Nichole's POV

All eyes fell on me, and I jolted back in my seat, the chair scraping against the floor as I stood up. Why was everyone staring at me?

"I didn't do anything!" I stammered.

My mother-in-law slammed her hand against the table as she stood. "I know you're jealous of the relationship between Lydia and Blake, but this is too much. How could you be so evil?"

"What?" My eyes widened in disbelief as I turned to Blake for support, but he just gave me a disgusted look.

"Baby, are you okay?" he asked, digging his hand into his pocket and pulling out a handkerchief to wipe the trail of blood slipping from the side of Lydia's mouth. She gave him a slight nod.

"Baby?" I mumbled under my breath, my throat suddenly dry. "You guys are together, aren't you?"

I noticed the way Blake's shoulders stiffened before his hand tightened around Lydia's, still refusing to spare me a single glance.

"Are you okay? Does your body hurt? I promise I'll go get the doctor," he said softly, his tone breaking my heart.

There was no longer any need to hide it. The man I loved was with another woman, shamelessly flaunting her in my face. Seeing how everyone was fawning over Lydia made me realize that, even though I was legally his wife, I was the outsider.

Three years... all for nothing.

My hand slowly moved to the satin cloth adorning the table. I'd bought it a year after we got married-a foolish attempt to make our home beautiful. It reminded me of all my years of stupidity and blind devotion.

Anger coursed through my veins. I grunted, pulling hard at the tablecloth. The sound of shattering plates echoed through the room, and everyone turned to me in shock.

Blake quickly shielded Lydia with his body, and honestly, I didn't care if he got hurt. He hurt me first.

Blake marched up to me, his footsteps heavy with fury. He was truly angry-angrier than I had ever seen him. Fear clawed at my skin, but I forced myself to remain calm.

Like a flash of lightning, a sharp slap filled the room, the force of it sending my head sideways.

My cheek burned as tears filled my eyes. He had hit me... because of her.

My body trembled as I struggled to catch my breath. Slowly, I pressed a hand to my throbbing cheek and turned to him, disbelief evident in my eyes.

Seeing him now made me realize I probably never knew him at all. I'd been blinded by my desperation to be loved by him, unable to see or accept his flaws. I'd painted a picture in my head, deluded myself with the idea of love, when in reality, I had been living in bondage.

"How dare you do that to Lydia! First, you've been acting up, and now you try to kill her? Don't you have any shame, Nichole? How could you be so cruel?"

Even now, he blamed me for everything. Was he always this manipulative, or was I just foolish?

With a grunt I launched my palm against his face and the whole room became silentsilent with shock.

"Lydia! Lydia! Lydia! Why the hell is she so important to you?" I choked on my words, my throat tight with emotion.

"I am your wife, for God's sake!" I yelled, my voice shaking the room.

"How dare you raise your hand on me, you bitch?" Blake growled. He grabbed a chunk of my hair, forcing me to meet his furious gaze. "My mom was right. I've indulged you too much."

His face tightened as he tossed me aside, treating me like trash.

I crashed against the table, the sharp edge digging into my stomach. Groaning in pain, I clutched my abdomen as a wave of dizziness washed over me. My knees buckled, and I collapsed onto the floor.

Clutching my stomach, I gritted my teeth as tears poured from my eyes.

"My baby," I whispered, the words echoing in my head like a prayer. I had lost everything-but God, please, not my baby.

"No," I muttered, shaking my head in denial as I noticed the dampness spreading between my legs.

I couldn't lose my baby.

Ring! Ring! Ring!

My phone rang. My head turned sluggishly toward the sound, and a flicker of hope ignited in my chest when I saw the name flashing on the screen. My phone was just a few inches away-all I had to do was reach it.

"Dad," I whimpered, my voice weak as I reached out.

"Argh!" I cried out when Blake's foot pressed down on my hand, crushing my fingers.

My body drained of energy as I panted heavily. "Blake..."

Blake scoffed, picking up my phone from the floor. He turned to his mother with a chuckle.

"Look who's calling. It's her dad," he sneered.

"I told you this wench was nothing but a gold digger," his mother spat with disgust. "All she wanted was your money. Pretending to be an orphan was just a ploy to gain your sympathy. Thank God you've come to your senses and decided to be with Lydia. She's the perfect match for you."

I shook my head weakly, tears streaming down my face. "Blake, about my parents-it's not what you think..."

"Shut the hell up, you liar!" Blake snapped, pressing his foot harder against my hand.

I screamed in pain as he arched a brow with a smirk. He pressed the answer button on my phone.

"Let's see what Daddy has to say."

Jennifer's frantic voice rang through the line, and my eyes widened in shock. Why was she answering my dad's phone?

"My God, Nichole, where are you? Uncle's condition has worsened! You need to get here right now. He only has three hours left to live..."

Jennifer's voice cut off abruptly as Blake smashed my phone to the floor. Hope drained from me as I wiggled my fingers under his foot, desperately trying to break free.

"No, Dad," I whispered.

"Blake, please," I begged, my voice trembling. "I promise I'll explain everything, but I need to see my dad..."

Blake scoffed. "After hurting Lydia, do you think I'll let you off that easily?"

He pulled me up from the floor just as the door burst open, and police officers swarmed into the room.

The supposedly injured Lydia, who moments ago looked as if she might pass out, sprang to her feet and rushed toward them.

"Finally, you're here! Arrest her! She tried to kill me," Lydia said, smirking as she pointed at me.

I was too exhausted to fight. I needed to see my dad.

I grabbed Blake's hand, tears streaming down my face as I pleaded. "Blake, please... for everything we shared over the past few years... help me." My voice cracked, my body shaking while blake stared at me with an unreaable expression.

Nichole's POV

The door to my cell creaked open, and I saw Blake stride inside with his handbag, Lydia, curled up against his body like the snake she was.

"What do you want?" I frowned, not wanting to stare at their betrayal.

A paper flapped through the air until it was staring straight into my face.

My eyes narrowed, and then it dropped. "Divorce?" I mumbled in disbelief.

"Of course he's going to divorce you," Lydia clicked her tongue. "Blake is a very important man in society, and you, a lowlife, will only drag his name through the mud. Not to mention now that you're an ex-convict."

"Ex-convict?" I sprang to my feet with so much force that Lydia shrank back against Blake."will I be here if you didn't falsely arrest me."

"Nichole, watch yourself before you do something stupid. This doesn't have to be overdramatic. Just sign it peacefully." Blake frowned blocked my path.

Anger spun in my head, but I forced a smile, snatching the paper.

"Fine." I frowned.

When I was done, I passed it over to Blake, who smiled with satisfaction.

"You and I have nothing to do with each other.Now Let me go. I have to leave."

Blake arched a brow. "Leave? That's not possible. You stay here and cool off." He then moved further to nudge Lydia's arm.

"Let's go, babe."

"No!" I shook my head, running after them, but the bars slid shut as the officers held me back.

"Blake, you bastard!" I screamed.

*******

I stared into space, emotionless. The air was cold and dry. I didn't know how long I had been in the cell, but it didn't matter. All I did was clutch my stomach, dread filling my eyes.

Because of the Hamilton influence, I was locked up without any concrete evidence. And Blake...

Anger pooled in my chest as his face formed before my eyes.

Footsteps approached, and my head slowly whipped toward the direction of the sound. That's when I saw him-Adrian Gonzalez, my ex-fiancé. The man I had rebelliously broken off my engagement with because I didn't want to be controlled by my family.

I turned my face away before his eyes could meet mine. If he had come to gloat at my failure, I was not going to give him the satisfaction.

Even if he had come to mock me, it was expected-I had really fallen from grace.

"Open this cell at once. Do you know who you've just detained?" Adrian's harsh tone barked across the room, and I heard the guards scrambling to get the keys.

"Yes, Mr. Adrian. Please forgive my foolishness."

Adrian was one of the most powerful men in Orion Heights, also known as the City of Elites. His steps were heavy as he marched hurriedly over to where I was. My gaze was still fixed on the wall because I couldn't bear to look at him. He stopped right in front of me.

"What do you want? Have you come to mock me?" I asked coldly.

A sigh escaped his lips, and he crouched down on his knees. I shifted uncomfortably, finally turning my gaze to him.

"Nichole, I finally found you." His eyes held a subtle hint of emotion, which was strange. The man I remembered was cold and aloof-part of the reason I had broken the engagement. I didn't want to be shackled to a robot.

His hand pressed on mine, his face tight. "Even if you hated me so much, why did you have to hide from me?"

"Adrian, I..." I swallowed hard, forcing myself to speak, but Adrian cut me off.

"It's fine. You don't have to say anything." His hand brushed over my palm, sending a wave of comfort down my spine.

"I know how much you've suffered. It's my fault for not finding you sooner. But now, I can bring you back home."

Home? The word echoed in my head.

"Where's my dad?" I asked, bracing myself for the worst.

Adrian's face fell, and slowly, he shook his head. I let out a scoff, my eyes filling with tears, teeth clenched tightly. For three whole years, I hadn't visited my father, fearing he'd keep me away from the monster who betrayed me and made me suffer so much.

"I'll kill him," I mumbled under my breath, my chest heaving.

I chuckled as tears pricked the corners of my eyes. My head tilted to the side.

"No." I shook my head in denial. "Death is too good for him. I'll strip him of everything he holds dear. I'll crumble his empire. I'll be Blake Hamilton's worst nightmare. I will have my revenge on those who hurt me."

One Week Later

"Miss Valmont, it's time. Everyone is waiting for you at the banquet," Thomson, my butler, informed me. I nodded, turning back to the mirror.

It had been a week since I returned to my family. My father had been buried, and my mother didn't want to see me.

Who could blame her? I had been an unfilial, selfish daughter.

My father was the chairman of the Valmont Empire, the greatest conglomerate in Orion Heights. As his heir, everything he owned now belonged to me.

I grabbed the envelope from the table, passing it to Thomson.

"Hold this for me. I'll need it tonight," I murmured, and together, we left the room.

The door to the hall flung open, and I stepped inside. My eyes scanned the room, searching for my targets-Blake and Lydia. Oh, what a wonderful plan I had for them.

I collided against someone and looked up. Fate was truly on my side tonight.

The person before me was none other than Blake, and the woman next to him-Lydia.

"Hey, Nichole. It's good to see you again," Lydia's tiny voice chirped.

I crossed my arms over my chest. "Isn't it? Our last meeting wasn't exactly friendly."

Blake grabbed my arm. "What are you doing here? How did you get out of your cage?" he scoffed. "If you're here to make things hard for me, you better leave, or I'll teach you a lesson."

"Hard?" I smirked, raising a brow.

"Nichole, please leave. This place is not meant for liars like you. And in case you didn't know, Blake has an important multimillion-dollar business contract to sign with the heiress of the Valmont Empire. Please leave."

"Indeed, he does," I scoffed.

"Get your hands off my woman before I break them. You've already done enough," Adrian's voice cut through the room, and Blake unconsciously let go of my hand.

Who wouldn't? Adrian had quite the reputation.

"Mr. Gonzalez..." Blake almost stuttered in shock.

Ignoring him, Adrian turned to me. "Are you okay? Doesn't your hand hurt?" He planted a smooth kiss on my palm.

I pushed closer to Adrian, and he wrapped his arm around my shoulders. "I'm fine, babe."

"Babe?Nichole, who is this man to you?" Blake's eyes widened in shock.

I turned to Adrian with a smile. "Isn't it obvious? He's my boyfriend."

"What?" Both Lydia and Blake chorused.

"Nichole, you..." Blake started, but I snapped, cutting him off.

"What? You get to date someone else, but I can't? What a hypocrite."

"So, this entire time, you've been cheating on me? That's the only explanation since you've been in prison!"

The words made my blood boil. Without thinking, I grabbed a cocktail from one of the waitresses and threw it in his face. Lydia gasped, drawing everyone's attention to us.

"Slander my name again, and I'll teach you a lesson you'll never forget," I smirked. "That is, if you survive what I have planned for you tonight."

Blake and Lydia looked confused, trying to piece my words together. Then the microphone came on, and everyone's attention shifted to the podium.

"Everyone, it's a-" Thomson's voice faded as Adrian leaned in, his hand on my waist.

"It's time," he whispered.

The stage lights illuminated me, and all eyes turned in my direction.

"Please welcome the heiress of the Valmont Empire," Thomson announced.

The room erupted in applause, while Blake stumbled back in disbelief.

NICHOLE'S POV

The light flicked on me and I straightened my back, their applause like horns sounding my victory, but nothing prepared me for the look on Blake's face.

He was pale, frozen with shock, his mouth wide open. He couldn't barely process what was staring right in front of him.

The same woman he had discarded like trash was one of the most important people in Orion Heights.

"Nicole, you... Why didn't you tell me?" His voice faltered and so did his eyes.

He could falter all he wanted; that was none of my business.

My fingers gripped the hem of my dress, Adrian's stance moved protectively, his hands firmly placed around my palm.

"Let's go. We shouldn't keep everyone waiting." He flashed me a smile.

I felt a shiver run down my spine. I was unable to wrap my head around the fact that Adrian was acting this way.

Three years ago, he was so different, barely even talked, not to mention smiled.

With him, I felt like I was always walking on thin egg shells, but now I felt comfortable...

I could feel a nudge in my chest just looking at him. I almost felt bad using him like this... Like I said, almost.

He wasn't helping me out of the goodness of his heart, it was only a matter of time before he revealed his real colors and I will be waiting.

I placed my hands against the podium, my breath shallow, flashing the crowd a smile.

I was at the pinnacle of it all.

It was supposed to be a dream come true for most people, but not me. This was a nightmare. Imagine falling back into the flames you escaped, only to find freedom to be normal.

But after what happened, after what they did to me... I would gladly walk through the shadows of death itself just so I could get a chance to give Blair and Lydia a taste of their own medicine.

"Good day everyone, I am Nicole Valmont. The heiress of the Valmont empire." I took a deep breath, feeling the bile rising up inside my throat.

My eyes scanned the hall and I made sure to set my eyes on Blake before I continued.

"As you all know, my father passed on tragically from his illness and we are still mourning his loss. But as his heir, I have officially stepped in as the current CEO of the Valmont empire. With God's grace, I plan to take it to the next level and surpass even the works of my forefathers."

Applause rippled through the crowd, but Blair was stiff. Lydia's eyes darkened as she glared at me, but my composure was tight.

An act I've learned to perfect over the years living with that beast.

As the applause died, I smiled, leaning closer against the mic and then I continued. "As CEO, I will be making my first announcement."

The air was stiff with tension, all eyes were fixed on me. I could feel my own heart beating, but I forced a smile.

Blake's eyes were searching mine. He could feel something was off but couldn't tell what it was.

"The Valmont Empire will no longer be doing business with H. Group." I said with a straight face, not breaking eye contact, not even once.

"Mr. Thompson, please pass Mr. Hamilton his termination contract." My smile brightened. "Blake Williams Hamilton, it was nice doing business with you."

The crack on his calm and collected demeanor deepened, his hand moved up to his chest, his fingers clutching his shirt as he stumbled back. His eyes were wide with disbelief.

Lydia rushed over to hold him but he shrugged her shoulders off, looking at me intensely.

Was he regretting his actions already? Good, because this was just the beginning.

It was going to be a roller coaster with a lot of fun... Since I'm in hell, why don't I take them all with me and then burn everything they have to the ground.

I broke the eye contact because he looked pitiful and disgusting.

I had been a fool to secretly help him secure so many business deals with my family so my so-called perfect family would be better, but what did I get as a reward for my action?

Lies, betrayal, the list just goes on and on.

"You were amazing." Adrian says, with his lips curled up, his hand outstretched to me.

I snapped back into reality, letting my palm slide into his grip as he helped me down.

"Thank you. This wouldn't have been possible without you. If you didn't get me out of that awful place, I would have still been rotting in the depths of that filthy cell."

"Don't worry, I promised to protect you, didn't I? With me here, no one can lay a finger on your head."

I forced a smile and then turned my face away as we made our way through the crowd.

His words felt so meaningless. Maybe if he had done something like this three years ago, I would have been swooning, blushing so hard like a fool, but not this version of Nichole.

If there's one thing I've learned, it's that people-especially men-are unreliable, and the only person who can truly protect me is me.

"Now that you're done, do you want to go home or..."

"Nichole!" Blake's voice groans from behind us and I couldn't help but roll my eyes.

Adrian's eyes flashed with annoyance and he snapped his head towards the direction, but I held his hand.

"Don't worry, I'll handle him. I don't want you to cause a scene." I smiled and then we turned towards Blake and he stared at me for a while before he nodded.

I had a feeling he wanted to argue, but he was holding back.

"Nichole, we need to talk..."

Whack!

My palm connected with his face and he stopped right in his tracks. The sound must have been so hard that it echoed, drawing so much attention.

Then came the hushed whispers.

Loud footsteps clicked through the floors before Lydia pushed through the guests and then rushed to Blake.

She noticed my palm imprint on his face, her teeth dragged against her bottom lip as she turned to me.

"You bitch..."

I didn't give her time to finish. Before she could spit out the nonsense from her mouth, my hand swung in a wide arc.

SMACK

The sound sliced through the silence like a gunshot.

Her head snapped to the side with a red print blooming across her cheek.

She blinked, feeling stunned, with lips parted in disbelief. "You hit me-"

I tilted my hand to look at my palm, my expression devoid of emotions. "I thought it was pretty much obvious."