The Wife He Replaced

Chapter5

Chapter 5. Five Years Later

No… please… Victor”

I jerked awake, my chest rising and falling rapidly as the nightmare clung to me like a shadow I could never outrun.

My fingers gripped the bedsheet tightly. After five years… it still felt so real.The pain refused to go. The betrayal still hit so hard. The way he chose her… without thinking twice. The whole scene keeps playing in my head. Living rent free in my head.

I shut my eyes. Forcing myself to forget all that. Took a few deep breaths.

It was over.It had been over for years.

His name still had power over me. Which I hate. Which I really wished I could erase forever. But no matter how much I try to erase that, the more it keeps coming.

I got out of bed. Feeling weak and dizzy. Headed to the kitchen needing something to ground me. I poured myself a cup of coffee and the bitter smell slowly brought me back to reality.

Five years.Five years since I left New York.Five years since I left him.Five years since I left everything behind.Dubai gave me a life. It gave me peace. The kind of peace I never had. A quieter one.I built myself from scratch. I became a coach then got promoted and now I'm the head of my department.

A life I fought hard for.A life that had nothing to do with Victor Vale. At least… that's what I kept telling myself.

“Mummy?”

My daughter's small voice broke through my thoughts.I turned around. My heart melted when I saw her standing in the hallway.

Aria. My daughter. My world. The only Good thing that came out of that horrible marriage. She rubbed her eyes still wrapped in her blanket.I walked over to her. Knelt down. And kissed her forehead.

“Hey baby, " I said softly. "Did you have a dream?”She shook her head then looked up at me.

“You did.” she said .I froze for a second… then forced a smile. “I’m okay.” She didn't look convinced. Because she knows, and you can hardly hide anything from her. She nodded and leaned into me as I curled her hair backwards.

I held her close. So tightly because she was the good thing that came out of that nightmare of a life. And Victor… would never take that away from me. Never.

The office was already busy when I arrived. I welcomed the distraction.Work had always been my escape.Something I could control.Something that didn’t hurt.

A knock. Before I could respond Ethan walked in like he owned the place. I could feel the confidence

“ Morning, " I said, raising a brow. "You’re early.”“Not a morning " he muttered, running a hand through his hair. Trying to hide his smile.

That was new.I leaned back slightly. "What happened?”He hesitated.Then said the one thing I never wanted to hear. That one that I have been running away from.

“I’m flying to New York.” My fingers froze around my mug. My heart became cold. It was Asif I heard of a f*******n City.

New York. That one word was enough to drag up memories I buried deep. Memories I am forcing my self not to visit again. Memories that almost destroyed me. I looked away casually pretending it didn’t affect me.

“Work?" I asked.“Yeah. Big merger deal.”

I nodded. Something about his tone felt… off. “What company?" I asked, out of habit rather than interest.

Ethan hesitated again.Then.. “Vale Group.”

The mug slipped slightly in my hand. For a second I thought I misheard him. But I didn’t.

Victor. He was still there. Still powerful.

Still… untouchable. Still in control.

I let out a breath steadying myself.

“Sounds important " I said calmly even though my pulse had picked up.Ethan studied me for a moment like he was trying to read my reaction but I gave him nothing.

I had learned that the hard way. Never show weakness. After he left, I sat in silence for a time.

Vale Group..Victor Vale..After all these years… he was still finding a way to appear in my life.I let out a breath and turned to my laptop forcing myself to focus.

Emails.Work.Anything that can distract me, I needed that distraction .That’s when I saw it. A new message. From a New York law firm. My heart dropped. For a second fear crept in.

Did they know? Did someone find out about Aria? My hands moved quickly as I opened it. I read the message once. Then again. Then a third time. My eyes widened.

My grandmother… She had left everything to me. Her estate. Her company.

Everything. There was one condition.

I had to return to New York to claim it.

My stomach twisted. No. No… this couldn’t be happening. Not now. Not when I had finally moved on. Going back meant facing him. Facing the past I ran from. Facing the man who broke me.and that I was not ready. Not now.

My grip tightened on the desk. I couldn’t do it. I wouldn’t do it. Then.. My eyes drifted back to the email.

There was one line I hadn’t fully processed. A legal representative had already been assigned. My breath caught as I read the name.

Victor Vale. My blood ran cold.

Before I could even process it my phone suddenly rang loudly on the desk making me jump. It was an Unknown number. I stared at it for a second. Then it rang again..Again.. until it Ended.i couldn't pick, because all of a sudden,I became scared.

Then it rang again, it was still an Unknown number.

Something in my chest tightened. Slowly… I picked it up. My fingers trembled slightly as I answered.

“…Hello?” There was silence.Then..

A familiar voice I hadn’t

heard in five years. “Rita.” My heart stopped.

“I’ve been looking for you.”