Chapter 1 - The Beginning

**17 Years Ago**

Leo Adams married Zoe Nelson. She gave birth to a baby girl with sparkling brown eyes named Olima Adams. After Olima's birth, Zoe suffered medical complications.

Zoe wept because she wanted to give her husband more children, but he assured her that his love for her would not change.

Two years later, Leo spoke to his wife about his intention to marry a second wife. He wanted a woman who would bear him more children—a son to inherit his properties and bear his name—rather than adopting a son, as Olima was a girl.

Zoe became emotional. She feared another woman would enter her home and turn her husband's heart against her. She spoke to her best friend, Gina Edwards, and asked her to marry Leo.

Zoe and Gina had been best friends since high school. They lived on the island where the billionaire families resided. They remained friends even after Zoe married.

Zoe did not know that Gina harbored an admiration for Leo. When Zoe proposed that Gina marry him, Gina accepted without delay. She moved into the white mansion to live with them.

Upon her arrival, Gina changed. She began quarreling with Zoe. Gina demanded that Zoe leave the master bedroom so that she and Leo could use it, since Zoe could not birth another child.

Leo was shocked by Gina’s attitude. She dared to fight with Zoe and called her a witch for refusing to exit the bedroom.

Leo became annoyed and threatened to divorce Gina the following day. Gina calmed herself and returned to the persona of the good friend. She begged Zoe to plead with their husband to stop the divorce.

Leo told Gina, "How dare you come into my house and quarrel with your best friend. I regret marrying you, Gina. Olima will inherit my properties. Even if she marries a man and takes his surname, she remains my daughter. Get ready to leave my house tomorrow; our marriage is over!"

Gina begged Zoe to intervene. Zoe sighed; she was the one who had asked Gina to marry her husband.

Zoe pleaded with Leo on Gina's behalf. He allowed Gina stayed in the mansion, but she must moved into a separate bedroom.

Gina hated Zoe from that day forward. She avoided speaking with her. She felt that Zoe and Leo had conspired to bring her into the mansion just to flaunt their love.

One day, Gina went to Zoe's room. She pleaded with her to allow Leo to spend a night with her, as that was the reason he had married her.

Zoe waited for Leo to arrive home. She asked him to spend the night in Gina's bedroom to see if she would birth the son he desired.

Leo refused. He avoided Gina and wanted nothing to do with her because he regretted the marriage. However, after Zoe sent him away, Leo had no option but to spend the night in Gina's bedroom.

A month later, Gina remained jealous. She continued to hate Zoe. She saw that Leo loved Zoe more than her, despite her hope that he would ditch Zoe due to her inability to have more children.

Instead, Leo avoided Gina. He refused to eat her food. This provoked Gina, and she quarreled with Zoe again.

Leo became annoyed and brought divorce papers home, ordering Gina to sign them and leave.

Gina refused, telling her husband, "I am pregnant."

Leo could not send Gina away with his child in her womb. He allowed her to stay, but on one condition: Gina would live in the boys' quarters, away from the main mansion, and she would not quarrel with Zoe again.

Gina accepted, as she had no other option and did not want to leave the estate.

Eight months later, Gina gave birth to a baby girl named Mia Adams. Leo never returned to her to see if they could have more children or a son.

Fourteen years later, Gina's hatred for Leo and Zoe had grown. Only once in her fourteen-year marriage had Leo touched her, as he claimed he regretted their union.

Gina knew she could not leave to remarry. The townspeople mocked her for marrying her best friend's husband, and her parents had not supported the marriage. She had thought Leo would love her, but he avoided her instead.

Gina knew that if she sought a pregnancy elsewhere to produce a son, Leo would know the child was not his. He only accepted Mia into the main mansion because she was his biological daughter and because Olima wanted a younger sister to play with.

Gina's heart turned cold. She contacted a truck driver to ram into the car carrying Leo and his wife, Zoe. She knew they were heading to the school for a graduation ceremony; Olima was graduating from college, and Mia was entering her senior class.

Gina confirmed the driver's success, then killed the driver to hide her secret forever.

Three months after the burial, Gina moved back into the main mansion. She sacked the maids and turned Olima into a servant, forcing her to withdraw from her tutorial classes.

Silent family members began visiting the mansion to see who would take over Leo's wealth and oil company. Gina was a brutal woman. She had her in-laws arrested, accusing them of killing her husband and his wife.

The arrested in-laws had to bail themselves out and sign an undertaking never to disturb Gina Adams or her family again.

Gina contacted Leo's lawyer to inquire about the will. She remembered Leo saying Olima would inherit everything.

Gina had not killed Olima because she did not want Mia to be alone in the big house without a sister. She decided to turn Olima into a lifetime maid, knowing no one would rescue her.

When the lawyer arrived, he told Gina, "Mr. Leo's will cannot be changed. The company goes to Olima Adams when she turns twenty-four."

Gina became annoyed and sent the lawyer away. She began to plot how she would change the will to make the property belong to her and her daughter alone.