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."

"I didn't know-when I slept off, when did you return?" Jane asked Diego. It felt weird, but after a month of knowing him, that familiarity was something she could cling to. Diego laughed. "You were really tired, I must say. Well, I wanted to address something important," he said.

What could he have to say to her... Jane wondered, before Diego continued, "Tomorrow I will be going back to the Orlov empire-not my own personal company-and as you know, it's a big name. Definitely, I will be holding a press conference. I know it's too soon, but get ready to step out of your comfort zone. Be prepared for questions, unless you want to change your name."

That was uncalled for, but Jane didn't think she wanted to change her name just because she didn't want people to find out she was alive. In fact, she wanted them to know that Daniel was playing a pity party; she wanted them to know that the wife he claimed died was very much alive. So, she turned to Diego. "No, I don't want to change my name. The last time I spoke publicly was when I was 18, when my parents were still alive and the company was running well. I have at least a little idea, but I will appreciate your guidance."

Diego nodded. "Alright, I will send you the documents through email, and if there's anything you don't understand, come to me and I will brief you. But for now, I don't want you to stress yourself." He stretched out his hand, and Jane passed him her phone. He saved his number and email on it. "Anytime you need me and I'm not home, reach me-I will always respond."

After Diego left her alone to admire the beauty of the study room, Jane found herself wondering aloud, This man is mysterious. I can't help but want to know him more-I'm curious. As she murmured to herself, she turned and saw Dante standing there in shock, staring at her.

"Who are you talking to, miss?" he asked.

Jane waved him off. "Ignore me, don't mind me-you can continue your business." Embarrassed, she returned to her room, waiting for the next day to come.

---

The next day, Jane woke up extremely late, meeting missed calls from both Diego and Dante. "Damn, I'm late," she thought. Rushing into the shower, she emerged, dressed quickly, took her vitamins, and dashed downstairs in a helter-skelter manner.

"Good morning," she greeted all the staff as she ran through the corridor. Suddenly, someone nearly made her fall by cutting her off. "Careful not to trip-where are you running to, princess?" It was Diego.

"I thought you already left-that's why I was running. I was so shocked when I saw your missed call. What's up? I don't know what to do," she replied.

Diego simply stated, "Have you forgotten I'm an Orlov? I'm the CEO here-I fix the schedule and make space for everyone so I can go to work whenever I want. And for you, I am looking for a female driver, and Dante will be your assistant."

Jane didn't understand, so she asked, "What about you? Who will be your assistant?"

He looked at her and said, "You, of course. Or are you forgetting something?"

True enough, she had literally forgotten-she never expected it would be like this. Before she could say something else, Diego smirked and added, "Curiosity kills a cat."

Their conversation was interrupted when Rose announced, "Breakfast is served, young master and miss... come to the dining!" She turned her back and left. These were all things Jane was still getting used to. Back at Daniel's, she used to do almost everything herself, but here, it was different. So, both she and Diego headed to the dining hall and ate breakfast.

Before leaving, when they reached the office hall, a crowd of media was already waiting. They walked past them and went straight to the office. The look on everyone's face was intimidating-Jane knew Diego wasn't nice to everyone. He was a ruthless CEO who didn't joke around. The employees reorganized themselves and greeted them.

"Meet Jane Stadlar, my new assistant-and vice... I won't be here, but she will be. Anything you need, come to her and she will sort things out. She will be handling these branches, so treat her right," Diego announced before turning to leave.

As Diego walked away, Jane felt the weight of several eyes on her. She could already sense the judgment lingering in the air. Whispers began to ripple through the office, hushed yet loud enough for her to know she was the subject of discussion.

One employee, a woman with striking red hair and sharp eyes, stood with her arms crossed, staring at Jane with clear disdain. Her name was Sylvia Hart, the head of PR, and she had worked tirelessly to earn Diego's trust-only for some unknown woman to walk in and be handed a high-ranking position.

"She's just another pretty face," Sylvia scoffed, rolling her eyes.

A group of employees huddled near the receptionist's desk, exchanging glances.

"I don't get it," one of them, a younger woman named Claire, whispered. "Who is she? How did she get this job? Mr. Orlov never lets just anyone get this close to him."

"I heard she's his wife," a male employee muttered, lowering his voice.

"Wife?, but he didn't address her as that" Another worker gasped.

Sylvia let out a bitter chuckle. "Wife or not, she has no idea what she's getting into. Running a company like this isn't some rich housewife's hobby, and she doesn't know about what happening yet."

"But she must be important to Mr. Orlov if he's trusting her with so much responsibility," Claire pointed out hesitantly.

Sylvia narrowed her eyes at Jane, who was now reviewing documents at her desk, completely unaware of the hostility directed toward her. "We'll see how long she lasts."

Meanwhile, Jane was oblivious to their words, but she could feel the tension in the air. She knew not everyone would welcome her presence, but she wasn't here to be liked-she was here to prove herself.

Jane knew that her presence at the office was seen as a threat, and she did not intend for things to escalate further. She had not come to make friends-she was here to learn and to prove to Diego that she was capable of taking over the business. Still trying to find her footing, she wondered what her next move should be.

Perhaps she should wait until others arrived-or maybe just play a few harmless games on her phone. As she minimized an app, a message popped up from Diego:

"Hope you are prepared for the press conference?"

Jane frowned. She couldn't recall being told about any press conference. Ever since waking up, it felt as though fragments of her past had been left behind. Explain to me why I'm still forgetting things like this, she thought.

She quickly texted back, "Okay, when should I leave the office?" The word "office" was new to her-once, Jane had been just a housewife, but now she sat behind her own desk, attempting to live a life that felt both foreign and empowering. Just as she was beginning to relax, her phone beeped again. This time it was Dante:

"Am outside the office. Diego asked me to lead you to the OR team; he is waiting for you there."

Immediately, Jane rose to adjust her makeup and her dress. As she stepped out into the corridor, she encountered an unexpected moment of levity. An intern was attempting to juggle a tray of donuts near the reception area. The treats sailed through the air before landing in a comical splatter against a wall. A burst of laughter rippled through the gathered staff, and even Jane couldn't help but let a small smile escape her. The absurdity of the scene offered a brief reprieve from the tension that had been building all morning.

Before long, she ran into Sylvia-the head of PR-whose withering glance seemed to bore right through her. Jane knew that Sylvia was undoubtedly curious about what was unfolding, but Jane cared little for gossip; she just wanted the press conference to be over. Upon reaching the meeting room, Diego quickly briefed Jane on what she should say. He instructed her to be as truthful as possible when answering personal questions-especially those about her name-and to explain that she was merely undergoing training at the Orlov empire. Jane agreed, steeling herself with his instructions as she left.

Meanwhile, Sylvia approached Dante with a tone dripping with envy. "Where is she from, and who is she to him? Is she really his wife?" she asked, her words laced with disdain. Dante said nothing and walked away. Jane paid little attention to their gossip-in truth, she rather enjoyed the spectacle. It was clear that Sylvia coveted Diego for herself, and seeing Jane by his side only fueled her ire.

When the press conference began, Diego took to the stage and addressed the public. The first question following his speech was directed at Jane. Rather than answer himself, Diego gracefully ceded the floor to her. Stepping up with confidence, Jane declared, "I'm Jane Stadlar, the new Vice of the Orlov Empire and assistant to Diego Orlov, currently undergoing training." She delivered her introduction flawlessly-until one reporter raised his hand.

"Jane Stadlar, how is it that you share the same name as Assemblyman Daniel's dead wife?" the reporter asked.

This was the question Jane had anticipated yet hoped to avoid, but she met it head-on. "Yes, I'm Daniel's dead and ex-wife," she declared boldly, deliberately stirring the pot. Adding an exclusive twist, she continued, "And how is it that you are still alive? I thought they said you died." The reporter, adjusting his glasses, pressed further.

Jane's fingers twitched nervously as she replied, "I was in a coma for six years, and I just woke up to face a different world. What do I really know? But if you have more questions, perhaps you can try reaching out to him."

Almost immediately after the conference, the headlines exploded:

"Is Daniel's Dead Wife Back from the Dead?" one blared; another read, "Is She Back for Revenge?" while a third demanded, "Who Is the New Jane Stadlar?"

Meanwhile, Lucy was watching the news. Upon seeing Jane on screen, she screamed for Daniel, "what is this, ....Daniel, come fast-hurry, you need to see this, if this is true we are busted!" In a flurry, Daniel came running, still wearing dishwashing gloves-a rarity he reserved for moments of utter disarray. "what are you talking about" he muttered

Daniel rushed into the living room, his hands still damp, and snatched the remote from Lucy's trembling fingers. His eyes fixed on the TV screen as his breath caught. There she was-Jane is alive. His grip on the remote tightened as the headlines scrolled by: "Is Daniel's Dead Wife Back from the Dead?" "Is She Back for Revenge?" "Who Is the New Jane Stadlar?"

"No... no, this can't be happening," Daniel muttered,"this must be a joke" shaking his head as his pulse pounded and his world began to unravel.

Lucy turned to him, her voice frantic. "it's not this is live see I just checked my phone" and continued We're screwed, Daniel! You told me the body was taken care of! You promised me she was gone for good!"

Daniel's face twisted in rage as he grabbed Lucy's wrist. "I did take care of it! I paid those thugs to get rid of her body! She was dead, Lucy-dead and buried!" His voice dropped to a venomous whisper, as if the mere utterance might somehow make it true.

Lucy yanked her wrist away, fury rising. "Clearly your thugs failed because she's standing there-breathing, talking, living!" She let out a hysterical laugh, running a shaky hand through her hair.

"She was supposed to be gone," Daniel hissed as he began pacing back and forth. His mind raced-not only was Jane alive, but she also posed a threat by potentially revealing the truth: the life he had built with Lucy, the career he was fighting for, and the fortune he had stolen were all at risk.

Lucy leaned in close, her eyes flashing dangerously. In a low, trembling whisper, she said, "Do you realize what this means? If Jane talks... if she remembers what really happened..."

Daniel stopped pacing, and a cold silence fell between them. "She won't," he said firmly, though Lucy's eyes betrayed her lingering doubt.

"She's already talking, Daniel. She called herself your ex-wife on live TV! She's baiting you. What if she remembers everything?" Lucy's voice dripped with panic and malice.

Daniel's jaw tightened. He understood all too well what Lucy feared. Jane was not just an ex-wife returned from the dead-she was the woman they had once tried to erase. The one Lucy had betrayed by pushing her off that rooftop, the one Lucy had falsely claimed she committed suicide. And Daniel, instead of involving the authorities, had paid thugs to dispose of Jane's body. They had celebrated her supposed death.

Lucy's voice dropped, trembling with both remorse and defiance. "I should have made sure she was dead that night..."

Daniel turned sharply to face her, his tone cold. "You pushed her, Lucy. You were the one who came to me, crying crocodile tears, claiming she jumped not knowing that I saw you and I cleaned up your mess! I paid to have her body removed!"

Lucy swallowed hard. "I didn't just push her," she admitted in a near-whisper. "it was a mistake and I also I watched her fall. I saw the blood..so. I-I thought she was gone."

Daniel clenched his fists as the painful memory flared. Jane had been a thorn for too long, and Lucy-her own adopted sister-had been the final blow. Instead of mourning, they had celebrated her death.

"I should have made sure," Lucy repeated, panic rising. "I should have gone down there myself. I should have-"

"Enough!" Daniel barked, grabbing her by the shoulders. "We can't t panic. We should look for a survival route ."

Lucy looked up at him, her eyes wild. "How?"

A sinister smirk curled on Daniel's lips. "We do what we do best. We lie. We make her the villain. If Jane is back, she will no longer be seen as the innocent victim."

Lucy's breath hitched as the implication sank in. "You mean...?"

Daniel's smirk widened. "We spin the story. She's been gone for six years. We control the narrative. If she remembers, we ensure that no one believes her. Didn't you see her? It won't be hard to turn the world against her."

Lucy's eyes darkened with a mix of fear and resolve. "We will turn the world against her-make sure she ends her own life. How dare she."

Their gazes locked, sealing an unholy pact. Jane had survived, but Daniel and Lucy were determined to make sure she wished she hadn't.

"Bringing yourself out from your little home was a mistake. You should have stayed hidden forever," Lucy murmured bitterly, caring only about her life with Daniel and the money they had amassed.

Later that evening, after the press conference had aired and its fallout spread like wildfire, Daniel sat alone in his study, trembling as the reality of the situation set in. Amid the chaos, one image cut through his thoughts-the man standing next to Jane during the broadcast. That man-so calm, so imposing-was Diego Orlov.

Daniel's eyes widened as he replayed the press conference in his mind. His heart pounded with dread as he murmured, "That man... was Diego Orlov. Jane isn't just some assistant to him-he's Mr. Orlov. And I need his approval for my business transaction."

Lucy, who had followed him into the study, noticed the terror in his eyes. "Daniel, what is it?" she asked softly.

He turned sharply, his voice barely a whisper. "Look at her-Jane is really with him. With Diego. The almighty Diego Orlov, the very man whose word rules this empire. I... I'm terrified, Lucy. How did she even get close to him? His approval is everything. Without it, our plan crumbles. And I might loose the company,We may have talked about turning the world against her, but I have personal issues-I need his backing."

Lucy crossed her arms, her tone a mix of envy and alarm. "Diego? But I thought he was just someone who helps around here. You're saying he's Mr. Orlov-the one everyone fears? And the funny thing is, he's downright amusing when he's with Jane. That can't be true. have been with Jane all this while, and I can't recall anyone by that name. Besides, maybe he's just helping her gain the public's sympathy."

Daniel's eyes darted to the framed photograph on his desk-a constant reminder of Diego's unyielding presence. "Yes. He is Mr. Orlov. And seeing him there, by Jane's side-so confident, so powerful-makes me realize our little scheme is in grave danger. If he doesn't back us, if he turns against us... everything we've built will vanish. So we'll hold off on turning the world against her until I get what I want from him."

"I will win his trust," Daniel murmured to himself.

Meanwhile, back at the office, Jane continued on with her day, unaware of the dark machinations unfolding behind the scenes.