03

"Okay. Leave this to me."

Gia gave Noa a comforting squeeze on her hand.

"Hey, it's important to celebrate your release and put all of that prison stuff behind you tonight."

"So you're buying me dinner?"

"You bet," Gia responded as she turned on the engine, and Noa forced a tiny smile.

"I got us a table at the restaurant you used to love.“

Gia tried her best to cheer Noa up during dinner. But Noa’s heart ached every time she thought about Elodie and Eli.

Gia exhaled quietly as she became aware of the change in her mood. She could still clearly recall the delivery of the twins. Due to Noa’s serious problems, the hospital's blood supply was finished. Czar was inaccessible despite the doctor’s' frantic need to use his connections for an emergency delivery.

Gia had to phoned her brother when Noa’s life was in danger, and he sped across town on his motorcycle to get blood that kept Noa alive.

Noa had come close to death while giving birth to the twins.

And right now? One had died, and the other had pushed her away. How could a mother endure such?

Gia later learned that Mya had been in a car accident that same day that Noa was giving birth and had used the last two units of blood, which is why there was none available that day for Noa. Czar stayed at Mya’s bedside while Noa battled for her life.

Noa deserved a better man than that callous jerk, Czar.

Gia drove Noa back to her legal practice after the meal. "Noa, are you sure you want to leave with nothing?" she asked after preparing the divorce papers.

Noa nodded and hastily signed her name as she considered all that had transpired. "Yes, without a doubt. In the first place, he had no desire to wed me. Why should I be bound to him at this point? I don’t want him to think I wanted his properties that was why I asked for the divorce.”

Gia caressed her hair. "All right. I'll take you back to Apple villa.”

Noa nodded.

~~

It was nine o'clock when Noa got to Apple Villa. When she entered the door code, it was incorrect. It used to be her date of birth.

Then she put she and Czar’s wedding day, still incorrect. She tried Czar’s date of birth, still incorrect.

Click. The door parted.

"Who's there? Who’re—"

Julia, the house help, came out. "Mrs. Holland?" She asked, surprise on her face.

Relieved to see a familiar face, Noa forced a feeble grin. "Hey Julia.”

"Eli and Mr. Holland have not yet returned home. Should I make you something to eat or would you want to freshen up first?" Julia asked.

Noa dismissed her with a wave. "No, thanks. What time does Czar usually arrive home?”

"It varies, but Eli usually goes to bed by ten, so I'd guess they'll be back soon."

Noa nodded.

"I'll simply wait here. You can continue with whatever you were doing.”

Julia nodded and left.

Noa surveyed the villa. The previous designs she did were now changed. She was sure Mya was the one that changed it.

A bitter smile curved on her lips.

After an hour of sitting on the couch, she still hadn't seen Czar. He obviously was not coming home tonight because his phone was off.

She didn't want to squander any more time. She went upstairs to gather her belongings, but she came to a complete halt in the master bedroom doorway.

A photograph of Czar, Eli, and Mya, all grinning like a large happy family, was now on the nightstand where her wedding photo with Czar had formerly been.

She glanced around. There were cosmetics and clothing for women everywhere, but none of them were hers.

Incredible.

She clinched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. In order for Mya to enter her life and steal everything she had, they had set her up and sent her to prison.

Czar, too...

This betrayal was too much, even though he didn't like her and might have misinterpreted what had happened that night four years prior.

She grabbed the picture, shattered it on the ground, and ground it beneath her heel.

She wasn't finished. Not even near.

She looked in every guest room after leaving the master bedroom, but she was still unable to locate any of her possessions. She started to check the storage area, but Julia intervened.

"Mrs. Holland, are you looking for your things?"

"Yeah." Noa nodded.

"They're in the attic."

In the attic? Really?

With a tight smile, Noa thanked her and ascended to the attic, where she discovered her belongings hidden beneath a heavy layer of dust. They had obviously been forgotten after being pushed up there for four years.

The sorrow had already numbed her heart, but her rage only intensified.

After searching through her belongings, she discovered the iron box containing her grandmother's heirloom, an emerald pair of earrings. However, the box was empty when she opened it.

They had been stolen by someone.

She didn't have to guess.

Mya of course. Who else might it be if not her?

She hurriedly searched for the books Mr. Nash had given her and her savings account book. They had also vanished.

Her only desire at the moment was to rush to the Streep mansion and demand the return of her belongings. But she knew she had to maintain her composure.

They would accuse her of creating a mess if there was no proof. Nevertheless, she couldn’t remain here any longer. She stormed out, grabbing her things.

Tears wanted to spill as she sat in the car on her way to her grandmother's house.

There was nothing left for her.

Four years of her life, her husband, her kids, her impeccable reputation—all gone.

Her grandmother's and Mr. Nash’s possessions also stolen.

She felt like a complete failure. Not even her position as Mr. Nash’s final pupil, which Mya had also stolen, could be protected. Perhaps none of this would have occurred if she hadn't entered that room and hadn't had that drink.

Noa hung her head, her heart full of rage and anguish, her fists clenched until her veins bulged.

She could give Mya her son and husband. She might even grant her the status of heiress to the Streep family. However, she would never part with Mr. Nash’s legacy or her grandmother's possessions.

That was how much she owed them.

It was after midnight when she returned to Orange Manor. The old mansion appeared cold and desolate as it sat in the dark. However, she finally felt at home when she entered and noticed the recognizable décor.

"It’s Noa, Grandma. I've returned.”

However, there was no response.

In the second year of her incarceration, her grandma had died, but Noa wasn’t aware.

Everything that had transpired over the last four years and her next course of action were racing through her head. The first step was to go to Skymit Group and give the divorce papers to Czar.