Chapter 2: Awakening
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Mom's voice floated up from downstairs, gentle yet vibrant. A voice I hadn't heard in what felt like forever.
I bolted out of bed and practically tumbled down the stairs. Mom was bustling around the kitchen when she caught sight of my wild-eyed expression. "Whoa, what's gotten into you?"
I crashed into her arms, clutching her tight while tears streamed down my face. "Mom, I had the worst nightmare."
She stroked my hair, her smile warm. "Dreams usually mean the opposite, honey. Come on, your dad and Mike are waiting for breakfast."
Dad sat at the table, newspaper in hand, while Mike hunched over his phone. Such an ordinary moment—yet it shattered my heart. In my previous life, this was the last morning I ever saw my family intact.
"You're awfully quiet this morning," Dad said, folding his newspaper with a concerned look.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and forced a smile. "Just thinking. Hey Dad, how's business lately?"
"Couldn't be better." Dad's face brightened. "Reed Tech's new project is in the final stage. We're signing next week."
The project! My heart hammered against my ribs. This was it—the opportunity Richard and Sophie had used to destroy my father. Last time around, Dad was framed for embezzlement and cooking the books. The bastard had used information I'd innocently shared to alter contract clauses and pay off the auditors.
"It's with Montgomery Enterprises, isn't it?" I asked, trying to sound casual.
Dad's eyebrows shot up. "How'd you know that? We haven't gone public yet."
"Richard mentioned it," I lied smoothly. "Dad, this deal is huge. You need to review every document yourself—don't just trust the legal team."
Dad set down his fork, studying my face. "What's gotten into you? Since when do you care about corporate paperwork?"
"I'm not a kid anymore. I want to help." I met his gaze head-on. "Just promise me you'll double-check everything before you sign. Everything."
Dad nodded slowly. "Okay, Em. I promise."
Back in my room, I fired up my laptop and started mapping out a plan. The memories from my past life burned crystal clear: Richard Carter—the unacknowledged bastard son of James Montgomery, CEO of Montgomery Enterprises. He'd targeted me solely to prove himself through sabotaging Dad's company. And Sophie? My supposed BFF had been screwing Richard the entire time, both of them playing me like a fiddle.
I pulled up my calendar and marked the critical dates:
May 20: Contract signing with Montgomery
May 25: When Richard started stealing company secrets last time
June 15: The day they framed Dad
The clock was ticking. I needed to rewrite history before the first domino fell.
My phone pinged with a text from Richard: "Morning, beautiful. Lunch today? Missing that gorgeous face."
Reading his message made bile rise in my throat. Those same words once sent butterflies through my stomach; now they just made me want to vomit. But I had to play along—couldn't tip my hand. Not yet.
"Can't wait. The usual spot?" I typed back, fighting the urge to throw my phone against the wall.
