THE HEIRESS RETURNS

“The Moreau Empire belongs to me and my daughter now.”

Seraphina froze mid-tears upon hearing that.

Her grip on the folded funeral program tightened as Sheryl, her father’s estranged wife, dropped the words like a distaste in the middle of the church.

The room had emptied out slowly after the service that consisted of people who came to sympathize with the death of the famous billionaire Ambrose Moreau.

He had died of a strange illness. Condolences were waning out too. Mourners were now walking out in small groups, leaving behind only the close family and a few employees. That was when Sheryl struck.

Dressed in a black designer gown and heels that looked too flashy for a funeral, her make-up too perfect, her grief too rehearsed- she looked nothing like a widow. And exactly like a woman who had been waiting for this day.

Seraphina blinked, her reddened eyes narrowing with sadness. “What do you mean my father’s empire belongs to you and Talia?”

Sheryl tilted her head as if amused. “I mean exactly what I said.”

Even her voice was too calm for a woman whose husband had been laid to rest only hours ago.

“My father never let you step into his house after he divorced you,” Seraphina fired, her voice shaky. “He barely spoke to you for over a decade. Don’t think I didn’t know that.” Her mother told her everything even though she had lived as the secret daughter of Ambrose for years until recently.

“Still,” Sheryl smiled tightly, “he never divorced me officially. And when he passed, I was still his legal wife.”

Seraphina’s stomach turned.

Her eyes flicked to Talia- Sheryl’s daughter. Talia had tears in her eyes too, but when their gazes met, the sadness slipped for a second, replaced with a menacing glare. Then, just as quickly, it was gone.

“What? You weren’t even known as a Moreau until when? a few months ago?” Talia chipped in like she had just spoken the most harmless words in the world.

Seraphina wasn’t new to her meaness, she was only disturbed about the current situation. They thought her father was not proud of her, but that was not true. it was far from the truth.

According to her mother, her father protected her from the world because she was born with ADHD. She panicked easily under pressure, and was extremely brilliant. At twelve years old, Seraphina, raised in secrecy, started her training in a private elite cyber skills and she hyper focused, achieved things in a week that an adult could barely achieve in a month.

Her late father knew right then that he had to protect her, knowing the world would try to exploit or crush her gifts. Especially the kind of dangerous world he was involved in.

No one knew except her parents, and of course, her best friend, Sheila.

“My father announced to the public he was going to introduce me months ago. He named me as his successor-”

“And we respected that,” Sheryl interrupted Seraphina, eyes glinting with coldness. “But as the legal wife and daughter, the law still favors us. We have documentation, and we have his signature. We only had a flexible fight and he used the announcement of you to get back at me. He didn’t mean it.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“You don’t have to.” Sheryl turned to a man in a grey suit standing behind her. “Lawyer Conrad, would you, please?”

The man stepped forward with a thick document in hand. He wore a strained smile, the kind that tried to be polite but couldn’t hide discomfort.

He opened the file and her heart pounded at the unknown.

“Miss Seraphina, this is your father’s official will. It was signed three months before his passing and properly notarized.”

Seraphina held her breath as Conrad began reading.

“To my wife, Sheryl Moreau, and daughter, Talia Moreau, I leave the controlling shares of Moreau International… all fixed assets, properties, and my board seat to be transferred after my death.”

Seraphina’s nails bit into her palm.

Conrad hesitated before reading the next part. His eyes flicked toward her, almost apologetically.

“…And to Seraphina Moreau, I leave the sum of one million dollars to be transferred into her account within seven business days after my death. And to my second wife, Leah Moreau, I give her the beach house outside Las Vegas in Nevada.”

Seraphina expected him to say more, but he didn’t.

Silence dropped like a slap.

This was the same man who promised her she would inherit his empire because he didn’t just see Talia heading it.

Her father had given her only a million dollars? And her mother…a house? How was that even possible?

Even, during the days her father was dying in the hospital, when she was the only family who sat all day beside his hospital bed, he had been hopeful that he would live. How could he have prepared a will ahead of his death when he wasn’t even expecting his death?

“Is that all?” The question slipped through Sera’s tongue. Lawyer Conrad nodded firmly.

“Only…a house for my mother?”

“Enough, Sera. Your mother isn’t even here. It tells much about what she deserves from Ambrose.” Sheryl spatted. It was true. Her mother wasn’t there.

Sheryl spoke again, “So Seraphina, your money will be transferred as said. I think it’s natural to say goodbye to you now.”

Seraphina could feel her fingers trembling, her heart thudding loud in her chest. She hadn’t even heard from her mother since her father died. At least, she wouldn’t have to do this alone.

She turned and walked out of the church without saying another word. Or else, she would break before her enemies. She could already feel the panic clawing her chest.

Later that night…

Seraphina found herself in the country club with her bestfriend, Sheila. The club music was too loud for a girl who had just buried her father and lost everything in one breath, but Seraphina didn’t care. She needed to drown out the noise in her head like Sheila had advised.

“Drink. You’re not allowed to think until I say so.” Sheila said, sliding a shot toward her.

“I’m not even sure I exist right now,” Seraphina muttered, gripping the glass.

“You do,” Sheila assured. “You’re just drunk, pissed and heartbroken. But tomorrow, you’ll wake up and ruin them all.”

Seraphina downed the shot in one go. The burn didn’t help. Nothing did. What came to her mind was a big bad idea, but she needed more- something intense that would numb her mind.

Her eyes scanned the top-class VIP lounge they had been able to get into with her father’s name.

“What are you looking for?” Sheila asked, eyes following Seraphina’s gaze.

“Hmmm…I am looking…” her oceanic blue eyes kept sweeping. “No hot man in here? I feel so betrayed right now. A grieving girl could get laid yeah?” Her words were uttered fast as the effect of the alcohol dipped her in further.

Sheila leaned closer. “What if we dance with strangers until we make you forget?”

Seraphina gave a sad smile. “Hmm, that sounds like something I would read from a novel”

Sheila raised a brow. “Except that this one is reality.”

That was true. Reality was cruel. Until he walked in.

Him… he was tall, tanned, and oozing magnetic air around him. He wasn’t looking around, but somehow, his eyes found hers and locked in across the bar. Something inside Sera stilled.

Who was he?

He was clad in a black shirt, sleeves rolled up, jaw perfect like that of a Greek god, and eyes that didn’t blink as he walked towards her.

“Oh my God, he’s hot as hell. Wonder who he might be?” Sheila whispered beside her but Seraphina’s attention had transferred.

“Do you think he’s coming to our table?” Sheila asked, now pretending to be looking elsewhere as he approached them.

The music faded in Seraphina’s ears. The pain blurred for a second. And as the sinful-looking man inched closer, her breath stuttered.

“Hi Senorita,” even his voice sent heat pooling low in her belly. Sheila cleared her throat, but the young man barely heard. His attention was all on Seraphina.

“Hi,” Sera grinned wider than she should. The alcohol was surely working.

He didn’t waste time, he leaned towards her and spoke into her ears. Seraphina closing her eyes as his voice tickled her ear was natural. “Can I have a minute with you?” He asked in the clearest, smoothest, husky voice she had ever had.

When she opened them and looked at him, she made a decision. She wanted this man tonight. The aftermath regret would surely be worth laying with ‘this’

One beat.

Two.

And just like that, her grief spilled out in a whisper: “Can you take my pain away?”

His gaze dropped to her lips. He swallowed. “I could try.”

She let him take her hand.

She let him walk her out of the VIP lounge and onto the dance floor even though the air around him screamed danger.

She let this hot as a snack man kiss her like he needed her to forget everything- and for a moment, she did.

When they broke the kiss, she was breathing hard. She couldn’t look away from him, and neither could he. She could forget herself in the depth of his gray eyes.

“What’s your name?” Seraphina couldn’t stop the question from rolling off her lips.

“Do we have to share names? I thought we wanted to just enjoy the night together.” He whispered between them, a dirty smile tugging his lips.

“Oh yeah, Zeus. I saw you and knew my wish for the night had been granted.” She said almost breathlessly.

“Zeus?” He snickered.

“Yeah. Zeus. You look like a god.” That did it. His hold on her waist tightened.

His lips touched her ear skin as he whispered huskily, “Well, Aphrodite, can we get out of here right now?”