That night, I found myself heading to the hospital. I had to see Lorde. My heart was racing with so many questions. What was happening? Why wasn't anyone answering my calls?

But as I reached his hospital room, a guard blocked my way.

"Ma'am, you're not allowed in here," he said, his tone firm.

"E-Excuse me?" I snapped, my voice trembling. "I'm his wife. I have every right to see him!"

Before I could argue further, the door opened, and out stepped Venus. She looked calm, too calm for someone who was supposed to be grieving. My anger boiled over. Without thinking, I raised my hand and slapped her.

"Do yo plan this bitch, huh? H-How could you?"

She pointed at me. Her expression suddenly changed. "Y-You! You're the reason this happened!" she shouted unexpectedly. "If you hadn't - if you hadn't see me slept with him - none of this would've happened! I-It was just a dare and you took serious—"

I barely flinched. Instead, I gritted my teeth, trying to resist the anger boiling inside me.

"Oh, V-Venus," I said, my voice dripping with curiosity. "W-What are you talking about? Stop this nonsense! You have no idea what you're talking about."

I wanted to scream, to pull her hair, to make her feel even a fraction of the pain I was carrying. But then, from the corner of the hallway, a booming voice cut through the air.

"Jillian!"

It was Don Emillion, Lorde's father. His heavy footsteps echoed down the corridor as he marched toward me. The moment he reached me, he slapped me across the face. Hard.

"How dare you show your face here!" he roared. "You tried to kill my son, MY ONLY SON!!"

My mind went blank. "W-What? No! I would never—"

"Silence!" he barked. His face was a twisted mix of rage and grief. "You brought nothing but trouble into our lives. You're cursed, Jillian. Cursed!"

I couldn't breathe. His words cut deeper than I thought possible. My hands trembled as I clutched my chest, trying to hold myself together. Then, just like that, he turned his back on me and ordered the guards to escort me out.

Venus watched the entire scene unfold, her arms crossed and a victorious smirk plastered on her face. I HATED HER. She freaking brainwashed Don Emillion for what? To fucking get his trust?

I hated everything about her.

When I got home, I couldn't hold it in anymore. I grabbed the picture frame of Lorde and me - the one from happier times - and hurled it against the wall. The glass shattered, just like my heart.

Days passed. Each one felt heavier than the last. I packed my things, determined to leave the house before the memories could suffocate me any further. But as I walked past Lorde's office, something caught my eye. The door was slightly ajar.

Curiosity got the better of me, so I peeked inside. What I saw made my blood run cold.

Venus. She was rummaging through Lorde's desk drawers, her movements quick and desperate.

"What the hell are you doing?!" I demanded, barging in.

Venus froze for a moment, but then she straightened up, her usual smugness returning. "Just looking for something," she said casually, as if it was her office.

"You have no right to be here," I hissed. "I'm telling Don Emillion about this!"

I turned to leave, but before I could take a step, a shadow loomed behind me. When I turned back, my heart sank.

A man stood there - tall, broad, and terrifying. His face was partially burned, the scars twisting his features into something straight out of a nightmare.

"Who—" I started, but Venus interrupted me with a laugh.

"Oh, Jillian," she said mockingly. "Meet Darius McIllano."

Before I could process what was happening, Darius lunged forward, pressing a cloth against my face. A sickly sweet smell filled my nose, and the world around me faded to black.

When I opened my eyes, I was tied to a chair in a dimly lit room. My head throbbed, and my arms felt like lead. Venus stood a few feet away, her arms crossed as usual, while Darius loomed beside her.

"Well, look who's awake," Venus said, smirking.

"What…what is this?" I croaked.

Darius stepped forward, his voice low and menacing. "Where are the documents?"

"W-What documents?" I asked, genuinely confused.

"The ones proving Lorde put me in prison," he growled. "I know they're here somewhere."

"I-I don't know what you're talking about," I said, my voice shaking.

Darius didn't like that answer. He grabbed a wet cloth and pressed it over my face, making it hard to breathe.

"S-Sto—!" I gasped when he finally pulled it away. "I swear, I don't know anything!"

"Liar!" he spat.

Venus watched the entire scene with a satisfied smile, as if she was enjoying my suffering.

"You won't get away with this," I said, glaring at her. "Don E-Emillion will find out."

At that, Venus laughed - a cold, chilling laugh that sent shivers down my spine.

"Oh, Jillian," she said. "You still don't get it, do you?"

"Get w-what?" I demanded.

She leaned in close, her eyes glinting with malice. "Darius isn't just some ex-convict. He's Don Emillion's illegitimate son. And he's here to take back what's rightfully his."

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. I stared at her, my mind racing. If what she said was true, then everything I thought I knew about Lorde's family was a lie.

Before I could say anything else, Darius grabbed my chin, forcing me to look at him.

"You're going to tell us what we need to know," he said, his voice dripping with venom. "Or I'll make sure you never see the light of day again."

Days passed, but I kept silent about what Venus and Darius had done to me. No one would believe me anyway. And honestly? I didn't want to relive the nightmare. I thought I could keep my head down and figure out my next move. But life had other plans.

One morning, a loud knock echoed through the house. When I opened the door, I was greeted by stern-faced policemen.

"Jillian Laví-Emillion," one of them said. "You are under arrest for the attempted murder of Lorde Ace Emillion."

My heart sank. "W-What? No! I-I didn't do it!"

But my protests fell on deaf ears. They handcuffed me and dragged me to the station. Before I knew it, I was thrown into the women's detention cell - a place that felt more like a dungeon than a jail.

The cell was massive, crowded with women who wore their crimes like badges of honor. Tattoos covered their skin, their eyes cold and calculating. As I walked in, their whispers began, low and menacing. I felt their eyes on me, sizing me up like prey.

I clutched my bag tightly and headed to the farthest corner, pretending not to notice them. I just wanted to keep to myself, but that wasn't going to happen.

"Hey, new girl," one of them called out. Her voice was sharp, almost playful, but there was a threat hidden in her tone.

I ignored her, focusing on arranging my things.

"Don't ya ignore me!" she snapped, and before I could react, she grabbed my hair and yanked me back.

The next thing I knew, punches and kicks rained down on me. I tried to fight back, but there were too many of them. Pain shot through every part of my body as I crumpled to the floor, beaten and bruised.

When they were done, they left me there, lying on the cold concrete. My vision blurred from the pain, and I thought that was it - my breaking point.

But then, someone approached me. A woman with kind but wary eyes knelt beside me and helped me sit up.

"Here," she said, handing me a piece of cloth to wipe the blood off my face. "Uhm… I'm Laura. You shouldn't have come here unprepared."

I let out a bitter laugh, wincing as it hurt my ribs. "Like I had a choice."

Laura's expression darkened. "Listen, those women? They're planning to kill you. It's been in the works since before you got here."

My stomach twisted. I frowned, "W-What? Why?"

She hesitated before answering, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I've heard them mention a name. Venus. Do you know her?"

The air left my lungs. It was her? She wasn't satisfied with ruining my life outside - now she wanted me dead.

I spent the rest of the day stewing in anger. Every bruise on my body, every ache, every humiliation - it all fueled the fire inside me. I wasn't going to let Venus win.

That night, as the cell lights dimmed and the other inmates drifted off to sleep, I turned to Laura.

"Do you have a lighter and some cigarettes?" I asked in a low voice.

Her brows furrowed. "Why?"

"Just trust me," I said.

She nodded hesitantly and handed them over. I spent the next few hours tearing apart my mattress, using the fabric to create makeshift wicks.

By midnight, the cell was silent. Everyone was asleep - except for me and Laura. I nudged her awake and motioned for her to follow me.

"Damn! W-What are you doing?" she whispered, panic in her voice.

"You'll see."

We slipped into the small bathroom at the corner of the cell. Laura pulled out a one-liter bottle of gasoline she'd hidden earlier like I said - how she got it, I didn't ask. Some things were better left unexplained.

I poured the gasoline over the torn mattress pieces, creating a trail that led toward the exit.

"A-Are you insane?" Laura hissed.

"No," I said, flicking the lighter. "I'm desperate."

I lit the trail, and the flames roared to life. The fire spread quickly, consuming the mattresses and walls. Chaos erupted as inmates screamed and scrambled to escape the growing inferno.

In the midst of the chaos, Laura and I slipped out through the back, where the bars had weakened from the heat. We ran through the dark, our breaths coming in sharp, panicked bursts.

We reached the edge of the woods behind the prison, the fire still raging behind us. For the first time in hours, I allowed myself to breathe.

But Laura grabbed my arm, stopping me. Her face was pale, her eyes wide with fear. "What the hell did you just do?!" she demanded. "You know they'll hunt us down now! You just signed our death warrants!"

I met her gaze, unflinching. "Bitch! I had no choice. If I stayed, I'd be dead by morning. I can't let Venus win, alright?"

"W-Win… what?" she shot back. "What are you even fighting for?"

I took a deep breath, my hands balling into fists. "Revenge. Before she ruins what's left of my life, I'm going to destroy hers."

Laura stared at me, fear and uncertainty etched on her face. But I didn't care. I wasn't running anymore. It was time to fight back.

Life in hiding wasn't easy. Laura and I found refuge in a remote village, far from the chaos we left behind. It wasn't the most comfortable place, but it was safe - for now. The mornings were quiet, and the nights were long, filled with restless thoughts of what lay ahead.

One morning, as we sipped on stale coffee, the peace shattered. The local news blared on the old TV in the corner of the rundown inn. There he was - Lorde, my husband, alive and well. My chest tightened as his familiar face filled the screen, but his words made my blood run cold.

"My wife, Jillian Winston, is wanted for arson, attempted murder, and jailbreak," Lorde declared, his voice steady and commanding. "A reward of five million dollars will be given to anyone who provides information leading to her capture."

My face flashed on the screen. Five million dollars. That kind of bounty was enough to make anyone desperate.

"This is bad," Laura muttered, her face pale. "We're not safe here anymore."

But I wasn't about to let fear consume me. Instead, I leaned into the anger bubbling inside me. "We'll adapt," I said firmly. "I'm not going down without a fight."

That night, Laura brought up an idea that seemed insane at first. "I know someone," she said hesitantly. "A surgeon. He's unlicensed, but he's discreet. He can help us… change."

It was risky, but I didn't see any other choice.

A few days later, we met the surgeon in a dimly lit basement, the stench of antiseptic hanging heavy in the air. The procedure was excruciating, but I endured it, fueled by the promise of safety and revenge. Months passed, and when the bandages came off, the woman staring back at me in the mirror wasn't Jillian anymore.

"Ynna Lewis Versejo," I whispered to my reflection, testing my new name.

Laura, now Darlea Martinez, smirked beside me. "You're unrecognizable."

"Good," I replied, determination sharpening my voice.

Our plan began to take shape. We staged our deaths meticulously, burning old prison clothes and planting them in the remnants of the women's cell. The authorities would find them and assume we were gone for good.

With our new identities, we could finally start plotting our revenge. I wasn't just running anymore - I was fighting back.

Weeks later, I found myself back in the city, standing before the gates of the Emillion estate. The air was heavy with memories, but I shook them off. I had a mission to complete.

I had emptied my secret vault to fund this plan, every last penny going into my new life and my ultimate goal: infiltrating the Emillion empire. Step one? Investing in Lorde's company, Emillion Real Estate.

"SHIT you're moving too fast," Darlea warned me one evening as we sat in our small apartment, poring over documents.

I didn't look up. "I know what I'm doing."

She slammed the papers down, frustration clear in her voice. "Do you? You're risking everything! It's too soon to make a move."

Her words struck a nerve. I snapped, my voice icy. "You… don't get to lecture me, Darlea. If it weren't for me, you'd have burned alive in that prison!"

Silence filled the room as my words hung in the air. Her face fell, but I didn't care. She didn't understand the fire driving me.

The tension lingered, but it was interrupted by an unexpected phone call.

"Ms. Versejo?" a calm voice greeted me.

"Yes, talking," I replied, masking my surprise.

"This is Glaiza, Mr. Lorde Emillion's assistant. Mr. Emillion would like to invite you to a business meeting tomorrow morning. Can you make it?"

I almost dropped the phone. Oh, why are they rushing things? "Of course," I said, keeping my voice steady.

After hanging up, I turned to Darlea, who raised a questioning brow. "Looks like I'm meeting Lorde tomorrow," I said sarcastically.

The next morning, I arrived at the towering Emillion building. My heart pounded as I stepped into the sleek conference room, but I kept my composure. If they saw through my facade, everything would be over.

As I waited inside the conference room, the door swung open, and in walked Venus. My breath caught at the sight of her. Her figure was different now - her stomach round and unmistakably pregnant.

"Ms. Ynna Versejo, right?" she said sweetly, extending a hand.

I took it, forcing a smile. "Yes. And you must be… Venus."

Her smile widened, and she patted her belly. "That's right. Lorde and I are engaged now, you know. It's such a tragedy what happened to his ex-wife, Jillian. But I suppose everything happens for a reason, right?"

I clenched my fists under the table, hiding the storm raging inside me. "Congratulations," I said, feigning delight.

Before she could respond, Venus suddenly gasped, clutching her stomach. Panic filled her eyes as her water broke, spilling onto the pristine floor.

"H–Help!" she cried, her voice shrill.

Without thinking, I grabbed my phone and dialed for an ambulance. This wasn't part of the plan, but I couldn't afford to blow my cover now.

As the paramedics rushed in, I stood to the side, watching the chaos unfold. My mind raced with questions. How far was I willing to go? And what would it cost me?