From Cell to Crown- The Disgraced Heiress Returns

Chapter 17

For two years, Drake lay in the cold, sterile hospital room, haunted by the memories of Narissa. The more he thought about her, the more it dawned on him that he had always taken her for granted. And the more he realized it, the deeper the ache in his heart grew, a constant, gnawing pain.

In his dreams, he saw her—her back turned to him, cold and distant. He'd cry out in his sleep, "Narissa, don't go! Please, don't leave me!" It was as though he'd died inside, the only time his heart stirred was when her name was mentioned.

The Kingsley family had hired a psychologist for him, but nothing worked. Drake refused to cooperate, and in a desperate attempt to make him feel something, they even brought in a woman who resembled Narissa. But still, there was nothing. No matter what they did, nothing could fill the empty space inside him.

One day, in a fit of rage, he coughed up blood, his face filled with panic as he pushed the women around him away. It was Liora's fault that Narissa had left him. His eyes burned with fury as he screamed, "Get away from me! I'll never hurt Narissa again! Just leave me!"

Two years of torment had felt like an eternity. He longed for Narissa, and on countless nights, the pain was so intense, he collapsed, whispering her name into the darkness.

Then, one day, a photo appeared online, taken by chance in a crowded place. It spread like wildfire.

"Wait, is that Narissa? The daughter of actress Astrid?"

"Oh my God, she's so pregnant! At least seven months!"

"She looks so well taken care of! What if the Kingsleys and Sterlings find out?"

The photo was quickly deleted, but it was too late. The damage was done.

In his hospital room, Drake stared at the photo his mother had shown him. "I believe you, Mom. This is definitely Narissa."

He had repeated this conversation countless times over the past two years. Drake had spiraled into despair and ruin, his father no longer paying attention to him, but his mother still searching for Narissa.

Drake had long given up hope, but when he saw the photo, his heart raced. He could hardly believe it, but there she was—the woman he'd been searching for. And she was carrying someone else's child.

His heart sank, the pain shooting through him like ice. Narissa—his Narissa—was now pregnant with another man's child. He couldn't believe it. She had to be doing this out of revenge for his affair with Liora.

He forced himself to calm down, telling himself that if Narissa was willing to come back to him, he wouldn't care about the child. He could fix everything. But the sight of the man standing beside her filled him with hatred so intense, it consumed him.

"Narissa would never just disappear. This bastard has been hiding her all along," Drake muttered, his fists clenching. "I won't let him keep her from me. I'll make him pay."

Drake immediately called Evan, urgency in his voice. "Evan, I've found Narissa."

Evan's face hardened as he looked at the photo. After a brief silence, he spoke, his tone icy. "The Ashford family. That's who he is."

Drake's eyes narrowed, a cold smile forming on his lips. "Dion, the only son of the Ashford family?"

Evan's voice was filled with anger. "He's been living abroad. No wonder our people couldn't find Narissa. He's been hiding her all this time."

Drake's gaze turned dark, his voice steady but cold. "So what if he's from the Ashford family? If he's keeping Narissa from me, I'll make him regret it."

Meanwhile, Narissa and Dion, on their return to the country, were heading to the Ashford family home. As Narissa looked out at the familiar streets, a wave of nostalgia hit her. She had left everything behind two years ago to escape the chaos of her past, and to start fresh.

When she met Dion, he had immediately recognized her, but instead of exposing her, he had promised to protect her. At that time, news of the search for Narissa was everywhere, and she was terrified Dion might give away her location. But he never did.

She never imagined that, despite her efforts to stay hidden, Drake and Evan had put up a reward of billions to find her. That period had been the hardest of her life, her privacy invaded on all sides. She couldn't go outside without being recognized, and worse, there were people camped outside her home, hoping to catch a glimpse of her or, worse yet, kidnap her.

Dion had protected her, taking charge when the harassment became unbearable. When her landlord kicked her out, Dion took her in. He even helped her when she was forced to sleep on the streets.

Narissa's eyes welled with tears as she recalled everything. If it weren't for Dion, she wasn't sure she would have made it this far. He had been her rock, steady and kind, never once revealing her secrets.

She'd never planned to marry again after Drake's betrayal, but over time, Dion's unwavering care and devotion had won her over. He confessed his love to her again and again, and though she hesitated, the more she got to know him, the less afraid she became.

In the end, Narissa decided to be with him. Their relationship grew from colleagues to friends, and eventually to lovers. A few months ago, they married abroad. Now, with Dion's child growing inside her, Narissa had completely let go of the past. She was no longer afraid of running into familiar faces. Whether it was Drake or Evan, they no longer held any power over her. She was free.