UGLY SCARS

VICTORIA POV

"Help! Someone help me, please..." I cried out, but no one seemed to hear me. Everyone had evacuated the building.

The flames were burning hot. The heat clawed all over my skin. I was beginning to suffocate from the intense thick smoke. This wasn't how I had thought I'd die, especially not on my 25th birthday.

"Michael! Michael! Honey, where are you?" I cried out for my fiancé to help me but even he was out of sight.

I managed to leave that spot. I was so weak, so I supported myself with the walls. I clutched my hands because even the walls were already hot. I didn't know how, but I really wanted to survive.

Soon, I began to feel dizzy, and every breath I took felt hotter than the former, burning through my heart and down to my lungs. My vision began to blur, causing me to collide with a falling wood.

The pain caused me to vibrate like that of an electric shock. My knees hit the cold tiles hard, and my body fell flat to the hot tiles.

I lost hope as I slowly took what I thought were my last breaths, everything wavered.

Suddenly I heard a voice screaming, "Victoria! Victoria! Where are you?!" But all I could see were shadows now.

No amount of strength could help me up again. "I'm here..." I was barely above a whisper."

"Victoria! I've found you." He ran towards where I was.

"Victoria! Thank God you're alive. You're safe now... I can't believe that bastard forgot you here. I'm going to kill him, I swear."

I felt his hands grab me, but who was it? I couldn't see his face well. My vision was completely blurred.

"Please don't die, Vic. I beg you. I can't live without you." I could tell he was crying. His voice was full of pain."

He carried me up and I could feel his strong grip. His voice was full of determination. "I'm going to save you, no matter the cost! You won't die here."

I felt hope surge within me. For a moment, I thought that was the end, but no. This man risked his own life just to save me. He was my angel.

Even with my blurred vision, and half-conscious state of mind, I saw how he shielded me with his body. I could tell he was also burning when I heard him groan, "Arrrrrgh!"

Soon, we were outside the hotel, and everyone gathered around me. They looked like shadows with rumbling voices. That was all I could see.

"Thank God! You are alive. My child. I'm sorry we left you there. Where is the ambulance?! I swear if my daughter dies..." A woman cried out among the crowd. I could tell immediately that it was Mom.

The shadows around me suddenly began to stretch, and dissolve. They melted into the night and slowly, darkness enveloped me, and the voices also stopped coming.

****

I woke up to strange muffled sounds like faint whispers, struggling to pierce through my ear. My head pounded as if it was about to explode from the pain I was feeling.

Everything was suddenly dark. I couldn't see anything, but I could hear strange voices that seemed like they were crying.

Where was I?

I tried to open my eyes but my eyelids felt heavy.

"Sis... please, wake up..." a trembling voice cried out.

Suddenly, I forced my eyelids open, and the white lights that flooded my vision almost made me blind. I blinked repeatedly, trying to adjust, then I saw figures standing close to my bed.

A man in a white coat came closer, examining me and speaking quickly. A woman about my age stood crying beside another older woman whose face was pale and soaked in tears.

"Doctor! Doctor! She's awake... come quick..." The younger woman's voice pierced the air.

Everything felt hazy, and the pain in my body was unbearable, especially my head.

"Victoria?" A man's voice called out, his voice was shaky and he seemed to be crying.

Suddenly, he pressed his lips against my forehead, and next was my knuckle.

"I've missed you so much, sweetie. I thought you left me all alone in this world. Thank you so much for coming back to me..." he continued to sob.

Sweetie?

Who was he exactly?

His presence felt overwhelming, too clingy, too intimate, too touchy. I tried pulling away, but my body betrayed me. I could only stare at him confused, my irritated face obvious.

"Who... who are you?" My bruised voice suddenly came alive. " Who are you people? Why... why am I here?..."

The room suddenly fell silent.

Everyone froze. The man being all touchy suddenly let go in disbelief, his teary eyes now wide open. The older woman covered her mouth, preventing her screams from coming out too loud.

"What do you mean by that?... I'm Michael-your fiancé!" He said with confidence.

"My fiancé?..." I stared at him, trying to recall something familiar, but there was none. He was a total stranger to me.

The doctor adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat before speaking.

"I feared this would happen...Everyone, please." He lowered his voice, but I could still hear him faintly. "This is as a result of her head trauma. It's common after such injuries." He cleared his throat again before continuing.

"Victoria is suffering from a severe case of Amnesia, and we don't know how long it'll take before she recovers. I'm afraid the stakes are high. She might or might not be able to regain her memories again."

"What?! Amnesia?" The older woman's voice came like thunder. "No one must hear that Victoria Langston, the heir to the Langston multiple hotels, has amnesia."

"Mother, calm down..." the younger woman beside her said, trying to calm her down.

"Don't tell me to stay calm! Don't you realize what this means? She has lost her capability to lead the empire! If this gets out...the board will turn their back on us and our competitors will destroy us!"

The younger woman nodded her head quickly in agreement. "You're right, mother...this must not leave this room. We must protect my sister."

The tension in the room suddenly became high, and it just made my head hurt more trying to analyze all what they were saying.

"Doctor, this mustn't leave this room. It's also important that you restrict anyone from coming to see Victoria for now. No one is allowed to see her until we've figured out a solution." The man claiming to be my fiancé said with urgency.

The doctor also nodded his head in agreement. "I'll try my best to make sure things don't go out of hand. Ma'am, no need to panic. Victoria just needs familiar memories of her past-places, pictures, people she's met, or even reminders of the Langston hotels and locations. In no time, she'll fit in again."

"Good! If anyone leaks this, they will answer to me." The older woman's voice seemed commanding and threatening, and no one dared to argue with her.

I lay there confused. But the name Victoria Langston rang a bell in my head repeatedly.

"Who is Victoria? What... what's happening." My head began to hurt really bad and I felt dizzy.

The room went silent again, all eyes on me. Their shocking gaze was palpable.

The doctor broke the silence this time, with a more concerned gaze. "Hmm... I'm afraid this is worse than I thought. Her amnesia appears more severe than I anticipated."

The older woman stepped closer, "Leave us; I need to talk to Victoria and her Fiancé in private."

The doctor and the younger woman stepped out, leaving the older woman and my so-called fiancé in the room with me.

"We have to bring the wedding closer than before." She held my hands as she said, "Victoria you have to get married to Michael as soon as possible. No one must find out about your incompetence right now." She held my hands together as if begging me not to argue with her.

"Marry him? How can I marry a stranger? I don't even know this man!" I spat back at her. I had just woken up to a life I don't remember living and all they could think about now is some stupid marriage.

She looked at me with piercing red eyes. "Do you think you have a choice now? This family cannot allow weakness, my child. You're the heir to Langston's powerful hotels."

Her eyes narrowed, and her voice dropped low. "I'm your mother, and I won't let you fall. The world cannot find out you've fallen, not even your father must know."

"My mother?! What kind of cruel mother would put the world first before her sick daughter? You're definitely not my mother! You just can't be!" I yelled.

Suddenly, there was a blur of movement, and a hand hit my face with pressure. My head moved to the side from the impact of the slap, and my cheek burned red.

I was in pain, in shock, in disbelief. "Why?..." I placed my hand on my cheek, helpless.

She was about to hit me again when the man claiming to be my fiancé stepped in, taking the blow on his shoulder. "Mrs. Langston, it's ok. I'll marry her. She doesn't know what she's doing."

"No! Let me slap some sense into this ungrateful child!" She tried to push harder but the man stopped her.

"She's not your Victoria right now! This can only make it worse!" He turned to face me, his expression now serious.

"Victoria, you wanted this as much as I did before. It was never love, it was business." He sat down close to me.

"Our competitors are getting ahead of us, and the only way to defeat them is if our hotels, the two most powerful hotels in New York City, join hands together. Now that you're in this state... you need this more than I do, Vic. Otherwise, you'll be crushed." His voice all of a sudden seemed cold.

It was all making sense to me now. No wonder I didn't feel any affection towards him earlier. No warmth, no yearning-nothing at all.

The pain in my heart increased as I realized my worth to these people. It didn't make sense that I was her daughter or his fiancé. I felt... like I didn't matter. I felt usable and disposable.

"This coming Saturday. Lord heal you fast Victoria, but you must marry Michael! We don't have much time. You must fulfill your role and duties as the heir to the Langston empire. Eliminate weakness Victoria!" My so-called mother said with authority and shoulders high.

The weight of everything happening was unbearable to me. I stared at their faces. They both seemed like strangers to me. If this really was my life before, then, maybe forgetting was a blessing.

One thing I knew for sure was-there was no marriage taking place. As soon as I regained my strength, I would run away. There's no wedding without the bride anyway.

The only problem was, I didn't know where I'd run to. Or who I could run to. But I was certain for sure.

They could plan their wedding coming Friday.

But I won't be there to attend it.

JAKE POV.

It wasn't my birthday, but I came dressed like the celebrant anyway, stealing the spotlight as usual. It's something I don't need to stress over; I could get any woman in that hall if I wanted her, with just a snap of my fingers.

Let's be realistic-what else do women want? I was handsome, tall, rich, a multi-billionaire, and, of all importance, a pro in bed.

But tonight, it wasn't just anyone's birthday, it was HER birthday-Victoria Langston. It's crazy how I was obsessed with my enemy and rival, maybe it was just how much she hated me that drove me crazy every time she moaned my name in my bed.

She sat not too far from my table, gisting and laughing politely, but I could tell how distracted she was from her frequent side glances.

"Jake?" One of the models sitting close to me called out. "You've been so quiet. I've been watching you since you got in." She bit her lip in a sexy way.

"If you want, I could take the boredom away, Daddy." She slid two of her fingers from my chest down there, but my mind was still set on Victoria.

She glanced my way again and this time, the disgust on her face was evident. Her eyes rolled, and she let out a small grin. "Now that's more like it!" I whispered to myself, enjoying her reactions.

I turned to the model with my glass of wine. "Of course, my lady. What's a celebration without a little fun." I winked at her, causing her to blush uncontrollably. My voice was audible enough for Victoria to hear and it was intentional.

Suddenly she stood up and walked to where I was, majestically in her long elegant black dress.

"If it isn't the great manager and heir of Shark Hotels. How pleased I am to have you here." Her facial expression betrayed her complement.

"Pleased indeed, my lady" I stood up and stretched out my hand for a handshake. "They say keep your friends close but your enemies even closer, especially when they are as hot as you. Why would I turn down your invitation?" I bit my lips and gave a wink.

She slapped my hand away, "Do you really have no shame at all? She whispered, not wanting to draw attention.

I closed the gap between us and whispered in her ears. "I can flirt with any woman in public. It doesn't mean that anyone will find out about our affair if I do it to you."

"Whatever... You wouldn't dare anyway. I'm sure your father would not want you to have anything to do with a Langston.

She took two steps backward, revealing her engagement ring. "You keep forgetting I'm now engaged to your cousin. Don't get too close in public." She looked around before whispering. "I'll see you tomorrow evening at our usual spot. We have... unfinished business."

"Unfinished business indeed..." I said with a smirk, watching her sway her hips in sexy positions while she walked away.

I got really upset when she went to meet Michael, her fiancé. I never liked my cousin. My dad never liked his dad either. They've always been in competition, the Sharks and the Sterling hotels, two of the most powerful hotels.

I had a strong feeling their marriage was being orchestrated to bring our hotel down from the top one in New York City. Ever since we took the top one from Sterling Hotel, they've been working extra hard and trying all means to get it back.

****

A few hours later, Victoria was cutting her cake when I got a call from my dad and had to step out of the ballroom. We talked about tomorrow's big event-hosting the vice president in one of our luxurious hotels.

As I wrapped up the call, I saw thick smoke curling from the direction of the ballroom I had just left, up to the night sky. Soon, I began to hear screams. "Fire! Fire! Run!"

Confusion gripped me as some guests began to run past me. The thought of Victoria made me run back to see If she was ok.

"Victoria!" I shouted, shoving through the crowd. I scanned the whole crowd but she was nowhere to be found.

As soon as I saw Michael hugging and holding a lady he had just saved, I felt relieved. I ran quickly to where they were and grabbed her.

"Victoria! You're alive. I was sca..." I paused when I realized it wasn't Victoria, but Vivian-Victoria's younger sister.

I grabbed Michael by his collar aggressively. "Where the hell is Victoria?!" I roared in anger, for fear that Victoria might still be inside the fire.

Michael's shocking expression made me realize he had forgotten about her.

"The-the restroom! She had gone to use the restroom when it happened. I had no idea... I'm sorry..."

I didn't let him finish before I hit him hard with my fist. "You left her there! How could you!" I was burning inside me.

I looked at the building, it was completely covered in flames. It was hard for anyone to even go in or come out, but I needed to try. I couldn't leave Victoria there all alone.

"The ambulance would take a bit longer to arrive. I have to go in." I said, taking off my shirt to be able to move freely.

"No! You'll die if you do that now!" Michael grabbed my hand trying to stop me.

I flung his hands away. "You don't even love her. Why would you care?"

****

The heat was intense, burning my skin, and the smoke suffocating me with every breath I took. Yet, I pushed forward.

"Victoria!" I screamed, my voice filled with desperation.

I refused to give up on her. I just couldn't stop searching.

Soon, I found her on the floor. "Victoria!" I felt a surge of relief. I ran to where she lay half-conscious.

"I've found you," my voice was shaky and my eyes flowed tears of joy. "You're safe now," I reassured her, but deep down, I wasn't sure if I was safe.

As I carried her, the heat scorched my face mercilessly. The pain was unbearable, and I began to feel dizzy. Yet, I didn't give up. Victoria was all I could think of and till she was safe, I fought every pain the fire launched to me.

Finally, I managed to exit the building with Victoria still in my hands. The crowd rushed forward in panic towards us, and I managed to drop her down before I fell to the floor.

I could barely hear anything, but her mother's frantic voice was the last thing I heard. "Thank God! You're alive..." I stopped hearing anything afterward. I was just relieved that at least-Victoria was alive.

****

I woke up at the hospital, my vision slowly adjusting to the white room and white light in the room. The first person I saw was a female doctor adjusting my IV line.

"You're finally awake, Mr. Blackwell," her tone was relieved, yet cautious.

I blinked repeatedly. My body felt heavy, and the pain was unbearable, especially my left face. I tried to adjust my sight to the blurry figure standing beside her when suddenly, I heard a familiar voice.

"How could you have been so reckless?" His voice was sharp, and full of anger. "How could my only son, the heir to all my hotels and investments, risk his life for a woman?"

"D...dad? What-what happened?" I tried to speak, but it took much more energy than I expected. My throat felt like sandpaper.

"You! You happened, Jake." His eyes were red and his voice was full of pain.

"But I'm alive. Isn't that what matters now, father?" My voice was still shaky.

"Alive?" He laughed bitterly. "Take a look at yourself, Jake." He brought out a small mirror from his pocket and placed it on my bed.

"No... Sir, please don't." The doctor tried to stop him, making me curious about why she was trying to stop him.

"Take a look at yourself!" He yelled out in anger. "No beauty would want a beast like you."

The words pierced through my heart like needles, and I wondered what my father was talking about.

I hesitated for a while before picking up the mirror to see what my father was nagging about. "It can't be that bad," I mumbled.

The moment I saw my reflection, my breath stopped. I was terrified; the reflection staring back at me wasn't mine at all. The left side of my face was completely scared, unrecognizable and irritating.

I felt the pain even more now. "No!" I screamed, smashing the mirror to the wall. "That can't be me... No..." It felt like a living nightmare; I wanted to wake up from it.

"You're a beast! A monster!" He spat. "With a face like yours, our guests would run for their lives at first glance. People will think a beast broke out of the wild."

The sting was unbearable, but he was right. My heart sank and I tried to hold my tears back from falling but I couldn't.

"You can't take everything from me now, Father. I helped you attain the top position in New York City. We ranked number one within three months, remember?" I was desperate, I knew what my father was capable of.

He stopped pacing in the room and walked closer to me. "Watch me, " he snapped. "Jake Blackwell, you are no longer the manager and heir to Shark Hotels. You threw the privileges away the moment you stepped into that fire to be a hero."

He paused for a while before adding. "A hero's heart cannot rule a kingdom built on power and profit. You have to keep stepping on other people to get to the top. Until you realize that... you're not worthy."

With that, he stumbled out of the room. The disappointment was palpable, and I felt ashamed for letting my father down.

"Father... wait..." I tried to get up and follow him, desperate, but my body betrayed me. With every ounce of strength I used to push forward, the pain was unbearably increasing.

The doctor stepped closer. " Jake, I know this is too much to handle right now, but you're still alive... you're a hero." Her voice was soft and calm, but not enough to comfort me.

"Hero? Are you mocking me, Doctor?" I looked at her with red piercing eyes, full of pain, anger, and tears.

"No... Of Course not! You saved Victoria Langston, and she's currently in our hospital now, recovering." She placed her hand on my shoulder. "I don't think she'd be alive now if it wasn't for you."

"Victoria?" Her name triggered something in me. A mixture of Anger, desperation, and hope. "Where is she? Please... take me to her."

"I can't, Sir. You need your rest." She was reluctant.

I held her two hands, begging her seriously. "It's urgent, I beg you. Please... help me. I need to tell her something really important. I need to see her."

After a long pause, she finally agreed. "Fine... but be quick. You're not fully recovered yet, yourself.

The journey felt like an eternity. My legs were heavy, but I still kept pushing forward. My breath was rapid and it was hard to get to Victoria, but the doctor assisted me till we got to her room.

A familiar face made me pause. Vivian, Victoria's sister, was coming out of the room when I arrived.

"Where's Victoria? I need to see her." I tried to go in, but she stopped me.

"Stop! Victoria doesn't wanna see anyone."

I paused. "But I'm not anyone. I saved her life, remember? Leave the way..." I tried to force my way in with my little strength.

"Her words were clear. Thank you for saving her life... but you remain a Blackwell. Victoria said she doesn't wanna see you either, Jake Blackwell." Her tone was full of so much disdain and irritation.

It was at that moment it occurred to me how foolish I was, risking my own life for my enemy, my rival, my competitor. I understood what my father said, I was too weak, too stupid.

With a broken heart, I turned around not wanting to cause more problems, and the doctor followed me feeling pity towards me.

****

As I sat down on my hospital bed, I clenched my fist hard. Pain, anger, and regret surged within me, and tears flowed freely from my eyes.

"What was I even thinking? Why did I think it'll matter? Langston? There's no way I have to go through this much pain for her." My voice was shaking and the tears didn't stop dripping.

The doctor sat in front of me "Jake, you're alive today is what matters. Please..."

"No! I died in that fire. They created a new me. What's left now is a monster. The monster they turned me into." My voice was cold.

"Doctor... Please, leave me. I need my space to think."

She looked at me, her eyes full of pity. "Okay, but please... don't hesitate to send for me if you ever need me." With that, she left.

Alone in the room, I stared at the shattered mirror on the floor. My ugly reflection shattered me.

I clenched my fist and ground my teeth hard. They created this monster." I said, looking at my reflection.

"But it's not over yet until I've gotten my revenge on every single one of them. Victoria Langston, I'll make sure you all pay. This is my rebirth, now let me show you all the monster you've unleashed!"

VIVIAN POV.

I watched my mother's every move from the balcony. She stood there, watching the night sky as if they held the solution to her problems.

I joined her, clutching the glass of Champagne I held, and sipping little by little.

"Don't overthink yourself, mother. She'll be fine."

Her head turned to me, her eyes red and soaked with tears. "Of course, I know she will. But, Vivian, what exactly were you thinking? Do you want people to start talking?"

My breath seized for a while. How did she know? "I don't know what you're talking about, mother." I took a sip of my champagne, feigning ignorance.

Her voice became cold. "Don't play dumb with me. I told you to stay away from him, but you just don't listen!"

A pang of relief clouded me. For a moment, I thought she caught me. "I said I don't know what you're talking about! Do you have proof that I was with him?" I shot back, now losing my cool.

"Oh! Really? Then how come you were with Michael during the fire? He was so busy with you that he forgot about Victoria." Her voice rose with each word.

"And?" I snapped. "You already knew I had always liked Michael, but you decided to take him away from me because of your selfish desires!"

"Do you even realize what you've done? Michael's obsession with you almost cost your sister her life!"

"That's on him, not me." I spat. "Victoria could have also saved herself if she wasn't lurking around."

I ignored her disdainful look and continued to voice out my pain. "You never cared about me. All you care about is money, fame, and the family's stupid reputation!"

The slap came so fast, echoing through the balcony. My cheek burned, but it didn't stop me from expressing my pain and anger.

"And you wonder why I've always hated you?" I spat, my hand on my cheek. "You've made it clear, you love Victoria more than me. Yet, you're also only using her."

My eyes stared right into hers as I said. "You don't deserve to have children." My voice, cold and firm.

She lashed me another slap. This time it was harder than the former. I tried to hold back my tears but I couldn't. My piercing eyes were fixed on her.

"Victoria never questions my decisions. Unlike you, you're an ungrateful child!" She spat, her voice full of venom.

"Well, let's see if you'll still love her the same way now. Your favorite little puppet doesn't even remember her name now." I forced out my laughter, painful yet satisfying.

The third slap came like a blow, and I could swear, I almost showed her my dark side. My face turned to the other side, and it burned more now.

"Get out!" My mother screamed at the top of her voice. I enjoyed the pain that came with her tone. "Leave my sight at once!"

I stormed away to my room. Her words still hurt, they echoed in my ears. My heart shattered with every word.

****

As I lay down on my bed, I allowed the tears to flow freely. Every bitter memory felt like a needle was being pierced through my heart.

Suddenly, my phone buzzed and I picked it without even checking who it was.

"What is it?!" I snapped.

"I'm sorry... we failed you again." The man talking on the other end's voice was shaky.

Realizing who it was, my pain suddenly grew to anger and frustration. "You always fail to get a simple job done! I'm not paying you any more cents for your incompetence!"

"Ma'am, we're sorry. We made sure to pour the accelerant everywhere. We don't know how she managed to survive..." he paused for a while.

"There's a man... my men were at the scene and confirmed that a man saved her..."

"And that's your excuse?" I interrupted.

"No, ma'am. We'll keep trying..."

"Nah... it's okay. I think I'll have to handle it myself now. And as for the man that saved her, I took care of him already." My face twisted in an evil smile. "He won't be seeing her the same way again."

Suddenly, I heard a faint creak coming from my door. I ended the call and moved silently to the door.

As soon as I flung the door, it hit the maid who had been eavesdropping. She attempted to run, but I was faster

I grabbed her hair and pulled her into my room. Tears poured down her eyes as she desperately pleaded. "Please, ma'am... spare my life. I promise you, I barely heard anything." Her hands clasped together as she pleaded seriously on her knees.

I bent down in front of her, staring directly into her eyes. "Really? You're sure you didn't hear anything?"

"Yes ma'am, I didn't... I swear!" Her voice was shaky.

My expression softened, and I let a tear fall. "I'm scared that if my mother finds out, I'll be in trouble. Promise me you'll keep quiet.

"I promise, ma'am. I'll die with this secret." She looked relieved now and reassured.

I gave her an evil smile. "Of course... of course you will, Emily." And just with a swift motion, I grabbed my small knife hidden in my desk. Before the maid could react, I slit her throat, leaving her in a pool of blood.

I let out an evil laugh, yet my heart still ached from everything. Every pain, every betrayal, and for every time I was being neglected, the scar in my heart grew even more.

They trained me. They made me stronger, leaving my heart completely eaten up. To them, I'm that weak, little, innocent Vivian they took advantage of.

But to me, that Vivian died a long time ago. This Vivian won't stand back and watch things being taken away from her anymore.

Just slow and steady. Soon, I'll take back everything they ever stole from me.

Victoria Langston, maybe in another world, we can be perfect sisters, but in this world...

If your life is what it takes for me to finally be able to live-then so be it.