MIE’S
lia’s POV
My heart raced as I stood in front of my vanity mirror, smoothing out the luxurious fabric of my evening gown. The elegant design hugged my curves snugly, accentuating them in all the right places, exuding a sense of glamour and sophistication.
My eyes met my reflection, and I was confident that I looked stunning, but somehow, I couldn’t help but feel like something was amiss.
My makeup was heavy but just right for the occasion, and although my heels were higher than what I would usually settle for, my feet were slowly getting accustomed to the change.
I was attired in a stunning evening gown adorned with shimmering lace and precious stones. My jewelry, a treasured family heirloom, was part of my mother’s exquisite collection. Like me, she had a passion for jewelry design and had even crafted some of her own pieces. However, while she had worn all of her beautiful creations, I was showcasing mine for a purpose- to lure my ex–husband.
The door to my dressing room slid open, distracting me from my thoughts, and my eyes lit up in anticipation as Nathan entered.
“You look stunning Mia, he beamed as he closed the door
You’ve said that a hundred times already.” It was true, but I found myself blushing again.
“Is he here yet?”
With his lips pursed, he shook his head.
“Do you think he’ll show up?”
“He will. Knowing Xander, he wouldn’t miss an opportunity to look his competitor in the eye and show them the kind of person they’re dealing with, I shrugged. Just pronouncing his name filled me with rage. Xander has a wild ego, even though the invitation was meant to be an insult to him, he could show up just to prove how much he didn’t care
He would show up to stare into the face of the one who had dared to compete with him and tell them how they had bitten the lion’s tail
“Hopefully he doesn’t crash the party. He’ll definitely throw a fit when he realizes what we have done
“This was my idea from the onset and Xander was going to steal it. I was supposed to be in charge of the designs; if there’s any way to get Xander’s attention quickly, it’s this way,” a sinister smirk curled up on my lips. Also, Irene is a sucker for jewelry. She was the highest bidder at our online auction, I doubt it’s something Xander is aware of. She’ll do everything to make him attend.”
Xander was more cruel than I thought. Without a shred of guilt for what he did to me and my babies, he was going to steal my idea and create a luxury brand. Since he had a copy of all the designs. I worked on, he probably planned to steal them too. Good thing I found out just in time.
The moment we got information about Xander’s intention, I immediately switched plans and decided to counter it. Nothing enraged Xander more than being cornered and I imagined the look on his face when he realized there was no information about me on the web.
I could imagine his brows deeply contorted as he lashed at his workers, his ego bruised as he cooked up ways to dissolve my brand. I knew him just too well to predict these things and I prepared myself for the outcome.
The door opened again, this time, Kendra, my secretary, popped her head in..
“Ma’am, Mr Schaeffer just arrived.”
The words unexpectedly hit me harder than I envisioned and I felt something within me drop.
“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” Nathan asked, placing a hand on mine. It wasn’t until I lowered my gaze that I realized my hands were shaking.
I stared at my reflection, exhaling sharply. It had been four years already, and I knew deep within me that I was ready for this, I had looked forward to this moment with rage in my heart.
Initially, I intended to get facial surgery and then approach Xander with a fraudulent investment opportunity, milking him dry of all that he has. I was desperate to ruin him as quickly as I could but a second thought had me retracting the entire plan. Xander was no fool. He wouldn’t carelessly invest his all in a business just because I altered my look.
Ruining Xander was not going to be a day’s job, so I re–strategized with Nathan’s help. Besides, altering my looks seemed like a fearful approach, and gone are the days when Xander’s presence intimidated me. Now, the only thing I bore towards him was hate. Raw,
Chapter 9
unched hate.
Xander and trene had taken me down as Mix, I must get my revenge as Mia.
Try ready.” I added a nod to reassure him.
He leaned and planted a kiss on my head, caressing my palm in his.
“He’s never going to hurt you again, I promise you,”
Somehow that made me feel a lot better. Being reunited with my family showed me a lot of things that I didn’t know, like what it meant to be truly loved and cared for.
All my life. I hadn’t experienced those feelings. With no one willing to adopt me, I had to live in an abusive orphanage home for twelve years, and when I finally left, I was thrown into another world of abuse and then into a marriage that ended up taking my life. Having Nathan and my father around me was a big assistance in helping me recuperate. It was a blessing I would forever be grateful for
“I know,” I smiled at Nathan, feeling secure.
He returned the smile, his eyes boring into mine with a burst of affection. When I didn’t flinch, his arms wrapped around me with utmost care and protection,
“Is it okay if I hug you?” He asked, even though his arms were already around me.
I chuckled softly. “You already are, silly.” I buried my face in his chest.
He laughed, drawing me closer. “I’m worried about you, Mia. I can’t help it, I’m sorry.”
“I’ll be fine.” I mumbled into his broad chest. “Besides, everything is going according to the plan so far.”
“Do you have your medication?“
“Always with me,” I assured him.
He b
breathed out. “Even at the last n
minute, you know we can always reschedule if you need more time-
“No,” I quickly uttered, wallowing in his embrace to heal my heart, which had started to ache again. 1 had learned to trust him and get accustomed to his touch. With time, Nathan had proven himself to be on my side; he had proven to be not just my brother but my ally, and I was grateful for that.
“I have to do this once and for all. Also, I have you and Father, right?”
He disengaged from the hug and planted another kiss on my forehead, not minding my heavy makeup. Tm all yours, Mia. Use me as much as you want to.”
2/2
