The moment I stepped into my office, I felt the familiar hum of productivity. The smell of fresh coffee lingered in the air, papers shuffled beyond glass walls, and keyboards clicked away in rhythm.
The scene was mine. I built this.
Yet, standing in the middle of it all, I was a stranger in my own empire.
Erica, my secretary—no, assistant—sat at her desk, scrolling through emails. As soon as I stepped out of the elevator, she glanced up, her eyes narrowing. Her brow furrowed in confusion before she stood, unsure whether to be polite or alarmed.
"Excuse me, miss… You're not supposed to be here," she said, inching toward me like I was an intruder.
I gave her my most confident smile. "Is the client here yet Erica?"
She blinked, thrown off by my familiarity. "Wait—who are you? And how do you know my name?"
Oh, crap. I forgot—I don't look like me anymore! A young woman with glowing skin, bright eyes, and perfect posture had replaced the forty-year-old Arisa who everyone knew.
I scrambled for a lie. "I'm… Ariana! Miss Arisa's niece." I gave her a stiff, awkward smile, hoping she wouldn't pry.
Erica's frown deepened. "Her niece? She didn't mention anything about—"
"I know," I interrupted, waving my hand like I was handling some executive crisis. "She told me last minute. Emergency. She asked me to fill in. Family business."
Erica didn't look convinced. She crossed her arms, and her expression turned stony. "Miss Arisa wouldn't let a niece—even one I've never heard of—just walk in and take over. I'm calling security."
Before I could stop her, she marched off to make the call, leaving me standing in the lobby like some overzealous intern who'd wandered in by mistake. Two guards arrived within minutes and escorted me to the parking lot, ignoring my protests the entire way.
Sitting in my posh car, I slumped in the driver's seat and stared at my reflection in the rearview mirror. "What the hell am I supposed to do now?" I muttered, pouting. I traced my jawline—sharp, smooth, no sign of aging. My skin glowed as if I'd just had a thousand-dollar facial.
"Isn't there even a hint of resemblance?" I groaned aloud, turning my head from side to side. "I can't be that unrecognizable!"
Sure, I looked good—too good. In fact, I looked like the version of myself that the universe seemed to mock: twenty-four, glowing, with no trace of the heartbreak, hard work, or self-doubt I had accumulated over the years.
Maybe I had been cursed. The gods were probably jealous of my perfect skin and decided to punish me with terrible luck in love.
But there had to be someone who'd recognize me. Someone who knew me well enough to see through this youthful mask.
There was only one person I could trust with something this crazy: Maria, my best friend since high school. If anyone would believe me, it was her.
I pulled out my phone and called her.
"Arisa!" Maria answered, her voice as chaotic and warm as ever. In the background, I could hear one of her kids whining. "Hold on—Junior, stop licking the remote! I'm on the phone! Sorry about that. What's up?"
"Maria, I need to see you. Right now," I said urgently.
"Right now? What happened? Are you okay?"
"No. Yes. Kind of. It's complicated."
"Okay, well... the door's open. I'm making lunch for the kids. Just come in when you get here."
Maria's house smelled like vanilla-scented candles and tomato sauce—homey, chaotic, and full of life.
As I stepped inside, I could hear the patter of tiny feet running across the hardwood floor and the clatter of toys. I walked toward the kitchen, finding Maria at the island, chopping vegetables like a pro chef while multitasking a child in each arm.
She didn't look up immediately. "Grab a drink from the fridge, Arisa. I'll be right with you."
I slid onto a bar stool and folded my arms. "Maria…"
Maria's second toddled into the kitchen just then, clutching a toy truck. He stared up at me with wide, curious eyes.
"Mommy, who's the pretty lady?"
Maria, whose back facing me, smiled and ruffled his hair. "That, sweetie, is your Auntie Arisa."
The little boy's brow furrowed in confusion. "But Auntie Arisa is older. She's younger."
When she finally glanced up, the knife in her hand slipped from her fingers, clattering onto the counter. Her jaw dropped.
"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?
Maria's eyes were wide, her face locked between disbelief and a simmering sense of panic. She gripped the countertop like it was her last lifeline. I could see the gears in her brain turning, struggling to connect the girl in front of her with someone she knew—a puzzle with missing pieces.
"Maria, it's me," I said, a nervous smile plastered across my face. "It's Arisa."
Her head tilted slightly, eyes squinting, as if adjusting her perspective would suddenly make me look forty again. Spoiler: it didn't. I stayed exactly as I was—in my twenties, vibrant, and apparently a complete stranger to my best friend.
"Don't joke around," Maria warned, her voice sharp now. "Arisa doesn't look anything like you. Where is she? Who are you, really? And how did you get in here?"
Oh crap. But there's no turning back now. I had to commit.
I leaned over the island counter and looked her dead in the eye. "Maria, I swear. It's me. Arisa. I know it sounds crazy. You won't believe me, but…" I took a deep breath. "I woke up this morning looking like this."
Maria stared at me like I'd just told her I was an alien on a secret mission to Earth. For a long, awkward moment, the only sound in the room was the hum of the refrigerator and the distant giggles of her kids playing in another room.
"Are you on something?" she asked finally, crossing her arms.
"No! I'm serious!" I groaned, clutching my temples. "Look, do you remember that time in college when you dared me to flirt with that waiter at the Italian place, and I tripped over a chair trying to be sexy?"
Maria's expression faltered—just a flicker of recognition—but she wasn't about to let me off the hook that easily.
"Everyone in college saw that. Could be a coincidence."
"Fine. How about this?" I leaned in closer, lowering my voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "You were the one who gave me the nickname 'Bubble Butt' after I wore those tight yoga pants to the gym. You said, 'Arisa, if someone slaps you, it's not harassment; it's a public service.'"
Maria's mouth dropped open. I could see the exact moment the penny dropped. Her eyes widened again, but this time with disbelief—and just a little bit of horror.
"Holy crap," she whispered. "It is you."
Finally! Progress.
"Yes! Thank God," I exhaled, feeling a rush of relief wash over me. "I thought I was losing my mind."
Maria narrowed her eyes, stepping closer. She cupped my face, squishing my cheeks with her hands and tilting my head from side to side. "What the hell...?" she whispered, inspecting me like I was a new species.
Then, before I could object, she yanked me to my feet and spun me around. "Oh my God, Arisa! What kind of sorcery is this? Did you get surgery?!" She looked both amazed and horrified, her eyes flickering between suspicion and admiration.
"Maria, stop manhandling me!" I batted her hands away. "And no, I did not get surgery!"
She folded her arms, giving me a skeptical side-eye. "Come on, Arisa. I saw you yesterday! You don't just wake up looking like someone who's about to star in a Netflix drama overnight."
"I swear to you, this is all-natural!" I hissed, trying to compose myself. "Something… something weird happened to me."
Maria raised a brow and took a step back, hands on her hips. "Okay, start talking. If you tell me you met a wizard or got bitten by a radioactive model, I'm calling a therapist."
I sighed. "Okay, listen. I bought ice cream from this old lady—"
"Oh no," Maria cut in with a grin. "You didn't sell your soul for beauty, did you? Because, girl, if that's the case, I need her number."
"Would you stop? I'm serious!" I snapped, rubbing my temples. "After I ate that ice cream, I woke up looking like this. And then I got this weird app notification—something about 'overhauling my love life.'"
Maria blinked, slowly processing what I just said. "Okay. So... magic ice cream and a suspicious app." She crossed her arms. "What's the app called? Please tell me it's not one of those shady dating things."
I pulled out my phone. "I'll show you—"
Just as I was about to open the app, the entire world around me froze. The air went still. Maria's laughter and the noisy kids faded to silence. Maria stood frozen in place, mid-eye roll, like someone had hit pause on reality.
"What the—?" I gasped, turning in all directions.