Divorced Heiress
Chapter 20

THREE YEARS LATER

I took the last sip from my whisky glass, New York Fashion Week was getting closer and I was stressed that the collection we were going to present wasn't ready yet. The first costume trial should have been ready by now.

A few knocks on the door diverted my attention from my work. When Cristina appeared with my mother and Gina, I gave an indifferent look to the two women who entered without asking.

"I'm busy, I can't attend to you right now." I said, turning my attention back to the papers I had to review before signing, ignoring the women who sat in front of my desk as if I hadn't said a word. "Alexis woke up." My mother said, and I put aside the papers, furrowing my brow, unable to believe what I was hearing.

"Woke up? When?" I asked incredulously, although I could tell by her serious expression that she wasn't joking.

"This morning, the hospital called me. He woke up from the coma. We didn't want to go without letting you know." Gina said, looking at me disdainfully.

This morning? They waited all this time to tell me? I stood up abruptly, leaving the papers that were supposed to be signed by the end of the day and gathered my things to leave the company.

"You couldn't have let me know this morning? Damn it." I couldn't help but be angry with my mother and Gina. It wouldn't have cost them anything to call me on my phone to inform me of the news.

"Brother, you have no right to be mad. It's because of you that he's like this. In any case, we can't see him until visiting hours, so we preferred to wait. I knew you would rush to the clinic and it would be a waste of time." Gina said, daring to speak to me in her arrogant tone, reminding me of what I did years ago as if I didn't live with that burden on my back for thirteen years.

I approached her in two strides and she shrank in her seat as her face turned red.

"Speak to me like that again, and I'll cut off your allowance for the rest of the year. Don't forget who you're talking to, rude girl." I spat the words angrily in her face and she opened her mouth in surprise.

I walked away from Gina and resumed my path to the door of my office, not caring that I left them sitting there. However, before leaving, I stopped for a few seconds when I heard what my mother was saying to Gina.

"Leave it, Gina. Since he divorced that woman, his mood has worsened." My fists clenched tightly at my sides, feeling the anger bubbling in my system as she referred to my ex-wife that way. But I ignored it because I had more important matters to attend to and continued on my way.

I admitted that since I returned to New York without achieving my goals with Sarah, I had become more irritable than ever. I couldn't even stand myself. But that didn't give her the right to speak about my ex-wife however she pleased, let alone remind me of it after three years in which I focused one hundred percent on my company to avoid thinking about my misfortunes.

"Cristina, cancel all my appointments for today. I'll arrive at the end of the afternoon or perhaps at night." I informed my assistant as I passed by her, and she stopped me three steps ahead.

"Ms. Rachel called again. I told her you were on a business trip, but I don't think she believed me." I rolled my eyes upon hearing that name that gave me a headache.

As much as I rejected her and avoided any encounter with her, she kept insisting on resuming "us" or taking action. What a stupidity, there never was an "us" and there never would be, especially now that I could finally rid myself of her damn threats. "If she calls again, tell her I'm giving her a VIP pass straight to hell." I said with a relieved smile on my face. Cristina looked at me surprised by the message I was leaving for Rachel the harpy, and nodded her head.

If only I had put a stop to her from the beginning, if I had said that years ago, I wouldn't be feeling so miserable right now, and burdened with the guilt of losing my wife. But there was nothing I could do anymore, I couldn't turn back time, and all I could do was accept my punishment for failing her, for hurting her.

I drove to the private clinic on edge, still unable to believe that Alexis woke up from the coma after the doctors said he would never wake up and would be in a vegetative state for life, that only a miracle would wake him up, so they suggested countless times that it was best to pull the plug, but I never allowed it because I was waiting for that miracle the doctors spoke of. Was this a miracle? I felt a great relief and a spark of hope ignited in my chest, while I remembered the moment I saw Alexis almost dead by my side. I wiped away the rebellious tear that escaped from my eye and parked the car when I arrived at the private clinic. I didn't need to ask for Alexis. The nurse confirmed that he woke up in the morning and asked me to wait a few minutes while they did the final tests. My heart raced with excitement and I couldn't help but wonder if he remembered what happened. What if he didn't want to see me because he remembered it perfectly?

I shook my head and sat in the waiting room, while I looked at the latest fashion news on my phone.

I found countless articles mentioning Fashion Week and the brands that would be presenting this year. Lancaster Collection was one of the most mentioned brands by all media, however, one name caught my attention and I felt my heart sinking. "The prestigious Doinel fashion house is present at New York Fashion Week."

"Doinel Special Guest at New York Fashion Week, after more than three years of absence."

A chill ran down my spine and I closed my eyes tightly, thinking that this must be fake news. Doinel hadn't appeared as special guests at New York Fashion Week for years. This had to be false.

I kept looking for more information about Doinel and my heart raced when I saw the next news.

"The representatives of the French brand Doinel are back at New York Fashion Week as special guests."

The note was accompanied by an image where I recognized the faces of each of them. The great Leonardo Doinel, Paul Dubois, Vincent Lefevbre, and of course, Sarah Petit.

I accidentally turned off my phone screen without wanting to see more, since the last time I saw her, I had been avoiding reading any news where her name would be in the headlines. I didn't want to see her face or read her name. I was doing exactly what she asked of me three years ago, being complete strangers, and I didn't read news about strangers. She wouldn't be an exception.

I never called her again, nor did I look for her. I suppressed the desire I had to tell her what no one else besides my family and Rachel knew about my past. I didn't want to keep tormenting her when she didn't want to see me at all, and I couldn't deny that I missed her, but I got used to her absence, I didn't need her anymore.

Or at least that was what I wanted to believe.

"Mr. Lancaster, you can go in." The nurse brought me out of my thoughts and I got up immediately to follow her, even though I already knew the way by heart.

The nurse handed me what I needed to wear before entering and I didn't waste a minute putting on the disposable clinical gown, a cap, and the face mask.

Dr. Spencer was waiting outside the room, he had been handling Alexis' case since he was admitted to the clinic.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Lancaster. Before you enter the room, I must inform you that Alexis does not remember much of his life. It is advisable that you be cautious with the information you provide him. He has difficulty formulating words, at the moment he is like a child. He must learn to speak and walk. According to the studies I have conducted, he believes he is still eighteen."

I swallowed hard with that news. I didn't expect something like that to happen. In fact, I didn't expect him to wake up. Anyway, I should be glad because he was still with us. With therapy, he could be the same as before.

"Doesn't he remember anything about the accident?" I asked with fear, afraid that it was the only thing he remembered and that he would end up hating me forever.

"For now, no. You may go in, Mr. Lancaster." I sighed in relief and nodded before entering the room with nerves bubbling in my system.

My heart shrank when I saw him lying with his eyes closed as always, although he no longer had the tube in his throat. I approached with trembling hands and stopped halfway when he opened his eyes and his honey gaze landed on me, leaving me speechless and with a blank mind.

Despite the time he spent in a coma, the great change in his physical appearance was noticeable. His honey eyes, black hair, pale skin, and the shadow of his beard made him look nothing like a thirty-one-year-old.

"Hello, Alexis." I greeted him unsure of what to say, tears welling up in my eyes. But I forced myself not to shed a single tear so as not to alarm the man in front of me.

"Do you remember me?" I asked, finally reaching his side under his attentive gaze.

It seemed like a crazy person talking to himself, but that was what I had been doing for thirteen years. Talking to him, telling him about my life, about the family, without receiving any response from him. "A...A....exander." He said, and I looked at him in surprise, unable to believe that he could pronounce my name. I thought he couldn't say a word. That was what I had understood from Dr. Spencer.

I approached him, unable to contain my tears any longer, and hugged him. This time, I received a response from him. His hand barely touched my back, and I couldn't help but continue shedding tears on his shoulder.

"You said my name, you remember me." I separated from him, afraid to hurt him with my overly enthusiastic embrace. I looked into his crystallized honey eyes and nervously smiled when he nodded his head. "Mom...and Gi...na." He asked with difficulty about the two women he had left in the office who should be arriving at any moment.

"Don't strain yourself; they'll be here in a moment. Do you remember what happened? Don't say anything, just answer with your head." I asked, fearful of his response because maybe upon seeing me, he had remembered what happened that night. However, he shook his head after looking at me for a few seconds.

"Sa...Sarah." He said, furrowing my brow, totally confused when that name barely came out of his mouth.

Did I hear correctly?

Why was he mentioning my ex-wife?

Before the accident, I didn't yet know Sarah. There was no way he could know who she was. However, many times I spoke to him about her while he was deep asleep. Was it possible that he heard me, and that was why he was asking about her? "Sarah?" I asked, confused, and before he could answer, my mother entered along with Gina, both shedding tears as if he had died.

"Son, son. I almost lost you because of your brother."

I looked at her with daggers in my eyes, hoping she wouldn't mention anything about that. Didn't Dr. Spencer warn her about Alexis's condition?

"Brother, thank heaven you woke up. If I had been your twin, I wouldn't have left you in a coma." Gina hugged Alexis, not caring that he was weak. I quickly separated them and moved both women away from my brother.

"Can you be more discreet? He just woke up; he barely remembers anything. Is it necessary to tell him that I was the one responsible for everything? If you want to make me feel miserable, you can do it outside the room. Right now, the priority is Alexis's tranquility and recovery. If you're going to start with your scandals, it's better that you leave."

Both of them looked at me dumbfounded, and I let them go back to Alexis. Thankfully, they didn't mention anything more related to the only person guilty for him being in that condition.

In other words, me.

My phone started ringing, and I looked at the name on the screen with annoyance-Rachel.

I left Alexis's room without hesitation and answered, I was going to put an end to this once and for all. I didn't want to hear anything about that woman again.

"Hello?" I spoke indifferently when answering Rachel's call.

"Don't think you're going to get away with it. I'll see you tonight at my apartment, or you'll find out what I'm capable of. Everyone will know who's responsible for the state your twin brother is in, the one that almost no one knew about." She threatened.

I let out a laugh amused to hear her threat again. Now I was completely disregarding her blackmail. My laughter stopped, and I hurried to speak and put her in her place. I didn't even want to hear the name of that despicable woman.

"Do whatever you feel like, my brother has already woken up and I won't be long in publicly giving my testimony about Alexis Lancaster. I don't want to have anything to do with you or you will deal with my lawyers."