Chapter 002

The hall erupted after Mara’s announcement. The moment she stepped behind the curtain, Jason seized her arm again.

“You said you were going to fix this?” he asked through clenched teeth.

Boredom covered Mara’s face, but her eyes were ice-cold.

“And I just did. Weren't you singing about how you would call off our marriage two seconds ago?”

“Is this because of the babies?” Selena stepped forward, her voice low and miserable as always. “I never wanted to destroy your marriage. If my presence is hurting you, I will leave.”

She grasped Mara’s gown as tears gathered in her eyes. The theatrics were top-notch, and Mara might have fallen for them again if she did not know the truth.

After her billionaire lover abandoned her overseas, Selena returned claiming she was too traumatised to sleep alone. Jason moved her into their bedroom and sent Mara to the guest room, yet Mara believed they were only friends.

Even when his parents turned her and her mother into servants, Mara endured every insult for Jason's sake.

She pulled her gown from Selena’s hands.

“Do not beg her,” Jason snapped.

He stepped closer until Mara felt his angry breath against her skin, but she did not move. The old Mara would already be apologising and shivering.

“Do you understand what you have done?” he demanded. “Without my family’s money, you have no status and no chance of finishing that hotel. You will come crawling back before today ends.”

Mara gave him a mocking bow. “My lord, I will remain forever grateful for that warning.”

She pulled the wedding ring from her finger and shoved it against his chest.

“You can take your money, your status, and this ring, then shove them up your ass, respectfully.”

Before either of them could react, Mara dropped the ring at Jason’s feet and walked out of the hall.

The temperature outside was barely above thirty degrees, but people were already rushing to buy air conditioners. They complained as though the current heat was unbearable.

In forty-five days, every air conditioner would become useless. The heat would destroy power lines, spoil food, empty water pipes, and make stepping outside without a cooling suit a death sentence.

Money would become worthless, while food, water, medicine, fuel, and shelter would become the new superpowers. Mara had to finish the partially constructed hotel and begin stockpiling immediately.

This time, she would survive the apocalypse and protect the only person who had ever truly loved her.

Evelyn had raised Mara alone on her small salary as a chef. Yet Mara had allowed the Calders to turn her mother into a slave because she feared offending Jason.

Her nails dug into her palms until warm blood gathered between her fingers.

Mara entered the Calder villa and heard laughter coming from the dining room.

Evelyn stood beside the table in a stained apron while Kevin, Harry’s ten-year-old son, pointed toward the floor with a spoiled pout.

“Servant, get on your knees. I want to use your back as my table.”

Jerry, Mara’s father-in-law, laughed from the head of the table. Lady Patricia smiled beside him, while Harry, Jason’s womanising brother, watched with open amusement.

Lady Patricia’s expression turned cold when Evelyn remained standing.

“Did you not hear my grandson? Get on your knees before his food becomes cold. If you refuse, I will tell Jason to withdraw every dollar from the hotel. Perhaps your filthy daughter can join you when she returns.”

Evelyn flinched. The threat to Mara’s dream was the only weapon the Calders needed. She began lowering herself beneath the child’s excited stare.

Before Evelyn’s knees touched the floor, Mara crossed the room and caught her.

“Mara, why are you here?” Evelyn asked.

“Were you really going to obey him?” Mara’s voice cracked slightly. “Is this how badly I failed you, Mom?”

“Oh, she has returned,” Kevin said with a grin, while Harry blew Mara a kiss.

“Your timing is perfect.” Lady Patricia rose from her chair. “We need another stool. You signed the hotel over to our son today, so Jason can finally discard you and marry someone befitting of this family.”

Befitting, they said, when Mara was responsible for every success the Calders enjoyed. Her blueprints had rescued their company from its rivals, yet they remained completely ungrateful.

“Until Jason throws you out, you should make yourself useful,” Lady Patricia added.

Mara pulled her mother into her arms as the memory of Evelyn’s burning body tore through her.

“Do not ruin the agreement because of me,” Evelyn whispered. “Jason’s family is the only reason you can afford to finish the hotel.”

“Please do not say anything, Mom.” A tear slipped down Mara’s cheek and disappeared into Evelyn’s apron. “I am sorry for not protecting you, but I promise I will do better this time.”

Lady Patricia coughed impatiently. “Do not keep my grandson waiting.”

Mara turned toward them. “When you finish laughing, call your son because you will all have plenty to discuss.”

Their faces stiffened. Mara had never dared to speak back to them before.

“From now on, my mother and I will provide no service to this family. You will also hear from my lawyer concerning the abuse, theft, and unpaid labour.”

“Are you all right?” Evelyn asked. “What about Jason, the hotel, and the money?”

“I am divorcing Jason, and you will never have to tolerate this family again.”

Evelyn pressed one hand against Mara’s forehead. “Are you sick, my Mae?”

“Jason can go to hell because I will find the money elsewhere. The hotel can wait, but you cannot.”

Thunderous laughter filled the dining room after a moment of silence.

“You are divorcing my son?” Lady Patricia asked between laughs. “Please, Mara, you could never survive without him.”

“I am going upstairs to collect my belongings from the safe.”

Harry’s phone vibrated. He opened the video spreading from the ceremony and showed it to Lady Patricia.

Her laughter died as she watched Mara tear the agreement and demand a divorce.

“You ungrateful animal!” Her face burned bright red. “You are not leaving until Jason returns and sets your head right.”

“I would love to see how you intend to stop me.”

“I would love to see how you intend to open the safe without its combination,” Lady Patricia fired back.

Mara ignored her and led her mother upstairs.

The Calders had forgotten that Mara designed every security system inside the villa. Within minutes, she entered the master override and opened the safe containing her jewellery, documents, and family blueprints.

A thick contract lay above the other valuables. Mara had never seen it before.

She picked it up and found the name NOAH CORPORATION written across the first page.

The agreement showed that Noah Corporation had offered to finance the remaining construction after the heatwave increased demand for Mara’s hotel. Jason had signed as her representative, but his family had not invested a single dollar.

The final funds would be released only to the legal owner of the design. Jason needed Mara’s signature so he could steal her ownership, control the money, and pretend he had financed everything himself.

The leash he used to keep her eternally grateful had never existed.

“I should not even be surprised.”

A drop of blood slipped from Mara’s injured palm onto the safe. She reached to wipe it away, but the entire safe vanished from the wall.

A clear chime rang through her mind as a message appeared before her eyes.

[INFINITE STORAGE HAS BEEN ACTIVATED.]