After stepping out, Gemma took out her phone. She reached out to Plume, a subordinate who once served under her in the Dominion, and sent a message announcing that she would soon return.

Within an hour, the news spread everywhere. The return of Death swept across multinational organizations, the Dominion headquarters, the military command, and many other circles.

Across the world, influential figures in different fields stopped what they were doing. Assistants received immediate instructions to clear schedules.

Everyone prepared to welcome Death's return.

...

At the same time, Brendan couldn't calm the uneasy pounding in his chest. A sense of foreboding lingered in his mind.

Not long after, Brett Yates appeared at the hospital entrance. He was Brendan's bodyguard, the man Brendan had ordered to remain and watch Gemma.

The moment Brendan saw him, he stood up abruptly. "Why did you come here? Didn't I tell you to stay there and keep an eye on Gemma?"

Brett answered without hesitation, "Mr. Edwards, Gemma disappeared."

Brendan's expression shifted instantly. He turned and rushed out.

"Brendan!" Sallie called after him and hurried to follow, but she couldn't catch up.

In a rush of panic, Brendan drove back to the house. The moment he arrived, he spotted Gemma walking out the door.

"Gemma! How dare you! I told you to reflect on your own mistake!"

She asked coldly, "And why should I listen to you?"

The presence around her felt fierce enough to crush anything that stood in its way.

Was this really the same woman he had lived with all these years? The wife who always smiled gently and endured everything without protest?

Shock slowly turned into humiliation, and before he knew it, humiliation had twisted into blinding rage. "Gemma! Stop causing a scene and come home with me."

Brendan still believed nothing had truly changed. In his mind, this was just another outburst from Gemma. He assumed that once her temper cooled, she would return home like always.

Soon enough, she would wake before dawn, prepare his meals, and quietly resume the role of the obedient wife he was used to.

That assumption collapsed the moment he tried to reach for her. Before his hand could even touch her, Gemma knocked it aside.

"Keep your hand off me. You make me sick." Her gaze turned cold as ice. "Brendan, you should thank your father. If it weren't for him, I would never have married you."

During the six years since she left the Dominion and chose to live as an ordinary woman, the people she called family and the man she loved had treated her as though she meant nothing.

Only one person had ever shown her genuine kindness. Xander Edwards. Brendan's father.

Brendan stood there, staring as Gemma walked away.

Ever since she returned to the Elliott family, she had always acted gentle and compliant. Around him, she had been quiet, careful, and eager to please. Never once had she spoken to him like this.

Once the shock faded, a mocking laugh escaped him.

"Interesting, Gemma," he muttered. "So this is the trick you're trying now? Throw a tantrum, then pretend you don't care? You really think this little performance will make me pay attention to you? Go ahead then. Let's see how long you can keep pretending."

...

At the Eighwell Command base, chaos had already taken over the entire compound.

"It's her! Death has returned!"

Inside the command center, people crowded every corner of the room. No one could tear their gaze from the massive screen up front. A single message filled the display.

"I'm back."

The post came from Death.

"Move aside!" Adrian Johnson forced his way through the packed crowd as he cleared a path.

A tall man in military boots stepped forward. Rhys Clarke moved with calm authority, his sharp eyes scanning the room while his presence carried discipline and command. He stopped in front of the screen.

Adrian spoke quickly, unable to hide his excitement. "Mr. Clarke, we've confirmed it. That account belongs to Death. It has been silent for six years. This time... she has really returned."

For a moment, Rhys did not respond. His eyes remained fixed on the location attached to the post. Olnstead.

His jaw tightened slightly. When he finally spoke, his voice turned cold. "Prepare immediately. Locate Death before the self-destruct sequence on those classified files activates."

"Yes, sir!"

Rhys's expression hardened. He pulled a cord from around his wrist. A bullet casing was tied to it.

For six years, he had kept it with him.

Death would soon return.

And the debt between them had waited long enough.

This time, he would not allow her to disappear from his world again.

Gemma hailed a cab and gave the driver the address of the Elliott house.

Since marrying Brendan, she had been living at the Edwards estate. But after tonight, the very thought of facing him again filled her with disgust. Instead of returning there, she chose to go back to the Elliott house.

The taxi stopped outside the gate. Gemma stepped out, walked to the door, and knocked. When the door swung open, the Elliotts poured out-cutting off her path.

Jeremy Elliott, her father, roared, "After what you've done, you still dare to come back here!"

Not a single question came from Jeremy. He showed no concern about what had really happened and no interest in the truth.

How absurd!

For the sake of this family, she once abandoned everything and left the Dominion behind.

Now, the sacrifice seemed pointless-stupid, even.

"Gemma, how could you arrange something like that against your own sister? I never imagined you would become someone like this." Gemma's mother, Averie Elliott, stared at her, distress on her face while the disapproval in her eyes remained clear.

Darwin Elliott and Robert Elliott, Gemma's two brothers, were visibly trembling with anger. They wanted nothing more than to cast her out of the family.

"Go back to your room," Darwin said coldly. "You will stay there until we decide how to deal with this. Leave before we allow it, and you can forget about calling yourself an Elliott ever again."

A short laugh escaped Gemma.

These were the people she once believed were worth giving up everything for.

In the beginning, the feeling inside her had only been disappointment. After enduring humiliation and contempt again and again, even the last trace of affection she once held for them disappeared.

"I'll say this once." Her tone turned cold. "I didn't do that. Sallie was the one behind it. If someone needs to take responsibility for what happened, it's her."

Gemma had just finished speaking when Sallie suddenly cut in, tears spilling down her face.

"Dad, Darwin, Robert, please don't blame Gemma," she said between sobs. "This whole thing is my fault."

Her crying grew heavier as she spoke. "This is on me. I'm the one who caused it. If someone needs to apologize, it should be me. Gemma, I'm sorry."

Darwin spoke immediately. "Sallie, you don't owe anyone an apology. None of this is your fault."

Robert looked ready to explode. "Gemma, stop twisting the truth. Sallie is even taking the fall for you, and you still refuse to admit anything? Are you seriously going to keep blaming her?"

A quiet laugh slipped from Gemma's lips. Watching Sallie's familiar performance unfold again, she stepped closer. "Oh?" she said with clear mockery. "You want to apologize? You want me to forgive you? Then kneel down and beg."

Sallie stared at Gemma with disbelief.

The woman before her no longer looked like the timid Gemma they used to push around.

"That's enough, Gemma!" Darwin shouted angrily. "Sallie already stepped aside and let you have Brendan. What more do you want?"

His voice was laced with undisguised reproach. "They grew up together and were always meant to be together. If Sallie hadn't left the country because she cared about your feelings, do you really think Brendan would've ever married you?"

Gemma laughed again, short and sharp. Her eyes filled with open scorn.

She said slowly, "Sallie refused the arranged marriage, and since the Elliott family needed someone to take her place, you pushed it onto me." Her eyes lifted, sharp and steady. "And now you expect me to be grateful?"

A quiet laugh followed, cold and mocking. "What a pity. I have no interest in Brendan either. Sallie, you can just take him. The two of you are perfectly suited for each other." Her tone dropped even further. "Within the next few days, I will file for divorce."

The words fell, and the air around them turned still.

Everyone in the Elliott family stared at Gemma. Shock spread across their faces.

Had they really heard her correctly?

Was this really Gemma, the same woman who had once loved Brendan deeply?

Gemma pushed past the Elliotts standing in the doorway and went upstairs without another glance.

Long after she disappeared from sight, the Elliotts downstairs still stood frozen, unable to process what they had just heard.

Jeremy frowned deeply, his voice uncertain. "Did she really say that? Did Gemma just say she wants a divorce?"

Averie shook her head in disbelief. "She only came back to this family six years ago, but the whole city knows how obsessed she is with Brendan. I would believe something impossible before I believed she would divorce him."

Darwin adjusted his glasses as a thought crossed his mind. "I see what she's doing."

He spoke with quiet confidence, as if the answer had already become obvious to him. "This act is meant to make Brendan feel sorry for her."

So that was the reason.

That strange behavior Gemma showed earlier suddenly made sense.

The tension in the room faded almost immediately. When their eyes shifted toward the staircase she had taken, the only emotion left was disdain.

Sallie lowered her head while her fingernails pressed hard into her palms. How dare she talk to her like that!

Robert's voice broke the silence. "I'd like to see how long she can keep pretending," he said through clenched teeth. "Prime would be hosting a party tomorrow evening, and she is absolutely not going. Darwin, make sure Brendan knows that."

His tone carried open contempt. "An event like that has no place for someone like her. The entire upper circle of Olnstead will attend. More importantly, that legendary figure Death is rumored to appear. The gala was arranged to welcome her return."

He then turned toward Sallie, pride visible on his face. "Our family only received an invitation because of you, Sallie."

A cold snort followed as his gaze drifted toward the door. "Gemma has no one to blame but herself. Missing something like this is exactly what she deserves."

...

Gemma had barely settled onto her bed when her phone buzzed with a new message.

It came from Plume. "Boss, tomorrow night on the top floor of Prime. We're holding a welcome back banquet for you. If you have time, please come."

A faint crease formed between Gemma's brows. Events like that had never appealed to her.

Still, six years had passed since she last saw them. The thought behind the arrangement mattered. After a moment, she sent back a brief reply. "Okay."

The following afternoon, Gemma walked downstairs wearing a red evening gown.

The rest of the Elliott family had already gathered in the living room. Everyone was dressed formally and preparing to head out. Casual conversation had filled the room moments earlier, yet the instant they noticed Gemma moving toward the door, the voices stopped.

"Hold it." Jeremy lowered his champagne glass and stared at her with a frown. "Where do you think you're going dressed like that?"

Gemma continued walking as though he had never spoken.

Robert stepped forward and blocked her path. He spoke with a mocking tone. "You caused that disaster yesterday and still plan to go out today? Guess the lesson didn't stick."

Sallie approached with gentle steps and said softly, "Gemma, Mom and Dad are only thinking about your future. You should stay home for a few days and reflect on your behavior. It's better than going out again and... mixing with the wrong crowd again."

Averie's expression tightened with disapproval. "After bringing embarrassment to this family, you still want to show yourself in public?"

Jeremy's gaze hardened with frustration. "Go back upstairs. You will stay there until the Edwards family decides how to handle you. Then you can come down."

In their minds, Gemma leaving the house right now meant only one thing. She was preparing to do something humiliating just to keep holding on to Brendan.

Everyone knew how Gemma used to act whenever she tried to win Brendan back. She had embarrassed herself more than once.

Surrounded by looks of ridicule and contempt, Gemma raised her eyes. Her expression remained calm and impossible to read.

"My plans don't concern any of you," she said in a steady voice. "Step aside."

Robert laughed sharply, disbelief written across his face. "Not our concern? You carry the Elliott name. When you humiliate yourself, you humiliate this family." His tone hardened as he continued, "And besides, there's an important event tonight. We're not letting you ruin it."

Those words seemed to trigger a thought in Sallie. She quickly moved closer and caught Gemma's sleeve. "Gemma, please stop making this harder than it needs to be," she said gently. "Tonight isn't the right time for this. Mom, Dad, and the Edwards family are doing this for your own good. Tonight's party is a welcome back celebration-for Death. The most influential people in the country will attend. With your reputation right now, if you show up, people will only laugh at you."

"Death?" Gemma reacted for the first time.

A small smile appeared on Sallie's lips. "You've heard of her too? She's Eighwell's strongest female warrior, the ace commander of the Dominion, the most powerful woman alive. She's the only person I've ever truly admired."

Robert immediately cut in, "That's right. We only received an invitation because Sallie met someone connected to Death while she was overseas. Otherwise, people at that level would be completely out of reach for families like ours."

Sallie lowered her head modestly. "That's so sweet of you to say, Robert. I was simply fortunate enough to meet a remarkable friend."

Jeremy cut the conversation short with an impatient gesture. His eyes showed clear disgust when they landed on Gemma. "Why are you even explaining any of this to her? Someone like her will never be part of that world. We're leaving now." His tone turned sharp as he faced Gemma. "As for you, go back to your room and stay there until I say otherwise."

Everyone expected Gemma to turn around and walk back upstairs.

Instead, she reached the door and pulled it open.

A breeze lifted the loose strands of hair across her forehead. She turned slightly, allowing half of her face to be seen. A faint smile curved at the corner of her lips.

"Well," she said.

Her voice was quiet, yet every trace of smug confidence vanished from the faces behind her.

Then she delivered the rest. "I'm going to that party too."

The words settled over the room like a sudden weight. Silence followed. Shock spread across the Elliotts' faces.

The invitation Sallie held slipped from her hand and struck the floor with a sharp sound.