They were going to kill her. And the sky was beautiful for it.

“I didn't do anything” was the only word in Camilia’s head as the metal door creaked open.

“Get up.” A voice echoed through the cold and dark room.

Camilia looked up to see a familiar face, one of the men that once bowed to her.

Now, he looked at her like she was nothing but trash to be disposed .

Camilia slowly lifted her face from the ground. “Where is he?” she whispered, voice hoarse and cracked. Her lips were broken, dried blood could be seen at the corners. “Where’s... Anthony?”

The guard didn't look her in the eyes, he couldn't. He turned to the wall, avoiding her gaze like the coward he was…maybe they all were. “We shouldn’t keep him waiting.”

He unlocked the cell, the rusted door groaning like it too disapproved, then stepped in and grabbed the chain linked to the cuffs around her wrists. With a hard yank, he pulled her up from the ground and dragged her forward.

Each step was torture, her thin and pale body quivered,her wrists bled as the spiky cuffs dug into them, reopening her old wounds .

Camilia let out a sigh as the warmth of the sun fell on her skin. It had been days…probably even weeks since she saw the sun, there was no time in that dungeon, only darkness. Camilia’s messy hair danced to the direction of the wind, each strand looking for a way to escape.

Her dirty and sore bare feet rejoiced at the feeling of the grass under it.

“ It's such nice weather, don't you think?” Camilia uttered, smiling to herself.

The guard pulled her towards the large field, the same one Camilia spent most of her time in. It seemed like everything she loved turned its back on her.

Camilia blinked at the blazing sun, her eyes weary and dim, her once perfect face now filled with wrinkles and cuts. The stench of death followed her wherever she went.

The guard dragged Camilia to the center of the field, dropping her to her weak knees.

Anthony stood at a close distance, surrounded by five armed men.

Behind him stood a beautiful woman with a slight resemblance to Camilia.

Rosita's eyes were swollen and red, the stain of tears trailing down to her chin.

Her hands were held together like a child in prayer, mascara smeared across her cheeks.

“Anthony, please!” Rosita pleaded, her voice trembling. “Don’t do this. She’s innocent, I swear…she wouldn’t…Camilia would never” she stuttered.

“She lied to all of us,” Anthony said flatly. “Even you…she put every single one of us in danger. Can't you see that?”

Rosita fell to her knees crying. “No. No, I don’t believe it. Please look at her! Look at what they have done to her. This isn’t right!”

Camilia's white nightgown sank around her, stained in blood and dirt. The wind continued to pull at her hair, tangled and wild like the storm in her chest.

Anthony finally looked at her.

His eyes were colder than she’d ever seen. There was no trace of love in them.

“Tell me, Camilia,” he said quietly, walking forward with slow and calculated steps. “Why did you do it?”

“I didn’t,” she replied, her voice shaking. “Anthony, please I would never”

“You plotted with them… They ambushed me, I almost died.”

Her breath caught, chest tightened “No. I swear to you, I had nothing to do with that. ”

Anthony scoffed “ Nothing to do with that?? Are you trying to tell me that someone else hired your own men to assassinate me?? ”

“ Read the room, dear wife,” Anthony said softly. His hands stretched to the side and he swayed them around. “ It's over”

“ You know me, Anthony,” Camilia whispered.

“Apparently, I don’t,” Anthony replied with a stern look.

Rosita screamed, “You’re wrong!”

But Anthony never looked at her.

He stared into Camilia’s eyes, his eyebrows raised.

“ Why are you doing this to yourself Camilia…you just have to say the truth and I'll reduce your punishment ”

Camilia knelt there, not ready to accept something she didn't do.

Anthony grinned, his foot tapping the ground “You've always had a large ego…even at the point of your death.

“Marco…tell wifey here what happens to people that betray me ” Anthony said to his right hand man.

Marco hesitated for a second “ They…die”

Anthony stretched his hand out and Marco handed him a gun. A silver pistol, polished, shining and begging to be used.

Camilia didn’t move. Her heart pounded inside her chest, her body shook as goosebumps filled every part of it, her breath uneven. She wanted to run but she couldn't, there was no escape.

Then the gun rose to her chest.

Anthony took aim, his head tilted to the side.“ Last chance,” he said.

Her throat ached. Her mouth was dry. “I love you,” she whispered. “I never betrayed you, why won't you believe me?”

A loud bang split through the air.The bullet had gone straight through her heart. Her knees gave way beneath her, and she collapsed, her head hitting the ground with a dull thud.

All she could hear was Rosita's scream.

“CAMILIA!” Rosita yelled as she kicked hard, fighting to release Anthony's men's gripon her.

Camilia blinked up at the sky.She tried to breathe but couldn’t. Her lungs failed her. Her fingers twitched once… twice… then stopped.

“I didn’t…” she thought. “I didn’t do it…”

“ If there's anything left in this world — fate, God, the devil… I don't care who is listening. Just please give me a chance…let me live”.

A single tear slid down her cheek as she closed her eyes and surrendered to her downfall. Immediately , a cold breeze swept through the field brushing her cheek like a kiss. The wind whispered something she couldn't hear.

And then silence followed ,her world went dark.

Camilia winced as the sun’s rays shone on her face.

She turned to the side to avoid the bright light; her eyes half opened but suddenly memories of her death flashed in her mind.

She gasped and sat up looking around the unfamiliar room.

“Where am I? Am I dead!?” she stuttered, searching herself for the cuts and dried blood on her skin

Camilia stared at her perfectly smooth and spotless chest.

“But I was shot, I know I was. I felt it” she said. Camilia held the side of her head as all she felt was a throbbing headache. “Ahh my head…” she lamented.

She got up from the king-sized bed her eyes darting round the room.

From the softness of the rug under her feet and the comfiness of the nightwear on her body, Camilia knew this was not Anthony’s doing.

“Am I in heaven? Afterlife?? Purgatory???”

Suddenly, she saw a reflection, at the side of the room a large mirror stood.

Camilia rushed to the mirror and what she saw made her fall to the ground.

Her heart thundered, her breath quickened.

“NO..NO..NO, this can’t be real” Camilia said.

She stood up and looked at the mirror again to be sure that she was not just hallucinating.

“Ahh!!” Camilia let out a loud scream her hand touching her face.

Immediately a middle-aged blonde woman ran into the room and got on her knees. Her messy hair and tired look showed that she didn’t get enough sleep. And her stained apron looked like she had just left the kitchen.

“I did everything you asked for miss. I cleaned your room just the way you like it and did not wake you up in the process. I have also made sure that breakfast is ready and set in the dinning for you.” She said, her head bowed as she avoided eye contact.

Camilia stared at the shaken woman before her.

“Who are you? Where am I?”

The maid held onto Camilia’s leg, tears streaming down her face.

“Please miss don’t fire me, I beg of you. I-I-I have three kids and my husband is late, I am just a poor widow. There is no one to help me, if I lose this job how will I care for my kids?? pay their tuition and the house rent ? Please have mercy on me” she sobbed.

“I don’t understand what’s going on here” Camilia said attempting to release the woman’s grip on her leg.

Before Camilia could utter another word, a young maid entered the room, her plumb figure and smooth face showed that she was just in her early twenties.She also went on her knees, her head to the ground facing downwards.

“I am sorry for not knocking but Mr. Donatello ordered me to call you. He said he wants you now.” She said.

“Who???” Camilia asked, her eyebrow raised.

“Your fiancé, Miss Katherine” she replied her head still bowed.

Camilia stared at the mirror for the third time and then she remembered the face before her. She had seen her just once, at a dinner event she attended with Anthony.

Katherine stood side by side and even crossed arms with the man she despised the most, Donatello.

Camilia cloud not quite pinpoint one thing she hated about Donatello, maybe it was because she hated everything about him, his guts, his large ego…He had always been like even at a young age.

Camilia recalled getting bullied on different occasions at school only to find out that Donatello was behind it.As if that was not enough, they were in the same class throughout most of their school years.Even now at a grown age he still competes with Anthony at everything. He became a rival and posed as a threat to her family.

Here she was, with Katherine’s face but not just only her face but her body too.

“How is this possible?? How...” Camilia murmured to herself. She had died, how was she alive and in another person’s body?

“Donatello” she frowned.

“He must have done something to me, that scum” she gritted her teeth, her brows furrowed.

“Take me to him now!!” she yelled.

The two maids quickly jumped to their feet and led Camilia to Donatello’s room.

Donatello sat on a soft cushioned sofa, positioned just beside his massive bed. He crossed his legs as he scrolled through a document he held, reading every content.

The maids led Camilia to the entrance of the room and ran off immediately. Camilia stormed into Donatello's room, her eyes full of disgust.

“Didn't your parents teach you not to enter a room without knocking?” He said with his eyes still fixed on the document.” It's basic courtesy but I'm sure you wouldn't know that”.

Camilia scoffed.

She felt like plucking out his two eyes and feeding them to him. Camelia knew Donatello was aware that she was an orphan, and Rosita was the only family she had, yet here he was, using it against her.

“Look who's talking. I'm sure your parents regret having you. They should have aborted you when they had the chance, or even better, dumped you in the bin”. Camelia leaned in, her hands crossed.

Donatello was stunned. This was the first time Katherine ever talked back at him. She had always clung to him like a parasite. He raised his head, now looking face to face with Camilia.

“What did you do to me?” Camilia asked. Donatello tilted his head and smirked

Donatello tilted his head and smirked.

“ I wouldn't touch you even if I was paid to do so”.

Camilia fumed “Do you think this is a joke huh...you monster!!” she yelled gripping the collar of his shirt.

Donatello stood up instantly, he loosened Camilia’s grip and threw her to the ground.

“I see you’ve lost your train of thoughts. How is it my fault that you choose to drink yourself to stupor last night? I only pushed you, you are lucky I didn’t kill you”

Camilia winced, “Is he trying to say he doesn’t know I’m Camilia.” ‘No, I don’t trust this devil’ she thought to herself.

She got up and charged towards Donatello but came to a halt at the sound of the document hitting a side table by the couch.

“Sign it” Donatello said, his hands in his pocket.

Camilia glanced at the document then back at him with a glare.

“What sly game are you playing?” she said.

“Don’t you understand plain English?? Do I have to speak in Spanish… uhh senora?” Donatello whispered.

Camilia picked up the document, flipping through the pages she gagged.

“What is this?” she asked raising the folder above her head.

“Exactly what you think it is” Donatello said smiling.

But Camilia could see something else…disgust and danger all wrapped up in his ocean blue eyes. His raven black hair was well groomed to perfection just above those eyes. His well pointed nose and rosey lips stood out the most . He had the build of a warrior, the face of a god and the height of celebrity model, his intellect too was extremely sharp like that of Einstein.

No wonder he caught the attention of people everywhere he went, especially the attention of women and ladies, ‘But…’ she thought to herself, ‘…of what use is all these features if they were owned by a monster.’

Well guess is not entirely wasted, even the devil is said to be the most beautiful right?

“I am not marrying you.” She spat.

“Feisty… I see” Donatello replied, “If I recall correctly, you have been the one chasing after me all these years using the excuse that we are betrothed to make people know you have a sort of claim to me?... Hmmm. I am only doing this because of my parents.” He said.

Donatello stepped forward and stood in front of Camilia.

“Whats’s wrong Katherine? Don’t tell me you have changed your mind.” He frowned.

“No one is capable of loving someone like you, you are despicable.” Camilia said through gritted teeth.

“True true, I agree” Donatello said heading towards the open window, “…but I don’t need people to love me, I need people to fear me and bow at the mere mention of my name.”

Leaning on the wall, he turned and faced Camilia.

“After a year of our marriage we will get a divorce, you will get 25% of my wealth and leave my life for good. I never want to see your face ever again.”

“Rest assured, you won’t have to wait a year of marriage for that. You won’t see my face again cause I’m leaving now” she said tossing the contract on the table.

“I am not signing anything.”

Camilia wondered how Katherine had lived with a ruthless being like him. He did not even like Katherine.

“Are you trying to paint me as the villain here, make me lose face in front of my parents? Well… that’s not possible, you will sign it.”

Camilia was about to leave his room when Donatello called in two of his men.

“Raphael, Leo…”

Two hefty men entered the room and chorused “Yes Boss”

“Take her to her room and lock her up. Maybe that would knock some senses back into her.”

The two men bowed and held Katherine’s arms. Camilia kicked,fought and scratched but it was all to no avail as she was no match for the them.

“You monster… I hate you and I will never marry you.” She yelled as she was being dragged out of his room.

Donatello stared at the window laughing.

“We will see about that.” he said.

A ringing sound caught his attention and pulled him out of his thoughts. He picked up the call, bringing his phone close to his ear.

“WHAT?!?!?!” he yelled. His phone came crashing to the ground.

His breath caught , he gasped.

Donatello could not believe what he had just heard.

“This can’t happen to me; I won’t let it” Camilia declared pacing round the room.

She had spent days locked up in a cell by Anthony, she was not going to let that happen again.

“How dear you??Open this door!!!” she yelled, banging on the door, her tone intense.

“Please… I am not Katherine, you have the wrong person” she voiced.

Seeing they were not going to open the door, Camilia dragged her feet to the end of the bed. She sat on the soft fluffy rug, leaning her back on the bed stand. Her lips quivered, she bowed her head, wrapping her arms around her now slender body. Her long coffee brown hair covered her face and legs.

Camilia bit her bottom lips, sobbing as tears rolled down her slightly red cheeks. Katherine’s dove like eyes and healthy glamorous skin commanded attention wherever she went. Unfortunately, she ended up with a man who did not even care about her.

“What will I do?” Camilia murmured. “I can’t go back to Anthony and Rosita because they won’t believe me. They will think it’s just another plan by Donatello to bring them down unless I have proof.”

Camilia raised her head and wiped her tears with her palms. “Yes, proof, I have to get them proof that shows that I am Camilia , only then will they truly believe me.”

“Donatello definitely has a hand in this for all I know he has a hand in my framing.” Camilia frowned as she narrowed her eyes

“If marriage is what he wants, that’s what he’ll get” Camilia mouthed as she got up to her feet

“I’ll play the role of dear ol’Katherine and make sure I pull him down” Camilia fumed.

She walked to the door and knocked on it quietly “ I am ready to sign the contract, I will do anything he wants, just get me out of here”

Immediately a click sound was heard and the door knob turned. The door flung open, Camilia stepped backwards and in front of her stood Leo. Hid face calm and calculative. He bowed his head and stepped to the side.

Camilia scoffed and made her way to Donatello’s room.

Rapheal stood at the side of the door, his hands crossed and in them was a document.

“You can’t go in” Raphael said as Camilia was about to pull the door handle.

“Why??? I am here to sign the contract he so badly wants.” Camilia responded.

Raphael handed Camilia the marriage contract and a pen, “He ordered that no one be let in Miss”

Camilia clenched her fist, she snatched the contract and signed it, ‘K,’ after signing she gave it back to him.

Just as she was about to leave, she heard a loud crash, and a shattering sound from Donatello’s room.

“I hope that was the sound of him dying” she said smiling as she hummed away.

Pieces of broken glass was scattered on the ground. Sand and flowers from the ceramic flower pots littered everywhere, spilled wine and shattered bottles filled the whole space.

Donatello sat at a corner in the room, his legs were straight and pointed forward.

He turned his head to stare at a picture in his left hand. He swallowed hard, his chest tightened,breath quickened and his lips trembled. Donatello picked up a piece of glass from the floor with his right hand, he tightened the hand to form a fist.

He winced as the glass cut deep into his palm. Blood flowed from his hands to the floor.

“You will pay for this” Donatello said, his voice almost inaudible “I will strip you of everything you have until you are left with nothing. I will make you miserable and you will crawl to me begging for mercy.”