When the party began in full swing, no one was surprised to see James Clinton and Layla Blakewood re-enter the party together, after all everyone knew Layla was the new heiress to the Blakewood family and them leaving together might have been just to talk business in private since the Blakewoods have long since been investing in the Clinton stocks, however the re-entrance that made people's heads turn was Lorian's, particularly because of the woman by his side.

Gasps and murmurs of gossip began to swing in the air.

"That's Christina-no last name attached. Wasn't she thrown out and blacklisted from high society by the Blakewood family? How did she even get into this event?" A woman with high arrogance in her blood, known for her popularity in the high society was the first to speak.

"If it weren't for her friend, Veronica Scott who got an invitation, a blacklisted woman would have no way of entering this event." Another replied, all eyes trained on how she walked with a soft grace to her steps, her arm linked with Lorian's.

"Che! Who would still make friends with a blacklisted woman? Isn't that model afraid her choice of friends will lead her to becoming blacklisted too?"

"Didn't you notice earlier, James Clinton seems to be getting along really well with the new heiress, what if...he plans to take her as a second wife?" The woman who said this spoke in a whisper but it was audible enough to the people around her.

"It's nothing new for our high society influential men to take two wives, but the scandal that would cause. I'm sure an heiress like Layla would never settle for being second wife."

"All that doesn't matter, the main point is, Christina-no last name attached is ruined. She used to go around acting like a princess, now she's just a nameless orphan trying to make connections, look at how friendly she's being with her husband's friend. If I didn't know any better about how strictly Lorian Axton picks his women, I would think she's trying to charm him."

"Well all she can do is try, it's not as if she can succeed anymore. A great man like Lorian will pick an equally worthy woman, not some no name trash abandoned by a wealthy family."

This elicited mockery filled giggles from the women.

A cold smile made it's way to Christina's fair face, she'd overheard every word. The women made no effort to keep their words silent.

Christina wanted to laugh at the irony, these same women in the past would flock around her. Complimenting every word, and every action she takes. They emulated her, every piece of clothing she wears becomes a trend they all follow, every new gesture she makes becomes something they all pick up too.

They looked up to her like a queen, all that fame, all that adoration was now gone along with the name Blakewood that had gotten her that position from people.

A few days ago she wanted to pay for something but her card declined, George Blakewood had deactivated all her cards, every penny she got from the Blakewoods gone along with the name they gave her at birth.

Yes, those people were right. She had become abandoned, a no name woman blacklisted from high society.

The whole world considered her ruined but they didn't know any better. If it hadn't been for that mysterious person a year ago who led her to start her hidden business Bloom, she truly would have been ruined without a penny to her name.

James always used to tell her that her jewelry designs were too amateur to be sold as a brand, he told her she had a lot of improvements to make before he would help her start her line when she was ready.

"Listen honey, designing jewelry is a lot more than just sketching cute things, once you're fully ready, I'll be the first to invest okay? For now you can keep playing with your little pencil and water color sketches, those designs will never be manufactured as it is."

Thinking back she realized she'd been stupid to have felt gratitude towards him for those words, gratitude because she thought he was being honest with her and business required honesty.

Two days later someone mysterious had sent her a letter, that letter had pushed her to have belief in her work but she wasn't confident to share it with James. That mysterious person became her secret investor and the first batch of Bloom jewelries were created.

Christina hadn't expected anything when she put out the pieces to the market on an alias name of Fairy, if they failed to sell she would find a way to refund her secret investor. However every batch had sold out and those pieces blew up in the market, their worth rising sky high.

She hadn't used a penny out of the Blakewood family's money, she'd wanted to do something from scratch and prove to herself that her business was worthy of success on its own. To be honest she never cared about the Blakewoods money, all she'd wanted was their love but they never gave that to her. The three years she'd spent securing deals for the Blakewood Enterprise was enough to pay for all they'd done for her all these years.

After her launch, big jewelry companies began to search tirelessly for this designer called Fairy but no one knew who she was. Perhaps James never really paid any attention to her designs in the first place because even after the brand blew up he had no idea it was his wife, in fact he was among the companies searching for the designer.

Christina had thought about telling him it was her but she decided to wait, she wanted him to be proud of her, she wanted her business to grow so much it would be a surprise for him when she revealed her true identity as Fairy, hence she'd kept it a secret from him.

That secret was the only thing keeping Christina afloat. If that mysterious investor hadn't come to her at the time, Christina would have been totally ruined to the bottom now when the Blakewoods have abandoned her. No one knew that beyond being the fake heiress of the family she had wealth of her own amassed from her business.

If these women calling her trash knew that she was Fairy, the designer sought after by multi-billion dollar companies, would they eat their words and swallow their tongues?

"James, it's not polite to leave your beautiful wife all alone at an event like this." Lorian remarked when they approached James and Layla. His carefree yet seductive voice drawling with an edge.

James' expression turned dark. He glanced at Christina momentarily, a small frown pulled his brows together.

Something about this wife of his felt different but he couldn't decipher exactly what.

"Tina is an adult now, despite being my wife she can go wherever she wants. Isn't that right honey?" James hated the fact that he still had to pretend in public that they were still husband and wife. He was so eager to divorce her already so he could fully be with Layla, but the scandal could ruin the launch of their company's new collection so he had to wait until after the launch before their divorce could be handled.

Christina merely showed a fake smile and said, "Of course."

"Well, since you're evidently preoccupied, you wouldn't mind if I asked your wife for a dance would you?" Lorian's eyes twinkled with something mischievous as he raised Christina's knuckles to his mouth and kissed them.

James suddenly felt like he didn't like the sight of what was happening in front of him. It irritated him for no reason he could pin point.

To him, comparing Christina and Layla side by side, Layla totally out weighed Christina in beauty, elegance and grace, even though Layla was raised in a poor family. What he failed to acknowledge was the fact that Christina was once named the most beautiful woman in swan city before their marriage but his years of abuse had worn her beauty leading his eyes to stray to other women, specifically his secretary.

Countless sleepless nights, worrying and fretting over her own husband's love had done a lot to dampen her natural beauty.

James cleared his throat and replied, "Of course, my wife is a lovely dancer."

James swallowed the rising irritation, an unattractive woman like her couldn't possibly catch Lorian's eyes. As his best friend he clearly knew what type of women Lorian would go for, so he wasn't worried that there could be anything between them.

The same thoughts went through everyone's minds as Lorian began to dance with Christina.

Lorian had been the best man at their wedding, perhaps he was just being polite asking his friend's wife to dance with him.

"Your husband was right, you're a lovely dancer." He whispered to Christina over the music.

"He was just taunting me. I'm sure he doesn't believe that you could ever find me attractive when he himself doesn't."

Lorian merely smirked, a devious tilt to his lips that made him look like a fearsome beast, a roguishly handsome fearsome beast.

"Then he is the biggest fool earth has ever seen yet." He whispered.

Christina raised her eyes to meet his, surprise swirling in her light grey eyes.

"Why do you say that?"

A reply was already on the tip of Lorian's tongue but the screeching sound of the mic interrupted and the music suddenly came to a halt.

Both Lorian and Christina looked to the stage at the same time.

Layla, her beautiful dress glimmering with a thousand sequins, looking like the perfectly dainty heiress carrying the adoration of many stood on the stage next to the mic.

"Please forgive me for interrupting but I'd like to make an announcement."

As she said this, her gaze flitted towards Christina who had stopped dancing and a hint of mockery hid behind her eyes before she focused on what she was about to say again.

"I know this doesn't seem to be the right event but I've kept myself hidden for long enough. Tonight I've decided to come out and announce my identity. It has been a great pleasure for me seeing my designs soar and being sought after by so many that I was scared of revealing my identity, however I believe that collaborating with a company that can bring more exposure to my work will be the best decision. I'm here to tell everyone that I am Fairy, the main designer of Bloom jewelry brand."

This announcement made awed gasp seep through the hall, everyone's eyes went wide and jaws dramatically dropped open.

Last night's event took the whole swan city by storm not just because of Lorian Axton's return and the gossip surrounding his desire to find a wife but because of the announcements that sent every news company and everyone else in awe.

The genius jewelry designer who made the timeless piece bought by the queen of England, the very woman behind the mysterious jewelry brand Bloom had finally revealed herself and it was none other than the Blakewood family's recently found heiress.

When Layla was about to leave the event last night, the media had questioned her about why she'd kept her identity hidden all this time, to which she replied by saying,

"Back then I was just a secretary with a humble background, I was scared by the amount of people after my brand, I know the business industry can get dirty so the best way to protect myself was to stay hidden. Now I have my wonderful family who would support and protect me no matter what."

As Christina rewatched this interview on tv, she couldn't help but scoff incredulously.

This Layla sure had huge guts.

Last night Christina had frozen cold upon hearing Layla's announcement. She hadn't been able to believe her ears.

Was this real or was she just dreaming? This woman who'd taken her husband had actually publicly taken her identity too?

What Christina had first felt was anger, she wanted to stomp up the stage and slap Layla then reveal the truth to everyone, proving she was Fairy would definitely be easy, however she'd held back when a cunning thought had slipped into her mind.

Christina hadn't reacted rashly, instead a pleasant smile made it's way on her face as she quietly watched Layla claim her identity shamelessly in front of the whole world.

No sheep would willingly place it's head into a lion's open mouth, if it did, wouldn't the lion happily take a bite and eat it's fill.

That was the exact situation Layla had created. Christina was the resting lion, plotting her revenge, but if her prey was to offer itself up to her, she would use it to her advantage to bring them down.

'Do not blame me for being too heartless Layla.'

As she watched the news go crazy for Layla, her phone went off on the coffee table.

When she picked the call, the warm familiar voice of the Blakewood family butler entered her ear.

"Miss, I hope you've been well."

"I'm doing just fine butler Sam."

The older man sighed, "That is good to hear." He hesitated before adding, "I know you might not like to come, especially after everything that happened recently but Madam Beatrice has asked me to go burn your old things still left here, I didn't want to just burn your things without letting you know if there's something valuable so I decided to call and let you know that I've kept them for now, you can come pick them up when you have time."

Christina felt a lump of bitterness in her throat at the thought of her old home, her old family.

'So family can be this fickle, family can easily let you go because you don't share their blood.'

She felt the tears sting her eyes but she raised her gaze to push them back.

No, she wouldn't cry.

Somewhere in her heart she had always known this day might come, the day when her family would fully turn their back on her. A family that never showed her love and instead allowed her to grow so desperate for affection she was willing to stay with a man who beat her mercilessly shouldn't be called family at all.

But the most painful part for her was not having a place to call home, a home where people who cared about her were waiting with open arms. Though they never loved her, she appreciated the fact that she had a home with them, however now the world felt like a huge space for her filled with so many people but no one to call her own... loneliness was creating a gaping hole in her heart.

Vera was the only person in the whole world who'd ever treated her genuinely, and she was beyond grateful for having her but that still didn't fill her lonely heart.

When Christina fully swallowed her tears, she opened her mouth to tell the butler to burn everything. She didn't want anything to take her back to the very place where she was kicked out but stopped short when she suddenly thought of something and changed her mind.

"Alright, thank you for keeping them. I'll be there in a while."

Christina wouldn't have returned to the Blakewood mansion ever again if it weren't for that important thing she'd kept there.

When she arrived the butler led her to the attic instead of her room, he revealed an awkward expression as he said.

"I'm sorry, Miss Layla is occupying your old room. Master and madam have been pampering her and getting her so many new things and there was no longer space in the room so your things..."

"It's okay butler Sam, I'll just get what I'm here for and leave."

Christina rummaged through the box filled with her things, mainly old clothes and shoes but she didn't find the specific item she was looking for. She remembered keeping it under her bed back then and if her things were the only stuff moved out of the room, maybe her item was still in her old room.

"Butler Sam, what I'm looking for isn't here, can I get the key to my old room? I'll just take what I'm looking for and leave."

The butler seemed to ponder for a while then nodded.

"Please make it fast Miss, before Miss Layla gets back."

"Thank you."

When Christina entered her old room, it was completely different from how she remembered it. It looked a bit girlier and bit more extravagant, like the room of a princess from modern day royalty.

The only attachments Christina had to this room was of old childhood memories but nothing too deep hence she didn't even reminisce or feel pain at seeing it become someone else's.

She went straight to the bed and sure enough, she found the little brown box underneath it.

Feeling relieved she took and it and made to leave when she spotted something that made her stop in her tracks.

It was a small pack of medicine sticking out from the purse kept on the bed.

Christina had seen that before, once in high school a girl had gotten pregnant, this same pack had been found in her bag after she was discovered bleeding in the bathroom.

Christina pulled out the pack from the purse and felt her heart stop.

Triquinole, a very strong drug used for abortion!

A pink sports car drove into the Blakewood mansion, Christina was on her way out when she saw Layla step out of the car.

Gone was the frail, humble secretary Layla used to be, now she looked like the heiress she was, dressed in high end expensive brands, even the expensive perfume she wore wafted into the air.

When she saw Christina, the innocence she would usually show in front of others was non existent on her beautiful face.

"What brings you here Tina? Are you here to try to get my parents to feel sorry for you? I'm sure they kicked you out again, when will you get it registered into that dumb head of yours that they don't want you anymore. You were just my replacement and now that I'm here..."

She walked up to Christina till she stood right in front of her, face to face, "I have taken back every single thing that was rightfully mine. And look at you now, you're even lower than I used to be, now that Dad has de-activated all your cards, you're nothing without the Blakewood family's money. You'll live like a helpless poor rat, just like I did for twenty three years!"

As she spoke, every word out of Layla's mouth was bitter, filled with a resentment she seemed to have kept inside for a long time.

Christina's eyes were far from calm, the minute Layla's words fell, she raised her hand and slapped her across the face. The sound was loud enough to be heard by some servants nearby and the impact strong enough to swing Layla's face to the side and cause her lips to bleed.

Layla's eyes had already turned red when she turned her face to glare at Christina, she raised her hand to hit her back but her hand stopped mid-air.

Layla tried to snatch her hand off Christina's clutch, she was fuming with rage that she so badly wanted to hit Christina back but no matter how hard she tried, the hand grabbing her didn't loosen at all.

"You pathetic loser! You dare to slap me and think you can get away with it? I am the daughter of the powerful Blakewood family...how dare you..." Layla screeched.

"How dare you!" Christina shot back tightening her grip on Layla's fragile hand, "Were you so desperate for wealth, were you so eager to climb the ladder into the elite circle that you seduced a married man? Not just that, in order to get rid of me from his life you took drugs that will abort your own child and came over to provoke me just so you could blame it on me?"

Layla's infuriated expression immediately fell and her face paled. "What...how did you...?"

She glanced around and when she noticed all the maids around had already left, she sighed in relief at the fact that no one was over hearing their conversation. When she turned her gaze to Christina the momentary fear disappeared.

"You found out. I guess you're smarter than you seem."

Christina's grip on her wrist loosened and she snatched her hand away.

"So what if you know about this little secret of mine, what can you do about it? In fact that was a very lucky move on my part, if I hadn't done that I would never have come to know that the Blakewoods are actually my real family. Killing off that child was the luckiest thing I've ever done in my life. Yes I wanted to get rid of you so James could finally marry me, but lucky for me, that incident led to me meeting my biological brother and I became a wealthy heiress overnight, don't you think I'm very lucky?" She chuckled happily.

Christina couldn't help but look at her with an incredibly baffled look in her eyes.

How can someone be this heartless, killing their own child just to trap a man.

"You can't expose me Tina, no one would ever believe you." She leaned closer with an evil look in her eyes, "Just accept it, you are a sore loser...go live a poor life and know what it feels like to seduce men just to get a small taste of luxury. Hahaha!" Laughing, Layla walked into the Blakewood home like a queen.

'Layla, if I don't get back at you for this, I might as well accept the title you've given me. You will definitely pay for everything you've done.'

*****

A text buzzed into her phone, it was only a few words but they made Christina frown with curiosity.

- Meet me in my office. -

Was all the text said. The contact displayed the name Lorian Axton.

Though she had no idea why he would call her over to meet with him, she went over to his company nevertheless.

The building was gigantic, sitting at the tallest height in Swan city with a perfectly futuristic architecture that made it stand out uniquely.

Christina was directed to the President's office immediately she entered.

Lorian looked completely different dressed in a business suit, with a pair of glasses that sat on his face as he worked on his computer.

When she was with James, finding other men attractive had completely been gone from her mind however Lorian had always stood out to her, she never saw him again after her wedding with James, but even after two years he still looked like the hottest man to walk the surface of earth.

With those glasses he looked like an irresistibly hot professor one wouldn't want to mess with, Christina was definitely shocked that he was still single at this point.

When he raised his head to appraise her, a faint smile lifted his sensual mouth. Christina found herself dazed for a moment before she recovevered and cleared her throat to ask.

"Why did you ask me to come?"

He stood up and approached her. "You were the one who asked for my help, shouldn't you come to me to form a plan?"

Lorian was evidently a very dangerous man, not just by his reputation but by the dangerous energy he oozed everytime he came close to her.

There was always this buzzing feeling, like the faintest spark of electricity whenever his eyes met hers, perhaps it was because of how deeply he looked at her like a man staring at a meal he would like to taste, or it could be the intimidating way he towered over her, either way Christina wanted to keep things strict between them.

He would only stand next to her whenever she wanted to make James jealous, but that was only a later step to her plan, not until she fulfilled the first step. Hence she didn't need to be around him.

"I already have my own plans, I know exactly what to do." She replied turning her face to the side to breathe in something other than the heady masculine cologne she could perceive from him but he pinched her chin making her face him again.

"Are you afraid of me Mrs Clinton?" He asked.

"No, why would I be?"

"Good. Second question..." He paused to search her eyes before he asked, "Do you still love your husband?"

That question made her heart seem to stop beating for a few seconds.

Did she still love James?

Memories flashed into her mind, none of them good.

One was of a stormy night, she was kneeling on the floor in their bedroom screaming in pain as his belt continuously landed harshly onto her back.

"Are you loyal to me Tina? Why do you keep disobeying me?" James' voice had thundered in rage.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry... please..." Her voice was hoarse and broken, the pain from his beating had been sharp and unbearable. He was like a strict teacher disciplining their student, the only difference was the fact that his beating didn't only cause physical pain but a grating pain in her heart.

"If you really loved me, you wouldn't keep disobeying me." He yanked her hair back making her tears streaked face look into his, "Do you really love me as your husband?"

Christina hurriedly nodded knowing James could become monstrous in his current state if she didn't do as he said or give him an answer that would please him.

He grinned twistedly, "You love me right, then say it!"

She was crying painfully, unable to voice the words of love he demanded to hear, his rage seemed to have doubled as he brought the belt down again causing her more pain.

"Say it!"

"I love you!" She'd cried over the pain from the belt causing another deep red bruise on her back.

He brought the belt down harshly again, "Swear you'll never disobey me again!"

"I'll never...ah! I'll never disobey you again." Her words were broken sobs of agony as she spoke them, she laid weak and helpless on the floor, her tears flowing unstoppably. Only then did he stop.

Christina asked herself, 'Did I hate him back then? Even as he hurt me like that...did I still love him?'

The answer to that was a bit vague in her mind. Because everytime he hurt her like that he would leave her to suffer for a while then come back to her and hold her in his arms then apologize, he had caused her those wounds and he would treat them himself.

He would act like a beast and then an angel afterwards and swear he loved her.

She couldn't hate him then, not when he was the only person in the world showing her love even though it came with pain.

But now...all she felt in her heart was emptiness and bitterness, she couldn't answer Lorian's question at all.

Lorian noticed her expression looking lost then changed to that of painful reminiscence. A flash of displeasure narrowed his dark eyes.

"It seems you can't answer my question." Lorian suddenly said as he traced his thumb over her chin slowly leaning in closer to her.

"If I asked James this question, what do you think his answer would be?"

Christina still didn't reply and an evil smirk showed on Lorian's face.

"Let's ask him."

Immediately his words fell, the door to his office swung open and James walked in unaware of the scene he would meet inside.

He stopped in his tracks, eyes wide as he took in the closeness between Christina and Lorian, James' face immediately turned black.

"What the fuck is going on here?"

'No, not yet. James shouldn't suspect I have something going on with Lorian just yet.'