Rebecca's POV

By our tradition, the dead must not stay long before burial. I remember how my mother buried my father quickly after his death in 2009. And now, just two days after her passing, we laid my mother to rest as well.

Natasha and I left India and returned to Mandena, the country we call home.

After the funeral, we went back to the family mansion. It was only Natasha and me now-she was all I had left. As we settled into the sitting room, one of the housekeepers turned on the TV. And there he was: Gabriel. His face filled the screen, celebrating his one-month wedding anniversary.

Next to him was the same woman I had seen in his office, sitting on his lap like a queen. She was smiling, completely unaware of the destruction they'd caused in my life. They looked picture-perfect, soaking in the attention of flashing cameras.

But I wasn't heartbroken anymore. That part of me died with my mother. All I felt now was hatred-a deep, burning hatred for the man who had tried to kill me and who, in a way, had killed my mother. He had to pay for what he'd done, and I was going to make sure he did.

Suddenly, the villa assistant stepped into the room, dressed in a crisp white suit. "Ma'am, someone is here to see you. She says she's from the conglomerate."

I nodded, already knowing what this was about. Natasha smirked as if we both shared the same thought.

"Let her in," I said.

Within seconds, a woman stepped inside. She wore a black suit with sleek heels and her hair pulled back into a neat ponytail. A pair of glasses perched perfectly on her nose, and in her hand was a briefcase. I didn't recognize her, but I knew my mother must have brought in new staff while I was away.

The woman bowed slightly. "Hello, Ma'am. I'm terribly sorry for your loss. My name is Attorney Victoria Kane, and I am your family's lawyer. Before Mrs. Becky Harrington passed, she wrote a will. In it, she transferred all her possessions to you, her heir. I'm here to finalize the process." She opened her briefcase and pulled out a thick document, handing it to me with a pen.

"Please sign here, ma'am," she said, pointing to a spot on the page. I glanced down and read the words: Rebecca Harrington, Heir of Valentine Conglomerate.

With a steady hand, I signed my name. The lawyer smiled. "Congratulations, Ma'am. You are now the president of the Valentine Conglomerate." She bowed again and prepared to leave.

"See you soon, ma'am," she said before exiting the room.

***

The next day, Natasha and I were ready to visit the conglomerate for the first time in years. We had already decided that Natasha would be my personal assistant. Who else could I trust more than my best friend?

As we drove to the conglomerate in the sleek company car, I thought back to everything that had happened. My mother's death. Gabriel's betrayal. The crash that nearly ended my life. And now, here I was-stepping into a position of power, armed with nothing but my wits and a burning desire for revenge.

When we arrived, the vice president of the company greeted us with enthusiasm.

"Good day, everyone. Ms. Rebecca Harrington, the heir of Valentine Conglomerate, is now the president of the company," he announced to the board members. They all stood and bowed, pledging their loyalty and support.

After the meeting, I called aside Mrs. Elena Brooks, the vice president, and the person who had been running things since my mother's decline.

"Mrs. Brooks, I'll be entrusting the day-to-day operations to you for now. I have some personal matters to handle, but I will take over soon," I said.

Mrs. Brooks, a capable woman who had always worked closely with my mother, nodded respectfully. "Yes, Ma'am."

As she left, I exchanged a knowing glance with Natasha. We both smirked, sharing the same unspoken thought: this was the beginning of our plan.

Gabriel was going to pay. And with Natasha's skills, he didn't stand a chance. While I would handle things in the field, Natasha would work behind the scenes. She was an expert in cybersecurity, having worked for major companies before joining me in our cause. Together, we would set everything in motion.

***

By the evening, Natasha and I had set up a small operations room in the mansion. She worked on her laptop, pulling up data and tracking every move Gabriel made. His accounts, his communications-nothing was beyond her reach.

"We've got our first target," Natasha said, her eyes gleaming as she spun the laptop towards me. There, on the screen, was Gabriel's bank account information.

"This is just the beginning," I whispered, feeling the weight of the moment.

The game had started, and there was no turning back now.

Gabriel's POV

"Babe, what about the bags and money you promised me?"

Every morning, without fail. Her voice was like an alarm I couldn't turn off, and I was starting to feel like I was trapped in a nightmare. Emmanuella was obsessed with material things, and I could barely stomach it anymore. How did I not see this before I married her? Worse, how could I have left my loyal wife, Rebecca, for someone like her?

It's only been a month since the wedding, and I already knew I had traded a diamond for a stone. Sure, Emmanuella was beautiful-no one could deny that-but beauty fades. The reality? It's hitting me harder than I expected. I was a fool. A complete fool.

During one of my interviews after the divorce, someone asked me why I left Rebecca. Back then, I said she wasn't as flashy as Emmanuella, that I needed someone who could boost my company's image. What a shallow thing to say. If I had just asked Rebecca to dress differently, to be more in line with what I thought I wanted, she would've done it without hesitation. Because that's who she was-loyal, loving, always trying to please me.

But instead, I chased after someone whose only goal was extravagance. In just one month, I've bought Emmanuella 366 bags, 400 shoes, and 30 wigs. Honestly, I lost count of the dresses. It sounds ridiculous, but this is my reality now. Every day, it's the same: "Babe, what about the bags and cash you promised?"

I'm done. Absolutely done. I've learned my lesson the hard way. I want back what I threw away. Rebecca was everything-modest, understanding, and the best cook I'd ever known. Emmanuella couldn't even make toast without burning it.

I can't believe I threw away someone who loved me that much... and I even tried to kill her. Yes, that night when I hit Rebecca with my car, crashing into the streetlight, trying to silence her. What was I thinking? Was I that desperate? The memory churned my stomach. The guilt was a heavy blanket that suffocated me daily.

I opened my laptop, my hands trembling as I searched for any trace of Rebecca online. I needed to know if she was okay. Did she make it? Was she even still alive? My heart raced as I typed her name into Facebook, hoping-praying-for a sign.

Her last post hit me like a punch to the gut. It was about me. About how she had planned to surprise me on my birthday with a gift at the office. She never got to give it to me. My chest tightened as I stared at the screen. Rebecca had always been so thoughtful. Always giving, even when I didn't deserve it. Emmanuella, on the other hand? I could buy her a whole mall, and she wouldn't even think to get me a pair of socks.

I moved to her Instagram profile, scrolling, desperate for updates. But her last post was the same as Facebook. My panic grew. I needed to know if she was okay. If she made it. Then it hit me-Natasha, her best friend. If anyone knew where Rebecca was or how she was doing, it would be her.

I searched for Natasha's profile, and my heart sank as soon as I saw it. A picture of Rebecca lying unconscious in a hospital bed, hooked up to drips. The caption read, "Pray for us. It's really bad."

My chest felt like it was collapsing in on itself. The guilt was overwhelming. I wanted to scream, to punch something, to take a gun and end it all. How had I let things get this far? I was the reason she was there, and I couldn't undo what I'd done.

But I couldn't let it end this way. Not without trying to make things right. I had to see her. I had to ask for her forgiveness.

I grabbed my phone and dialed Natasha's number, my hands shaking. It rang once... twice... then cut off. I called again. Still nothing. The message kept repeating, "Number busy." Over and over.

She had blocked me.

Natasha had always been kind and supportive, always there for Rebecca and me. I couldn't blame her for blocking my number now. After everything I had done, I deserved it. But I needed to know-was Rebecca okay? Was she even conscious?

Frustrated, I scrolled through Natasha's posts, searching for clues. There was no location tagged in the hospital photo. Nothing that told me where Rebecca was.

Just as I was about to give up, my Instagram feed refreshed, and a new post appeared on my screen. The headline hit me like a truck.

Rebecca is the new president of Valentine's Conglomerate?

I stared at the screen in shock, my mind reeling. Valentine's Conglomerate was one of the biggest companies in Mandena, one I had always admired. And now Rebecca, my ex-wife, was their president?

My heart ached. It felt like it was being ripped apart. How could this be? Was Rebecca an heir to the conglomerate all along, and I had no idea? Or had she risen to this position out of sheer resilience?

The questions swirled in my mind, but one thing was clear-I had underestimated Rebecca. I had taken her for granted, assuming I could walk away and be fine. Now, more than ever, I wanted her back. But after all I had done... Was there even a chance?

As I scrolled through more posts about her new role, I felt a mixture of pride and regret. She had always been capable, always had that spark. It was infuriating to realize that I hadn't appreciated her enough when I had the chance. My heart raced at the thought of reaching out, of begging her for another opportunity.

But would she even consider it? After the pain I caused? 

With my heart in my throat, I steeled myself. I couldn't just sit here in regret. I had to find a way to make things right, to prove to her that I was still the man she once loved.

Rebecca's POV

Just as Natasha turned the laptop screen toward me, I stared at Gabriel's bank information. Everything inside me screamed to make him learn this lesson-instantly.

"Find an orphanage, empty the bank account, and let's move on to the next one," I said to Natasha, my voice calm but laced with resolve. She nodded without hesitation, her fingers poised over the keyboard.

Emptying Gabriel's bank account was, of course, one of the easiest things for Natasha to do. With just a hit of a button, his account would be wiped clean, and the transfer history would vanish as if it never existed.

He'd go crazy-furious-at the realization that, suddenly, his millions were gone.

I smirked at the thought, my pulse quickening with satisfaction. Finally, I gave the second order to Natasha. "Do it now."

However, Natasha hesitated. "Uh... Rebecca, I think Gabriel is calling me, but the call isn't connecting. I blocked him, remember?"

She held up her phone, showing me the screen. There it was, a missed call notification at the top. Gabriel's name flashing-trying to reach out, but blocked. He was trying. Desperately.

I couldn't stop the small smile from creeping onto my face. Unless I was a fool, I knew why Gabriel was calling Natasha. He had no other way to reach me.

I had changed my number, making myself utterly inaccessible. I'd deactivated my Facebook and Instagram, and though it would take seven days to permanently delete the accounts, he could no longer send me messages or stalk my social media.

Gabriel knew Natasha was my friend, the only person who might have access to me. Of course, he saw the news. He had to know I was now the president of Valentine Conglomerate. And now, like clockwork, he wanted me back.

"Unblock him, Natasha. Let's hear what the cheating dog has to say," I ordered, my voice cool, detached.

Natasha pressed a few buttons on her phone, and as if Gabriel had been waiting the whole time, his call came through instantly.

"Hello, Natasha." His voice-deep, familiar, once so intoxicating-filled the room. I felt a flicker of something, but it vanished just as quickly. There was a time when his voice would make my heart race, when I would've melted at just the sound of it. But now? Now, I hated it. I hated the forced accent, the false charm. I saw through him, through every word he spoke.

"What?" Natasha answered coldly, her tone conveying just how little time she had for him. It was clear she found his call an annoyance, something to get through as quickly as possible.

I imagined the effect it would have on Gabriel. And I wasn't wrong. He rushed his words, the desperation in his voice seeping through.

"I know I messed up, Natasha. Really, I do. I'm sorry. I've been thinking about it nonstop. I just want to make things right with Rebecca. Please, just... just connect me with her. I'm begging you."

Gabriel sounded so sincere. If I didn't know better, I might have believed him. But I knew exactly what this was-an opportunist's plea. He wasn't sorry for what he did. He wasn't sorry for breaking me, for shattering our marriage. He was only sorry because now, I was someone. I had power. I was the one holding the cards, and he couldn't stand being on the outside.

How could anyone who had cheated on me in my face, divorced me the same day, and tried to kill me afterward be genuine? The thought of it made my skin crawl. He was as fake as the world he lived in. I could smell his desperation through the phone.

But teaching him an instant lesson would be too easy. No, Gabriel needed to suffer-slowly. He needed to learn the hard way that I was beyond him now, and he would never have me again. I wanted to crush him to the bone marrow until he regretted every second he had ever known me.

I smirked again, this time with satisfaction. Then I leaned toward Natasha, motioning for her to block the phone's mouthpiece so Gabriel couldn't hear us.

"I have another idea. Tell him you'll text him a location. He should meet me there at 7 p.m. tomorrow."

Natasha blinked, clearly confused. "Are you serious? We should be draining his bank accounts, not setting up meetings with him!"

I understood her concern. She thought I was wavering, that maybe Gabriel's polished apology had gotten under my skin. But I had no intention of letting Gabriel back into my life.

"Relax, Natasha. There's a new plan. We'll make him pay slowly while he thinks he's winning me back," I replied, a slow smile creeping onto my face.

Natasha's confusion morphed into understanding, and she mirrored my smirk. She was sharp; it didn't take long for her to catch on.

"Listen, i'll text you a location. You should be there at 7 p.m. tomorrow." Natasha said back to Gabriel on the phone and hence we both heard as the son of a bitch appreciated. 

"Thank you so much Natasha. I promise, you won't regret this. I swear on my life. I will be there by..." Natasha did not allow him to finish talking before hanging up the call on him. 

Without another word, Natasha opened a new window on her browser and began searching for the perfect restaurant for the meeting. Somewhere fancy, somewhere where I could show him how far I'd risen above him.

One thing was certain-I was going to show off in front of that bastard. He would know, without a shadow of a doubt, that I was out of his league now. He'd crave my acceptance, my forgiveness, but I'd keep him dangling, desperate, hoping.

And when he thought he had me? When he thought he could have his old life back?

That's when I'd destroy him.

I'd toss him aside like the rag he once discarded me as. He wouldn't see it coming, and it would hurt him even more than anything I could do to his money.