Chapter 6 – Starting Afresh
My eyes fluttered open, then squeezed shut.
The sunlight pouring through the window stabbed at my temples.
I groaned softly, pressing my fingers against them.
Everything ached-my head, my shoulder-but it wasn’t as sharp as before. It was dull now. Manageable.
When I slowly opened my eyes again, the light wasn’t so harsh anymore.
I blinked until things came into focus. Cream-colored walls.
A crystal chandelier. Gold accents on the mirror across from me.
I froze.
This room…
I knew it.
My chest tightened. I turned my head and saw a drip attached to my hand, an IV stand next to
the bed.
The sheets were soft, thick, and expensive. The faint scent of jasmine and lemon drifted in
the air.
I was home.
Not Gabriel’s house. Not his cold mansion. No.
This was my room. The one I used to stay in when Mom brought me to visit her parents before she died.
I pressed the small silver bell on the nightstand with shaky fingers.
Within seconds, a soft knock came from the door. A young woman in a maid uniform stepped in with a polite smile.
“You’re awake, Miss Faye,” she said kindly. “Do you need anything?”
I swallowed, my voice scratchy. “Can you tell my grandparents… I’m awake?”
She nodded and disappeared down the hallway.
I waited. My heart thumped louder with each second.
My hand clutched the edge of the blanket, knuckles pale. Then, the door opened again.
And they walked in.
My grandmother. My grandfather.
Older now. My grandfather’s hair was fully grey. My grandmother looked thinner than I remembered, but her eyes were the same-gentle, but sharp.
“Faye?”
My breath caught. My lips trembled.
15:51 Fri, Jan 30 G G
“Grandma… Grandpa…”
27
Tears filled my eyes before I could stop them. They rushed over to the bed, and I melted into their arms.
“Oh, my darling,” Grandma whispered, stroking my hair. “We finally have you back.”
Grandpa kissed my forehead gently. “We’re so sorry, sweetheart. We should’ve found you earlier.”
I sobbed into her shoulder. “I missed you. I thought… I thought you forgot me.”
“We never did,” Grandpa said, his voice heavy with emotion. “Not for a day.”
We held each other for a long time. Their warmth… It felt like safety.
“You’re safe now,” Grandma said. “And we’re not letting you go back to that hellhole.”
I stiffened.
“Gabriel and those boys,” Grandpa muttered. “How dare they hurt you? What kind of children shoot a young girl who took care of them? And the cat-what they did to your pet…”
“Please,” I whispered. “I don’t want to talk about it. Not yet.”
They both went quiet. I looked up and wiped my tears.
“I’m just… happy to be home.”
Grandma sighed and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “Okay, my love. We won’t push. But they don’t deserve your kindness.”
“I know.”
Grandpa sat on the edge of the bed. “How do you feel now?”
“A bit sore. But better than yesterday.”
“We had the family doctor take care of you. The bullet didn’t hit any major nerves, thank God,” Grandma added. “But your shoulder needs rest.”
I nodded slowly.
Then Grandpa leaned forward, looking serious.
“Are you ready?”
“For what?”
“To take over,” he said gently. “The company. We’re getting old, Faye. We were waiting for the right time, but after what happened, we’re not waiting anymore.”
“Wait…” I blinked. “You’re serious?”
“Of course,” Grandma said. “You’re our only grandchild. The only family we have left. Your mother would’ve wanted this for you.”
I sat quietly for a moment.
They were right.
Gabriel and his sons left me to bleed in that courtyard. They laughed at my pain. They treated me like a maid, a punching bag.
Tudne 2nd Their Father Degrated It
1/3 7.6%
15:51 Fri, Jan 30 GG.
Faye’s Pov
27
Chapter 6 – Starting Afresh
My eyes fluttered open, then squeezed shut.
The sunlight pouring through the window stabbed at my temples.
I groaned softly, pressing my fingers against them.
Everything ached-my head, my shoulder-but it wasn’t as sharp as before. It was dull now. Manageable.
When I slowly opened my eyes again, the light wasn’t so harsh anymore.
I blinked until things came into focus. Cream-colored walls.
A crystal chandelier. Gold accents on the mirror across from me.
I froze.
This room…
I knew it.
My chest tightened. I turned my head and saw a drip attached to my hand, an IV stand next to
the bed.
The sheets were soft, thick, and expensive. The faint scent of jasmine and lemon drifted in
the air.
I was home.
Not Gabriel’s house. Not his cold mansion. No.
This was my room. The one I used to stay in when Mom brought me to visit her parents before she died.
I pressed the small silver bell on the nightstand with shaky fingers.
Within seconds, a soft knock came from the door. A young woman in a maid uniform stepped in with a polite smile.
“You’re awake, Miss Faye,” she said kindly. “Do you need anything?”
I swallowed, my voice scratchy. “Can you tell my grandparents… I’m awake?”
She nodded and disappeared down the hallway.
I waited. My heart thumped louder with each second.
My hand clutched the edge of the blanket, knuckles pale. Then, the door opened again.
And they walked in.
My grandmother. My grandfather.
Older now. My grandfather’s hair was fully grey. My grandmother looked thinner than I remembered, but her eyes were the same-gentle, but sharp.
“Faye?”
My breath caught. My lips trembled.
15:51 Fri, Jan 30 GG
“Grandma… Grandpa…”
Tears filled my eyes before I could stop them. They rushed over to the bed, and I melted into their arms.
you
back.”
“Oh, my darling,” Grandma whispered, stroking my hair. “We finally have Grandpa kissed my forehead gently. “We’re so sorry, sweetheart. We should’ve found you earlier.”
I sobbed into her shoulder. “I missed you. I thought… I thought you forgot me.” “We never did,” Grandpa said, his voice heavy with emotion. “Not for a day.”
We held each other for a long time. Their warmth… It felt like safety.
“You’re safe now,” Grandma said. “And we’re not letting you go back to that hellhole.”
I stiffened.
39
“Gabriel and those boys,” Grandpa muttered. “How dare they hurt you? What kind of children shoot a young girl who took care of them? And the cat-what they did to your pet…” “Please,” I whispered. “I don’t want to talk about it. Not yet.
They both went quiet. I looked up and wiped my tears.
“I’m just… happy to be home.”
Grandma sighed and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “Okay, my love. We won’t push. But they don’t deserve your kindness.”
“I know.”
Grandpa sat on the edge of the bed. “How do you feel now?”
“A bit sore. But better than yesterday.”
“We had the family doctor take care of you. The bullet didn’t hit any major nerves, thank God,” Grandma added. “But your shoulder needs rest.”
I nodded slowly.
Then Grandpa leaned forward, looking serious.
“Are you ready?”
“For what?”
“To take over,” he said gently. “The company. We’re getting old, Faye. We were waiting for the right time, but after what happened, we’re not waiting anymore.”
“Wait…” I blinked. “You’re serious?”
“Of course,” Grandma said. “You’re our only grandchild. The only family we have left. Your mother would’ve wanted this for you.”
I sat quietly for a moment.
They were right.
Gabriel and his sons left me to bleed in that courtyard. They laughed at my pain. They treated me like a maid, a punching bag.
After I Left. The Twins and Their Father Regretted It
712
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15:52 Fri, Jan 30
Chapter 6 – Starting Afresh
Faye’s Pov
My eyes fluttered open, then squeezed shut.
The sunlight pouring through the window stabbed at my temples.
I groaned softly, pressing my fingers against them.
Everything ached-my head, my shoulder-but it wasn’t as sharp as before. It was dull now. Manageable.
When I slowly opened my eyes again, the light wasn’t so harsh anymore.
I blinked until things came into focus. Cream-colored walls.
A crystal chandelier. Gold accents on the mirror across from me.
I froze.
This room…
I knew it.
My chest tightened. I turned my head and saw a drip attached to my hand, an IV stand next to
the bed.
The sheets were soft, thick, and expensive. The faint scent of jasmine and lemon drifted in
the air.
I was home.
Not Gabriel’s house. Not his cold mansion. No.
This was my room. The one I used to stay in when Mom brought me to visit her parents before she died.
I pressed the small silver bell on the nightstand with shaky fingers.
Within seconds, a soft knock came from the door. A young woman in a maid uniform stepped in with a polite smile.
“You’re awake, Miss Faye,” she said kindly. “Do you need anything?”
I swallowed, my voice scratchy. “Can you tell my grandparents… I’m awake?”
She nodded and disappeared down the hallway.
I waited. My heart thumped louder with each second.
My hand clutched the edge of the blanket, knuckles pale. Then, the door opened again.
And they walked in.
My grandmother. My grandfather.
Older now. My grandfather’s hair was fully grey. My grandmother looked thinner than I remembered, but her eyes were the same-gentle, but sharp.
“Faye?”
My breath caught. My lips trembled.
“Grandma… Grandpa…”
Tears filled my eyes before I could stop them. They rushed over to the bed, and I melted into their arms.
“Oh, my darling,” Grandma whispered, stroking my hair. “We finally have you back.”
Grandpa kissed my forehead gently. “We’re so sorry, sweetheart. We should’ve found you earlier.”
I sobbed into her shoulder. “I missed you. I thought… I thought you forgot me.”
“We never did,” Grandpa said, his voice heavy with emotion. “Not for a day.”
We held each other for a long time. Their warmth… It felt like safety.
“You’re safe now,” Grandma said. “And we’re not letting you go back to that hellhole.”
I stiffened.
“Gabriel and those boys,” Grandpa muttered. “How dare they hurt you? What kind of children shoot a young girl who took care of them? And the cat-what they did to your pet…”
“Please,” I whispered. “I don’t want to talk about it. Not yet.”
They both went quiet. I looked up and wiped my tears.
“I’m just… happy to be home.”
Grandma sighed and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “Okay, my love. We won’t push. But they don’t deserve your kindness.”
“I know.”
Grandpa sat on the edge of the bed. “How do you feel now?”
“A bit sore. But better than yesterday.”
“We had the family doctor take care of you. The bullet didn’t hit any major nerves, thank God,” Grandma added. “But your shoulder needs rest.”
I nodded slowly.
Then Grandpa leaned forward, looking serious.
“Are you ready?”
“For what?”
“To take over,” he said gently. “The company. We’re getting old, Faye. We were waiting for the right time, but after what happened, we’re not waiting anymore.”
“Wait…” I blinked. “You’re serious?”
“Of course,” Grandma said. “You’re our only grandchild. The only family we have left. Your mother would’ve wanted this for you.”
I sat quietly for a moment.
They were right.
Gabriel and his sons left me to bleed in that courtyard. They laughed at my pain. They treated me like a maid, a punching bag.
Chapter 6-Starting Afresh
213 81%
15:52 Fri, Jan 30 GG.
But here… here, I was Faye Berkeley again. The child my mother raised with love. The heiress of The Berkeley Empire.
“I’m ready,” I said. My voice didn’t shake this time.
Grandma smiled proudly. “That’s our girl.”
“I want to start fresh. Be someone new.” I looked down at my bandaged shoulder.
“Good,” Grandpa said. “Because we’re about to show the world who you really are.”
A small smile grazed my lips, “Does Gabriel know about this?”
My grandparents shook their heads, “Our security was careful not to slip anything up.”
I grinned, “Gabriel treated me like his toy for eleven years. It’s time I give him a taste of his own medicine.”
Gabriel’s Pov
