CHAPTER 2

My heart was thudding loudly as I stepped back into the empty mansion. Surprisingly, the door clicked open when I pushed.

It's been three years since I last stepped foot here. The room still smelt like ash and his cologne, and for a moment, the scent tempts me to breathe it in but I restrain myself. Everything in here screams Derrick: the expensive looking clock, the paintings, the awards and certificates decorating the walls…

A gut-punching feeling hit me as I remembered the happy life we used to have. Well, that I thought we had.

I sniffed back my tears and walked forward. I only came here for my daughter, Rose —the sweet daughter I bore for Derrick before I went to prison.

I didn't see her at the wedding, that means she must be here, right? Would she still remember me?

I would take her away from here to a place where Derrick would never find us. A place where nobody knew my name or my story or my shame.

This horror of a marriage was over.

“Rose?” I called out softly.

I was about to step into the bedroom when the full volume of the television caught my attention. My eyes were drawn to the images displayed on the large screen. The pixels unblurred, and I realized what was currently playing was... me.

The wedding I had been dragged out of, my husband's wedding, was trending mostly because I dared to point a gun at the golden girl of the people, the actress they worshipped.

The woman is now married to my husband.

Comments flooded the bottom of the screen in an endless stream. People who didn’t know me but hated me anyway were typing cruel words.

[She deserves to be taken back to prison for ruining this event!]

[How dare she take a gun to the wedding? She's a thug!]

[She’s always been a snake. Now the world knows it!]

[Stealing from her own father-in-law and still acting bold? Fucked up bitch!]

I ran my fingers through my disheveled waves, sticky from sweat.

I sank onto the couch and clutched the hem of my dress so tightly that my knuckles turned pale. My throat felt raw, and my heart was torn between anger and sorrow.

For a brief moment, I let myself sink into memory, into the cruel twist of fate that had brought me here.

I remembered the night Derrick came to me, his face pale as his body trembled like a boy who was caught stealing toys from his father’s basement. The only difference was that what he stole wasn’t sugar.

It was millions.

“Clara.” He’d whispered. “You have to help me. You’re the only one I can trust.”

I’d just given birth to Rose then.

He stood at the edge of the bed with desperation in his eyes. And though every instinct told me something was wrong, my foolish, loyal heart beat only for him.

“What is it, Derrick?” I’d asked, cradling our newborn, as exhaustion took over me.

“I took money.” He'd confessed. “I had to. Father wouldn’t listen. He doesn’t believe in me or my ideas. He treats me like I’m nothing compared to my brother. But I have a plan, Clara, I swear it. There's an investment that will change everything.”

After a brief silence, he continued. “I’ll triple the money. But if he finds out.. if he knows I took it.. he’ll strip me of everything. He’ll give the company to my brother. And I can’t lose it. I can’t lose my birthright.”

He sank to his knees beside me and grabbed my hands.

“Please. Please, Clara. Take the blame. If it comes out, let it fall on you. He already hates you, doesn’t he? He never wanted me to marry you because you’re the adopted daughter of his rival. He’ll believe it was you. He’ll arrest you, yes, but I’ll fix it. I’ll find a way to clear you. Just—please—don’t let him see me as a thief. Don’t let him take everything from me.”

I saw the man I loved, broken and terrified of the consequences of his actions.

I didn’t see manipulation. I didn't see how it made no sense for a man to claim to love me yet want me to take a fall just weeks after I had given birth.

So I agreed.

And his father didn’t hesitate. He ordered my arrest like he had been waiting for this chance.

And through it all, I told myself it was worth it. That Derrick would protect me.

How blind I was.

A sob rose in my throat, but I swallowed it down. I dragged myself off the couch to get some water. I was desperate for something to wash away what I felt.

The kitchen felt like it was miles away, and I staggered, trying to hold myself together as I moved.

And soon enough, I heard a sound.

It sounded similar to a cry.

..Right?

At first, I thought it was my imagination. Maybe the pain of the heartache and betrayal I’d felt in my chest was getting to me.

But no—it was real. I moved closer and found out it was a faint sound coming from the room at the end of the hallway —quiet muffled sobs.

I stopped in my tracks as my heart sped up.

Curiosity pushed me forward, even though every muscle in my body and all my instincts screamed at me to turn back.

My bare feet moved silently over the tiles, and my fingers were trembling as I reached the door. I pressed my ear against the cool wood and waited.

My body jumps back as a loud bang echoes through the room, whipping my body around. I take a step backwards.

But it's too late. The door slowly crept open, causing my eyes to widen at the sight before me.

CHAPTER 3

My breath caught in my throat, the sight before me nearly ripped my soul apart.

A little girl curled up on the edge of the bed, her tiny fists scrubbing at her wet cheeks; beside her lay a broken lamp. But it wasn’t her tears that froze me—it was her eyes.

Those round brown eyes, framed with long lashes, were mine.

Her straight nose looked so much like Derrick's that I didn’t need anyone to confirm what my heart already screamed.

This was my baby.

The reason why I came back to this damned apartment.

“Rose..” My lips formed around her name.

That was the same name I had whispered against her soft hair when she was only hours old.

I still remember it after three years.

Her head jerked up in confusion as she blinked at me.

“Rose. It’s me.”

Her tiny mouth parted. And then she asked the question that shattered me.

“Who are you?”

The words struck harder than anything could. My knees went weak, but I forced myself to stay upright and kept my gaze steady on her.

“I’m your mother.”

I paused.

“I’m your mother, Rose.”

Rose's face instantly crumpled into anger.

“No, you’re not!” She yelled, her small fists tightening against the sheets. “You can’t be! My parents are getting married today! And you know what’s funny? They didn’t even let me go. They locked me in here!”

Her little voice broke on the last word, and tears welled again in her eyes.

I froze, pain spiking upwards. Derrick had promised to tell my daughter about me, but now, not only had he lied to her, but he caged her, too?

Had my baby been treated like an inconvenience on the very day her father was marrying another woman?

“Rose..” I whispered, sinking onto the edge of the bed.

My hands trembled as I reached for her. “I’m so sorry. I’m so, so sorry, honey.”

Tears burn my eyes, but this time I let them flow.

For a moment, she stared at me with scrutiny. Then slowly, she leaned into me. Her tiny body trembled as she buried her face into my dress.

“They don’t deserve you,” I murmured into her hair.

I’ll never let anyone hurt you again.

Before I could say more, her stomach growled loudly. She blinked in embarrassment, and I smiled faintly.

“Come,” I said, brushing her cheek. “Let me make you something. You must be hungry.”

We sat in the living room a short while later with two milkshakes that I had prepared.

Rose held her cup tightly with both hands and sipped eagerly, her eyes watching me over the rim of the cup.

“But really, who are you?” She asked again.

I sighed. “I told you, Rose. I’m your mother. The one who held you when you were born. The one who—”

But I didn’t get to finish.

The sound of footsteps echoed from the hallway, and my body stiffened as I turned to see Derrick.

He was standing tall with a cold expression plastered across his face as he took in the scene in front of him.

There's a bloodied bandage wrapped around his forehead.

Behind him was Florida.

Her eyes locked onto me, and her face turned bright red.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing here?” She shrieked. Her voice was so sharp it made Rose flinch. “Stop feeding my daughter lies!”

Lies?

Her daughter?

The words sent fire through me, and I rose immediately. My hands were shaking so much that my milkshake glass slipped from my grip and shattered across the floor.

“Your daughter?”

I tried to cool my temper.

“Don’t you dare. Rose is mine. She is my child!”

Florida’s mouth twisted into a smirk. “You’re pathetic. Even in your delusion, you cling to a child who doesn’t even know you?”

Rose’s wide eyes darted between all of us in confusion.

“W-what are you talking about?” She asked in a trembling voice.

I turned to her, desperate that she believed me. “Rose, listen to me. I am your mother. I gave birth to you. I—”

But Derrick cut me off instantly. His voice was cold as he bent down to her eye level.

“Rose.. don’t listen to her. She’s not well. She... she’s a sick woman who claims things that aren’t true. She’s not your mother, Florida is.”

Rose’s little face twisted into fear. “She’s lying?”

“Yes,” Derrick said firmly, his hand stroking her hair. “Florida is your real mother. That woman... she’s just a lunatic.”

The word stabbed through me. Rose’s gaze turned to me in fear before she ran into Florida’s waiting arms.

Florida smirked and patted Rose's back. “Come, darling. Don’t let that crazy woman upset you anymore.”

Soon enough, she disappeared with Rose into one of the rooms.

Now, it was just Derrick and me.

For a long time, no one talked until I asked the question that had been eating at me since I walked out of prison.

“Why?”

His mouth opened, closed, then opened again, searching for excuses. But he couldn't find any.

In the end, he just said. “You know why. My father never supported us. He would rather see me dead than married to you.”

My lips parted, a bitter laugh escaping. “That’s your excuse? That’s why you let me rot in prison? That's why you erased me from my own child’s life? That's why you didn't tell her about me?”

His jaw tightened, but he didn’t answer. He just reached into his pocket and pulled out a cheque book, then scribbled quickly and tore out a page, giving it to me.

“Take this.” He said. “5 million. Enough for you to start over. Leave Rose and me alone. You’ve suffered enough, don’t make it worse for yourself.”

I stared at the cheque in disbelief, before bursting into a crazed laugh.

“You really think money can fix this?” I hissed and stepped closer to him. “I built my own company before you destroyed me, so I don't need your money. All I need is my daughter.”

“Clara—”

“No.” I jabbed a finger at him, trembling with rage. “I will get her back. Do you hear me, Derrick? You can try to poison her mind, but she’s mine. And I will fight for her with every breath I have left.”

His eyes narrowed. “You don’t have the means.”

“I don't care if I have to burn in hell or sell my soul to the fucking devil, but you will pay.” I grit my teeth.

“Mark my words, you will pay,” I growl, shoving him aside as I strut out with one thing in mind.

I need to rip Derrick apart.

I need to get my business in line.

CHAPTER 4

My chest tightened as I walked through the glass doors of my company the next day. I had been gone for three years, while I left the company in Derrick's hands.

My name was still emblazoned across the wall in bold gold letters. It was my father’s legacy, the only thing I had left of him.

But the moment I walked into the lobby, I knew something wasn’t right. The receptionists wouldn’t even meet my eyes.

And once I got into my office, I saw some men in black suits waiting for me.

“Mrs. Clara.” One of the men said as they rose from the couch.

I frowned. “And you are?”

They exchanged glances, then handed me a leather folder. “We are representatives from Merry Loans, and we're here to discuss repayment.”

“Repayment?” The word tasted bitter on my tongue. I hadn’t borrowed a dime in my life.

So what was going on?

When I opened the folder, my heart stopped in my chest as I saw the outrageous numbers scrawled across the papers.

It was the type of loan that would bleed a company dry.

And at the bottom was my company’s name.

“This..” I whispered. “This... this isn’t possible. I didn’t sign this.”

They exchanged glances.

“Oh, but your husband did.” The taller man said smoothly. “Derrick Anthony applied for a loan, using your company as collateral. And now, madam, the debt falls on you.”

I felt the world spin as my knees threatened to buckle.

Derrick. Always Derrick.

How could he do such cruel things to me? Was this what he meant by I don't have the means?

“How much time do I have?” I asked. My voice was steady, even though my hands trembled against the folder.

“Three weeks.” The shorter man replied. “Either you pay, or the company is ours.”

Three weeks?

What the hell?

I had just three weeks to save a company worth generations of sweat and sacrifice?

I could almost hear my father’s voice telling me never to let the Laurent name fall into ruin. And yet Derrick had dragged it into the mud, just as he had done to me.

When the men left, I collapsed into the nearest chair. My fingers pressed into my temples as a massive headache ripped through my skull.

I flipped the items in the mahogany desk in front of me and pressed deeper into my forehead.

I..

..I will not cry.

||

That evening, I found myself standing before my parents’ graves in the rain. My hair clung to my face, my dress was soaked through, but I didn’t move.

Instead, I knelt in the mud, my tears mixing with the rain. “Father.. Mother.. I don’t know what to do anymore.”

I continued sobbing. “I gave him everything. And now, he wants to take even the only thing you left me. Tell me, how do I fight this? How do I win?”

I don't think I can do this. Why did you both leave me, huh? My breath hangs as I hiccup with tears rolling down my face profusely.

At some point, exhaustion descended on me, and I didn't know when sleep came.

I woke up with my cheek pressed to the muddy ground. I’d slept off on the sand.

I groaned as I tried to stand up, and that's when my phone rang.

It was an unknown caller ID.

“I know what Derrick did. And I can help you.” A distorted voice booms from the other end immediately after I accepted the call.

My breath caught as I quickly sat up. “Who are you?”

“Meet me, and you’ll find out.” The voice said and hung up. A message came in a few minutes later.

It was an address.

||

The address led me to a secluded villa.

When I rang the doorbell, I froze as I stepped into a scene I wasn’t prepared for.

I should have waited.

A man and a woman were tangled in sheets, gasping in ecstasy. The man’s face was hidden behind a black mask, and when he noticed me, his movements stopped.

“Leave.” He ordered the woman.

She quickly gathered her clothes and left, leaving me alone with him.

Clearing my throat, I crossed my arms. “Who are you? And what do you want with me?”

He rose from the bed and put on a robe. His mask concealed everything except his lips, which were currently smirking at me.

“What I want..” He drawled, “..Is to help you.”

I scoffed. “Help me? And what do you want in return? My body? My soul?”

“You think so little of yourself.” He murmured, stepping closer. “I already have more power than you realize. If I wanted your body, I would take it.”

I took a cautious step backwards. “What is it?”

There was silence, and then, he slowly removed his mask.

My blood ran cold immediately.

“Spencer..”

He smirked. “Hello, Clara.”

It was like seeing a ghost. Spencer Anthony—the rebellious son of the Anthony family and Derrick's twin was standing in front of me whilst the world believed he was dead.

My heart hammered loudly. Spencer was my first love. He was the one I was supposed to marry, but he suddenly broke up with me and got involved in an embezzlement scandal.

For years, I believed he was dead and gone.

“You.. you’re supposed to be—”

“Dead?” His laugh was bitter. “That’s what Derrick wanted. That’s what he made everyone believe.”

I staggered back, confused.

“Derrick framed me for the drug dealing,” Spencer said. “He painted me as the disgraceful son so he could rise in Father’s eyes. And when I went to prison, he sent someone to kill me. But fate wasn’t on his side. That man owed me his life, and instead of ending me, he faked my death.”

He leaned close, his eyes burning into mine. “And now, the time has come.”

He tucked a handful of my hair behind my ear. “..To make him pay. Gravely.”

It suddenly dawned on me that these were the same eyes I’d seen the cathedral.

“You were at the church.”

“Yeah, not a bright move you did there. But at least I got to see his blood.” He shrugs, his lips tilting into a wicked smirk.

I swallowed hard. “So you want revenge.”

“I want justice.” Hd corrected. “I’ll destroy Derrick. I’ll strip him of everything he ever stole, just as he did to me. And you, Clara.. you’ll have your daughter, your company back, and your life back.”

I stared at him, my thoughts spinning.

“Clara..” He came closer. “These aren't just empty words. I'm now the CEO of Debris

Consortium. And I also own Merry Loans, which means I can cancel your debt.”

“What do you want in return?”

This sounded too good to be true.

His lips curved as his hands went round my waist. “You.”

My chest clenched, and I pushed him away. “Never. I will never go back to the man who tossed me away like trash,”

Spencer smiled. “Merge your company with mine. I’ll erase the debt. Together, we’ll rise above Derrick, and the courts will have no choice but to see you as the rightful guardian of Rose.”

My heart twisted. Was this salvation or another trap?

I drew a sharp breath and met his gaze. “If you betray me again, Spencer, I swear—I’ll be the one to bury you.”

His smirk deepened.

“I.. I would never.”