The Hidden Heiress Returns

Hailey’s POVI raised my gaze and straightened up to look at Tyler boldly with dark squinted eyes.“What do you mean by this? “I asked, pointing the papers in his face with clenched fists and jaws as I tried to suppress the anger bubbling within me.“Even if he wanted to leave me so badly did, he has to be so cruel.” The thoughts echoed in my head as I waited for Tyler’s explanation about the clauses in the divorce papers.“Hailey, what do you mean by you don’t understand what’s written in there?” Lillian stepped forward, circling me as she spoke, mockery draping in her voice.“I thought you were smarter than this”, she said, her eyes glaring into mine. I couldn’t predict her next move.I felt my hair being pulled and my scalp was standing. I yelled my lungs out and Tyler stood there watching me yelp in pain without any art of sympathy nor move to stop Lillian from grabbing my hair but he kept staring with a mischievous grin plastered on his face.“Fuck!” I groaned as I tried to pull m

Hailey’s POVIt's a pleasure meeting you, Kingsley, I responded, taking my hands away from his.I rolled my eyes, “Don’t start the day with such a boring introduction.” I expected him to react to what I said but he ended up chuckling a little bit.He drew out a chair for me and I sat down before he went to his seat. A waiter came to take our order prior to when our conversation started.“So why didn’t you call off the engagement years ago. You could have to chose to cancel it when I said I wasn’t interested, why wait?” I asked him the question that bothered me so much.“I just wanted to.” His reply was simple and fast. I glanced intently at him, studying his composure and mannerisms which captivated me. I couldn’t tell if he was nervous or his expression was just calm. Indeed, worthy to be called the wealthiest man in his USA.“A deal.” I proposed. He was looking at me and I felt uncomfortable under his stare so I cleared my throat.“A deal is all I needed. We’ll fake a marriage to th

HAILEY'S POVI felt a pang in my chest as I thought of how Kingsley may be struggling for his life in the theater room.A surge of emotions filled me as I kept staring into the blank space.My brother patted my back as he led me to the waiting chair.I slumped into a leather chair that’s too soft to be comforting, my back straight, my hands folded on my lap.I cried, I prayed, and I hoped for Kingsley to awaken soon.The blood on my dress has dried.It’s no longer red. The bright red colour turned a dull brown, stiffening the fabric where it soaked in. I keep noticing it in my peripheral vision, like a stain that refuses to be ignored no matter how many times I look away.The hallway is quiet in that expensive way hospitals reserve for people with . Thick carpet. Muted lights. No echoing cries. No chaos. Just the low hum of machines somewhere behind the walls and the red “IN OPERATION” sign glowing steadily at the end of the corridor.It hasn’t changed.Footsteps approached, I didn't l

Hailey's POVThe big gates of the Norway Mansion slowly opened up. They did not make any noise at all. The Norway Mansion had big gates that were very quiet when they were moved.The driveway curved just like it always did. It was smooth. It was precise, and it had these lights that were lined up along the way, and they glowed softly in the dark of night. Everything looked the same as it always had. It was perfect. The driveway and the whole scene was untouched.The moment I got out of the car, it felt really strange. The place I was in—it felt like I did not belong there anymore. The life I was looking at was like I was seeing something that was not mine. Everything about this place, this life, felt foreign to me.The front doors opened before I even got to them. The staff people bowed a little, said hello, but I did not really hear what they were saying. I just kept walking past the staff people without stopping to talk to them. My high heels were making a noise on the marble floor.

Hailey's POVKingsley's eyes snapped open.The movement was sudden enough that it startled me back a step, my breath catching painfully in my throat. One second, he had been motionless, suspended in that fragile in-between state where machines and medicine decided whether a man stayed or went. The next, his gaze cut through the dim room, sharp and alert, as if he'd been pulled violently to the surface.For a heartbeat, he looked lost.His pupils were blown wide, breath shallow, chest rising too fast beneath the sheets. His eyes darted once, twice, taking in the ceiling, the lights, the unfamiliar stillness of the room. The hand beneath mine tightened reflexively, fingers curling as though he were reaching for something solid.For that fleeting second, he looked human.Then the mask slid back into place.I felt it more than I saw it. The tension in his body shifted, his breathing slowing, his gaze sharpening into something cool and controlled. Whatever vulnerability had surfaced vanishe