Nostalgic.

Amihan POV. 

It's been Ten years since I last stepped foot on ANWIL company premises and somehow it made me feel nostalgic. 

As I got out of my car, I felt tears welling up in my eyes. I wiped them quickly so no one would see. 

Ten years ago, I was a different girl. Life has cracked, honed, and hardened me. I no longer felt afraid of being in the dark or being darkness itself.

  

I missed the former me most of the time, but she passed away ten years ago.  

I waved and grinned at Karl as soon as I noticed him heading in my direction. 

"Hello Amihan, you look stunning as always,"  Karl complimented and I smiled. 

"You don't look bad yourself," I replied. 

"We have to keep it official here," He whispered and I nodded. 

"So where's your wife?" I asked.  I couldn't wait to see Dalisay after a decade.  

"She asked I come to welcome you. We didn't know you would be arriving this early. She is in the conference hall with some important clients but I've informed her of your arrival, " Karl said and I smiled. 

"That's not a problem. I don't mind waiting," I replied and Karl led the way to the third floor.

A lot had changed in the auditorium.  I couldn't find my favorite sitting spot at the entrance of the company that had been there for as long as I could remember.  

Despite the numerous renovations, it still felt like the same location that my parents had laboriously built. Being the only child of my adored parents, Annabel William, it was the same company that bore my name. 

  

Stepping inside my dad's office—now inhabited by my former best friend—I made a concerted effort to keep my emotions in check.

Even though Dalisay had remodeled the building, he kept Dad's office structure just as I have always admired it. My father had made me choose the furniture and layout for his office. 

 

 I scowled as I looked at the photos of Dalisay and my father that were up on the office wall next to mine.

  What does that mean, I wondered? After all that she had done, why disrespect our memories?

Please have a seat; my wife will be with you soon. Though I would have preferred to remain back, I have an important meeting with the mayor right now that is related to the expansion of our firm, and I can't miss it," Karl said.

"It's fine. I must commend you and your wife. You've done quite a lot for yourselves," I said and watched Karl smile while I silently cussed him.

"Good afternoon miss Amihan, sorry I kept you waiting,"  Dalisay said from behind as she walked into the office interrupting any further conversation. 

Her voice made my heart skip a beat. My ears were being tortured by the voice I used to adore.  I inhaled deeply and turned to see my best friend grinning as she stood in front of me. 

She still had the same gentle smile and innocent eyes. Nothing had changed about her. The glimmer it typically bestowed upon my heart back then was all that was absent. 

"Hello Mrs Rodriguez," I greeted with a smile and we shook hands. After we shook hands, she paused and looked at me strangely. 

"It's all right," I asked, forcing a smile. 

"Ye..s.. It's just.. there's something about your hands, it feels like... Never mind. " she stammered while I smiled inwardly.  Dalisay had always helped moisturize my hands when I had scaly skin, so she would always remember how fluffy my hands were.  

Ten years was a long time to be apart from someone.  Not only did I have a different name, but I also had a distinct demeanor.  A new version of myself has emerged from the ashes. An unfamiliar version for her.One she had never seen before.

There was no connectivity between Amihan and Annabel she knew.  

"The media fails to adequately portray your attractiveness. "You look even more stunning than I had anticipated," I said to her, and Dalisay grinned broadly.

"Thank you, please have your seat. "  She said, and I watched her sit in my father's chair, grumpying. 

"Karl told me you were from the Philippines but lived all your life outside the four walls unlike us," She teased and I nodded with a smile. 

"He is correct but not totally. I had a beautiful life here in the Philippines while growing up but after an awful ordeal,  we had to relocate," I said blankly. I had no desire to have a cordial discussion with the reason I had left my mother's land. 

"Oh, I see. Although I can't recall where or how I feel like I've met you before," she remarked, causing my heart to skip a beat. 

"Are you sure?  I left the Philippines when I was five and barely had a memory of my own," I said jokingly and we laughed. 

"Don't mind me. I'm just stressed and overthinking these days, " she said defensively. 

"It's fine. I can relate, it's not easy being a young CEO. Unlike you, this is my first time being one and it's frustrating already," I added. 

"Is that your dad, I guessed he was the CEO before you and he must be proud of you," I said pretentiously staring at my dad's photo. 

"He was the father of my best friend and also treated me as his child.  We had lost him and his wife in an auto crash and then my best friend the lady's photo close to his followed suit after a few months," She said emotionally and I frowned inwardly. 

"So sorry about that. " I said and watched her sniff her nose.  

"Since my best friend had no one else except me after her death, I inherited her fortune as I wasn't born into wealth. She continued, "I was shocked to learn that she had left half of her fortune to charity and the other half to me," she said as tears streamed down her cheeks. 

As I saw her crocodile tears, I could feel the anger deep inside of me.  I made a concerted effort to restrain myself from bouncing on her like I'd wanted for years. 

I didn't want to wreck my carefully thought-out revenge plan that I had spent the last 10 years putting together by allowing my emotions to get the better of me.  

"I apologize for being such a whiner," she said, breaking the flow of my thoughts and I nodded. 

"That's not a problem. We are humans after all," I assured her. 

"Now let's talk business and put my emotions aside," Dalisay said and I nodded. 

As I listened to her remarks, I was immersed in thought. The new Dalisay had a distinct quality. The only difference was that she murdered me to gain her new version, and I wouldn't let it go. Other than that, she had become the boss lady I had always wanted her to be and was more sociable.

As she did with the person I used to be I don't mind murdering her new embodiment to reclaim what was rightfully mine.