Heira felt punched in the chest. The intense pain of her father taking what she worked so hard for began to suffocate her.

She had given her all, from client negotiations to hosting high-profile events and securing partnerships with other corporations. Due to her dedication, the company had experienced massive growth in the past year.

"What more does he want? I already did what he wanted. I don't deserve any of this," Heira cried out.

"I'm sorry you are going through this," Sebastian said softly, sympathizing with her.

Sebastian has been the nicest friend to Heira in the office. He has offered a helping hand to her at times when she felt dragged by the weight of being the boss's daughter.

"I won't accept this. I'm going to Dad."

Heira drove straight to Charles Arven's office.

"Dad, why is my position getting reassigned to someone else? You know how much effort I've put into this."

Charles, who was in the middle of work, seemed rather displeased at her for barging in. "You need to focus on your home, now that you're married. Just see it as a way of me taking huge responsibilities off you, so you wouldn't get overwhelmed".

"Overwhelmed?" she asked carefully.

"I've been handling my role just fine. You said so yourself only a month ago."

Charles Arven leaned back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest. "It's not about competence. Marriage is a big change, it demands a lot of attention. I don't want work to consume you."

Charles stood up from his chair as he approached his fuming daughter.

Placing his two hands on her shoulders, he uttered. "My darling, you should know Daddy will always have your best interest at heart. There is no denying that this company will not thrive without your excellent skills. That's why you'll be assisting with client relations from now on."

The words pierced Heira's soul more than the relief her father thought it would give her. It seemed like her own father was robbing her of every good thing she had.

"It's worse that I'm being demoted and not fired," she whined.

"Stop being childish! You need to start thinking rationally. I'm only doing this for your good," he cuts sharply into her words.

With tears in her eyes, Heira shook her head in disbelief while taking steps away from him. "I don't know you anymore. All I see is a man blinded by greed, not a father who once cared for me."

She stomped out of the office, her heels striking with each step.

People who seemed to have heard about the situation murmured as she walked past.

Bethy rang when she was about to enter her office. "Babe, I just saw Dante with a woman at the restaurant," She said, almost screaming.

Heira wasn't sure why she needed that information. "Okay, so... why are you telling me this?"

For all she knows, he might have been there for a business meeting since he is a busy man.

"Didn't you hear what I said?" Bethy asked, shocked by Heira's response.

"Bethy, it isn't the right time, I'm not in a good place right now," She snapped.

"Heira, whatever you are going through can't be worse than what I'm seeing right now. Trust me, you need to come check it out."

Bethy's date stood her up after waiting for over an hour. While waiting, she noticed Dante sitting across from another woman at a designated table.

The way they leaned into each other sent suspicion curling through her, so she decided to inform Heira.

Heira was leaving the office anyway, and the thought of staying there for a second more made her blood boil. The last thing she needed now was another heartbreaking news. She left the office and headed straight to the restaurant her friend mentioned.

Crystal restaurant was the go-to restaurant for famous people in Chicago. All kinds of luxurious cars were seen parked outside the restaurant.

Heira saw her friend waiting patiently at the entrance. They both went inside, and Bethy gestured at a couple seated at the corner table by the window.

She caught sight of the woman's elegant face glowing with laughter while the man sat with his back to her, his broad shoulders shielding his expressions. Together, they looked blissful. Too much like a couple.

The thought of walking into that scene, of possibly being wrong or right, was unbearable. So she waited alongside Bethy as they sat at the table that was reserved for Bethy's date.

His back looked familiar, but something in her had hoped he wouldn't be her husband.

Minutes dragged like hours. Then, at last, they stood up. Heira held her breath with anticipation as the man turned, and her chest hollowed out when Dante's face came into view.

She watched as they both held hands on their way out while covering her face with her purse to avoid being seen.

Bethy sat there expecting the move she would make, but Heira decided to let it be. She wasn't going to make any assumptions until she was sure.

The woman in question might be his sister, as she hasn't even met any of Dante's family.

Her mind raced. She began stressing on the probability that it might be exactly what she hoped it wasn't.

Could Dante be cheating on her?

Why did he marry her if he had someone else?

These thoughts just don't make sense to her. She already had a bad day at work so she decided to be positive about the situation as she couldn't handle any more stress.

"She had better be a family member," she concluded.

Bethy could see the frustration on her face, so she tried to calm her down as best as she could.

Five minutes later, a man stopped by their table.

His suit jacket looked two times bigger than his size, with his wrinkled shirt being supported by a short tie. "Hi sunshine," he said, facing Bethy.

"Sorry, do I know you?"

The bar became silent, and the only things Heira could hear were her own thoughts. She snapped out of it when she noticed a shadow looming over her. A man dressed in funny attire came into view as she raised her head.

"Sorry I'm late," he added, with an eager smile.

Bethy's eyes met Heira's. They both stared at each other with confusion on their faces. "I think you've got the wrong person, cause I'm not familiar with this face".

"No darling, I'm at the right place. It's me, your date, we matched online remember? ... and I told you I'd meet you here tonight."

He paused mid-conversation, expecting a sense of confirmation from her.

"Wait! You're Dan?" Bethy let out a shocking gasp.

"Certainly, Dan in different aspects though. Some know me as DanBytes cause tech is where the money is. DanBuzz, I be turning up and showing out. DanDoodle based on some part of my personality, I don't quite like being called that but I just play it off for the people you know."

His words tumbled out with misplaced confidence while he flailed his arms in random directions as though he was trying to paint his sentences into the air.

He pulled out a chair to sit as he continued his comic speech. "But for you, I'll be DanLove because the love I have for you completes me," he said as he made a failed attempt to wink at her.

"Haha... you're a funny guy, and apparently you look completely different from your profile," Bethy chuckled awkwardly as she couldn't contain the embarrassment she was feeling.

"Yeah, but that shouldn't be a problem. What we need from this relationship is the connection we already have."

Heira, on the other hand, was enjoying the scene before her. She leaned back, observing Bethy suffer from within as she managed to keep it cool. The amusement on her face was the kind only a best friend was allowed to have.

"Actually, I have waited for so long, I have some business to take care of, so I'll be leaving now," she beckoned to Heira, who looked like she was having much fun.

Dan tried to persuade her to stay, but she wouldn't budge. The girls walked out on him as they made their way outside the restaurant.

Heira could not stop laughing at what she just witnessed. Every one of her laughs was intentionally made to torture her friend.

Bethy, on the other hand, wasn't pleased with herself. It looked like she had just been played. This was the guy she thought was her perfect match.

Things kicked off smoothly between them, and she could have spent every penny vouching for it. She felt so disappointed, she deleted the dating app on the spot.

Heira noticed Bethy's change of mood, so she tried to make her see the fun side of it by mentioning the grammar he spoke and how apologetically funny he looks until she finally made her crack.

She told her friend she isn't ready to leave and would like to take a walk to clear her head as Bethy left to her house. She had no reason to leave early, Dante wouldn't even care about her presence in the house, let alone be happy to see her.

The night air felt cooler than usual. Thanks to Bethy's date, her heart felt lighter as she strolled down to her favorite cafe on the next block, hoping to grab some tea before heading home.

The bell above the door jingled as she stepped inside. Most of the tables were empty, with very few people found inside. She made her way to the counter and met a familiar person there.

"Sebastian?" she said, surprised.

He looked up, his face lighting with a smile. "Heira! So good to see you here."

"I could say the same. Long day at work?"

"More like an escaping one," he chuckled.

Just like old times, they both occasionally come to the cafe after work to grab tea while discussing office matters. A part of her had hoped she would meet him there so they could discuss some issues.

"Crazy how you got married on short notice without informing anyone. You could have at least told me, I wouldn't be mad about it."

Sebastian has had the longest crush on Heira. He had expressed his feelings to her, but was turned down because she was in a relationship with Ethan. He thought he would finally have a chance with her when Ethan ended things, but was sadly confronted with the news of her marriage.

"Trust me, it was unexpected for me also," Heira mentioned, trying to clear the allegation.

"No worries, you don't need to give an excuse. Anyone in your shoes would do the same. No one would consider me an office man over a man like Dante, who is a business mogul."

Heira knew Sebastian was clearly hurt, even though he tried not to show it. "It's really not about that. You are a kind man, Sebastian, and any lady would be lucky to have you."

"Any lady but you, right?"

Heira shot him a don't say that stare and was interrupted by him as she tried to speak.

"Speaking of work, what will you do about your situation?" he asked, changing the topic to avoid further discussion on it.

"I haven't been able to wrap my head around it. I'll be lying if I told you I know what to do," she muttered, sipping on the tea.

"That's a really mean move from your Dad. What did you do to make him this pissed at you?"

"I wish I knew," Heira mumbled.

A brief silence was formed between them while she pondered over the situation, or if she had really done something wrong.

She finally broke the silence when she got an intuition. "Do you know who will replace me at my post?"

"I have no idea, you know the memo hasn't been sent out officially," Sebastian answered.

The busser came in to pack the empty cups in front of them as he was seen resetting tables and cleaning up the cafe.

"But I can find out."

"Okay, please do that and get back to me." She said.

Sebastian had always been a good friend to her as he always provided her assistance both in her personal and work life. Although it's unclear whether he does that because of the feelings he has for her, but he has been supportive and his affections were known.

The hour had slipped past unnoticed, and they both stood up to leave as the cafe was about to close.

Sebastian offered to drop her off at her house when he noticed she didn't come with a driver. Before she got married, he knew she had a personal driver who consistently brought her to work and took her around the city.

The ride home was fun as usual. Sebastian had always been easy to be around; he had his way of turning the most ordinary topics into something hilarious.

They laughed over silly office stories and teased about their coworkers' quirks.

Every so often, his jokes made her laugh so hard she had to cover her face, and he only grinned wider, clearly enjoying her reactions.

By the time they pulled up to her street, Heira realized she hadn't thought once about her worries. With Sebastian, it was impossible to stay heavy for long.

"Tell me you were seriously not planning to take a cab home. Why didn't you call your driver to pick you up? I'm sure Mr Moretti must have gotten one for you.

"Taking Cabs every now and then might be risky; most of the cab drivers aren't trustworthy," he said with concern in his tone.

"Ha.. don't mind me, I just didn't want to bother him. It's late already, and I figured I should just take a cab to lift the weight off him, and besides, the journey home isn't far."

Heira struggled as she managed to get the words out. The truth is, Dante hasn't assigned a driver to her, so now she has to take cabs to support her transport.

Sebastian gave her a long, skeptical look, his expression flat like he didn't believe a word she just said.

"Alright, looks like we are in front of your majestic villa," he said as he moved his hands in the direction.

Heira smiled with heartfelt appreciation. "Thanks for the ride."

"It's always a pleasure," he said, waving her goodbye.

She made her way inside the quiet villa, its tall windows glowing softly while garden lights traced the paths, making it stand out at night.

Inside, everything was in order and put in place. There were no staff in sight as they were done for the night and they had all gone to their respective lounge.

Her eyes caught something she walked past. Draped carelessly over the back of a chair was a silk scarf, delicate and clearly feminine.

The edges were hand-stitched with an elegance that spoke of a designer brand. One glance was enough for Heira to know it was expensive, far beyond anything the house staff would own or casually leave behind.

Suspicions raced through her mind. She climbed up into the hallways, pushed open her bedroom door to settle in after a long day.

As she set her bag on the chair, her gaze drifted across the hall. The soft light beneath Dante's door told her he was still awake.

What a busy man! He must have brought some work home to continue, she thought.

She slipped out of her shoes, changed into a soft satin chemise, and sank onto the bed, ready to enjoy the silence of the night as sleep beckoned.

Just when her eyes were about to be shut, she started to hear light giggles flow through the stillness.

Her head snapped up as another followed; softer, feminine, paired with the low rumble of Dante's voice. It was clearly coming from Dante's room, and it seemed like he had company.

Her chest tightened, unsure of what was happening or who it might be.

What access does another woman have to his bedroom?

She slipped out of bed, her bare feet hitting the floor as she padded toward Dante's room. The corridor stretched endlessly, with her heartbeat rising with each step.

She hesitated a bit when her hand clutched the doorframe. Scared of what she thinks it might be.

The moment she nudged it open, the sight struck her like a blow. She was right, Dante was cheating on her.

His arm was carefully wrapped around a woman whose laugh she'd just heard. The same woman that was with him at the restaurant.

Heira froze, her breath catching in her throat, her chest heavy with the shocking truth.

The woman seemed to notice her presence, she rolled her eyes as she gestured to Dante.

Dante rose slowly from where he lay, his tall frame casting a shadow across the room, standing squarely before her.

For a second, she searched his face for even a flicker of guilt, but there was none except annoyance, as though she had interrupted whatever they had going on.

"What are you doing here? Don't you have manners?" he growled.

Heira's chest burned, a silent ache spread through her veins, and a tear managed to slip out. The man she married is having an affair with another woman in their home and he's not being remorseful.

Her lips parted, desperate to ask why, but the words didn't come out, turning her speechless.

The next minute, she felt a tight grab on her arms, followed by a push and the door slammed in her face.

Dante had just shoved her out of his room.

The intense pain she felt as she hit the ground hard was nothing compared to the heartache from Dante's betrayal.

She had twisted her ankle from the way Dante threw her out. Her hands clutched the wall as she managed to stand. She staggered forward, her breath coming out in broken sobs.

Each step she took felt like torture. Her ankle screamed with pain, and yet her heart bled louder. Tears blurred her vision, dripping down her cheeks as she dragged herself away.

With shaky steps, she hurried to her room, her slippers scuffing against the polished floor.

It was the middle of the night, but she no longer wanted to stay. The home meant to be a safe haven started to suffocate her.

She packed very few of her things into a bag and made her way out of the villa. Although she wasn't sure where she was going, she knew she couldn't stay.

One wrong step, she stumbled hard and fell against the bannister. Pain shot through her ankle as she let out a loud gasp.

The sound echoed through the quiet night, sharp enough to draw the attention of the security stationed by the entrance.

"Mrs Moretti!" the head security called out, boots pounding as he rushed toward her. His eyes widened with alarm while he bent to help her upright.

Her vision blurred as he tried to steady her. She waved him off weakly, her pride fighting against the shame of collapsing under their watchful gaze.

"I'm fine," she whispered quietly, though her ankle throbbed and her breath came unevenly.

But the look in his eyes said otherwise. He knew she wasn't fine. He saw the way she stumbled, the way her strength seemed to drain from her with each step.

"Let's get you to the hospital ma'am," he said, almost running off to get one of the cars parked at the garage.

"No, I said I'm fine!" Heira snapped.

She continued limping towards the entrance and was accompanied by the security's gaze. "Ma'am, may I know where you are going at this time of the night?" He questioned curiously.

"Where I'm going is none of your business. Open the gate and let me out," she snarled.

"Alright ma'am, but it isn't safe for you to be out at this late hour. Please go in and you can leave in the morning."

"Will you open it, or I will have to do that myself?"

The security was stunned by her sudden outburst. He knew Heira to be a calm and cheerful woman on regular days. She always smiled and talked to the staff in polite tones.

However, the woman in front of him was no longer the same person she used to be. He could feel the sharpness in her words and the unyielding glare in her eyes that carried all the force of command, but he still wasn't convinced to allow a woman out by herself in that hour of the night, let alone his boss's wife.

She made every attempt to leave but he wouldn't let her. When he saw that she wasn't going to give in, he called Dante to make him aware of the situation at hand.

"I don't care what she does, she's grown and can make her own choices. Just don't call me about it again," he said dismissively.

The security's face grew in disbelief. How can a man be so heartless to his own wife? For a second, he stood there, shocked by what he just heard.

Heira's heart shattered even more. This only made her realize he never liked nor cared about her, making her suspect he had been with the other woman before he married her.

If he had someone he loved, why did he decide to marry her then?

Perhaps he only did so to punish her because to him, she's just a possession or he and her Dad had both connived to make her life a living nightmare.

Heira felt her life mirrored the old tale of Beauty and the Beast. Even though Beauty had given herself up to protect her father, just as Heira had been handed over to Dante to protect her father's company. Beauty had uncovered gentleness beneath the harshness and cruelty of the beast, and their love had bloomed.

Unlike the fairytale, Dante is making it harder for her to see anything good in him. With him, it looks like there's no compassion. His flawless public facade completely masking his true identity.

"Can you let me out now? You've gotten the confirmation you so desperately needed," she said coldly as she wiped the tears that profusely ran down her cheeks.

The security opened the gate without much hesitation, and he watched her limp out into the night. He felt really sorry for her but there was nothing else he could do as he is bound by his duties.

Heira stood outside the gate, oblivious to where she was going. All she knew was that the last place she would go in the world was her father's house.

The night was pitch dark, and she wouldn't want to disturb Bethy by calling her to come get her, seeing that she's a woman herself and might experience difficulties driving out alone.

Also, Bethy is prone to worrying and the last thing Heira needed right now was to be flooded with questions she didn't have the strength to answer, so the only person she could call was Sebastian.

She rang a few times but he wouldn't pick up. Disappointed, she began making her way out of the dimly lit streets so she could get a cab.

Her legs felt weaker by the second with the throbbing pain in her ankle. Her vision started to blur, her steps faltered, and just when her strength started to fail her, her phone vibrated.

She snatched it up, her voice barely steady. "Please... come pick me up. I'm on my street," she whispered, the desperation clear in her tone.

"Alright, stay right where you are. I'm coming."

Minutes later, his headlights shone across the lonely road, and a sense of relief came upon her.

Sebastian jumped out as soon as he saw her, rushing to her side. He was shocked to see her lying weakly by the roadside.

His eyes dropped to her swollen ankle, his expression showing concern. "You need to go to the hospital."

Heira shook her head weakly. "It's fine, I'll be..."

"No, Heira," he cut her off.

"Look at your foot. You can barely stand."

She didn't fight or argue with him, instead she let herself lean against him, the weight of her exhaustion pressing into his steady frame, and then a total darkness followed.

***

Heira's eyes lifted heavily, white walls in sight and muted beeping. Her throat felt dry, her body weak. She shifted slightly, only to realize there was a sting in her hand.

Blinking harder, her gaze settled on the clear drip line taped to her skin, a slow stream of fluid flowing into her veins.

Beside her bed, James Arthur was checking the IV bag hanging from a pole. "Glad to see you've regained consciousness, that shows you're getting better."

Heira slightly lifted her head to look at her foot which was already dressed and covered in bandages.

"That has been taken care of, you do not need to worry. What you have to worry about is this," he said grimly while handing a test result to her.

"We've run some tests and we found out that your arrhythmia has gotten worse. The irregular heartbeat you've had for a while is more unstable now."

He paused, letting the words sink in before continuing.

"You've been advised to avoid being stressed. Stress and exhaustion put more strain on your heart. That's likely why you collapsed, and if you keep pushing yourself the way you have been, the risks will grow."

Heira gripped the sheets of the bed tightly with her slender fingers. Her petite face, pale and solemn. "I'm sorry Doc.... I've just been under a lot of emotional stress lately. What must I do now?"

"From now on, you'll need close monitoring, medication, and the most important thing which is rest. You have been placed on admission, so you could get them all."

Heira bit her lips while forcing out, "Thank you."

"I heard you're married. Your husband should have..."

"Please Doc, I just want to get that rest you talked about," she said, unwilling to talk about her marriage.