THE FORGOTTEN HEIRESS-Chapter 409: A Huge Surprise

"So how do you like my surprise? It came sooner than you expected, right? Stanley asked.

"Your timing couldn’t have been more perfect," Steffan replied with a grateful smile.

"You talk as if you were about to be slaughtered," another voice which wasn’t as friendly as his brother’s, sounded from the doorway.

He turned and saw Killian walk in with a smirk dancing on his lips.

"You came?" Steffan could only ask. He had always been intimidated by Lauren’s elder brother. He always had this unapproachable oppressive aura around him that always kept one on their toes. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"We came together but decided to wait until the coast was clear," Stanley explained.

"Thanks," Steffan said to Killian.

"The only way to thank me is by promising to keep my sister out of your dirty affairs and crazy girlfriends. This is your last chance," Killian warned.

Taking one last look around, he turned back to Stefran and allowed his gaze to settle on him for some seconds which seemed to engrave the threat into Steffan’s soul.

"I’ll be leaving first. I’ve got some stuff to handle," he finally said and walked out the same way he’d entered... unannounced.

"That guy is always giving me the creeps. If he was not Lauren’s brother, I swear I’d have avoided him like plague," Steffan confessed.

"But thanks to him, you could walk out freely today," Stanley said and gave him a comforting pat on the shoulder.

"Get your stuff, let’s leave. I can’t wait to show you to everyone.

"I’m not leaving with a pin," Stefran said, snapping back to his normal self. "If I’d known, I would have asked you to get something to change into for me, as I intend to dispose of the one I’m wearing."

"I never knew you were so picky. Dolly has changed you beyond recognition," Stanley teased.

"As long as you still recognize me as your brother, it’s fine with me," Steffan threw back.

As they walked toward the car, Steffan consciously took a deep breath, the fresh air filling his lungs, replacing the stale, suffocating atmosphere that had plagued him for so long.

Stanley glanced over at him in amusement.

"You look like you need a serious reset," Stanley said, starting the car. "Let’s get you somewhere to shake off all that madness."

Steffan nodded, rubbing his temples. "Yeah, I need to feel like myself again. Whatever it takes to get rid of this nightmare, I’m in."

"It so happens that I know the right place," Stanley said and started the car.

Steffan sat in the passenger seat, staring out the window as the city blurred past.

An hour later, they pulled up to a sleek, discreet building, the kind of place Steffan never would have thought to visit on his own... it was an upscale grooming lounge

It wasn’t just a spa; it was a sanctuary for anyone who needed an overhauling.

Steffan looked around, taking in the serene ambiance, the low hum of quiet conversations, and the comforting scent of cedar and citrus. He hesitated at first, feeling slightly out of place, but Stanley nudged him forward.

"Trust me, you’ll thank me later," Stanley said with a grin. "Consider this a much-needed detox."

Inside, Steffan was greeted by attentive staff who guided him through a series of treatments, ranging from a soothing shave, to a haircut, to tidy up his disheveled appearance, and a deep massage to work out the tension that had taken residence in his muscles.

He let the attendants work in silence, eyes closed, as if each touch and every stroke was erasing a piece of Dolly’s grip on him.

By the time they were done, Steffan barely recognized himself in the mirror. The man staring back at him was polished, refreshed, almost like a clean slate.

He felt lighter, more like the person he used to be before his ordeal with Dolly.

Stanley, who has been waiting for him in the lobby, gave an approving nod when he emerged from the room. "Looking good, bro. Ready for what’s next?"

Steffan took one last look in the mirror, straightening his shirt. "More than ready. Let’s go."

Without asking, Stanley drove him to Lauren’s house, he knew that was the first person he’d love to see.

"She moved back in with her parents after the news of your death... on her mother’s insistence, though. She said she wanted to keep an eye on her.

"Which was the right thing to do," Steffan said as he tried to calm the nerves building in his chest as they got closer.

He hadn’t seen Lauren since the ordeal with Dolly, and the thought of reuniting with her filled him with both anticipation and apprehension.

Steffan’s heart pounded as they pulled up to the driveway. His mind raced with excitement at the same nervous.

This was the moment he had been waiting for, the reunion that had kept him going.

Stanley parked and turned to him. "Stay here for a sec. Let me talk to her first."

Steffan nodded, his palms clammy despite the cool breeze that filtered through the car window. He watched as Stanley stepped out of the car and walked up to the front door.

He could see Stanley knock, and a few moments later, Lauren appeared.

She looked surprised but pleased to see Stanley, and they exchanged a few words that Steffan couldn’t make out.

Steffan’s pulse quickened, his hands gripping the seat as he watched from a distance. This was his babe, the woman of his dreams.

After a brief conversation, Stanley turned back and gave Steffan a small, encouraging smile before looking at Lauren with a hint of playful suspense in his eyes. "I’ve got a huge surprise for you," Stanley said to her.

Lauren raised an eyebrow, curious. "A surprise? Don’t you think you’re too old for that?" Lauren teased but her usual lightness and carefree spirit was lacking, even the snake did not reach her eyes, Stanley noted with a wry smile.

Stanley nodded, then gestured toward the car. "Close your eyes."

’And I promise you by the time you open it again, you’ll come back to life,’ he added to himself.

Lauren hesitated, but she trusted Stanley, so she closed her eyes, a smile tugging at her lips. Stanley glanced back at Steffan, nodding slightly as he signaled him to step out and reveal himself.

Steffan’s legs felt like lead as he opened the car door. He walked up the driveway, his steps slow and deliberate.

Every inch closer to Lauren made his heart race faster, the flood of emotions threatening to overwhelm him.

He stopped just a few feet away, taking a deep breath as he gathered the courage to speak.

"Lauren," he called softly, his voice catching in his throat.

Lauren’s eyes flew open, and she froze, her smile faltering as she stared at him.

Her expression shifted from casual curiosity to stunned disbelief. For a moment, neither of them spoke. It was as if time had frozen between them.

Steffan took in the sight of her and gulped down nervously. She looked exactly as he remembered, yet somehow different, obviously the grief of his supposed death had taken an unfair toll on her.

He swallowed hard again, suddenly unsure of what to say. He had rehearsed this moment in his mind a hundred times, but now that he was here, words failed him.