Chapter 2

Ariana Vale stood in front of a tall mirror, staring at the woman looking back at her.

Long dark hair.

Sharp eyes.

A calm expression that revealed nothing.

She was no longer the frightened woman who had opened her eyes in a hospital room unable to remember her own name.

She had changed.

Completely.

Ariana adjusted the black dress she was wearing and picked up a small silver necklace from the table.

Her fingers paused around it.

Three years ago, she had believed her life was over.

She had been wrong.

Her life had only been beginning.

A knock sounded at the door.

"Ms. Bennett?"

Ariana turned.

"Come in."

Her assistant, Maya, stepped inside with a folder.

"Everything is ready."

Ariana took the folder.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. The event starts at six."

Ariana nodded.

"And the cemetery?"

Maya hesitated.

"That's also arranged."

Ariana's eyes hardened.

"Good."

Maya studied her carefully.

"You don't have to go."

Ariana looked at her.

"I do."

"Why?"

Ariana closed the folder.

"Because today is the anniversary of my death."

Maya said nothing.

Ariana walked toward the window.

Three years.

Three years since the world had buried her.

Three years since her family had cried over an empty coffin.

Three years since her husband had supposedly lost the woman he loved.

And three years since someone had tried to erase her existence.

She had spent the first year recovering.

The second year investigating.

The third year preparing.

Now she was finally coming home.

But not as Ariana Vale.

The world knew Ariana Vale was dead.

So she would let them continue believing it.

She would return as Aria Bennett.

A wealthy investor with no connection to the Vale family.

At least, that was what everyone would believe.

Ariana picked up her handbag.

"Let's go."

---

The Vale family cemetery was quiet.

A black car stopped near the entrance.

Ariana stepped out.

She stared at the large stone in front of her.

ARIANA VALE

BELOVED DAUGHTER

BELOVED WIFE

FOREVER MISSED

Her heart tightened.

She had never seen her own grave before.

For a moment, she couldn't breathe.

She walked closer.

Her fingers brushed the cold stone.

"Beloved daughter," she whispered.

A bitter smile touched her lips.

"That's funny."

She had spent three years wondering why her own family had never searched harder for her.

She knew now.

They hadn't wanted to find her.

A sound behind her made her turn.

Ariana quickly stepped behind a large tree.

A black car entered the cemetery.

She recognized it immediately.

Adrian.

Her husband.

Her heart stopped.

Adrian stepped out of the car holding a bouquet of white roses.

He looked different.

Older.

His face was harder.

There were dark circles beneath his eyes.

He walked toward her grave slowly.

Ariana watched silently.

Adrian placed the flowers down.

"I came again."

His voice was low.

Ariana's eyes filled with tears.

"I don't know why I keep doing this."

He sat beside the grave.

"I know everyone thinks I should move on."

Ariana covered her mouth.

Adrian looked at the gravestone.

"But I can't."

A tear slipped down his cheek.

"I still remember the last thing you said to me."

Ariana's heart pounded.

She remembered it too.

The last conversation they'd had before the accident.

They had argued.

She had accused him of hiding something from her.

He had told her they would talk when he got home.

He never did.

Ariana had spent three years believing that meant he had known what was coming.

But now she wasn't sure.

Adrian pulled something from his pocket.

A small photograph.

Ariana couldn't see it clearly from where she stood.

He placed it against the gravestone.

"I miss you, Ariana."

She closed her eyes.

She had imagined this moment so many times.

She had imagined Adrian celebrating her death.

She had imagined him living happily without her.

But she had never imagined this.

Footsteps suddenly approached.

Adrian stood.

Ariana remained hidden.

A woman walked toward him.

Ariana recognized her immediately.

Serena.

Her former best friend.

Serena walked over and placed a hand on Adrian's shoulder.

"You shouldn't keep doing this to yourself."

Adrian stepped away.

"I'm fine."

"You need to let her go."

Adrian's expression hardened.

"I don't want to."

Serena looked at him.

"Adrian..."

"I said no."

Ariana watched them carefully.

Then her eyes dropped to Serena's neck.

Her breath caught.

Hanging around Serena's neck was a delicate silver necklace.

Ariana knew that necklace.

She had worn it on the night of the accident.

It had been a gift from her mother.

There was only one in existence.

Ariana's hands began trembling.

How did Serena have it?

Serena touched the necklace casually.

Ariana's eyes narrowed.

Three years of questions suddenly came rushing back.

The message.

The missing money.

The black SUV.

The failed brakes.

The river.

And now the necklace.

Ariana looked at Serena with a coldness she had never felt before.

"You."

The word escaped her lips so quietly that nobody heard.

Serena had something to do with it.

Maybe not everything.

But something.

Ariana stepped away from the tree.

She wiped the tears from her face.

She had come here looking for answers.

She had just found her first suspect.

---

That evening, Ariana returned to her hotel.

Maya was waiting.

"How did it go?"

Ariana removed her coat.

"I saw Adrian."

Maya looked concerned.

"And?"

"He still visits my grave."

Maya's expression softened.

"And Serena?"

Ariana looked at her.

"She was wearing my necklace."

Maya froze.

"Your necklace?"

"The one I had the night I disappeared."

"How could she have it?"

Ariana walked toward the window.

"That's what I'm going to find out."

She picked up a glass of water.

For three years, she had lived quietly.

She had allowed everyone to believe she was dead.

But that was about to change.

Her phone suddenly rang.

Unknown number.

Ariana answered.

"Hello?"

Silence.

Then a distorted voice spoke.

"You should leave the city."

Ariana's expression changed.

"Who is this?"

"You survived once."

A pause.

"Don't expect to survive twice."

The call ended.

Ariana stared at the phone.

Then she smiled.

Not because she wasn't afraid.

Because now she knew one thing for certain.

Someone was still watching her.

And someone was terrified that Ariana Vale had returned.

She looked toward the cemetery in the distance.

"They buried the wrong woman."

Her eyes hardened.

"And now I'm coming for everyone who helped them do it."