Marla’s POV

My hands trembled, and before I knew it, I had dropped the phone I was holding.

"Lady Marla!" Matthew screamed. Everything became a blur, and then darkness consumed me.

When I woke up, the first thing I heard was a commanding voice barking orders.

"Make sure she regains her strength before the wedding happens."

The sheer authority in his tone sent shivers down my spine. Slowly, I opened my eyes, trying to make sense of the chaos around me.

"W-What happened?" I asked weakly, still disoriented.

Before I could gather my thoughts, Jason suddenly appeared before me. I froze, shocked to see him here. The last thing I remembered was that he wasn’t even home.

“You’re finally awake,” he said, his tone cold and devoid of emotion. It was like he just wanted to confirm I was conscious, nothing more.

I struggled to sit up, my body still weak. I looked around. It looked like I was in a hospital.

Then I remembered what had happened and why I had been brought here. I looked at Jason, expecting him to say something, but he didn’t even seem guilty—even though he knew I had heard them.

I needed to end this miserable situation with him.

“I need to visit the welfare home,” I said all of a sudden.

The welfare home—the one I had worked so hard to fund and build. I needed to go there before I commenced with my plan.

Jason’s eyes narrowed. “Why now? You’re still sick, and you just woke up. You’re not going anywhere,” he said sharply.

I glared at him, my frustration boiling over. “And what about you? Why are you here? Since when did you start pretending to care about me? Don’t act like you suddenly care now!”

I didn’t expect what happened next. He grabbed my wrist tightly, his grip almost painful.

“Don’t you dare talk to me like that,” he growled, his eyes blazing with a dangerous intensity. For a moment, I thought he might lose control.

I stayed silent, too stunned to speak. After a few tense seconds, he let go of my hand, visibly calming himself down.

“Just focus on recovering,” he muttered. “You need to regain your strength before our wedding.”

And with that, he walked out, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

This wasn’t the Jason I used to know. He had changed—he wasn’t the same man I once loved. Ever since Shane entered our lives, everything about him had become different.

I was still lost in thought when Matthew came in carrying a bouquet of flowers.

“Lady Marla, someone sent you these flowers. There’s a letter with it too,” he said, handing them to me.

I took the flowers and the letter, already suspecting who might have sent them. I knew it wasn’t Jason—he wouldn’t bother with such gestures.

As I opened the letter, my heart raced. My suspicion grew stronger.

It was from Shane.

‘I hope you recover soon. ;)’

As if on cue, the door suddenly opened again. Jason walked back into the room—but he wasn’t alone. Shane was with him.

"What are they doing here?" I asked, clenching my fists in frustration.

“Oh, hi!” Shane greeted, her smile so wide and overly sweet that it was almost unbearable. “I see you’ve already found the flowers I brought for you,” she said.

I couldn’t stand her smug expression. I wanted to wipe that annoying smile off her face. Then she turned to Jason, ignoring my growing irritation.

“Jason,” she said cheerfully, “I could drive Marla to the welfare home if she really insists on going. I overheard your conversation earlier, and as your personal assistant, it’s also my responsibility to take care of your future wife.”

Before she could say more, Jason abruptly cut her off.

“No,” he said coldly, his voice firm.

I was stunned, and so was Shane. She opened her mouth to argue, but Jason glared at her, silencing her with a single look.

“I said, I forbid you. I don’t want you to waste energy on her,” he continued.

The authority in his voice was undeniable, and the icy glare in his eyes left no room for argument. But what truly unsettled me was how close they were standing. Their bodies were barely inches apart, and the way they looked at each other made it seem like they shared some unspoken understanding.

For a moment, it felt like I wasn’t even in the room, like they existed in their own little world. I couldn’t shake the uncomfortable feeling that Jason wasn’t as cold to Shane as he pretended to be.

Trying to break the tension, I finally spoke up.

“There’s no need for anyone to take me,” I said firmly. “Shane, don’t bother yourself.”

Both of them snapped out of their own world and turned to face me.

“I just want to visit the director and the children at the welfare home to let them know I’m getting married,” I added, trying to keep my voice steady.

“Besides, you two seem so busy with each other,” I said sarcastically, unable to hide the bitterness in my tone. “I can manage on my own.”

Shane clapped her hands dramatically, her sarcasm matching mine.

“What a generous and tolerant woman you are!” she exclaimed. “I’m so excited about your wedding—I just can’t wait!”

Then she turned to Jason, her gaze lingering on him in a way that made my stomach churn. There was something in her eyes, something possessive, that made my skin crawl.

“Well, excuse me. I’ll leave you two now,” she said sweetly before walking out of the room, leaving Jason and me alone.

Jason seemed ready to follow her, but before he could, I grabbed his hand, stopping him in his tracks.

“Jason, wait,” I said. “I need to talk to you.”

Marla’s POV

“What is it?” Jason asked me seriously, his eyes narrowing as his brows furrowed.

There was tension in his gaze as he looked at me, and I couldn’t help but think, How did it lead to this?

Jason, the mafia lord. The kingpin. A man who owns countless businesses, both legal and illegal. But despite his ruthless nature, a memory suddenly surfaced in my mind—a memory of a time when he was different. When he used to be so sweet to me, as if I were the most precious person in his world.

I remember when my parents died in a car accident. My butler, Matthew, and I moved into Jason’s grand mansion.

Back then, Jason didn’t just protect me—he protected us. We were each other’s refuge, our light in a dark world. I can still picture the way he used to smile at me, the way his eyes held mine like I was the center of his universe.

But all of that shattered when Shane appeared in our lives—sexier, wilder, and undeniably captivating. Her presence changed everything.

Snapping out of my thoughts, I said, “I just wanted you to come with me... to the welfare home I mentioned. Just the two of us.” I bit my lower lip, waiting for his response.

Jason stared at me, his expression unreadable, as if he was lost in deep thought. Then, to my surprise, he smiled. But it wasn’t a sweet or kind smile—it was teasing, playful, almost as if he were joking.

“Why?” he asked, a hint of amusement in his tone.

I took a deep breath, steadying myself. “You’re still going to be my husband, Jason. Just do this one thing for me.”

Perhaps I’m still expecting he will change. That he will realize his mistress is tearing us apart. I wanted him to realize that... before I continue with my plan.

His gaze lingered on me, searching my face. After a long moment, he exhaled heavily.

“I know what this is about,” he finally said. “You’re afraid of the wedding, aren’t you? It’s happening in two days, and the thought of it is getting to you. Am I right?”

“No,” I replied firmly, meeting his gaze. “It’s not about that. I just want you to come with me.”

Jason gave me that look again—the kind that made it seem like he was carefully weighing my request. It was starting to make me feel uneasy, as if he wasn’t sure whether he wanted to join me or not.

There it was... the disappointment.

Then, suddenly, his phone rang. He pulled away from me and said coldly, “I need to take this.”

His tone was distant, almost dismissive.

He removed my hand that was holding onto him and added, “I’m quite busy right now. But I’ll think about going with you to the welfare home you mentioned.” He glanced at me briefly before continuing, “Now, will you excuse me? I have to leave. I’m meeting someone.”

I bit my lower lip as I watched him turn away. Suddenly, I couldn’t help but feel sad somehow. I’m a human, after all. I may be angry about what he did to me, but this time... I could feel the weight on my chest.

I wanted to stop him, to reach out and say something that might make him stay.

But I knew there was no turning back now. Everything was already set into motion, and the wedding was fast approaching. The plan I had been carefully keeping to myself would soon unfold.

I forced a small smile, but it didn’t reach my eyes. It was a smile meant to hide everything I was feeling inside.

“Okay, I’ll see you at home, Jason,” I said softly.

He didn’t respond. Without a word, he turned his back on me and walked away, his strides hurried, his mind already elsewhere.

To Shane.

Marla’s POV

The next morning, I was already out of the hospital.

I was feeling fine now. It wasn’t that serious, just a high fever that quickly went away.

“Matthew, please take me to the welfare home first. I need to visit the children and the director.”

“Yes, Lady Marla,” he replied, and he immediately took me there.

As expected, Jason didn’t come with me.

What did I even expect from him? Ever since Shane came into our lives, he hardly had time for me anymore.

He always had time for his woman. He didn’t even visit me earlier at the hospital. He only knew I was discharged and that I was heading home today. But that’s not going to happen.

When we got to the welfare home, I got out of the car. I wasn’t surprised when a lot of kids immediately ran up to me.

“Marla!” they all shouted. I was so happy. I knelt down in front of them and hugged each one tightly.

“How are you all?” I asked.

“We’re fine,” they answered in unison. I was so happy to see how cute they all were.

We headed straight to the main building, where we were greeted by the director.

“Marla, how are you? I’m glad you could visit us,” she said.

She walked up to me, and I hugged her tightly. The director was a sweet, 50-year-old woman. She greeted Matthew with a kiss on the cheek. Then, she looked me over from head to toe. Before she could say anything, I spoke up.

“I’m fine. Don’t worry too much about me,” I told her. She just smiled at me.

“Matthew, can you look after the kids for a while? I’ll just have a chat with Marla. It’ll be just the two of us.”

“Sure, kids, let’s go play,” Matthew said as he led the kids away. I saw them happily running off, and then I moved a little further away with Ms. Rose.

Once we were out of earshot, she turned to me. “You need to take care of yourself. I know the truth. You’re not happy. I can see it in your eyes.”

I gave her a small, sad smile. “I’m just going to travel. You don’t need to worry about me. I’m only here to say goodbye. Because… I might not come back.”

She looked at me with concern, but I continued, “But I’ll be okay, so whatever you hear about me, don’t panic, okay?”

She smiled back. “I trust you. You will live a better life.” She hugged me tightly. “Take care, always, Marla. I know you will find your happiness.”

I gave Ms. Rose one last smile before I walked away from her.

I went to see Matthew. “I’ll be leaving first. I already said my goodbye to her.”

We exchanged a look, one that only the two of us understood. He nodded at me. “Okay, Lady Marla. I’ll see you later.”

I looked at the kids. “Goodbye, children. I’ll see you all soon,” I said to them.

“When will you come back, Marla?” they asked, their cute voices echoing in my ears.

“I’ll be traveling,” I replied. I knelt down in front of them, cupped their cheeks, and gently stroked them.

“But I’ll make sure you get the life you deserve.” I stood up straight, turned my back to them, and left. I walked away first. I headed straight for the car that Matthew and I had used earlier.

He’ll use a different car.

When I reached a road where no one could see us, a remote road, I didn’t wait long before I saw Matthew’s car.

He got out, and then I did the same.

“Is the body ready?” I asked him.

“Yes, Lady Marla,” he answered, pulling out the body that looked exactly like mine.

It was a duplicate of my body, the one I’d been planning from the start.

He placed it in the driver’s seat. I was wearing a red dress now, and the duplicate body wore the same outfit. My makeup and even my hairstyle were exactly the same as the body’s.

Once everything was set, Matthew handed me the detonation button. I climbed into his car and, after we had driven a little further, he looked at me.

“Are you ready, Lady Marla?”

I smiled, laughing maniacally.

Then, I pressed the button.

“I’m more than ready,” I said, my voice filled with confidence.

I pulled out the SIM card and threw it out the window.

And in that moment, I knew everything was over, and my plan for escape was finally happening.