A Life Reclaimed

CHAPTER THREE

BRIELLA'S POV

“You really have bad taste in men, Aurelia”, I said to myself, and took the TV remote to turn on the TV.

The news was on.

“And in today's news, billionaire Ambrose Frey mourns the loss of his late wife, Briella Frey”. The news reporter said and Ambrose's face popped up on the screen along with a picture of me, the real me.

What

“He held a grand funeral for her and stated that she had gone on a trip and never returned. The search parties he sent out reported back saying the private jet she was on had crash-landed and there were no survivors.

I turned it off immediately.

Trip? Private jet crashing? Was Ambrose mourning me? It didn't add up.

It all started coming back to me. I didn't go on any trips. I didn't even like traveling. I was killed by someone, not a plane crash.

Argh! My head.

I held my head with my hands.

I was killed. I was killed by… Ambrose.

I couldn't quite remember what led to it. All I could remember was him running after me in the house. He eventually cornered me and struck me down, making me hit my head on the table and fall to the ground.

That was how I died. He killed me, and now he was all up on the news pretending to mourn me? He hated me and made my life hell for ten whole years.

That abusive bastard. How could he do this to me?

Maxine…

My baby girl. She probably feels so scared and alone. She doesn't deserve all this. I don't deserve all this. I hated that bastard with everything I held dear. My only mistakes were marrying him and not leaving him when I had the chance. I could've filed for a divorce, but I was scared that it wouldn't go through.

Ambrose, you'll pay for this… I don't know how but you will.

I sat on the floor and cried my heart out. I held my chest and squeezed it. There was this pain I felt and it wouldn't go away. The agony and misery that swept over me was unimaginable. I had never felt this type of way before.

Did that mean I'd never get to see Maxine again?

That couldn't happen; She was my world. How did my life come crashing down just like that? I didn't even have a life, I had someone else's life.

“Why did I have to get married to the person that ended me?”

Mother and Father.

They don't know what really happened. No one does. No one knows the demon hiding under the guise of a humble CEO.

I'll make him pay! I'll make that bastard pay!

I cried even more.

How was I going to continue living in this new body and new life?

I was spiraling, and I didn't know what to do.

Suddenly, everything went black.

I woke up in a dark room and looked around. A light source caught my eye and I followed it.

“Mummy, come play with me!”. I heard Maxine's voice from a distance. I rushed towards where her voice was coming from and saw her playing with… me?

I watched Maxine and the past version of myself. I looked so happy and she did too.

“Go to your room Maxine, your mother and I want to talk”. Ambrose said as he walked closer to my past self.

Maxine nodded and walked to her room.

“Are you serious? You were snooping through my office?”. He asked in a cold tone.

“I just wanted to know what was more important than your daughter's presentation today. You missed it for “Important duties”. Bullshit”. She said, glaring at him.

He held her by the throat. “Don't ever talk back to me!”. He growled and choked her.

“Let go of her!”. I tried to interfere but I couldn't. It was just a memory. I watched myself get choked and couldn't do a thing.

He let go, and she fell to the ground trying to catch her breath.

“Pathetic”. He said as he walked to his room.

I watched myself try to get up and get some water to drink.

The scene faded, and I heard cries and pleading from a distance. I walked towards it and the closer I got, the louder the screams and cries got.

I came to another scene and saw my past self on the floor begging as a drunk Ambrose threatened her with a knife and then bruised her badly.

I remembered that day. I almost took my own life after, but then remembered that I had to take care of Maxine.

Funny that at the end I still died.

The scene faded, and we walked towards another light source.

My past self was crying into a pillow and begging God to help her.

I remembered that day so vividly. It was the day I died.

I couldn't re-watch that. I just couldn't. It was too much.

I ran away from there and was caught by Ambrose. He picked me up and threw me to the ground.

I screamed and tried standing up to run away, but there was no escape, just a void. It felt like I was going to be killed all over again. Before he could pick me up again, I jolted awake.

I breathed heavily. It was me reliving the memories in the form of a dream. The last part was horrendous.

I stood up from the ground and went to my room to take a shower and calm my nerves.

I took a glance at my tear-stricken face in the mirror before I entered the bathroom. I looked tired and drained.

I couldn't continue wallowing in my pain.

I studied my face. Aurelia was really beautiful. I wondered why she hadn't gone far in her career.

“Well, since I'm now a supermodel I'll make the most of it”. I stared at myself once more.

“In fact, I'll use this to get my revenge. I just need to improve my career. No more Briella Frey, she's dead. I'm Aurelia Celeste.”

I stared at my reflection and smirked.

I'm coming for you, Ambrose.