Chapter 3: An offer?

Cielle's POV.

I stood still with the file in my trembling hands until I realized I had lost everything.

My house, my name, my identity, my husband, my child, my empire, and maybe my sanity.

I had lost it all to them, a cost of their betrayal.

"Come on now, I do not have all day. Sign it up," she said and threw a pen at me with so much force it landed on my face.

"Ah," I winced in pain as the lid of the pen made a small cut on my face.

Hurriedly, I picked it up and scribbled my signature on the paper.

The prison bars clicked open, and a policeman, who I didn't realize was standing behind Ashley, entered and grabbed the paper from my hand.

"I'm glad to see that you have finally accepted defeat, Cielle. So, I will let you live," she said and walked away just like that, leaving me in the darkness, in the abyss of her betrayal.

I returned to my previous position right there in the dark and slowly accepted my fate.

***

A year later.

I had lived in the shadows.

I had come to accept the darkness as my new identity.

Though I wondered when it was going to end, I never expected anything.

I knew I was forgotten.

I knew my name had been erased.

But all that was questioned when the policeman dragged me out of the cell.

"You have a visitor," he said, as his grip on my arm made me wince in pain. The brightness from the light I rarely experienced burned my eyes.

"Cielle Coleman," a strange baritone acknowledged, and I stiffened, my eyes struggling to catch a glimpse of the stranger's face.

"Who are you?

Why are you here? Let me go!

I have done nothing wrong, let me go!"

I tried to run back, but the policeman held me in place, my feeble attempt no match for his strong grip.

"Let her be, officer," the voice commanded, and the officer released my arm.

"You can call me your savior.

The man who has come to give you redemption," he said, and my eyes finally opened slowly as they landed on him.

His tall, dominating figure, bright eyes, and emotionless face sent shivers down my spine as I tried really hard to remember where I had met him before.

Nothing and no one came to mind.

I didn't know this man; he was a complete stranger.

"Who are you?

And what do you want from me?" I asked as I wrapped my arms around my body, feeling weak and frightened in front of him.

"I just told you, Cielle. I'm your redemption, and I have brought a proposal you cannot refuse," he said. His eyes flickered something sinister, intentional—something that brought heat into my body.

"What do you mean?

Did Ethan send you here?

Or was it Ashley?" I questioned as I felt belittled by his presence.

"I signed the divorce papers.

What else do they want from me?

They took all I had... my baby, they killed my baby."

I choked as I felt tears well up in my eyes.

His face hardened as he watched me quietly.

"Do you want to make them pay?" His question came as a shock, and I swallowed hard as I tried to read the expression on his face. There was nothing.

"Don't you want to make him pay?

Don't you want to make Ethan pay for making you suffer so much?

For taking away your company, your legacy, your hard-built empire?

Don't you want to make him pay for his betrayal?" he said, this time taking steps towards me.

"All you have to do is ask, Cielle, and I will bring him to his knees." He closed the distance between us, and I realized my back was against the wall.

"I can help you ruin him.

I can help you make him pay.

I can get you out of here, grant you freedom, and give you revenge..."

I cut his words short, "why?

Why do you want to save me?

How do you know me, and why are you really here?" I asked as I bit hard on my lips, an attempt not to scream.

"Because..." He averted my eyes, and I could finally breathe. But he brought them back.

"Of course I want something in return.

The deed to Ethan's family's ranch."

With a tilted head, my eyes narrowed, as his proposal was too good to be true.

A deed?

"Why?" I mouthed as I felt his hot breath on my face.

"Because I want it just as much as you want revenge on your ex-husband.

It's going to be a simple partnership.

The ranch for your revenge."

Although the evil in his eyes begged me to run away and to hide, for some reason, I was willing to trust him.

To trust the man who was willing to help me regain my freedom and to get revenge.

"Yes, I accept... I will do anything to make them pay." I shuddered as I struggled to keep my eyes fixed on him.

"Good girl." He growled, scooping my face into his palm.

***

An hour later, I was free, in fresh clothes and away from the prison bars.

I followed him silently to where I presumed to be his house, as I waited patiently for him to voice out how I would get my revenge.

"You must be tired. Get a good night's sleep. I will see you in the morning," he broke the silence as he led me into a room.

I felt vulnerable, but yet eager to strike.

My heart raced as I processed the fact that I was finally free.

"No…" I shrieked, "I don't want to sleep.

I want to take my revenge on them," I voiced, and he raised a brow at my words.

"You promised to help me take revenge, right? Then why are we here?

Why have you brought me here?"

His head tilted to the side as he picked his words.

"You seem so feisty all of a sudden.

Are you sure you're ready to face them?"

He asked in the calmest of tones, and I swallowed hard.

"Yes, yes I am.

I'm ready to make them pay," I breathed as I felt my skin burn with hate, my boiling blood fueled with anger.

He dipped his hand into his jacket's pocket and brought out a pistol.

"Argh..." I gasped as he stretched it out to me.

"Here you go then...

You're ready, right? Go take your revenge then."

My hands trembled as I grabbed the gun from his grip, my mind certain of its mission.

To kill Ethan and Ashley.