The Billionaire's Ex-Wife's Ruthless Revenge

Chapter 8: Power and influence

Kate’s pov

I opened my eyes, and Grace’s father was by my side. His eyes were red, he was crying, and now I remember why.

Everyone is gone. How can I sleep when everyone is dead?

“We had to drug you. You couldn’t sleep and were having a panic attack.” He said simply. The pain in his voice, he wasn’t even looking at me.

Well, that could be because half of my face is burned.

“How do you feel now?” He asked me.

“Can I see Grace?” I asked, and he shook his head before taking out a letter.

“She wrote this a few minutes before she died.” He said and then looked at me.

“I want you to know that I would do anything to fulfill her last wish. It's your choice to make, but whatever choice you make, I will support you.” He said and then left the room.

His voice, I have met him a few times, but his voice really is graceful and kind. Even though he was obviously grieving and in pain, he was still really polite when speaking to me.

What did he mean when he said whatever choice I made? What choice is there for me to make? Why am I still even here? I should get those people arrested for what they did to me.

I was about to get off my bed when Grace’s father came in.

“Read the letter before trying to go anywhere else.” He said, closing the door behind him.

What could be going on?

The last thing I want is to read this letter because I know it will break my heart.

I have lost everything, and now all I want is to get revenge on everyone who did this. I need to tell the police about what happened and why. They need to start investigating all of this. I will not let Maxim and his family get away with killing my family, and they have to pay for what they did.

I looked at the letter, Grace’s elegant handwriting was on it.

‘To Kate’, the words were so well written that even I got curious about what could be inside. What is it that she wanted to tell me that she couldn’t say?

I looked at it, and it must have been serious if she couldn’t say it to me as she was dying.

I sat back up. Even though I knew that my heart wouldn't be able to handle it, I would try.

I don’t think there is anything else in this world that could break me. I am completely broken, I am alone now, everyone is gone. I don’t even want to look myself in the mirror because I know very well I won’t like what I see.

What is there left to live for?

Maybe this letter will tell me.

Maybe she left a few words of wisdom in this letter.

Dear Kate

You taught me the courage of stars in this short time I have known you. I know that after today, you won't be the same. I know that you will find it hard to smile and that everything will feel like it's against you. You have lost everything that has ever mattered to you, your family, and on top of that, it's because of the man you loved. I am truly sorry for all that, and I wish I could take away all your pain. I know it will be hard, but I want you to live. I also know that as long as you are known as Kate, it will be impossible for you to live your life. The Callas family will come after you, and they will try to kill you like they tried tonight. This is why I came up with this plan: they can't know that you are alive. They all need to think that you are dead. This means that starting from today, Kate Rice will be known as someone who died along with the rest of her family.

The Callas family are powerful, getting them to justice wont be easy. But I want to help you. My last gift to you is my identity. I want you to now take on my identity and be known as Grace Allen. Use my name and gain power and influence, enough power and influence to be able to get your revenge. This is my last wish; you cannot say no to this, and actually, you don’t have a choice. You are left with no family; my father also doesn’t have any family left as well. The two of you are alone now, so I want you to be each other’s family. Support each other, please, Kate, do this for me.

Make sure that the name Grace Allen isn’t easily forgotten, and take this second chance. I want you to live, and I want you to dance in the rain like you always have. And maybe I am being too ambitious, but I want you to find love. You always told me that you believed in love even if your first love didn’t work out well. Then keep believing, when all of it is over live your life and find someone who will love you. I also had dreams of finding love, but I guess not in this life. So, I will watch from wherever I will end up, and I will live vicariously through you.

Do this for me, Kate, live for me.

Love, Grace.

What? What does she mean by all this? How can I take her identity?

I do know the Callas family is truly powerful.

Everyone knows that, but the police can do their job. It's their job to get them to justice, not mine.

And how can I take the identity of my dead friend? Even though she is the one asking me this, I cannot do it.

I am sorry, Grace, that I won’t be able to fulfill your last wish in this life.

Grace’s father came in, and his eyes landed on me.

“Did you know? Did you know about this absurd offer of hers?” I asked him, and he nodded.

“Grace is my daughter. Both you and I know her better than anyone. If she made such a decision, I am certain she had a valid reason for it.” He said, and I shook my head.

“I know that, but this isn’t just a certain decision. This is life changing for both you and me. I have lived my entire life as Kate Rice, and it’s the name my parents gave me.” I said, and he had tears in his eyes.

“You think I don’t know that? I am the one that named Grace, but Grace wants to give you her identity. She knows how much she meant to me, but she still made this decision.” He said, and then he sat down.

“I just did the most cruel and hard thing I could do.” He said, and his eyes landed on me. The pain in his eyes, how can I forget that this man just lost his daughter as well?

“Grace didn’t want to leave you with a choice.” He said, and I looked at him confused. She did say something that I don’t have much of a choice what did she mean?

“We just burned Grace’s body and put her alongside your family members. They already think that it is you.” Je said.

“Wait? Why would you do that? Why?” I asked, and it now made sense. This is what she meant when she said that the world would think that I died alongside my family.

“The autopsy report will reveal the truth that she is not me.” I said, and he shook his head.

“There will be no investigation or autopsy. There isn’t even news of your family’s tragedy on the news.” He said, giving me his laptop.

I searched the top stories and looked at all the news reports and nothing. I was married to Maxim Callas. They reported about our divorce for months and yet not about my death.

Despite that, a family of four died in a fire, in the middle of the city at that. That is something that should be all over the news.

What did he mean when he said there was no investigation?

“What do you mean there would be no investigation? We died in a fire, the police should look into it.” I said, and he nodded.

“That is true, but your family’s case has been closed as suicide. You all had a pact of a kind and then decided to burn the house down.” He said.

“The police aren’t even looking into it?” I said, and he nodded.

“That’s not all. Your entire neighborhood wasn’t there at all. They had all gone to a party, and the party had fireworks.” He said.

“I saw there were so many of them in the middle of the year. For no reason, those fireworks could have easily hidden the smoke from the fire.” I said, and he nodded.

“Not only that, but we could only call the emergency after we drove a few miles away from your house.” He said. “And then it took hours for the emergency ambulance and firefighters to get to your house. Someone wanted to make sure that by the time they got there, you would be dead.”

The Callas family weren’t the only ones involved in this; they planned it all, and everyone just sat and watched.

She is right. If I want justice, then I need power and money for it.

“If I agree, then how will we do this? What is the first thing we need to do for me to be Grace Allen?” I asked him.

“Plastic surgery, we need to make you look exactly like Grace.” He said, and I nodded. Half of my face is already burned anyway.

I got up from the bed and looked at myself in the mirror. I couldn’t help but smile.

I guess he is going to get his wish.

You always get what you want, don’t you, Maxim?

You will never see my face again, but don’t get too comfortable dear ex-husband.

I am coming for you. You better watch out.