Chapter 1 - 01-Janice
In front of a refined and elegant European-style villa stood a beautiful, poised woman in her late thirties.
She held the hand of a little girl around seven or eight years old. Their modest clothing stood in stark contrast to the luxurious surroundings.
The summer heat hung heavy in the air, and the occasional chirp of cicadas echoed through the trees.
Cornelia clutched her daughter’s hand tightly, her body trembling as she braced herself for the confrontation ahead.
A regal-looking woman appeared at the entrance, her face twisted with impatience. Anila glanced at the mother and daughter who had been waiting outside for some time, her eyes filled with disdain. Like a queen looking down on commoners, she snapped coldly, "What are you doing here again, Cornelia? Harold has no intention of seeing you!"
Cornelia’s voice was soft but steady. "I just want a place for Janice and me to stay. Must you really be so heartless?" Her pale face showed traces of resilience, though bitterness surged in her heart. She was once Harold S. Louis’s woman too, but she had stepped aside to let him return to his family. Now, with her home facing demolition, she and her daughter had no one to turn to but Harold.
"Cornelia, I don’t care how much you beg. It won’t work!" Anila barked. "I’ll give you two choices: First, take your little bastard and disappear from Harold’s life. Second—"
Anila’s eyes turned cold and vicious. When she noticed the little girl’s clear, unblinking eyes staring at her with silent defiance, something dark stirred inside her. She wanted to tear them both apart. Even now, her husband remained obsessed with Cornelia—a woman full of grace and allure. Forced to stay with Anila due to pressure from her powerful family, Harold had never truly let go of the woman before her. And that delicate, beautiful child was a constant reminder of his betrayal.
Cornelia’s breath caught as she saw Anila’s gaze shift menacingly to her daughter. She stepped forward protectively, shielding Janice in her arms, waiting for the rest of the threat.
"Second," Anila hissed, her eyes narrowed, "I’ll make sure you disappear from this world completely."
"I want to see Harold. He wouldn’t be this cruel to us. Let me talk to him—unless I hear it from his own mouth, I won’t leave!" Cornelia pleaded, her tear-streaked face full of desperation. What she didn’t know was that Harold had no idea any of this was happening. Everything was being controlled by the ruthless woman in front of her.