield me from the world itself. “I told Kael already. I… I couldn’t bring myself to call him, but he’ll be here soon.” My voice quivered, and she only pulled me back into her arms. “Oh, my poor Selena,” she breathed, stroking my hair as if I were a child. And I cried again, because Elira had always known how to comfort me best. Kael arrived later that evening. I will never forget the look in his eyes when he saw me—tired, red, swollen from grief. He didn’t ask questions, didn’t speak right away. He simply took me into his arms, strong and safe, and I let go of the last bit of strength I had been clinging to. When the time came to make arrangements, he stepped forward without hesitation, taking the burden from my trembling hands. “Let me handle this, love,” he whispered, his thumb brushing away my tears. “You’ve carried enough.” That was Kael. Always dependable. Always my strength when mine failed. He made every call, signed every paper, soothed every wordless sob. And he did it with patience, never once showing me anything but love. I leaned on him completely, grateful beyond words for the man I had married. Soon, everything was set, and we were on a flight back home. The hum of the engines was a dull comfort as I rested my head on Kael’s shoulder. His arm wrapped around me, firm and protective, his thumb tracing slow, soothing circles against my hand. “You’ll be fine, love,” he murmured, tilting his head to kiss my forehead. “I’ve got you.” I closed my eyes, breathing him in. Kael had been my rock from the very beginning—gentle, loving, patient. He was the one who showed me I didn’t have to always bend under Father and Darius’s shadows. He encouraged me to speak, to stand, to claim my place. Without him, I would have accepted the crumbs they gave me. With him, I saw a future worth fighting for. I thought of Elira too. She had stayed behind to help gather my things at the hospital, promising to meet us soon. She had been as steady as Kael through it all, holding me together when I wanted to collapse. Between the two of them, I felt safe—even now, with the gaping hole Father’s absence had left. The hostess announced our landing, pulling me from my thoughts. I glanced out the window at the familiar skyline spreading out beneath the clouds. My heart ached, heavy with loss, but somewhere deep inside, I felt the faint flicker of hope. Pressing a hand gently to my stomach, I whispered through my tears, “Welcome home, Daddy.”