Chapter Seven: Rebirth 

Esmeralda's POV

I jolted awake, my heart racing and pounding against my chest. I stared at the ceiling as I tried to figure out where I was. The last scene I recall was me being hit to one side of the road and blood trickling down my forehead. I pulled up myself trying to sit up when I felt a sharp pain on my head making me hiss in pain. I looked around the room I was in. This was definitely not my room in the Lawson mansion but everything in the room screamed luxury. 

" You are awake!" A girl who I did not notice was in the room exclaimed as she ran out the door. Few minutes later, the girl came in with a man who is probably in his sixties. The man had a smile on his face.

" How are you feeling?" He asked sending her a sympathetic look.

" I'm fine I guess but my head hurts a lot." I said hissing in pain as I tried to sit up again. This time the girl rushed to my side to help me.

" Talia go call the doctor." The man said to the girl before coming to my side. " You'll be fine child" he sat beside me patting my hand. 

Few minutes later, a man dressed in scrubs entered the room with Talia following behind. 

" Good day Mr. Cruz" 

" Good day doctor." They both exchanged greeting before the doctor started to carry out a check up on me.

" Do you remember the last thing that happened before the blackout?" I nodded my head. " I was hit by a car." 

" Do you remember your name?" Tears welled in in the corner of my eyes as I recalled everything. Just at the mention of the name Lawson that was enough to get you a job, but right now I knew that name has been reduced to nothing.

" Doctor you can go, she would take her pills." I guess Mr. Cruz could sense the tension in my eyes. Maybe that's why he sent the doctor going. I looked away, anywhere but at their faces. 

" Talia go see the doctor off." Mr. Cruz said and she left closing the door behind her. 

" What happened?" Mr. Cruz gentle voice came beside me. 

" What do you mean sir?" 

" You were running when my driver hit you down. What happened?" 

" It's nothing, I just didn't look properly before crossing." The man squinted his eyes and furrowed his eyebrow staring at me like he was trying to see something beyond my face.

" You are Lawson's girl, the billionaire heiress" I gasped looking at him in shock. How did he know? I tried as much as I could, not to be all over social media, but I guess there's nothing i can do.

" How did you know?"

" I was a good friend of your mother, very good friend and you look just like her." He said with a smile. His stared at me but his eyes looked distant, like he was remembering a memory. 

" Mr. Cruz?" I called out cutting him short of his daydreaming. 

" Esmeralda, are you going to tell me what's going on?" He called out my name correctly and beautiful something Antonio found it hard to do.

The tears welled up again but I didn't hold back this time, I let stream down my cheeks. " Because of me my family would be forgotten by society, I was so blinded by love that I couldn't see the enemies I had lurking around me." I spat out bitterly. Each time I recall how I was thrown out on the street without a dime to my name it doesn't only make me cry, but also heighten my want for revenge. 

" Esme, I need you to calm down, this emotions are only going to stress you and worsen your health condition." He said giving my hand a gentle squeeze. I diverted my eyes to the television to try stopping myself from crying. My eyes widened as the headline popped up. 

' Lawson's billionaire fortune heiress, Esmeralda Lawson was pronounced dead'

They threw me out of my own home, transferred all my belongings to themselves, that wasn't enough they had to pronounce me dead? They were definitely behind the assassination attempt 

The doctor had said I should remain on bed rest for a week so that the head injury could heal properly. I was not used to being confined to a position so I was really bored but thanks to Talia, she had her own way of making me smile.. I learnt she was Mr. Crus adopted daughter.

" How are you doing today Esme?" Mr Cruz asked me. I has been at his house for four days already.

" I'm doing fine Mr. Cruz"  

" That's good to hear" he said taking the seat beside me. 

" Thank you for taking care of me and I'm sorry for the inconveniences I may have caused you." 

" You are free to stay for as long as needed. Your mum saved my life one time. So it's only right I help you."

" Thank you Mr. Cruz."

" You're welcome."

" How about your wife?" I asked noticing that I hadn't seen any woman. I could see the hesitation in his eyes and immediately I regretted asking the question. " She died."

" I'm so sorry." 

" No need to be." 

" So I wanted to ask you, are you going to just allow those fools ruin all your parents worked for?"he asked switching the topic.

" My heart burns for vengeance."

" Well, I wouldn't advise you to go down that part but if that's what you want I'm always here to help."

" Adopt me"

" W ...what! No I can't do that." He said shaking his head negative.

" I'm basically an orphan so you can, please." He stared into a space for a while like he was thinking of a lot of things. 

" Ok, I would." This was just step one of my plan, Elena and Antonio would never see this coming. 

Today Esmeralda is dead and Isabel Cruz is birthed.