Diana could barely recognize her own body. There was nothing of her old self left in her. Diana had sustained serious burns from the fire. The doctors didn't believe she could survive. But she did, and now with a new face. And now a new identity.

Killian Blackford was right. Diana Tate had really died in the fire that night. And this wasn't just because of the surgery that changed her face and appearance, it was because that was exactly how she felt on the inside. Different.

She may still be the same Diana Tate, but she has definitely changed. Diana wasn't the warm loving woman she used to be, and now the only thing burning in her veins was anger and vengeance. Diana didn't just want retribution for what they had done to her and her father, she wanted to expose their evil deeds and then send them to their very own hell worse than death.

“Diana,” Killian walked into her bedroom dressed in his usual expensive suit.

She knew the first time she had met him in prison he looked so familiar, but she really didn't expect it to be him. The almighty Killian Blackford. A man more powerful than anyone she'd ever known. He ruled the world of the wealthy and affluent and had more connections than Diana could ever possibly access in a lifetime. This man before her owned New York City and much more.

It had been weeks since she woke up from her coma and was brought to one of his mansions on Greek Island. Killian briefed her on everything that had been happening in Antonia, Emily, and Gabe's life and promised to help her with everything she needed for her revenge, but there was one thing Diana still couldn't figure out. Killian’s own goal.

Back in prison, he said they had a mutual enemy, which was Antonia Saunders. But Diana couldn't imagine there was any way Antonia would have messed with someone so powerful as him and survived.

“How are you feeling?”

“Good. I'm well rested and ready to talk now,” Diana stared at the man who had saved her. Killian was the reason she was alive. If she hadn't met him that night, she would have been dead. She knew there was no way she could ever repay him for that, but owed him her life.

“What do you want to know, Diana,” He took a seat, and Diana settled on one opposite his.

“Everything. I'm grateful you are helping me but you had once said we had a mutual enemy. You know my story, so I should know yours. Tell me Killian, what could Antonia ever do to someone like you?” She asked.

“She murdered the woman I loved,” His cold blue eyes stared intensely at Diana, as she froze.

“What? I'm… I'm sorry, I didn't realize you had been married,” There was barely anything public about Killian Blackford. His name alone and reputation could bring grown men to their knees but no one knew more than they should about him.

“No, I'm not,” He paused. “Her name was Karen Blackford, she was my sister. My parents had lost her when she had been kidnapped years ago as a child. She was only ten then, and we lost her. We thought she had been killed, but I never stopped searching for her through the years. By the time I found her, our parents were long gone. Just two years ago, my little sister was all grown up and had her own precious family with her husband, Jake, and a beautiful three-year-old daughter, Ava.” He chuckled bitterly, without a strain of emotion. But Diana could see the pain in his eyes. I could feel his pain. “But then Antonia Saunders happened. She had just started having an affair with Jake's widowed, wealthy father. And then suddenly, a man who never had any medical condition winds up dead from a heart attack, leaving his entire fortune to Antonia, someone who wasn't even his wife or family. Karen and Jake didn't care, they had things going on for them. But one night, I got a call from my sister. The only thing I could hear was her painful gasps while she struggled to stay alive. I also heard Antonia's voice in the background, laughing while she killed my sister. By the time I reached Karen's place dead in the night, I couldn't help her. They were all dead. I couldn't find Ava either, and Antonia was gone. The place was about to go up in flames. She had set things to look like a freak fire accident,”

“Oh my God!” Diana gasped in horror, pushing up from her seat. “Oh Killian, and your niece? What happened to Ava?”

“Luckily, I found her unconscious in her parent's closet and got her out in time. I don't know what she saw or heard that night but that child has never been the same. Antonia killed her parents. And two years have gone by, and with all the power I have, I couldn't find any incriminating evidence or witness to tie any crime to Antonia Saunders,” Killian stood up from his chair, sauntering to Diana. “Until you. Truth is, there were many times I contemplated just killing her, like she had killed everyone in her life, including all her three ex-husbands, but it wouldn't simply be enough. I want to take off that mask of hers and let everyone see the devil she is,”

The look in Killian's eyes caused a shudder to run down her spine.

“We'll make her pay for her crimes. Every one of them. I'm truly sorry I didn't meet you before you had to experience Antonia's evil, but there was no way you'd ever believe anything I had to say about the Saunders or worse, your husband,” He said.

“Ex-husband, remember,” Diana stepped closer to him. “And let's not talk about the past anymore, it doesn't matter. All that matters is how we're going to get our revenge,”

Antonia, Emily, and Gabe had had their fun for years. And in the name of every life they had ever destroyed, Diana swore she'd make them burn.

It's been over a year now. Nineteen months, to be precise, since Diana had watched her father being murdered by Antonia and her daughter and framed for his murder. Nineteen months after she discovered her beloved husband, Gabe had been having an affair with her step-sister and had married her solely so they could get their hands on the Tate fortune. Her fortune.

Diana had watched them, live their lives like nothing had happened, like they hadn't killed her father or ruined her life and the lives of so many before her. Well, now she was back and was nothing like the Diana Tate they once knew. After a year of settling into her new identity, and making necessary plans needed for her revenge,

she has returned with a new identity and a sole purpose.

She was now Scarlett Johnson, fiancee of the almighty Killian Blackford. Killian and Scarlett announced their engagement a few months ago, but almost no one had any idea who Killian's fiancee was and how she looked.

Killian had done the necessary papers to adopt little Ava as his daughter. And that was something Scarlett wholeheartedly agreed with. Ava had been through a lot; even at an early age, she was not spared from Antonia's evil.

Scarlett kept swimming in the pool. It was at the peak of midnight, and as usual, the pool was quiet and closed for the night. There shouldn't be a single soul around, but yet she could feel the lingering presence that blended with the night.

He'd been there since the second she dived into the pool in nothing but her red bikini swimsuit, and him still being there only meant one thing. She'd caught the interest of her ex-husband, Gabe Patterson.

It'd been just a short time, a year and seven months since she'd last been this close to him. Since she discovered his betrayal, so many things have changed. Gabe got what he wanted, he was now the president of the Tate Group, and Emily was the vice president, living their lives like nothing happened.

Throughout the months, she’d managed to gather incriminating evidence against Gabe; even with all the wealth he had, he was still stealing the company's money, channeling it into the paper company he had created where he laundered money. And Emily wasn't left out as well; the best PIs she hired had found some dirt on Emily as well. That alone was enough to put them behind bars for a few good years, but that wasn't enough. So far she couldn't find anything that could tie them and Antonia to her murder or that of her father.

The only way she could break all of them was from the inside, and Gabe was going to help her.

Nothing had changed between him and Emily, they were still secret lovers and that was surprising because, with the way Gabe had rushed the divorce, she was almost certain they'd be married by now. It was satisfying to find out her husband hadn't changed. He was still a cheating bastard who went after anything wearing a skirt. And that would just be his downfall.

Scarlett had her eyes on him from the second he checked into one of the private suites in Royale hotel, with his whore for the night. It was New York's best hotel and one of the many hotels that belonged to Killian.

Scarlett got out of the pool and was about to pick up her robe when she heard the sound of silent footfalls behind her. She turned around just in time to see the figure step out of the darkness.

“I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you,” She heard Gabe's familiar voice as he took more steps closer. “I was just taking a midnight walk and then…”

“And then, you decided to spy on me?” Scarlett's voice held a little anger, meeting the eyes of the man who had once meant everything to her.

“No. I didn't. I just saw a beautiful goddess taking a swim, and I couldn't look away. I know it was wrong, but I just couldn't look away… you are very beautiful,” He paused, looking almost flustered for a second, but Scarlett could tell it was just an act.

Scarlett rolled her eyes, fastening her robe on her body. “This part of the pool is closed off for guests at midnight, everyone knows that I suggest you remember that in the future because next time I won't be this forgiving,”

She picked up her phone and a few belongings from the pool chair and turned to leave.

“Once again, I'm sorry. And I really don't want you to have a bad impression of me. So can we forget what just happened and start afresh? I'm Gabe Patterson, owner of Tate Group,” He smiled at her. Scarlett no doubt knew he thought sounded charming as he introduced himself confidently, too confidently, as if expecting her to fall to his feet.

Well, the truth was, any woman would. Tate Group was one of the most powerful leading companies in the corporate world, and everyone knew it.

Scarlett knew exactly what he was expecting, after all, that charming smile and the proclaimed title of the owner of Tate Group was exactly what got women into his bed. Well, except her.

She looked straight into his eyes, raising a brow. “I don't care who you are, Gale Peterson,”

“Gabe Patterson—”

“I still don't care. Do me a favor, and don't appear before me again,”

His lips parted in shock. He probably didn't expect that from any woman. Gabe was an egoistic asshole, and she wondered why she couldn't see that before.

Without waiting for his response, she continued walking away.

“Wait,” He tried to grab her hand, but before he could, a suited man stepped out of the darkness, pulling out a gun and training it on Gabe.

“It's okay Trey. This man lost his way, and now he's walking in the opposite direction, aren't you?” Scarlett said, eyes on Gabe whose shock hadn't vanished from his face.

He glanced at the bodyguard and then at the beautiful woman he'd just met, taking a step back. “As you wish, my goddess,” He muttered with a smile. “I guess I'll just see you around, then,”

Without responding, Scarlett kept walking using one of the private back doors into the hotel.

She knew she'd definitely be seeing him tomorrow night at the exhibition in her new museum. Over the past year, she joined Ford Empire Group and also made a name for herself, being a famous artist.

Everyone who meant anything in the business world would be there. And Gabe and Emily weren't an exception. She was secretly hoping Antonia Saunders would be there as well, even knowing the sly fox was currently in Spain and was in talks for her fourth marriage.

Regardless, neither Gabe nor Emily could ever be prepared for what awaited them tomorrow night. But Scarlett knew one thing for sure, there was no way Gabe would be getting any sleep. At least not without dreaming of her.

Scarlett was right. Gabe Patterson couldn't sleep that night. Gabe returned to his suite to find the random blonde he had met that night at the club and fucked several times on his bed. The whore as he liked to call them was still sleeping naked on his bed. But Gabe couldn't help but wish it was someone else. The woman he'd just met at the pool. She was definitely any man's wet dream with the body of a pornstar.

He'd never seen anyone as beautiful as her. That woman was a goddess. His goddess.

Gabe couldn't get the mysterious woman out of his mind, and he couldn't stop thinking about how he could meet her again. She definitely didn't seem like any random woman. She had to be someone important. He hadn't seen any woman carry herself with so much grace and class. No woman had ever spoken to him that way. He was always a lady's man. With one charming smile from him and a little bit of attention, the women always fell to his feet. At least Emily Saunders did. And even that worthless human, Diana Tate did.

Gabe rolled his eyes, stepping out onto his balcony. He hated thinking of his ex-wife Diana. Not because he had loved her or missed her, but because he just didn't want to remember someone so insignificant. She was nothing but a means to an end for him and the Saunders. Because of her he had everything he wanted and was so happy when the news had confirmed Diana's death in the prison. She died like the dog she was, and he was glad.

His phone rang out loud, bringing him out of his thoughts. He let out a curse as he saw it was his fiancee Emily. She'd left him with almost thirty missed calls in the last three hours. Emily Saunders didn't fucking own him, but times like this felt she did. And he didn't like that. And that was one of the reasons he still wasn't ready to expose their secret love affair, because then, Emily would want them to get engaged.

Gabe had known Emily since they were old enough in high school to fuck and date. They were partners in mostly everything seeing the kind of things they'd done together, but that didn't mean she was the kind of woman he wanted to marry. She had no brains, no class, no beauty. Unlike her. His goddess.

No woman had ever infiltrated his mind in a matter of minutes as his goddess had. She was perfect for him and he could only imagine how good she'd taste in bed. He had to find her, and soon.

In the meantime, he sent a text to Richard, his PA at the company, reminding him to prepare everything needed for tomorrow's exhibition. A new museum was opening up in town tomorrow night by the famous artist, S. Johnson. And what was surprising was Tate Group wasn't invited when many influential companies and figures from the business and political world were invited, including the almighty Mr Blackford of the Ford empire, and that would be the perfect opportunity to speak to him regarding the Bardin project.

For three years now, even before Gabe became president, he had always sent proposals on behalf of the company to the Ford empire, but it was rejected every time, and the same happened a few months ago.

Mr Blackford wasn't the kind of person one had the opportunity to see often, almost everyone was surprised the man who owned New York confirmed his attendance at the Glam party. He'd always missed it in the past, but this time was different and Gabe couldn't help but see it as the universe trying to help him. Hopefully, he'd be able to see Killian Blackford and then have a few minutes to speak to him about the Bardin project proposal, and finally, he'd see a reason why Tate Group and Ford Empire should partner together.

Gabe could feel it; tomorrow's night exhibition was going to be one he'd never forget. If only he knew, that couldn't be far from the truth.

*****

It was now morning in the Ford's mansion and as usual, Scarlett and little Ava were in the kitchen preparing breakfast. This was something they loved doing together, and Scarlett loved it more because it always made the little one happy.

Everyone could see the change in six-year-old Ava over the past year. The first time Scarlett met Ava as Killian's fiancee, the little angel barely spoke to anyone. The only person she'd occasionally trade words with was Killian, but it was at a minimum. Ava rarely smiled or loved having anyone around. She was like a lost puppy who was always stuck in her own world and was haunted by nightmares from the night she witnessed her parents die.

Scarlett understood the child's pain and made it her mission to always make her happy. Ava was a lovable child, and soon she became so fond of Scarlett and Scarlett loved Ava as though she was her real mother.

Sometimes she wondered how Ava would take it when she and Killian put an end to their fake relationship after their revenge was complete. Regardless, she made a promise to always be by her side.

“How are my angels doing?” The deep timbre of Killian's voice traveled into the large kitchen, and he scooped Ava into his arms the second the little one ran to him.

“We're just preparing breakfast,” Ava said, and Killian's gaze finally traveled to Scarlett. The woman who had snuck her way into his life and into the life of the little girl the world now recognized as his daughter.

Killian didn't know how Scarlett managed to do it, but the second she stepped into the Ford’s mansion everything changed. No, it had changed before that, and he knew it.

The moment he saw her cuffed and confined in that prison cell, everything had changed. The almighty Killian Blackford's heart, which hadn't moved in forever, did for the first time at the sight of a woman he didn't know or hadn't met before.