I'd been to Zora's place many times before I got imprisoned but the stairs felt different now.

Zora opened the door before I could knock, as if she was expecting me all along.

"Aria?” She breathed my name like she just saw a ghost. “Ariadne Morgan this really you?”

I shook my head quickly, then burst into tears again, hugging her tight. “I'm back, Zora. I'm really back”

“I thought I wouldn't see you again.” she sobbed into my hair.

The tears has nothing to do with Xavier and Britney, but seeing Zora again made me feel something different.

She was always the clingy one back from the days at college when we met, and she still was.

Zora sat me down on her couch, wrapped a blanket around my shoulders, and made tea. “You could have called me to pick you up. Why did you come here by yourself?”

I swallowed hard, wipping my face and sipped the tea. “I was foolish, Zora. But they showed me the other side of life now and I'm fine.”

“What do you mean?”

I told her everything about Xavier, Britney and thier wedding which falls on the day I was released.

Zora gasped in horror. “OMG Aria, Xavier did this to you? After everything you've sacrificed for him?”

“That's life, and I've accepted my fate.”

She bit her lips. “But still…”

“I need to get a job.” I looked at her. “I want to do anything in my power to avenge my parents and show Britney that I wasn't a convict!”

Zora was quiet for a moment. Then she held my hand. “I understand you, Ariadne. But how will you avenge your parents? They died on the tria day. I purposely didn't tell you during my visits because…” she stopped.

“I wasn't blaming you. I didn't blame my uncle who toon my parents wealth for himself either, I'm blaming myself.” the words tasted bitter. “I let them take me for granted. I killed Dad and Mum with my foolishness, Zora.”

“No, Aria. You didn't…”

“I did.” The tears came quietly. “I gave Xavier thier limitless card. Britney used my things. I did gave them that chance, Zora. BUT I WANT TO TAKE IT BACK!”

Zora stared at me for a long moment, as if she was studying me. “Alright, she got back to her feet. I'll support you. But….”

“But what?”

“I will not allow you to give your heart to any motherfucker”

I blinked. “I'm not marrying anyone, but…”

“No Buts” she sounds affirmative. “Men are snakes now. And we must kill them especially cheaters!”

I nodded in agreement. She went to her room, and came back holding an envelope. "Do you remember the investment? The Xiaoyao Ltd shares we both put money into before you left?"

“Yes?”

“It paid off” Zora said, fetching the papers in the file. “I managed both shares while you were inside. I didn't touch yours — not a single penny. I didn't even mention it during my visits because I didn't want to give you hope over something that could still fall apart. But the final payout cleared two weeks ago,” She gave me the file folder “So, You're not broke, Aria. Let's get the revenge started!”

My hands trembled as I opened the envelope. She spoke really fast, I couldn't follow her words but immediately I saw the figures on the statement, my heart dropped. “Wh…what?”

“I was also shocked when I saw the return amount, babe” she sat beside me.

Two years ago before the cases, I'd casually invested in Xiaoyao for fun and t satisfy Zoey who pestering me by then. Xavier said it was a waste of time, an Britney made me forget it with her procrastination.

Who knows this is how I make a break out?

“Zora, This is…"

"I know," she said again, smiling and pulling me to her chest. “You don't need a job. You need a fighter who will stand in front of you while you…”

“I shall fight for myself.”

I set the papers down on the table. Something moved in my chest — Hope.

Zora kept this all along, faithfully and diligently while the people I trusted with my life showed me to jail.

For Zora, For my parents, I shall fight this battle and win!

***

The next evening, Zora refused to let me ponder in peace.

"We're going for dinner," she announced, tossing a jacket at me. "Don't argue.”

I have no choice than to obey her. She could be stubborn too.

She took me to a rooftop restaurant in the city centre, of Xiaoyao projects in our city.

Zora loved partying, we danced, drank and ate. Almost making me feel human again.

During the second glass, two men approaches us.

“Hey, isn't this Ariadne?” Damien, Zora's brother asked.

I toasted with him, while Zora rushed over to join us.

The man beside him was not laughing, or replying the pleasantries as Zora tried to greet him.

He stood with a particular aura that made him interesting without trying too much.

I don't know why my heart suddenly feel like trusting him. Noticing my gaze, Damien pulled his arm. “Oh I forget to introduce, Meet Kingsley. My oldest friend. He's in the military.”

"Hi," Kingsley's tone was low, like he wasn't interested. “Nice to meet you”

Zora's laughter and excitement was over the moon. “What do you do with the company? Or aren't you the one leading your father's company?”

“I run it too.” His lips pressed to a tight smile. “It's… there.”

Damien and Zora left Kingsley with me when a call from home arrived. I don’t know why but I felt entitled and attached to Kingsley.

Swallowing my nervousness, I offereed my hand. “I'm Ariadne Morgan. Nice to meet you…Mr Garvin?”

“Kings” his cheeks moved this time but it wasn't a smile — it was a smirk.

We drank in silence while we waited for Zora and her brother. The tension was terse, I almosst fell asleep.

“Are you perhaps from a rich family?”

I frowned. “Why do you ask?”

“Your name sounds familiar…” he leaned closer and pulled my jaw. “Familiar to someone I badly want to kill right now.”

My heart seized. “What…do you mean?”

“Britney!” He leaned away, finished his glass with a hint of sadness. “Britney left me at the behest of her sister, Ariadne. And if you are that Ariadne, I'm sorry, I will not show you any mercy.”

Drowsiness drained from my eyes. I blinked to see him clearly.

How could I miss this?

“You…You're Britney's boyfriend?”

"The same one you told her to ditch.” He eyed me dangerously.

I never told Britney to ditch him. I remembered when she came crying that he had cheated, a week before the trial that landed me in jail.

She stayed at my home due to that until I was jailed. So…She lied with my name, fed him a lie with my face on it, and then she went and married Xavier while I suffered in prison.

I almost laughed at the mathematics of everything as it gave me the final answer I didn't see all these while.

I reached out to touch Kingsley, and slapped my hand away.

"I never told her that,” I began carefully. “Why would I ask her to leave you?”

Kingsley's jaw tightened. "That's what they all say."

"I'm sure it is. But I'm telling you the truth." I held his gaze without flinching. "Britney is my adoptive sister. She lived in my house and we grew up together. She used my family's money to go through medical school and just like you're shocked and disappointed…” I stopped.

He softened a little. “Are… are you being real right now.”

“I went to prison in place of my husband but I came home to find Britney marrying him. " I paused. "So whatever she told you about me, I promise you, she lied."

Something moved behind his eyes. But I know he doesn't believe me. "She got married yesterday to your husband," he said slowly, as if he was arranging pieces on a board. "And she told me you were the one who convinced her to leave me."

"She lied with my name," I swore. "She's been doing it for longer than either of us knew."

The silence between us stretched. He was watching me the way he'd watched everything else tonight — deciding as his fingers ran over the empty glass once on the table.

“Then prove it”

"I can't prove it tonight," Looking around, Zora and her brother were still on the call. “Let’s work together, and I shall prove myself to you.”

Zora and Damien were making their way back by the time I said this. Zora is already talking loudly about something. We had maybe thirty seconds.

I slid my phone across the table. “Your number”

He looked at the phone, “Can I trust you?”

“That's your choice.”

He slipped it on and typed his number quickly. Damien dropped back into his seat immediately I snatched the phone from Kingsley. “What did we miss?”

"Nothing," Kingsley said flatly, reaching for a fresh drink.

I pocketed my phone, looking away too.

***

In the cab home, Zora was buzzing. “Okay what was that? You and Kingsley were very quiet when we came back and not in a normal way. I told you already, Aria. Men are—”

“Zora.” I turned to look at her, cutting through her jamtalks. “I’ll leave tomorrow”

Zora's jaw dropped. “Leaving? Where?”

“I can't say yet.”

“Ariadne…”

“Please” I held her gaze. “Trust me even if it's this once”

She read my face for a long moment, then exhaled slowly through her nose. "Fine. But you're texting me every hour."

The address Kingsley sent that night was in Garvincliff.

An expensive rich street that screams luxury and commands attention.

He opened the door before I knocked, already dressed, coffee in hand.

“Good morning?”

“We need to get you dressed” he moved in, not returning my greeting.

“Dressed for what?”

He sank into the sofa, flickered his gaze at me. “I'm going back to the camp in the next six months. Before then, I have to build you ready to be my substitute.”

“What?”

He's saying it causally that I would be his substitute? I don't know if I should be happy or not.

Nevertheless, I shrugged. “I'm not poor, Mr Garvin. I'm…”

“Kingsley.”

“Alright, Kingsley.” I straightened my back. “I have my conditions before I could consider your offer.”

“Shoot.”

I smiled slyly. I might not be fighting alone after all. Having an extra hand is a bonus.

*

We drove down to the mall, his eyes running between me and the road. I'd just tabled my request and it's now his turn to accept or not.

“Do you want to get us killed?” I laughed at his absentmindedness. “I want a wedding, Kingsley. That's the only thing Xavier and Brittney had that I don't.”

Kingsley ran his hand through his hair, now steady on the road. “But why a wedding at all costs? It's just two cheaters, your payback shouldn't be the same as theirs.”

“My revenge, my rule!”

He said nothing else until we pulled up in the shopping mall parking lot and entered.

Kingsley walked behind me like he was my bodyguard, while I chose the most expensive dresses on the rack.

I'd been a good girl all my life but life took me for granted, I'm not letting life win again!

Just as I came out after fitting into a particular dress, I spotted them — Britney in a floral dress, Xavier beside her in linen, both of them moving through the boutique like shameless newlyweds that they are.

Brittney picked even more expensive clothes, and Xavier spent without looking at prices.

My blood boiled in raw anger. That was my father's card!

“What's good?” Kingsley stopped beside me.

I didn't say anything, he followed my gaze towards the two bastards. He crackled his knuckles. “How dare them—”

“Not yet, Kings.” I shook my head. “I can handle this.”

He softened. “I need to teach Xavier a lesson!”

I walked past him without acknowledging his words and went straight to the cashier's desk. Kingsley ran after me.

"Hi," I said pleasantly, the wicked thought of what I'm about to do made me feel excited.

The woman looked up. I continued. “I need to report a stolen card. Black limitless account — ”

Kingsley pulled me before I could say more. “Hey, what are you doing? We could just beat them up…”

“Have you forgotten we're playing by my rules?”

“Yes. But still…”

“Watch me break them. They'd eaten their cakes and had it. Now it's my turn.” I eyed their direction, still spending frivolously.

I faced the counter and continued. “Those two over there stole my card. And I believe they're using it in this store right now.”

“A moment, please.”

Security was calm but quick.

They approached Xavier just as he lifted the card to pay.

I watched through the boutique glass as the smile dropped from his face when he was asked to show the cardholder details.

“This… this belongs to my ex wife.”

“Then you have to call her up. Let us hear from her that you didn't steal from that madam over there.”

Xavier's eyes darted at me and Kingsley. Brittney was the first to drop her shoulder in shock. Then Xavier was shameful.

I raised my hand and helloed them, smirking at the way they look terrible right now.

I walked up to them.

“I gave you a chance, Xavier.” I said quietly. "But I'm taking it back, ex-husband.”

His jaw dropped.