The Heiress' Revenge

Chapter 158: I Don’t Want Dante

Ariana’s POV

The car pulled up to Dante’s mansion, the same place where I used to live.

Funny how life works

Ares got out first he straightened his jacket

Then he reached for my hand. "Ready?"

"No," I said. "But let’s do it anyway."

I took his hand and stepped out of the car. The night air was cold.

We walked up the steps, and the doors were open with people inside, laughing, talking, and Drinking.

Melissa didn’t know the correct definition of right gathering, because the number of people who were here said otherwise.

I felt the crowd’s eyes on me as we walked in, a few people whispering as usual, but I didn’t care.

I forced a smile, keeping my shoulders back.

My eyes roamed around, falling on Sarah near the bar; she was talking to Marcus. I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding.

I squeezed Ares’s arm. "I see Sarah. I’m going to go say hi. You go mingle. Do business and be charming."

Ares smiled. "I’m always charming."

I rolled my eyes. "Just go."

He kissed my cheek to show the crowd. Then he disappeared into the sea of suits and gowns.

I walked toward Sarah. My heels clicked on the marble floor as people moved out of my way.

Sarah saw me coming he face lit up. She grabbed my hands. "Ariana. You look... wow."

I laughed. "Wow, good or wow bad?"

"Wow, like you’re about to take over the world."

Marcus turned around.

He pulled me into a hug.

"Ariana, it’s good to have you back," he said. "How are you? Really?"

I hugged him back. "I’m okay. I’m surviving. That’s all I can do right now."

He pulled back and looked at me. Then he looked at Ares across the room. Then back at me. "I see you’ve moved on.... That’s good for you."

It felt awkward, so awkward.

"Thank you," I said. "That means a lot."

Marcus nodded, squeezing my arm. Then he walked away. He disappeared into the crowd. I watched him go.

Sarah grabbed my arm. She pulled me close. "What the hell is going on? Since when did your brother become your husband? I’m so confused."

I looked around. "It’s a cover. Melissa can’t know I’m Ares’s sister. If she finds out who I really am, the deal falls apart. So we’re pretending for now."

Sarah’s eyes widened. "You’re pretending to be married to your own brother?"

"It’s strategic, and it’s not like we’re actually married. It’s just a story. A way to keep me close without raising suspicion."

Sarah shook her head. "That’s insane. That’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard."

"It’s also working."

Sarah took a deep breath. She let it out slowly. "Okay. Okay, I get it. It’s still crazy, but I get it."

I squeezed her hand. "Thank you for understanding."

Sarah nodded. "I’ll hold you to that."

I looked around the room at the people.

"I’m going to the bathroom," I said. "I’ll be right back."

Sarah let go of my hand. "Take your time. I’ll be here."

I walked away through the crowd and headed for the bathroom, wanting to breathe.

Being in this house feels suffocating; it made me remember things I’m not supposed to.

I pushed open the door and stepped inside. I leaned against the sink. I looked at myself in the mirror, and my reflection stared back.

The door opened behind me I looked up. The reflection showed her.

Melissa.

She walked in, closing the door. She leaned against it, her arms

crossed.

"Well, well," she said. "Look who finally came out of hiding."

My heart pounded, my hands shook, but I didn’t let her see I turned around and faced her, faking a smile, sweet yet deadly.

"Melissa," I said. "What a pleasure."

She didn’t smile back. "What are you doing here, Ariana? What are you really doing?"

The bathroom door closed behind Melissa, who stood there with her back against it. She was blocking me from leaving and wanted to trap me in here with her, with her arms crossed, and her eyes were cold... that fake smile was on her face, one that made me want to scream.

"Ariana," she said, her voice was sweet like poison. "What are you doing here? What are you really doing? You think I don’t see through you? You think I don’t know what you’re up to?"

I didn’t say anything, I just looked at her with my heart pounding, but I kept my face calm.

Melissa stepped closer. "You’re a whore you know that? Going after rich men. First, Angelo, and then Dante, and now Mr. Watson. You don’t love him, you don’t love anyone. You just love money and power. You just love taking what doesn’t belong to you."

I felt my hands clench into fists, but I didn’t move or speak.

I wasn’t going to let her get to me. I was done letting her toy with my emotions.

She kept going. "I’m going to tell Mr. Watson. I’ll show him your true self. I’ll tell him you’re just a whore who doesn’t love him and only wants his money. Just like you did with Dante, and I’m very sure he doesn’t know about your past relationship with Dante, so I’ll do the honors of telling him."

I stared at her. "You don’t get to question my feelings, and you definitely don’t have the right to threaten me."

Melissa laughed an ugly, mean one. "Two months. You’ve only been divorced for two months, and you’re already married to someone else. What kind of woman does that? What kind of woman moves on that fast? You’re a cheat, Ariana. You never loved Dante...you were probably cheating on him the whole time. That’s why you moved on so fast. That’s why you don’t even care that he married me."

Her words hit me like rocks.

That was a lie. I’ve never loved anyone the way I loved Dante

"You’re the one who cheated," I said, my voice quiet. "You’re the one who lied. You’re the one who manipulated. You’re the one who stole a man who didn’t even remember who he was. That’s not love, Melissa, and we both know that. "

Her face twisted the fake smile disappeared. "You can have Dante for all I care; he already made his choice, so you can keep him."

Melissa’s eyes narrowed. "You don’t want him? You expect me to believe that? After everything you did to keep him? After everything you sacrificed?"

I stepped closer to her, fighting back the urge to choke the hell out of her. "I don’t want him, but I want my children, all of them, I’m their mother, and you will never take my place.... I am going to take them back, and you can’t stop me, not even Dante."