Behind The masks

Zara's POV

Beep. Straight to voicemail again.

I stared at my screen, my thumb hovering, heart heavy. For weeks now, I'd been trying to reach Cassian, my boyfriend. My everything... or so I thought.

If he were hurt, I'd understand. If he were dead, I'd know. But he was alive and active, liking photos, posting cryptic quotes, showing off those cars and expensive wristwatches on social media. So he ghosted me?

A lump formed in my throat. I swallowed it down and tossed the phone into my bag. The subway ride to work blurred by, the usual screeching rails and stale air doing nothing to shake the growing unease clawing at my chest.

As I stepped into daylight, my feet fell into their routine rhythm, the ten-minute walk to my restaurant. The only place I own, and I'm determined to grow it into an empire.

Ahead, a blur of yellow vests and dust clouds choked the morning air, my footsteps slowed, and my breath hitched. The street smelled of cement and ruin, they were demolishing my restaurant. My legs suddenly moved on their own, sprinting toward the scene.

"Stop! What the hell are you doing?! STOP!" I shouted, coughing on the dust as I fought my way through the chaos.

A man in a hard hat, the site supervisor maybe, stepped in front of me. His grip was firm as he caught my arm mid-lunge.

"Who the hell are you?" he snapped.

"I should be asking you that!" I spat, yanking my arm free. "I'm Zara. This is my restaurant!"

"Was," he said coldly.

That single word knocked the breath out of me. He turned, reached into the front seat of a dusty pickup, and shoved a manila folder into my hands.

My fingers trembled as I fumbled it open. Legal print blurred behind my stinging eyes. I flipped through pages until my gaze landed on a name: Transfer of Ownership to Cassian Blackwell.

My signature stared back at me, undeniably mine, but I never signed this. A chill ran through me, my heart pounded against my ribs like it was trying to escape.

Cassian hadn't just ghosted me, he'd stolen everything. With trembling fingers, I yanked my phone from my bag and dialed Cassian. The man I trusted. The man whose name was now stamped across a document that gutted my world. I held my breath, praying he'd answer this time.

Beep. Voicemail. Each ring pierced deeper than the last until all that echoed in my ear was that robotic voice: "Please leave a message..."

I turned to the man, my voice cracking like glass. "Please, sir. There has to be some kind of mistake. Just... just give me a minute to fix this."

He didn't even look at me. His attention had already shifted to a clipboard, as if I were invisible.

I stumbled away, heart pounding, and flagged down an Uber. The moment I slid into the backseat, my nails tapped relentlessly against my thigh, matching the erratic beat of my pulse. The city blurred past the windows. I barely saw it, my mind was screaming.

Cassian had better have a damn good explanation. He was my boyfriend for six months, he'd whispered promises and poured wine. He'd offered to invest in the restaurant, my dream. Never once did he mention owning it or destroying it.

The car pulled up to the gates of his high-rise in Hudson Yards, a sleek monument of glass and steel. I marched up to the iron gate, banging hard, peering through the bars like a desperate woman looking for her child.

Finally, a security guard emerged. "Can I help you?"

"I need to see Cassian. It's urgent," I said, nearly breathless.

He shook his head slowly. "Mr. Cassian hasn't been around for a while. Maybe try calling him."

"I have!" The words tore from my throat. I caught myself, inhaled deeply. "I'm sorry... I just... Please. Do you know where he is?"

The guard didn't flinch. "No, ma'am. Have a nice day."

The gate clanged shut, final as a coffin lid. I stood there, frozen. I slowly began pacing the sidewalk, gripping my head, my breaths shallow and quick.

What the hell was going on? My boyfriend has disappeared, my restaurant and all my savings are gone. My phone rang. I scrambled for it inside my bag, heart skipping, Cassian?

But no, it was Raina, my best friend. Still, I reached to answer, hope flickering. Just as I was about to swipe the screen, the phone slipped from my fingers and clattered to the pavement. I was dizzy, everything tilted, the world around me spun in sickening circles.

I crouched, trying to find my phone, my hands sweeping blindly over the concrete. My vision dimmed, the edges of my world going soft and dark. My knees buckled and I was about to collapse, when strong arms grabbed me.

"Miss, are you okay?" A deep voice asked.

I tried to speak, but my tongue felt heavy. The only thing I registered before everything went dark was the scent, rich, expensive, and devastatingly masculine. Then blackness.

***

I blinked awake, the sterile white of a hospital ceiling staring back at me, a soft beeping echoed from machines nearby. This room isn't public healthcare, the floors gleamed, the sheets were crisp. My pulse spiked, and I bolted upright. How can I afford this?

A nurse entered, a gentle smile on her face. "You're awake," she said brightly.

I didn't bother asking what was wrong with me, that wasn't the priority for me.

"How much is the bill?" I blurted out.

Her smile softened. "Don't worry about that. The man who brought you in covered everything."

I blinked, stunned. "He... what?"

Something in me stilled, grateful, suspicious and curious. "Please where is he? I want to thank him," I said.

"He left as soon as the doctors said you were stable," the nurse replied, already checking my vitals. "Didn't say much, and didn't leave a name either."

My brows furrowed. No name? In this world, where people only give to get, what kind of man saves a stranger and disappears without a trace? The nurse smiled gently, as if she were offering good news.

"He just wanted you and the baby to be safe," she said.

Baby? The words echoed in my head, bouncing around like static in a storm.

"What?" I breathed.

She tilted her head, brows lifting in surprise. "You didn't know you're pregnant?"

"This... this has to be a mistake," I stammered. "Nurse, this is a joke, right? Some... bizarre way to cheer me up?"

Her expression softened with sympathy. "No. You're three months along. I thought you knew."

Three months? My heart stopped, then thundered back to life in my ears. I couldn't move or think. I sat there frozen, the weight of those two words pressing on my chest like a boulder. My phone buzzed violently on the bedside table, shattering the silence.

"Oh, and your phone's been ringing nonstop since this morning," the nurse said, glancing at it.

I looked up at the clock, past 4pm. I'd lost an entire day. With shaking hands, I grabbed the phone and answered, before I could say a word, Raina's voice came through, frantic and cracking with emotion.

"Zara... have you seen the news?

Zara's POV

I sent Raina my location, minutes felt like hours. When she finally burst into the hospital room, her hair wild and breath ragged, she rushed straight to me.

"I was so scared when I saw your location was a hospital," she said, pulling me into a hug, her hands checking my face, like she needed to be sure I wasn't broken.

"They said I'm pregnant," I told her flatly.

Her arms froze. She pulled back, her lips parted with no words, before she could respond, the nurse reappeared with a discharge form and a clipboard.

"You're good to go," she said with a soft smile.

The ride home was silent and tense, even the radio stayed off. Raina's knuckles whitened on the steering wheel. I stared out the window, trying to breathe. I didn't ask about the news until we stepped into my apartment.

"What were you saying earlier on the phone?" I asked sitting down.

She hesitated. "I don't think you need more news right now."

"I do," I said. My voice cracked. "Just tell me."

She exhaled and looked at me with eyes that could barely hold it together.

"Cassian is getting married."

The words split me open. "What?" I blurted.

She handed me her tablet, and there he was. Cassian Blackwell smiling, his arms wrapped around Aria Everhart, the billionaire's beloved daughter, a goddess in white silk and media gold.

Headline: The Billionaire Couple Tying the Knot Tomorrow!

I swiped. More headlines. More photos. His hand around her waist. His lips near her cheek. His eyes filled with everything he never gave me.

I leaned back on the couch, tilting my head to the ceiling, pressing my palm over my heart as if I could stop it from bursting open. He stole my love, my trust, my dream and now he was marrying someone else, while I carried his baby.

Raina gently took the tablet from my trembling hands. "I'm so sorry," she whispered.

She disappeared into the kitchen and returned with a glass of water. I took it, my fingers barely able to hold the glass steady. I sipped slowly, trying to slow my breathing.

Once the tightness in my throat eased, I pulled the folded legal papers from my bag and handed them to her. I told her everything that happened, as a journalist maybe she could help. She read through the documents, her brows slowly pulling into a deep furrow.

"Zara... I'll be honest with you. I could write something, blow this whole thing up. But this?" She tapped the paper. "We'd be walking straight into a lawsuit. Your signature is right here on this photocopied paper."

My heart dropped like a stone in my chest.

"I swear to you," I said, voice cracking. "When Cassian gave me those papers, it was one sheet... He said it was just a disclosure for his investment. Nothing else."

I wiped at my face with the back of my hand. "And he took all my savings. Said I needed to invest as well."

I choked on the memory, the shame flooding me.

Raina rubbed her forehead, pacing the room. "This is bad. You built that place from nothing, Zara. You sacrificed everything for it, and now..." she looked at the paper again, "these documents could bury you if we're not careful."

She dropped onto the couch beside me and gently pulled my head onto her shoulder. I let myself cry, hot, broken sobs that I didn't try to muffle. The universe wasn't just throwing punches, it was trying to finish me.

After a few moments, she spoke again, softer now after I was calm. "About the pregnancy Zara, whatever you choose, I'm with you. If you want to keep the baby, I'll help you through it, and if you decide you can't, I'll stand by you just the same."

A new wave of tears came, but not from despair this time, from gratitude. "Thank you," I murmured.

She gently rubbed my back. "Just don't contact Cassian right now. I know it's tempting, but until you decide what you want, for you, stay quiet. He doesn't get to have power over your next move."

I nodded slowly. "Thank you," I repeated, this time with more strength.

Raina spent the night with me, curled up on the couch like she could shield me from the world just by being close. But sleep didn't come. I stared at the ceiling. I can't fight Cassian without having enough money for legal fees.

When Raina left for work, I was alone again. I didn't want to lose my baby, but I can't take care of us either. I've given Cassian all my savings.

The headlines screamed louder than any thought I could muster.

Cassian Blackwell Marries Billionaire Heiress in Lavish Dubai Ceremony.

Inside the Wedding of the Year: Aria Everhart Becomes Mrs. Blackwell.

I couldn't look away. It was all over social media, tabloids, morning shows, smiles, white gowns, diamonds the size of my grief.

Raina visited every day, like clockwork. I kept insisting I was fine, but deep down, I was unraveling. Then, I got sick again. My body breaking from the inside out, as if it were mourning with me.

Still out of the 10 thousand I had left, I paid the two girls who worked for me 6 six thousand. They had families to take care of before they found another job.

Three weeks passed. When I finally began to feel like myself again, everything shifted. The TV played softly in the background that morning, half-forgotten, until her face appeared.

Aria Everhart–Blackwell, glowing and radiant, had returned from her honeymoon. She was already gracing some posh charity event in Manhattan, pearls around her neck, grace in every step.

I stared. Did she even know who she'd married? Did she know what he'd done? What would she do if she knew I was carrying his child?

The thought ignited something. Maybe I could use this pregnancy to reclaim my life, not to blackmail, just to get back what was mine. Cassian wouldn't want this secret getting out. His new wife was the daughter of a billionaire, they thrived on image, legacy and perfection. A scandal like this would stain it all.

I didn't want him, I didn't want to be part of his world. I just wanted what he stole, once I had it, I'd vanish and raise my child.

I reached for my phone. I thought of calling Raina, but had insisted on not contacting him, so I had to do it alone. When I get him cornered, I'll tell her. I dialed Cassian's number, my pulse hammering, then Voicemail, good. I kept my voice calm.

"You know who this is. I'm pregnant. We need to talk, or I'll have no choice but to speak to your wife." I hung up.

He called back that same day, wanting to meet in person. A café. Booked entirely for just the two of us.

"Look, just give me back what you took," I said immediately as I sat down.

"What's the rush baby, didn't you miss me," he said with a smirk. "Besides I need to be sure your claim is true before anything," Cassian said coldly.

I stared at him across the table, barely able to believe he was real. "The restaurant was mine in the first place. And you took my savings!" I snapped.

His expression didn't flinch. "Not anymore. You signed it over to me."

I scoffed, nearly laughing at the absurdity. My heart thundered, but I forced myself to push the anger down. I agreed to take the pregnancy test, anything to prove I wasn't bluffing.

We left together. I sat in the backseat, arms crossed, trying to put distance between us even if only in inches, but instead of turning toward the hospital, he veered off the main road.

My gaze sharpened. He pulled into the crumbling remains of an unfinished building. I straightened in my seat, every fiber of my body screamed danger.

"I want you to meet someone," he said.

My blood turned to ice, this wasn't right. The moment he stepped out of the car, I grabbed my phone to call Raina, then Bang. The sound ripped through the air like thunder. Pain exploded in my chest, there was a high pitched noise in my ear, my mouth fell open in a silent gasp.

I looked down, blood bloomed across my shirt, spreading fast. My phone slipped from my fingers. I looked at him from the shattered window holding the gun, then my vision blurred, and I slipped into unconsciousness.

When I came to my senses, I couldn't move, speak, or open my eyes, but I felt hands gripping my arms, and my legs. There were four hands, another person was with Cassian.

I felt weightlessness, then I landed in water. Ice-cold, and suffocating, the moment my body hit, everything inside me screamed.

I sank fast, the water pushing into my lungs, my ears and nose. I couldn't fight, or thrash, my body was too weak. As the world faded, I begged the universe for a second chance.

Then the darkness swallowed me whole.

Zara's POV

I didn't know if I was dead or just dreaming, but I saw a memory of Cassian and I. Three months ago at my apartment with a movie playing on the screen. A love scene flickered.

"She'll still cheat on him," Cassian muttered.

I turned to him. "Wait... have you seen this movie before?"

"No," he scoffed. "But that's what women do. Good thing I don't have a girlfriend."

The air shifted. I sat up, my heart tightening. "Then why are you here? What is this... what are we doing?"

He blinked. "I didn't mean it like that," he said quickly. "You know I've said we should just get married, but you keep saying no."

I folded my arms. "Because I have goals, Cassian. I'm building something. I want emotional and financial stability before I even think about marriage or kids."

He leaned closer. "But I'm stable. I can take care of us."

I rolled my eyes. "God forbid a woman wants her own stability."

"I get it," he said softly. "That's why I want to invest in your restaurant, maybe once it's doing better, you'll feel ready."

That calmed me a little. I exhaled. "Well... I appreciate that."

He smiled and opened his arms. "Come here."

I hesitated. Then gave in, resting my head on his chest, his fingers threaded through my hair.

"I love you, Zara," he whispered.

I didn't answer. I never did. I just laid there, trying to ignore the heaviness that wouldn't leave my chest. There had never been a confession, no 'Will you be my girlfriend?' No clarity, just collision.

We bumped into each other at my restaurant, exchanged a few words and something sparked. After that, it was phone calls till morning, dates, making love like newlyweds.

We blurred the lines, and somewhere in-between, I assumed it meant something. When I thought he'd finally define it, he didn't. Just dropped a marriage comment like spare change. No ring or proposal, just vague permanence wrapped in charm.

The darkness pulled me under again. Somewhere in that abyss, a sound pierced through. A steady beep, mechanical like a heartbeat.

I tried to move, I felt my finger twitch. Then my eyes fluttered open. A shadow moved above me, but I couldn't make out the face. It leaned closer, then vanished before my vision cleared.

The ceiling came into view, unfamiliar and high, adorned with ornate moldings. This wasn't a hospital. I turned my head slowly, every muscle aching like I hadn't used it in years. I was lying on a massive bed, draped in soft, expensive sheets. The room was sprawling, too pristine and luxurious for any house I've seen.

'So... this is heaven?' I thought.

Then the door burst open. A woman entered briskly, followed by a man in a white coat and a nurse in pale blue scrubs.

"Oh dear, you're finally awake," the man said cheerfully. "I had just finished administering an injection."

Injection? This is not heaven, and definitely not a hospital. Where the hell was I?

"Can you see me clearly?" the man asked, his smile tight.

I blinked at him, my throat raw. "Who... who are you?"

My voice sounded off, lighter and softer, but I shoved that thought away.

"I'm the family doctor," he said, his voice syrupy-sweet. "Doctor Henry, remember?"

Remember? I didn't. Nothing about this was familiar. All I remembered was Cassian shooting me, the name escaped my lips.

"Cassian"

The doctor nodded. "Mr. Cassian will be back soon."

My heart stuttered. So this was Cassian's plan. To finish what he started, to make sure I disappeared for good, panic surged like a current through my veins. I bolted upright, yanking out the IV lines with trembling fingers. Blood trickled down my wrist, but I didn't care.

I stumbled toward the door, but I froze in front of a full-length mirror, it was not me. I staggered closer, gripping the edge of a nearby table to steady myself.

It wasn't my face staring back. It was Aria Everhart, the heiress. The face in every magazine spread, the golden girl. Big expressive eyes, delicate nose, sharp jawline, and a perfect body.

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out, just air and disbelief. The nurse and doctor tried to guide me back to the bed, their voices just noise, muffled and distant. Everything around me blurred at the edges.

What is happening? What trick is this?

Maybe I imagined it. Maybe that mirror... maybe it was a painting.

"Can I have a mirror?" I asked, my voice shaky but urgent.

The nurse moved quickly, walking over to the table and picking up a small hand mirror.

"Here, Mrs. Blackwell," she said kindly.

I froze. Mrs. Blackwell? That name didn't belong to me, that name belonged to Aria.

I gripped the mirror tighter and brought it to my face, and there it was again. Not my face. Aria Everhart stared back at me, flawless.

"I'm not hallucinating," I whispered.

"Lucky for you, Mrs. Blackwell," the doctor said, oblivious to the tremble in my hands. "The accident didn't affect your face. Just a minor cut on your arm."

Accident? What accident? Where am I?

"What is this place?" I asked, my breath quickening. "What's going on?"

Before anyone could answer, the door opened, and a presence so commanding stepped in, tall, bald with beards. I'd seen that face on headlines, financial shows and magazines. Mr. Everhart. Aria's father, a man built of power and legacy.

And suddenly, the weight of it all collapsed on me like an avalanche. I was inside her. Her body. Her life. And I had no idea how.

"She's finally awake," Mr. Everhart said, his voice low. "How is she doing?"

Before the doctor could respond, I beat him to it. My finger pointed toward the towering man.

"Who is this?" I asked.

The room stilled. A collective gasp cut through the silence, the nurse's eyes widened, the older woman beside me let out a sharp inhale.

The doctor blinked. "Don't you remember your father?"

I shook my head slowly.

"What is your name?" the doctor asked, a new seriousness in his tone.

I looked down. "I heard you say... Mrs. Blackwell?"

The older woman gasped again. "Oh dear," she murmured, her voice shaking. "This is bad. This is very bad."

I glanced at the elderly woman beside me, her features were warm, her skin was deep-toned, her accent faintly Indian. She wasn't Aria's mother. A nanny? A domestic staff member, perhaps.

"Yes... do you recognize Nana?" the doctor asked, following my gaze.

I looked at her again, then shook my head. "No."

More questions followed. Simple things like names, dates, places. I answered each one the same way. No.

I wasn't lying technically. I really didn't know, but the moment I realized what was happening, I knew one thing for certain: I had to pretend. Until I understood this situation, I would play the part.

The doctor straightened, removing his stethoscope. "It's likely temporary amnesia. Shock from the accident," he said confidently. "Her memories should return soon. I promise."

Mr. Everhart's gaze was like a blade. "Fix this," he said, his voice devoid of warmth.

Then he turned and walked out without another word, no concern or affection. Why was he angry? His daughter had survived. Shouldn't that be a relief? But his anger wasn't my problem. Not yet.

The doctor ran more checks, eyes, reflexes, and pulse. His brows furrowed as he scribbled something on his notepad.

"You seem stable," he murmured. "Let's hope this really is temporary. The memories may return with rest."

My mind was spiraling after being left alone. The woman the doctor called Nana appeared again, carrying a silver tray with food. I didn't wait for permission. I ate like a woman who hadn't tasted food in weeks.

"How long have I been unconscious?" I asked, swallowing quickly.

"Since the 12th," she said gently. "That's two weeks now."

My hand froze mid-air. The 12th. That was the same day Cassian shot me. So Aria had her accident that day too?

This wasn't a coincidence, this was something else. A soul swap perhaps. Then the question hit me like ice: Where is Aria now? Is she in my body? Is she dead? Or watching me through a crack in reality?

I didn't know how long I had inside her life, this body, but I was certain of one thing: I didn't come back by accident. I came back for revenge.

But Cassian wasn't alone that night. I remembered it clearly. It wasn't just his hand that threw me into the river, there were four hands, someone else was with him.

But who?