Six years later

The first thing Jane noticed was the sharp smell of antiseptic and the cool, sterile air. She tried to move, but a dull ache spread through her body-as if she had been beaten for days. Her limbs felt heavy, and her throat was dry.

Weakly, she raised her hand. That's when she saw it: a cannula. A shiver ran through her. This was not a nightmare.

"Where... am I?" she croaked in a hoarse whisper.

She tried to sit up, but her body refused to cooperate. Panic bubbled beneath the surface as her mind raced with questions. Was this the afterlife? No-it could not be. If this were heaven, why did everything hurt? Or was this already hell?

"I'm finished," she murmured.

Before she could think more, the door creaked open. A nurse entered, carrying a tray. Her steps faltered, and the moment their eyes met, the tray clattered to the floor. The nurse bolted out of the room and returned seconds later with a doctor in tow.

The doctor stepped closer and shone a light into Jane's eyes. Squinting, she met his steady gaze. On his badge, she read: Dr. White. He was not an angel but a real doctor. Relief mixed with confusion. She was alive-but how?

"Can you hear me?" Dr. White asked in a calm, professional tone, though his eyes held a hint of amazement.

"Tell me your name," he prompted.

Jane swallowed hard. "Jane... Jane Stadlar."

The moment her name left her lips, panic set in. Her heart pounded as she scanned the room. "Where are they?" she whispered.

"Where is my husband?" she managed to ask, her voice weak. "Where is my sister? Where-"

Dr. White interrupted with a gentle but unreadable expression. "Relax. Take it slow." After a deep breath, he dropped a heavy truth. "You have been asleep for six years."

Six years. Jane blinked in shock, waiting for him to take back his words. But he did not. Six years had passed, yet everything felt like it had happened only yesterday-the rooftop, the fall, the betrayal. And Lucy... Lucy must have been the one who brought her here.

"How did I get here?" Jane's voice trembled. "Where is the woman who brought me here? Lucy Stadler?"

Dr. White frowned. "Lucy?" he repeated, confused. "An old man brought you here six years ago, and since then, no one by that name has come."

Her breath caught. "The only person who has visited me regularly these past two years is the son of the man who brought me here."

Jane could barely understand his words. No Lucy? Her mind rebelled at the thought. She would not be abandoned so easily. Frantically, she searched her memory for any sign of contact-no calls, no texts.

Betrayal surged inside her. Her only choice was to wait for this mysterious visitor. The room was silent except for the rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor. As she stared at the ceiling, trying to make sense of everything, she heard footsteps approach. Someone came near her bed and gently adjusted the covers. Her heart leaped. Could it be Daniel?

Forcing her heavy eyelids open, she saw not her husband, but a stranger. Her stomach twisted with dread and sorrow.

The man noticed she was awake and offered a small smile. "Hello, Miss Stadler. How do you feel?" His voice was deep, smooth, and confident, filling the room with a strong presence.

"Who are you?" Jane asked sharply, despite her weakness. "And what is happening?"

He smirked as if he understood her pain. "My name is Dante," he said casually. "I am an assistant to Mr. Orlov. I was sent by the organization to check on you."

Jane frowned. Organization? What organization?

Before she could ask more, a sudden cough rattled in her chest. Dante quickly turned to call the doctor. Within seconds, Dr. White returned and pressed a glass of water into her trembling hands. With more questions forming in her mind, she watched as Dante stepped out to take a call.

Left alone, Jane grabbed the remote and turned on the TV, desperate for a distraction. She needed an escape-a world where her life was not falling apart. On the screen, an interview began. At the bottom, a caption read:

  DANIEL CRESTWELL FOR ASSEMBLYMAN

A cold wave of dread crashed over her. Her stomach churned, and she fumbled with the remote to raise the volume. The interview continued, and there he was-Daniel, sitting next to a woman named Lucy.

Jane's hands trembled as she watched. In the interview, Daniel smiled and said, "This is my wife, Lucy. She has been by my side ever since I lost my wife five years ago. She took care of me, supported me, and helped me love again." He continued, "She even gave me a son. Our boy just turned five."

Jane's heart stopped. What was he saying? Had his wife died? Who was she now? Or did he think Jane was dead?

Her mind raced back to that fateful night-the woman on top of Daniel had worn a waist chain, and the mark on her body... it was the same as Lucy's. The betrayal was clear. It had been Lucy all along.

A strangled sob tore from Jane's throat as she realized the truth. She lurched forward, and the room spun. Her knees buckled, and she collapsed onto the cold floor. As she hit the floor, the cannula tore from her arm, and hot blood stained her skin. The physical pain was nothing compared to the crushing betrayal in her chest.

Ignoring the pain, she screamed, "DANTE! Dante, please!"

The door burst open. "Jane! What happened?" Dante rushed in and lifted her effortlessly back into bed. Jane clutched his arm, her nails digging in as she pleaded, "Please, tell me this isn't real. Tell me my husband did not just throw me away. Tell me they were looking for me-that I still matter." Her voice broke into anguished sobs.

Dante's face grew dark with sorrow. "Miss Jane," he said softly but firmly, "I'm sorry, but this is the truth."

Her chest tightened as if an invisible weight pressed down on her. Dante continued, his words crushing her hope. "Your husband married her just a month after your accident," he began. "The day you were brought here, we called him. He said you were already dead. We called your sister-she denied even knowing you."

Jane clutched her chest, gasping as if the air had been knocked from her lungs. "Why would they do this to me?" she whispered in disbelief.

Dante's next words shattered what little remained of her hope. "Two weeks later, they held your funeral on live TV. People came to pay their respects at an empty grave. Every donation, every asset you had, was transferred to Lucy-because legally, she is considered your sister, even though she was adopted."

He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. "In the eyes of the world... you no longer exist."

At that moment, Jane understood the cruel truth. Her husband had not only cheated on her-he had erased her entirely. The realization burned through her like fire, and she could only lie there, broken, with the beeping monitor as the only witness to her shattered life.

She cried harder than ever before after hearing that, as if her chest were being ripped apart-the same agonizing feeling she'd experienced the night she lost her family. But this pain, this betrayal, cut deeper.

Daniel's disloyalty hurt, but Lucy-she wasn't just her best friend; Lucy was the only family Jane had left. Jane had begged her husband to take Lucy in when she had nowhere else to go. She'd pleaded for him to give Lucy a job, to keep her safe. And now, this was how she was repaid?

A strangled sob tore from Jane's throat as she clutched her chest, gasping for air. "Doctor, please," she managed between ragged breaths, her voice thick with panic. "can you run the check up again, can you Check if my heart is okay...I-I think something's wrong. Why does it hurt so much? or do I need a heart transplant too?" she urged for answers for explanations

The doctor's expression softened with pity. "I'm sorry you had to find out this way. We wanted to wait until you were stronger before telling you."

Jane swallowed hard, her voice trembling under the weight of her emotions. "Then tell me now. How am I still alive? Who saved me? And why... how will I survive now?"

The doctor hesitated before answering. "An anonymous benefactor. He didn't just save you, Jane-he also donated a kidney to you."

"He waited for you to wake up," the doctor continued, "but he passed away two years ago."

A heavy silence fell over the room. Why would a stranger go to such lengths for her? Why would someone sacrifice so much when they didn't even know her?

"Do I have to pay him back?" Jane's voice was barely a whisper. "And how did he die?"

The doctor only sighed and walked away, leaving her drowning in emotions she couldn't process.

A few minutes later, Dante entered carrying a tray of neatly cut fruit, but food was the last thing on her mind. She needed answers.

"Dante," she said, gripping the sheets tightly, "I heard about an anonymous helper-who was he?"

Dante hesitated, his lips pressed into a thin line. Finally, he spoke. "His name was Victor Orlov."

Jane's brows furrowed in confusion. "Me? I don't understand."

Dante continued, "You once saved him and his son ten years ago. You donated blood when they were in a car accident."

Her mouth opened in shock. "Me?"

"You might not remember," Dante added gently, "but you were at the hospital that day. When you saw the emergency, you offered to donate because you were O+. Your blood matched perfectly."

She tried to recall, but the memory was blurry-almost nonexistent. If it was true...

"Is that why he saved me?" she asked, still struggling to understand.

Dante exhaled, rubbing his temple. "That was only part of it. When you fell, Victor was the only one who witnessed what happened. He was outside making a call when he saw you get pushed. He immediately dialed 911, but before help arrived, a group of thugs took you. Victor tracked them down, paid them off, and got you back. He then called the police, but everything was handled quietly."

Her head spun as his words sank in. "He brought you to the best hospital, kept you on life support for years, and when he realized his time was running out... he signed up as an organ donor. That's how you got your new kidney."

Jane gripped the sheets, her fingers trembling. "Why would he go to such lengths for me?"

"I... I don't know what to say," she whispered.

Dante nodded. "Hold on-that's not all. Before he died, Victor left something for you."

He reached into his coat and produced a thick, embossed envelope with a golden crest that looked as if it belonged to royalty.

"This," Dante said, handing it over, "is Victor Orlov's will."

Jane's hands shook as she unfolded the letter. As she skimmed the words, one line made her blood run cold: Victor Orlov had left everything to her-his company, his wealth, his entire empire.

She sucked in a sharp breath. Why?

Then, a name appeared that made her chest tighten even further: her mother's.

"Orlov Enterprises was co-founded by Victor Orlov and Francesca Stadler."

Her mother's name.

Jane looked up at Dante, but he only shook his head. "I don't know all the details. All I know is that you were always meant to inherit it."

Her pulse pounded. She had never known any of this, and now everything was coming at her too fast. "This looks like a scam-too good to be true. I need proof. Bring a lawyer. And if Diego Orlov doesn't show up himself, I won't believe a word of this."

Dante gave a small nod. "Understood."

He turned to leave, but before he could step out, something strange caught her attention outside the door. Men in black suits swarmed the hallway. Their polished shoes clicked on the tile as they moved with authority. Then, two of them approached her door.

The atmosphere shifted. Jane's stomach tightened as another man entered-confident, with black leather shoes, long legs, a tattooed wrist, an unbuttoned black shirt, pierced ears, and silver jewelry on his lower lip. And then there were those stormy gray eyes.

He was tall, built like a movie idol, and his presence made her grip the bedsheets even tighter. Dante stepped aside, and the man took a slow, deliberate step forward.

Then he spoke. "Heard you were looking for me, princess. Here I am-at your command. So, what were you saying again?"

Jane's heart skipped a beat. His voice was smooth and dangerous. She opened her mouth to argue, to fight back, but her breath caught. She wanted to say something-anything-but his presence swallowed her words. All she could think about was how strikingly attractive he was.

Lost in her thoughts, she was jolted back to reality by the sharp sound of a phone ringing. Blinking hard, she forced herself to focus. The man in front of her-tall, confident, almost too perfect to be real-continued speaking, while her mind struggled to catch up.

"Who... who are you?" she finally asked, even though she already suspected the answer. Her heart pounded, and she hoped he wouldn't notice how flustered she was.

He smirked, clearly amused. "I'm Diego Orlov. Your betrothed."

Jane let out a dry laugh. "My betrothed? Come on-I just woke up from a coma. I don't have memory loss that bad. Try harder."

Before Diego could respond, Dante stepped in. "Speak up, Miss. Mr. Orlov doesn't have much time-"

Diego raised a hand, cutting him off. Then, without hesitation, he moved closer-too close. Lowering himself onto one knee, he rested an arm on his other and studied her intently. His eyes locked onto hers, intense and unyielding.

"Relax," he murmured, shifting his gaze to her lips. "You just woke up, and besides, I have all the time in the world for you. But earlier, you were shouting. Now you're cold, like a scared little puppy. What happened, princesa? Talk to me."

Jane swallowed hard. Her heart pounded so fiercely she feared she might pass out again. No man had ever looked at her like that-like she was a mystery worth unraveling. She forced herself to snap out of it.

"Dante gave me a will," she blurted. "He said things I don't understand or believe. So I told him if he can't bring you or a lawyer, I'm not signing anything. How am I supposed to wake up to a fortune-"

Diego silenced her with a finger pressed gently over her lips. Then he turned to his men and raised his hand. A tall man in a suit stepped forward holding a stack of documents.

"Explain," Diego ordered.

The man nodded and addressed her. "Ms. Stadler, nice to meet you. I'm Mr. Watson, the legal advisor for Orlov Enterprises."

Jane exhaled sharply, crossing her arms. "Nice to meet you too. Now, about the will-I need proper clarification."

Trying to sound professional even though her head was still spinning, she listened as Mr. Watson adjusted his glasses and began:

"Miss Stadler, I understand this is overwhelming. Let me explain. The late Viktor Orlov, founder of Orlov Enterprises, legally named you as his sole heir. That means you now own his company, his properties, and his fortune."

He continued, "This wasn't a random decision. According to these documents, Viktor Orlov and your mother, Francesca Stadler, co-founded Orlov Enterprises. Your family had a rightful stake in the company from the very beginning. But after your parents passed, Viktor lost track of you. By the time he returned to the country, you had already married and vanished from the public eye."

"Years ago, you saved Viktor's life-and his son Diego's-by donating blood. He never forgot that. He saw you as someone with a good heart, someone worthy of his legacy. That's why, before his passing, he made the legally binding decision to leave everything to you instead of Diego."

Jane frowned. "Why not leave it to his own son?"

"Because Diego already has his own fortune, separate from Orlov Enterprises. If he inherited the company, he would have sold it. Viktor didn't want that. He wanted someone he trusted to run the company and protect his legacy."

Before Jane could process any further, Mr. Watson delivered the biggest bombshell. "However, there is one condition: to claim your inheritance, you must work alongside Diego Orlov as his assistant for one year. This is non-negotiable. During that time, you'll learn every aspect of the company before the full transition is complete."

Jane stared, stunned. Assistant? And what about Dante?

Before she could ask, Mr. Watson handed her the documents. Scanning through them with her law school instincts kicking in, everything was in order-legitimate and ironclad, with no loopholes.

Diego then interrupted. "I understand you're in physiotherapy and rehabilitation now, and you'll be discharged soon. You have until then to decide." Standing up, he brushed off imaginary dust from his suit. "If you feel too pressured, know that you can always say no, princesa."

With a smirk, he turned toward the door. "I'd love to stay in your beautiful presence, but I have a billion-dollar deal waiting. Don't worry-I'll check on you once in a while. Don't miss me too much. See you soon."

Something in Jane snapped at his parting words. "Jane Stadler. That's my name, not 'princesa'," she retorted. "And you don't have to call me that."

Diego paused at the door, glanced back, and grinned. "Don't tell me what to do or what to call you."

Then, with a dismissive wave, his men followed him out, leaving her alone with a whirlwind of thoughts.

Jane stared at the ceiling, stunned. She tried to convince herself that she wasn't tempted, that she didn't care, that this wasn't her only way out. But reality hit hard: she had no phone, no money, no job, no home. Her only family had betrayed her. Her husband had left her for another woman-her own sister. The scandal surrounding her late parents had ruined her future, and she'd even dropped out of law school. All she had left were debts and the feeling of being "dead to the world."

And now, out of nowhere, she was being handed a chance-a golden ticket to power, wealth, and a fresh start. It was overwhelming, too much, and almost unreal.

But she knew one thing for certain: if she walked away now, she'd spend the rest of her life drowning in nothingness. And that was not an option.

She needed this. Perhaps this was the opportunity meant for her-to use these resources to find the people who had wronged her and rebuild her life.

She was going to take it. Even if it meant stepping into a world she wasn't ready for, even if it meant working alongside a man whose every word made her pulse race, even if it meant signing a deal with the devil himself-she was going to take it.

It had been a month since Jane woke up from her coma, and things were slowly starting to get better. One thing she was especially grateful for was that Dante and Diego never left her side. She would be lying if she said she was okay-her heart still felt terrible-but she reminded herself to be grateful for life once again.

Leaving her room, she went to meet Dr. White for her final checkup. His response brought a sense of relief. "Congratulations, Miss Stadler. You are back on track. I will process your discharge now, so get ready to leave. I hope we don't meet again unless it's for something great, okay?" He had given her the best news she could have hoped for.

After leaving his office, she returned to her hospital room and found Dante sitting there. "Miss Stadler, how are you doing today? I was ordered to come pick you up and also give you this," he said in his usual professional yet charming tone. Dante always had a way of passing messages, something Jane liked about him. But what had he brought?

She took the package from him and opened it-inside was a dress, sneakers, a laptop, and a mobile phone. She hadn't expected anything like this. "He got this for me? That's so sweet of him. But why did he get me these?" she wondered.

This was actually the first time in her life she had received something from a man. But Dante wasn't done yet-he had something else to say. "He said he remembers that you have nothing left and probably wouldn't want you walking out of the hospital looking like that."

Oh, gracious. That was true, and she hadn't even thought about it. Looking at Dante, she patted his back. "Awwn... I didn't expect him to be this considerate. Thank you."

As she lifted the dress, a note fell out. It read: "Take care of yourself in this. The world is different from the one you left. And watch out."

The words made her even more curious about what awaited her outside.

Dante stepped out to give her space, By the time she was done changing, she picked up Diego's jacket-he had left it for her the other day. As soon as she stepped out of her hospital room, Dante saw her carrying her things and immediately ran over to take them from her.

Even when she hesitated, he insisted. "It's okay. You're just getting better. Allow me to do my job."

He refused to let her strain herself.

Stepping outside felt overwhelming. A bright light seemed to pierce her eyes-the first sunlight she had seen in ages. It felt like her life had been on pause, but she reminded herself to be grateful.

A black Range Rover was parked outside, and John was waiting to escort her. It felt a little strange, but she knew she had to get used to it. This was her life now. John, Diego's bodyguard, opened the car door for her. Dante sat next to her while John took the front seat with the driver.

Turning to Dante, she wondered what was going on. He responded as if he had read her mind. "Diego asked us to tighten security, so you just have to bear with us."

It made her feel a bit uneasy, but she nodded.

The drive was smooth, and she was just starting to get comfortable when the car stopped. She turned to Dante. "We're there now."

"There?" she echoed, looking outside.

Her eyes widened. The place looked like a palace. Written at the top of the gate were the words Orlov Estate.

It made her wonder-who exactly were these people? Because this level of wealth, this grandeur, screamed old money and generational wealth. Now she understood why they were so protective of her.

She tried to act cool, not wanting to seem out of place.

The drive from the gate to the estate was breathtaking. When she stepped out of the car, an entire line of house staff, gardeners, and estate workers stood outside to greet her.

And there, holding a single rose, was Diego.

He smirked. "You know you're not just stepping into this place as my assistant, right? Well... welcome back home."

He handed her the rose, and Jane felt an unexpected warmth at the gesture. She hadn't expected such a grand welcome, but it already felt like home.

Rose, the eldest of the house staff, was about to show her around when Diego stopped her. "Don't worry. I'll show her around when I'm done. For now, just take her to her room."

Turning back to Jane, he said, "Princess, welcome to my estate. I hope you like it here."

Something in his expression made him look almost shy. She tilted her head, trying to make the moment less serious. "Why all the bodyguards? Who are you, really? Are you a vampire or something? Because I've only seen this kind of wealth in the movies."

He chuckled, playing along. "Well, what can I say? This is my life. And yes, I'm a vampire-I will suck your blood."

They both laughed, easing the tension.

After exploring part of the estate, Jane started feeling exhausted. She turned to Diego. "I need to rest."

Diego immediately called for Rose. "Take her to her room."

Jane frowned. "Why can't you take me there yourself?"

His response was unexpected yet meaningful. "I was supposed to be somewhere an hour ago, but I wanted to welcome you first. Don't worry. We'll talk more when I come back-about everything, including business."

Ms. Rose led her upstairs. "This is your room. If you need anything, just press the button, and I will come to you."

She left immediately.

Jane stood there, stunned. The room was massive-elegant, luxurious, and filled with warmth.

Back in Daniel's house, her room had been beautiful but never felt like home. Not until Lucy came along, well before life happened.

Exploring the space, she checked the restroom-pristine and modern. The dressing room was filled with branded clothes, all in her size. Even the shoes fit her perfectly. There were makeup products, hats, skincare items, bags-everything a woman could ever need.

Then, her eyes landed on a drawer.

Opening it, she found a credit card and a document.

Her loans had been paid off.

Her breath hitched. "What's this? And how...?"

She wanted to call Diego immediately, but she didn't have his number yet. Instead, she decided to wait.

After taking a shower, exhaustion took over, and she fell into a deep sleep.

When she woke up, it was midnight.

Still half-asleep, she stepped out for a drink, momentarily forgetting she wasn't in her old home.

Immediately, Rose came running. "What do you need, miss?"

Jane blinked in confusion before remembering where she was. "Water. I need something to drink. And... is Mr. Orlov back?"

"He came looking for you earlier but left when he saw you were sleeping," Rose said before leaving.

Feeling restless, Jane wandered into the study.

Diego was there, sitting and drinking coffee.

Before she could speak, he glanced up and smirked. "You woke up early, Princess. I wanted to let you sleep. Come, sit here."