I’ve been officially “dead” for five years. And Julian, the guy I grew up with, the boy I loved, has supposedly been visiting my grave every single year. Which is rich, considering he was the one who told me, five years ago, to get lost and never contact him again. Then I came home. We ran into each other at a club. Before I could even say hello, his bodyguards slammed me against the wall. Julian stared at me, his eyes colder than I’d ever seen them. “Who,” he whispered, “gave you permission to get her face?” He looked at his men. “Ruin her.” Seriously? Did everyone just forget how laws work while I was gone? 1 The second I cleared baggage claim, a black-clad missile hit me. “Zoe! I thought you’d never come back!” It was Maya, my best friend. After five years, I could barely breathe, and not just because she was squeezing my ribs. “Maya,” I gasped. “Air.” “Right. Sorry.” She pulled back, her eyes sparkling. “So, you’re back for good?” I nodded. “Back for good.” A wicked grin spread across her face. “Oh, I can’t wait to see Julian’s face. He’s going to think he’s seeing a ghost.” Julian. My childhood sweetheart. The only person I’d ever loved. Maya had kept me updated. He wasn't the same guy I’d left. He’d finally taken his seat at the head of his family’s empire. And me? I’d spent five years in hiding, just trying to stay alive. “You didn’t tell him I was coming, did you?” I asked. “And spoil the fun?” Maya scoffed. “No way. Not after how he treated you.” Back then… My mind drifted. We were supposed to get married right after graduation. Then my father’s terminal diagnosis came, and with it, the vultures—the half-siblings I never even knew I had. They planned to cut me out of the inheritance, permanently. A "man-made" car accident left me clinging to life. That's when my mom shipped me out of the country with Elena, her most trusted advisor. Right before I left, I called him. I told him I was leaving, but I was too scared to tell him about the crash. He didn't take it well. “Why are you going? I told you I’d help you fight them!” “Or do you not think I can?” I never doubted him. But we were kids. We didn't have the power. I couldn't let him get caught in the crossfire. I didn’t even know if I’d survive. So I broke his heart. “My mind is made up.” His voice cracked. “Zoe. I’m begging you. Don’t do this.” I clutched the phone, my whole body aching. “I’m sorry, Julian.” He was quiet for a second. Then, a cold laugh. “Fine. This is the first and last time I will ever beg anyone for anything. If you walk away, we’re strangers. Don't ever contact me again.” He hung up. The second the call ended, the world went black. 2 I woke up twenty days later on a different continent. The first thing I learned was that, back home, I was dead. Elena explained it. “The moment our jet touched down, your father’s other children leaked the 'news' of your tragic death. They wanted to use the press to fast-track the inheritance.” “Your mother,” she said, “decided to let them. She confirmed the story. It’s the only way to keep them off your back while she cleans house.” I understood. But it meant I had to stay hidden. My injuries were… extensive. Especially my face. Mom hired the best surgical team in the world, but I’m not the girl I was. Maya only recognized me instantly because we’ve spent the last five years on FaceTime. I linked my arm through hers. “Good. Let him be surprised.” No one waits for five years. The past should stay buried. 3 First, Maya dragged me to the cemetery. She pointed to a pristine gravestone with my name on it. “He’s a real piece of work, this one,” she said, trying not to laugh. “He says he hates your guts, but he’s been here every year on your ‘anniversary,’ regular as clockwork.” She rolled her eyes. “And then he spends the other 364 days parading around with Claire Vanderbilt. Word is they’re engaged. Don't worry, I’ll crash the wedding and get you some cake.” I didn't say anything. I just stared at the bouquet of fresh hyacinths at the base of the stone. They used to be my favorite. This whole charade. The only person we’d fooled was him. What did he think, when he heard I’d died? I shook my head. He has a new life. A fiancée. Claire Vanderbilt. She’s probably perfect. “You’ve been out of the game for five years,” Maya said, pulling me into a cab. “Tonight, I’m finding you some high-quality eye candy.” I started to object. “Relax,” she said, seeing my face. “It’s just drinks. I'm not stupid enough to fall for that 'true love' crap anymore.” 4 Maya, true to her word, was an expert flirt. She had two guys wrapped around her finger in minutes. I was worried she’d get too drunk, so I kept my own intake low and made a quick run to the bathroom. Coming out, I was moving too fast and slammed right into a solid, human wall. “Oof. Sorry, man, your chest is like—” I looked up. And froze. Julian. He stared at me. His eyes went wide. He grabbed my wrist, his voice rough. “Zoe?” He recognized me. After all this time, all the surgery, he— THWACK. He shoved me so hard I hit the floor. The shock was colder than the tile. He looked down, his face a mask of pure ice. “Who gave you permission to get her face? Did Claire send you? Is this a test?” He snapped his fingers at the two bodyguards I hadn't even noticed. “Ruin her.” One of the men pulled a small, gleaming knife. My blood ran cold. This wasn't Julian. This was a monster. I couldn’t move. I just stared up at him. As the man with the knife reached for me, Julian’s jaw tightened. He closed his eyes. “Stop.” The man froze. Julian opened his eyes, the coldness back, but now laced with something else. Disgust. “Get out of here,” he spat at me. “If I ever see your face again, you won't be this lucky.” His crew swept past me and was gone. I sat there for a second, my heart hammering. Then I pulled out my phone. “911? Yes, I’d like to report an assault and a death threat.”
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