“And to my lovely wife Bela Armani…” He paused as he scanned the crowd with his incredibly charming eyes and as soon as they fell on me, the corners of his lips curled into a satisfying smile.

“...you are the finest, loveliest, tenderest, and most beautiful person I have ever known, and even that is an understatement. I know there are times when I'm not always easy to live with. Thank you for loving me still." He concluded, his eyes beaming with enthusiasm as the crowd roars its approval with thundering applause and a standing ovation.

Even though he has just been named the new CEO of McMahone Teaching Hospital, it was obvious that his greatest achievement was having me as his wife, and for the first time in three years, I felt a sting of guilt in my heart for not being able to reciprocate his love.

If perfect was a man, it would definitely be Donovan McMahone. He was handsome, wealthy, and most importantly, the best husband any woman could wish for. His only flaw was his father, Dr. Hudson McMahone, the current Commissioner of Health and the most possible candidate for the upcoming election for the Minister Of Health.

Most people think of the Commissioner as a demigod who does nothing but save people's lives and even my family and I were once one of those people.

My earliest memory of him was when I first learned I would be having a younger brother. At that time, we lived in a very small village in Marklesburg.

I remember feeling so betrayed and angry that I would run away from home and wander about the small village, most times daydreaming about the biggest mansion in the village and all the good life I could live only if it was ours.

One day, I finally met the owner Dr. Hudson McMahone who turned out to be very nice and we immediately became friends, not considering the age gap...The biggest mistake of my life

As months went by, I found out my mom had complications in her pregnancy and needed a very expensive surgery to be performed by an expert surgeon.

My dad was just a 9 to 5 worker and obviously didn't have enough savings for such complicated surgery.

I decided to tell my new friend about it since he was a surgeon and the owner of the only hospital in our village and fortunately for us, he agreed to do mom's surgery himself, that too for free. Ever since then, he became very close to my family as mom became sickly after childbirth.

On seeing how his single act of kindness saved my family, I knew what I had to be. A doctor!

My parents tried to give me the best life they could afford but despite their effort, I didn’t appreciate them because I hated the idea of having a sibling and this made me distant from my family as studying became my new haven.

I hated little Diego so much that I would sometimes deny him as my brother in front of my friends.

Once my mentor left the village, I decided the best way to be free from my family was to join a boarding school in the city at just 16. My parents hated the idea and tried to change my mind about it but I was too determined to leave. Diego, who was always too scared to speak to me, walked up to me just as I was about to leave the house.

“Aunty Diana, would you have stayed back if I hadn’t been born?” He asked, his puppy eyes filled with tears and for the first time, I felt guilty for how I have treated him for the past 7 years since he joined the family but it was already too late to change my decision. I have already been enrolled in a medical high school in Washington DC and it would only be a waste of the money we lack to change my mind.

Instead of showing my regret, I shoved his hands and ran out of the house with my luggage. That night, I cried my eyes out in my new hostel as the realization of my loneliness hit me. I thought it was great to live alone but when I was finally alone, I realized how much I hated it.

Just when I thought I understood what loneliness meant, true loneliness hit me because, in my freshman year at college, I received a call that changed my life forever.

“Your parents and younger brother were involved in an accident. Though we couldn’t save your parent’s life, your brother is recovering at the McMahone Teaching Hospital, Washington.” A sharp manly voice intoned the horrible death of my parents to me in a voice devoid of any emotions.

As soon as I arrived at the hospital which was just about an hour's drive away from my college, Dr. Hudson showed me to the morgue where my parents' lifeless bodies were lying on a table.

A foul odor welcomed me as I entered the cold room. The lighting was stark and the only sound I heard was that of my shaky breath.

Of course, the dead don’t talk.

My legs immediately went numb and as I fell on all fours, I felt a sudden tightness in my chest.

My vision blurred as I fought back the tears.

I left the house that day without even saying a proper goodbye. I only phoned them when I needed money and I never went back home after that day even when I missed them.

“I will go back home once I’m very rich and successful…” I consoled myself with those words all for the three years I spent without them.

Even if I become successful now, they won’t be here to enjoy the fruit of their labor.

“Mom, Dad, please wake up! I’m going to become a doctor soon and we will become very rich.” I bawled out, my throat aching with misery as I crawled towards the table.

When I finally got the courage, I tried to reach out for mom’s hand but a small scarred hand grabbed my wrist, preventing me from touching her.

I slowly lifted my head to make eye contact with the small figure of my brother standing in front of me.

“They didn’t need your money. All they ever wanted was your love and presence. You have no right to touch a single hair on her head.”

His stare was intense and cold and his eyes were red from crying.

At that moment I realized how much I’d failed as a daughter and sister.

Later, I found out that they were on their way to visit me when they met with an unfortunate accident.

Ridden with guilt, I tried to become a better person and a better sister to my brother but because of how I’d treated him and our parents, he wasn’t ready to forgive me so easily.

Since I was already an adult, Diego was given an opportunity to either live with me or go to an orphanage and without hesitation, Diego chose an orphanage over me.

It took me four years of persistence to finally earn Diego’s forgiveness and convince him to move in with me, though I never stopped feeling guilty for my parents' death.

By then, I was already doing my medical residency at MTH(McMahone Teaching Hospital) and was getting some money which was enough to sustain us.

It was only when I decided to enroll him in school that I found out he had to drop out of school for three years while I attended medical school.

"I know you've gone through a lot because of this selfish sister of yours but I promise I will make it up to you. I am getting a good pay from MTH and…"

"That man is everything but good, big sis. I wish you could stay away from him.” Diego quickly interrupted me.

There was something in his voice that showed concern and worry at the same time.

He went on to tell me how our family has been on bad terms with him ever since I left and how he believed our parents’ death might be a murder.

Apparently, it was because of mom's sickness he didn't know the details of the issue.

I couldn’t just disregard his observation because he was the one that was close to our parents for all these years and for a 14 years old, he was quite smart and observant.

But at first, I thought it was just the typical accusations patients' families haul on doctors when their loved one can't be saved by them until I stumbled upon an ongoing experiment document that had my mother's womb as the test subject, my doubts raised and I began to make my investigations.

I tried to confront Dr. McMahone about it but he became unreachable. I was made to know my place at the hospital by his secretary. I decided to focus on my work at the hospital to avoid ruining my years of hard work by getting fired but when the success of McMahone’s experiment on mom broke the internet, I knew something big and horrible was going on.

Something that could destroy the image of a famous man like him.

Something a person like him could kill for.

I began to take Diego’s word more seriously as I began to conduct my investigation thanks to the help of a college friend who was now interning at a Washington Police Station.

Diego ended up being right. There was foul play in the accident record.

I was so disheartened by my findings that I decided to take a break from work while I tried to bring such a powerful man to justice but the worst news of my life came through another horrifying call.

“Your brother was involved in an accident and has just been rushed to the MTH.”

My heart stopped for a while. I felt so dizzy I had to hold the headboard of my bed for support. All I could hear was the blaring sound coming from the police and ambulance siren.

It took me almost five minutes to finally regain my balance and as soon as I did, I ran straight to the hospital.

I hobbled through the hallway of the emergency room, checking each and every room I passed in search of my brother.

I had hope. I had hoped that Diego would be fine just like the last time. I kept my hopes high up until I saw three nurses pushing a stretcher into the elevator leading to the morgue.

The size of the patient was equivalent to that of my fourteen-year-old brother. Its whole body was covered with a white sheet covered in blood. I swallowed hard as I scanned the little part of the body that was uncovered and then I realized it was a boy.

I hesitated and prayed silently but my fear came to pass when the boy’s hand slipped out of the sheet. Unfortunately, I recognized the wristwatch on his wrist and my whole world crashed before my eyes.

I screamed my lungs out and ran towards the elevator but before I could reach him, the door closed on me.

The next few days were the worst days of my life as the images of my dear brother kept flashing before my eyes everywhere around our little apartment.

His death was ruled as a hit-and-run but later on, the driver turned himself in.

I didn’t dare go into Diego’s room as I was overwhelmed with guilt and regret. I lost interest in my job and instead became a drunk. I spent all my savings on drinking and gambling.

I forgot to pay house rent for half a year and ended up getting an eviction letter.

Finally, I was forced to empty Diego’s room as I had to move back to Marklesburg.

During the move, I found an interesting file in his room and after going through it, I realized Diego had been secretly investigating our parents’ death.

In the end, I found out his death was also not a coincidence. It wasn’t an accident but rather another murder in disguise.

Diego was only 14 when he was brutally murdered but he did a lot more for our family than I did in 23 years.

In a bid to confront him, I went to his house and caused a scene and on my way back home a van ran me over.

Six months later, I woke up to a new face and a new identity.

Apparently, my face was fatally injured when my body was found along the shores of a river.

I was found by an FBI Agent Miller Ackhurst, who heard my story and was ready to help me get my revenge.

Apparently, Miller has been on his case for a while now and we both needed each other to bring him down.

In all my years of working with Hudson McMahone, I knew the three things that meant the world to him.

His Son, His Name, and His Career.

I will do anything to destroy them.

Diana Garcia died that day as I became a Spy Agent Bela Armani.

I took my time to study everything there is to know about Donovan. From his lifestyle to his hobbies and career.

From my findings, Donovan was the total opposite of his father. He was gentle, reserved, and a little too responsible for my liking. He had no history with women which made it difficult to predict what kind of women he might be into.

He was the typical definition of an introverted Alpha male.

I wanted my revenge on Hudson so badly and the only way I could do it was to become part of his family.

What better way to destroy a man than to have his heart shattered into a million or more pieces?

With his personality in mind, I carefully planned our meet-cute which turned out to be a perfect idea.

With a verified and well-forged result from the FBI, I applied to work as an Anesthesiologist in his hospital.

On the day I submitted my application letter, I hung around the hospital until I saw the Jr. McMahone walk into the hospital. I quickly walked past him, intentionally dropping my wallet in front of him.

I was very careful to make sure he saw it. Fortunately, he did, and like the gentleman he was, he quickly picked it up and attempted to give it back but as soon as he called me, I quickly turned back and snapped at him,

“Oh please! Are you also going to tell me that I’m the most beautiful woman you’ve seen in your life? Don’t bother selling that because I won’t buy it. I’m not interested in you, so please leave me the hell alone.”

For a while, his brow raised in surprise but I noticed his expression softened before I walked out on him.

I knew I made an impression and while it lasted, I appeared in front of him again just a few days later when I was finally employed as an Anesthesiologist in the new surgical team he was setting up.

I noticed a gleam in his eyes as he saw me and I could tell he was both excited and relaxed to see me sitting across from him in his office.

He wasn’t surprised at all, which was also a notification that my plans worked because if he peeked into my wallet, he’d have noticed my name on my ID and would have guessed it when he went through my CV.

The only reason he’d have peeked into my wallet would be probably because I caught his attention. My Absolute Goal.

I briefly apologized for that day and acted like I was stressed out from the disturbance of several men stopping to pass compliments at me.

From then on, things moved really fast beyond my expectations.

Later I found out he fell in love with me at first sight.

In the next six months while I was still gathering every information I could against Hudson, he proposed and a few months later we got married.

At some point, his parents were against our relationship because I didn’t meet his standards and also because everything was going too quickly but as the saying goes, “A man in love is both blind and deaf.”

Luckily, his parents realized that on time and supported us instead even though his overprotective father always had a problem with me possibly being a gold digger.

The news of our Marriage took Miller and the whole FBI crew by surprise as they thought I was only going to dig out information from him and dump him.

Miller always had a problem with me dating Donovan and that’s because he has feelings for me.

Of course, he hasn’t dared mention it but women will always know when they’ve caught a man’s attention.

Similarly, Donovan doesn’t like seeing me with him because he doesn't like the way he stares at me but fortunately, none of the men can control my life.

Even though we became family, I made Donovan understand that I wasn’t ready to change my last name.

Though he didn’t like the idea, he loved me dearly and would do anything to make me happy.

When I was questioned by the authorities, I lied my way out saying I had to make the whole charade believable but Miller knew there was something more to my lies.

The FBI is a legal organization who wanted to go by the book but that would mean at the end, Hudson would still have something he cherished more than his life - His Son.

I didn’t want that to happen. He took everything I ever had from me. So I’m going to do the same.

Our marriage has been full of bliss for the past three years. I’ve waited that long to make the McMahone Family pay and now it’s time to finally let my true intentions known.

The Public Ministerial Candidate Screening is coming up by next month.

Whatever I have to do has to be done before then.

****

Once we returned home from the party, Donovan got intimate with me.

Sex with him is always great. I was so addicted to it that I could barely resist him.

But I will have to get used to living without it very soon because by the end of the Screening we will be divorced.

As per my usual morning routine on nights like last night, I would wake up early, wash up and take my drugs.

Contraceptive Pills, of course. I wouldn’t want to carry a child for that family.

For the past years, I’ve hid the drugs well from him but today, I purposely left it on the washing sink right where he could see it, then I went back to the room and climbed onto the bed, staring at the handsome man sleeping on the bed.

Donovan was a few years older than me. He clocked 30 a few months back. His features were pronounced. He had nicely arched brows and beautiful eyes.

His body was well built and his chest was brawny and slightly hairy with a 10 inches long scar on his chest from the open heart surgery he had a few years before we met. Overall, Donovan is a fine man.

“None of this was your fault but I hope you’re strong enough for the emotional breakdown that is coming your way.” I thought to myself before finally waking him up and walking over to the dressing mirror.

A few minutes after walking into the restroom, I heard him calling out for me as he walked back into the room.

“Honey…” He called out frantically as he stood behind me, his reflection appearing on the mirror before me.

“Is everything alright?” I asked as I turned to face him, pretending not to see the satchet of drugs in his hand.

“Umm…” He opened his mouth to speak, paused to collect his thoughts then continued. “Umm…this isn’t yours, right?” He asked, his body tensed as he feared my response.

I rested my body on the dressing mirror behind me, pressed my lips into a thin line while fidgeting my hands, acting as nervous as I could.

“Honey, I’m talking to you. Please tell me this is not yours!” He begged frantically even though he already understood my body language.

“Don, were you going through my things? Just because I’m your wife don’t you think I deserve some privacy?” I asked, trying my best to provoke him.

“Does that even matter now? Just answer my fucking question Bela!” Donovan yelled at me.

For the first time in our three and a half years of relationship, he called me by my name making it obvious that he was highly angered by my action.

I know he loves me to death but what he would love more is to see me carry his child which would never happen.