"Mrs. Smith, we can't offer you such an amount of loan without your husband's approval." Mr. Leonard, the company's financial controller, said, his voice firm and determined.

Janice lowered her head and pouted her lips.

"Mr. Leonard, hope you know that we're talking about my husband's life here, right? Mr Nelson has shares worth over $100 billion in this company.

And now that he's battling with his life, do you mean to tell me that you'd rather wish him death than offer him a loan that can be compensated with his shares?" Janice asked,  raising her brows in a slight frown.

Mr. Leonard remained silent.

"Oh, wait." Janice scoffed.

"You know, I've always heard rumours of how you want to take over my husband's position at the company. Is this now your plan to finally secure it? You're angry that he's gonna survive after getting a transplant, right?"

"Com'on, madam. This is emotional blackmail. And...why would I wish my boss such evil?" Leonard argued.

Janice pressed her lips and nodded.

"Don't worry. I know who to call." She added, her voice barely above a whisper and took out her phone as if she wanted to place a call.

"Madam, please wait." Leonard muttered, his voice laced with fear.

For the many years he has worked at the Smiths Enterprise, he has heard about the silent connection of Janice to the company's affairs aside from being the wife of the president. In recent times, he also heard about how two employees were retrenched immediately due to her underground influence.

"It's possible to give you the loan, but I can't endorse it on my own. I'll need the approval of a few of the board members." He said, his voice trembling in fear.

"Better be fast." Janice snapped.

What Leonard doesn't know is that before she arrived at the building , she had already texted the key board members of the company about the loan request.

***

So, tell me, how did it go? Were you able to secure the exact amount?" Dian asked as soon as Janice dashed out of the building and got into the car.

"You don't expect my mission to fail, do you?" Janice chuckled softly, and they both bursted out into rounds of laughter, but Dian suddenly went mute, her eyes fixed on Janice as if she's looking for something missing.

"Any problem?" Janice asked, furrowing her brows as she placed her hands on Dian's cheeks to feel her temperature.

"Janice. What if....what if you get caught after all of this? What if that deadly Virginia comes looking for you?" Dian asked, her voice trembling in fear.

"There's nothing she can do about that. Besides, I didn't steal." Janice replied, her voice indifferent.

"Huh? Like seriously, Janice? I'm afraid for your life but look how confident you are as if nothing's wrong?" Dian bursted out.

"First, I only got this money because it's my entitlement for the wasted years. I would have made more than this if I were still in California pursuing my career, so I need it to get back on my feet. After all, they have no history of my family, so I'm leaving for California immediately to rebuild my life."

By the way, it's only those that have money that can win a fight, right? So, where will the Smiths get the money to fight me? Except if they're ready to go completely bankrupt." She added.

"That reminds me." She paused and pulled out her phone to place a call.

"Hello Mr. Romero. I need you to prepare divorce papers for me and Nelson as soon as possible. I'll text you an address where we can meet up and you'll give me the papers. And for that, I also want to let you know that from this minute, I am nullifying everything concerning my previous will." She instructed and hung up the call.

"Janice," Dian wanted to speak when Janice's phone suddenly started to ring again.

When she looked at the caller ID, she hissed bitterly and returned the phone to her bag.

It was Virginia Smith, her mother in-law.

But the call persisted for almost an hour. This time around, more than a hundred missed calls from her in-laws and husband's friends.

"Janice, I swear to God, you'll live to regret ditching my son on that hospital bed for the rest of your life. Just know that wherever you are, the Smith's family must find you!"  Virginia sent a threatening voice note, followed by several others from Melissa and Nelson, but Janice remained unfazed.

"So, what are we going to do now?" Dian asked.

"Just a chill drink to cool down my head." Janice replied casually.

The ride to the Veritas lounge took only fifteen minutes.

"Welcome to the Veritas lounge bar ladies, how may I serve you?" A lady in white apron asked as she approached with an enigmatic smile.

"A glass of champagne would do." Dian scoffed.

"Yeah. Same here." Janice nodded when the lady's gaze shifted to her side.

"Wow! Wow!! Wow!!! Look who we have here! Now I have no doubt that  this world is just a small place." A familiar masculine voice roared from an angle.

Janice turned.

"Mr. Lucas?" She raised her brows, a faint smile spreading across her lips to conceal the fear in her.

"Relax–Miss Capuno. Everything of the past has slid. Isn't it? Besides, you never imagined seeing me again in this life, do you?" He asked, curling up his lips in a wicked smirk.

"I don't care how you see it, Mr Lucas. But I never ran away from you! I was also innocent of the allegations. I tried everything to counter the evidence against and get you out of prison but I failed." She paused and took a deep breath.

"Do you think I can just easily win over my father even if I have every evidence to set you free?" Janice argued with a flinch.

"Who's this man, Janice?" Dian was starting to get irritated by his unwelcome presence, but Janice immediately winked an eye for her, asking her to cool her temper.

Soon, Janice's phone started to ring. She looked at the caller ID and heaved a huge sigh of relief.

It was Barr. Romero.

'Finally. I have a reason to get out of Luca's sight' she thought.

She quickly stood up. "You know what Mr Lucas, we can still talk over the phone some other time. I have somewhere important to go." She explained and began taking steps away.

Immediately, Lucas grabbed her wrist tightly, digging his nails into her flesh.

"Auch! You're hurting me!" Janice screamed, but Lucas remained adamant.

Dian's face got sullen with anger. She clenched her fist to her palms to reject the rising urge of slapping him, even though she's still afraid of his intimidating physique. 

The last time she allowed her emotions to control her to hit a man with a physique like Lucas, she ended up spending two weeks in the hospital after just one slap that nearly shifted her brain.

"Janice, you dare not walk out on me when I'm talking." He threatened, fixing his deadly eyes on her without a blink.

"Well, I don't have your time today, because I'm here for something more important. In case you care to know, I have a multi-billion dollar business deal to close with the Smiths enterprise today. I know that you and your wicked goddamn father never expected I'll reach this level one day, right?" He let out a wicked smirk.

'Damn it Lucas! I'll make sure I do everything possible for you not to sign this deal with the Smiths Enterprise!" Janice cursed inwardly.

*****

"Ahhhh." Dian exhaled heavily, leaning her two hands on her waist. "Babe, that guy is horrible! Thank God for my past experience, if not, I would have foolishly allowed my anger to get my face disfigured today." She remarked, and they both burst out into laughter.

"So, did you really intend to call him once you get home, or you just gave him your contact out of fear?" Dian asked

"Are you sure you're ready for this, Janice?" Dian asked, her voice laced with concern  as she looked at how Janice's gaze was fixed on the divorce papers.

Janice swallowed painfully and nodded, her eyes almost at the verge of tears as if she remembered all her terrible past.

The golden light from the morning sunrise spills through the windows. Janice took a deep breath, sniffing the sweet scent of the dew–wet grasses as she looked through the windows.

"It's almost 10 o'clock, Dian. You know I can't afford to keep Lucas waiting." Janice said softly as she shifted her gaze towards the clock on the wall.

'Wow!' She mumbled in silence, a light  grin spreading across her lips as she stood before the large mirror fixed at the wall, admiring herself. This is the first time in three years since she wore a dress that really suits her curves. 

All through her years of marriage to Nelson, she has always been putting on dresses that depict her as an older woman just to refute her in-laws' constant accusations of  addressing her as a gold-digger.

The ride to the hospital took almost forty minutes.

"Janice, What if your in-laws threatened you over the divorce? What if Nelson refused to sign? What'..." Dian continued but Janice didn't cut in impatiently.

"No need to fear, Dian. I've already requested the services of two male escorts.  Virginia dare not start her madness."

"That's better. In case she does and lands herself on the hospital bed, then she'll understand why a street fighter like me has to force control over my anger." Dian chuckled.

At the hospital, Dian waited in the car while the two heavily built escorts walked behind Janice as she proceeded to the Ward.

"You bas..." Virginia rose with anger to launch a dirty slap on Janice when one of the men quickly stepped in between them.

"And who do you think you are to raise a finger on her? The man asked, fixing his deadly eyes concealed behind the dark glasses on Virginia.

"I...I...it's a mistake." Virginia stuttered.

Janice let out a wicked smirk as she saw the fear in Virginia's face.

"Oh Janice. Where have you been? Your husband and everybody has been looking for you!" Melissa said softly, her voice laced with a fake tone of concern as she walked  up to give Janice a hug.

"Yeah, I know that Nelson must be looking for me. That's why I'm here to see him." Janice replied , her voice cold and indifferent as she averted the hug, because she knows Melissa would have done worse than her mother if not for the fear of the escorts.

"Ja...nice. You...left. I... almost died." Nelson stuttered, his voice barely against a whisper.

"Yes. He's right. I almost thought I was going to lose him–my one and only son." Virginia nodded, closing her eyes to force some fake tears down her cheeks.

"Yes, I know you might soon die, Nelson. That's why I need a divorce." Janice replied, her voice indifferent as she pulled out the papers from her bag.

"What?" Virginia widened her eyes in shock.

"Janice, please. If you're doing this because of how Melissa and I have been treating you, then we're sorry. I swear to God, we'll never treat you wrongly again. At least, remember your husband who has never stopped loving you. You're his last and only hope to live, Janice. This is the time he needs you more than anything." Virginia began to plead on her knees, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"So do I need myself more at this time as well." Janice sneered.

"Nelson remained speechless, but his eyes couldn't hide his shock and remorse.

"Ja–nice." He struggled to talk.

"No need to stress yourself, Nelson." Janice cut in.

"You know, one can also die if he forces speech out of his mouth when he's strengthless. So, just save that strength and sign the papers before you die, in case you wish to." She added and tossed the papers into his hands.

Nelson looked up, the sight of the bold title almost choked him to death.

"If you find it difficult to read, you might as well give your mother to help you. After all, there's no need to panic because I'm not taking anything. I didn't come to the marriage with valuables, the same way  I'm going to leave. You know I've always been a considerate wife, right?" She scoffed.

Nelson was reluctant. "Janice please, you two can still talk about this once he recovers and the problem persists. I don't see why you should be rushing things this way."  Virginia pleaded.

"Do you need any help in holding a pen? My men can help you hold your hands." Janice scoffed, her eyes holding a trace of detachment.

Without further argument, Nelson took the pen from her hands to scribble his signature on the divorce papers.

Janice almost bursted out with laughter when she saw the look on his mother's sullen face, imagining what chaos the old woman would have caused if not for the presence of the two escorts.

"Can you still give me a little time to go through this again?" Nelson asked weakly.

"Sure. But just don't die before signing the papers." Janice scoffed and turned  to take her leave when a wave of nausea washed over her, making her retch.

Virginia's brows furrowed in a slight frown. She moved closer and held Janice's back. "Are you pregnant?" She asked.

Janice's heart sank. It's been over five months since she and Nelson had any serious intimate moments because of how he always complains of his fear to complicate his kidney failure if he strains himself with sex. 

The only moment she could remember was the one that took place three weeks ago, when he returned from the office frustrated. And to calm his temper, he took excess shots of whiskey, making him drunk before he went to bed. That night, all Janice's effort to stop him when he started moving his hands around her body proved abortive. But pregnancy can't happen that easily right?

Janice clenched her fist tightly. 

"No. I can't be." Janice replied without a blink.

Virginia wanted to talk when Janice's phone began to ring.

"My lawyer would contact you for the final processes." She said hesitantly and began to move. But somehow, Virginia managed to grab her wrist and held her back, whispering into her ears with an evil smirk. "You better don't be pregnant, Janice. Because my son can never have anything to do with a low profile gold digging bitch like you! And even if you are, I assure you that I'll do everything possible to make sure that child leaves the world before he even sees it.

Since you chose to show your ungrateful self at the hospital with a divorce, then I'll remind you that you were never welcomed to this family in the first place." She cursed.

Janice didn't say anything and left. She knows that Virginia has never loved to have a grandchild through her, that's why instead of weeping and sympathizing with her when her first baby with Nelson was pronounced dead on delivery, Virginia was happy.

And now, even Janice herself wouldn't like to be tested positive with Nelson's pregnancy. The era of trying hard to conceive a child for him is over.

***

"Hey, sorry for keeping you waiting for so long." Janice said, her voice calm and tired.

Dian furrowed her brows. " Janice, Is everything okay?" She asked.

Just when Janice was about to answer, another wave of nausea washed over her, causing her to retch.

"Janice, you're pregnant?" Dian widened her eyes.

"Not at all." Janice shook her head weakly. 

"My period was supposed to start yesterday, but a one day delay is normal though. So, I'm sure it's just some fever symptoms due to stress." She added casually.

Immediately, her phone began to ring again. The moment she checked the caller ID, her breath hitched.

"Janice. You've kept me waiting here for almost an hour, hope you know what that means?" A hoarse masculine voice roared over the phone.

Janice was silent. Even though she's completely weak, she dare not ditch a person like Lucas.

"Let's stop by the pharmacy and get a test trip before I proceed to meet Lucas." She suggested.

"So, what if you find out that you're actually pregnant? Are you nullifying the divorce?" Dian asked.

“What if you find out that you're pregnant?”

The question sank deeper than it should be, slicing her thoughts in pieces that left her praying inwardly with words of rejection. Janice squeezed her eyes shut to dismiss any positive thoughts surrounding that suspicion.

"I won't force that thought in me, Dian. I'll never wish to be pregnant with Nelson's child." Janice declared, her voice firm and resolute.

She remembered the pains she had passed through during her first child birth. She remembered the few times that Nelson's love began to dwindle, unknown to her that another woman was in the picture.

She foolishly used to trust him whenever he complained of the stress at work. She lost her first baby. She expected Nelson to cry along with her, but he seemed unbothered. Even with that, she kept on persuading him to let her have a second baby, but he refused the idea, claiming that he hates seeing her in pain. She had to normalise taking contraceptives just as a woman who's done with child bearing.

Well, the era of wanting to have a child for him has passed.

She doesn't want anything that will constantly reflect his image in her life.

“Hey, are you okay?” Dian suddenly whispered, waving her hands around Janice's face to jolt her out of her thoughts.

"By the way, have you heard anything about the Lancaster's Corporation in California? Are they still looking for partnership? I saw it somewhere in the recent news." Janice asked, trying to switch the discussion to another topic.

"Yeah. But what I heard recently is even more devastating. The President of the group was involved in some fraudulent activities that has caused the company to almost fold up. Now, they're no longer looking for partnership, but they're placing it out on sale. But I'll make more inquiries." Dian replied.

"Wow! Please, don't hesitate to do the research. I really need to make the investment.” Janice huffed with her lips twitched in a smile.

"It's quite unfortunate. But it's to my own advantage. You know what, just  remind me to discuss this in a better way once we get home. It will be bad if I miss this opportunity." Janice suggested, her voice calm and steady.

“I'm sure your guest must have started getting exhausted from waiting for you,” said Dian.

Mr Lucas had been seated for almost thirty minutes before Janice walked into the restaurant at 3:00 pm.

The contemptuous and flippant look he wore melted away as soon as he sets his eyes on her, but he flinched instantly to replace it with a calm expression before meeting her gaze.

"You look stressed, Ms. Capuno.” He commented, his voice laced with a tinge of mockery as he curled his lips.

“Is that how much you fear my wrath now? Because the Janice I knew before now would never inconvenience herself in this kind of condition just to honour a meeting." He scoffed.

“You think so?”

“I don't fear humans, Lucas. I can only fear an alien. Or…are you one?” Janice scoffed back, her voice devoid of fear with an unreadable expression.

Lucas's face darkened immediately. The anger he had been trying to suppress seemed to be threatened by this statement. He shook his head and bit his lower lips, keeping his fist clenched in his palms to suppress the urge to do what he might regret.

"About the deal with the Smiths Corporation,  why did you ask me to pause?" He suddenly breaks the silence.

"It's nothing serious. Just that I have a better proposal for you if you really intend to invest in the textile and manufacturing industry." Janice admitted, her voice firm and resolute while she kept her eyes fixed on him without a flinch.

The unfazed look on her face only reminded him of her strong determination in the past–an attitude which had earned her great respect.

He flinched so as to dismiss the thoughts of their past as he curled his lips in a wicked smirk. "Janice, are you trying to play tricks on me?" 

Instantly , his expression got replaced with a deadly glare, and before Janice would reply, he stretched his hands across the table and held her wrist tightly, his nails almost digging into her flesh. 

Janice wanted to withdraw from his painful grip, but it was too tight, and she knows screaming will only draw the attention of other occupants towards them.

Besides that, Lucas was so smart, so he ensured to  maintain a faint smile across his lips, that nobody would suspect him to be hurting or threatening her.

"Oh, you think I don't know that you're married to Mr. Nelson Smith, huh?" He raised his brows.

Those words sent chills running down Janice's spine. “How did he manage to know that I'm married?" She cursed under her breath, yet she still managed to pull herself together before his eyes caught her fragile face.

"Tell me, Isn't Nelson the main reason why you never cared about what we shared in the past? You chose to abandon me in prison to get married, Janice!” He snapped, hitting his hands on the table.

“For your information, Janice. I have been following up with your life since when I left the prison. And for your husband, you'll only be deceiving yourself if you think that I don't know all the evil atrocities committed by him and Smith's family that he's concealing with his money!”

Janice widened her eyes. Her lips parted as if she wanted to say something, but she could only gasp.

“I'm finally here Janice. I'm here to make sure that I bring down that man that made you abandon me. And when I'm done with him, then I start with you." Lucas threatened before releasing her wrist with an evil smirk.

“So, tell me, why do you think I would be so stupid to believe a wife who used to worship her husband like a god is now interested in turning me against adding value to her husband's success?” he asked.

"We're divorced now, Lucas.

 Nelson and I are no more. So, you need to believe me!

"If you need evidence, this might explain better." She argued, taking out a copy of their divorce from her bag and slammed it on the table.

"And for the investment, I'm planning to relocate to California. I heard that the Lancaster's are putting up their textile and manufacturing company for sale, so I intend to buy it and I think it'll be great if we can partner together. What do you think, Lucas?” Janice proposed.

The silence from Lucas as his eyes scanned every alphabet on the divorce papers only deepened her fears.

He raised his brows, slightly drawing his dark glasses up after hearing her submission. "I still don't trust the divorce, Mrs. Capuno. Besides, you can't bribe my intentions with a partnership. I'm here for revenge and nothing can stop me from doing that.” Lucas countered.

"I'm not trying to bribe you, Lucas!" She argued.

"Then what are you trying to do?" He asked.

"It's because I still..." Janice stopped midway and swallowed painfully, closing her eyes to avert his dangerous gaze.

Once Lucas noticed the fear in her, he  loosened his tight face with a faint smile. "Because you still love me?" He raised his brows

"I never said so." Janice objected.

Lucas couldn't take his eyes off her slinky pink lips which never fails to accentuate her stunning beauty. Even though it's been years of them being apart, he never fails to blush and feel a wave of relief whenever he sets his eyes on those defined features that she's endowed with.

"So, can we call it a deal now?" Janice asked, her mind racing back and forth.

"Not so fast, Ms Capuno." Lucas cut in.

"Wait, are you trying to use me to get back at a husband that betrayed you while you also avert my anger?" He added, raising his brows.

Janice flinched and remained silent, different thoughts running helter-skelter down her mind.

"Even if I agree with your proposal, it has to  come with a price." Lucas declared.

"Fine. What is your price?" Janice replied casually, her mind skipping as she prayed earnestly for his request not to have any connection with the past.

“Are you afraid already?” He scoffed at her silence, rolling his eyes from her head to her toe as if trying to see through her heart.

“I want nothing but the truth about your evil father. Are you ready to testify against him?” he finally announced.