Jenna leaped into Marcus Anderson's arms and started sobbing uncontrollably as soon as he approached.
Marcus sighed in sorrow and resentment at his daughter. She had never experienced the least amount of suffering since she was a young child, yet she behaved so pitifully in front of Rex Hidalgo. Even worse, Rex never once expressed gratitude for his adorable daughter.
Marcus would have destroyed the Hidalgos and killed that cretin to avenge his princess if not for their prior agreement!
Jenn, you have to abide by our deal, okay? Remember, if that bastard doesn't fall in love with you within two years, you'll return to succeed me in the company.
Marcus rubbed his daughter's hair tenderly while she sobbed. Jenna eventually began to cry and speak sporadically.
Don't worry, Dad... I won't act that foolishly again.
Despite their advice, Jenna left her family and friends behind to pursue her alleged "true love." Like a moth to a flame, she abandoned her identity, privileged status, and luxurious lifestyle to fly toward her demise.
Inches at a time, she eventually removed that man from her heart, but the sorrow she experienced will always remain in her memory.
Good. Your father will arrange for your older brother to come along. Get acquainted with the group first, and then we'll pick a pleasant day to host a welcome banquet to reveal your identity.
Marcus was thrilled that his adored infant daughter would soon begin a profession!
Stella Benedict, Jenna's dearest friend, came rushing to her door even though the news of her return to the Anderson Family had not yet been made public.
Stella Benedict gave Jenna a bear embrace as soon as she saw her and congratulated Jenna on being divorced, saying, "Baby, I've missed you so much!"
Stella was the first to object when Jenna told them she would hide her identity to be married. Still, Jenna persisted in marrying into the Hidalgo family and eventually cut off communication with Stella. Jenna's tears start to flow once more as she finally sees her dearest friend after all these years.
The two ladies chatted for a long time about everything under the sun. After much nagging from Stella, Jenna reluctantly produced her divorce decree and showed it to her. Stella breathed a sigh of relief when she saw it.
“He will regret this, Rex Hidalgo, that stupid blind son of a b*tch!”
Jenna's eyes drooped. He is now a stranger, so even if he regrets it, it has nothing to do with me anymore.
Stella laughed indignantly, "Well done, Baby! You simply need to wave your hand, and your admirers will be lined up from your doorstep to the boundaries of New York City! That bastard can't even get in line.”
Jenna had to return to Rex's house to retrieve some crucial papers she had forgotten she had left there. Jenna accepted Stella's offer to accompany her after giving it some thought.
Jenna did not anticipate running into Dianne, Rex's mother, as soon as she returned. Dianne regularly visited their home without warning and behaved like she was in charge.
When Dianne saw Jenna return with a stranger, she was pretty upset. She mocked Jenna and her buddy while keeping her head held high.
You can't just bring randos back here; did I mention that we have a lot of secret documents in the house? Do you have a goldfish memory, Jenna?
Stella expressed her displeasure after being taken aback. Are you too old to be calling people names? "Who are you calling a rando?"
She was treated like a princess and adored by all. "How could she make such a joke about me? '
Stella was enraged because she could already see what Jenna's life had been like while she was residing here.
Dianne carefully examined Stella as she snorted icily. "I've met many low-class people like you who dream of marrying into a rich family," she said. "Don't think you can pretend to be elite just by wearing false outfits."
Stella grinned angrily. Jenna's face grew grave as she spoke. “Please be respectful of her because she is my friend.”
In the Hidalgo family, Jenna had never responded to Dianne and had always kept her tail between her legs.
‘She just dared to correct me in front of strangers? How could this humble woman from an unknown background talk to me in such a manner?’ Dianne pondered.
“Jenna, you should count your blessings that our family accepts you as our daughter-in-law. Did you forget which mud hole you crawled out of? This girl you brought home is probably just like you. Get out of my house, and don't stain my floors! She yelled. "Respect? Do people of your background even deserve respect?"
The jungle pressed close, its shadows stretching long and sharp as the last light of day bled into dusk. The survivors circled tighter around the fire, their bodies tense, eyes darting at every rustle in the undergrowth.They had buried Ramon hours earlier, but his death still hung over them like a curse. The smell of ash and salt clung to their skin. Now the forest returned the favor, whispering with leaves, promising unseen horrors.Jenna She kept her shoulders square, though her insides quaked. The others needed strength, not more fear. Her fingers traced the edges of a jagged stick she had sharpened into a makeshift spear. It wasn’t much, but it was something. Anything was better than standing empty-handed.They want us b
The dawn broke with a dull gray light, heavy clouds smothering the horizon. The survivors had barely slept, startled awake by every crack of branches and whisper of waves. When morning finally came, it brought no comfort. The air was thick, sour, and tasted of fear.Jenna pushed herself up from the damp sand, her body aching. Her eyes scanned the huddled forms near the dead fire. She counted instinctively—one, two, three… Her stomach dropped. Someone was missing.“Where’s Ramon?” Steeve’s voice was hoarse, cracking the fragile silence.Heads lifted slowly, confusion rippling through the group. Mateo’s fingers tightened around his rosary, his lips parting but no words coming. A heavy dread pressed down before anyone moved.
The fire had burned to a low glow, its embers crackling softly as the night pressed in. The survivors huddled close, their faces drawn and hollow, eyes darting to every flicker of shadow that moved beyond the circle of light. The jungle loomed like a wall, dark and impenetrable, whispering with unseen life.Then came the sound.A steady beat, faint at first, like distant thunder. Boom. Boom. Boom. Each pulse carried on the humid air, deliberate and chilling. It echoed through the trees, vibrating in their chests, reminding them of a heartbeat—only slower, heavier, unnatural.Jenna stiffened, her eyes scanning the black horizon. “Do you hear that?” she whispered.Mateo clutched his rosary, his lips moving silently before words escaped. “Dios mío… It’s drums. Someone’s out there.”SteeveThe rhythm crawled under his skin, icy and unrelenting. He remembered an article he once read, half-dismissed at the time: stories of isolated islands, untouched by civilization, where tribes preserved
The sun dipped toward the horizon, painting the sky in shades of copper and ash as the small band of survivors stumbled back to the beach after their tense scouting mission. Exhaustion had carved deep shadows beneath their eyes, but hunger and fear gnawed sharper than fatigue. The ocean offered no mercy, its waves dragging wreckage back and forth with a cruel rhythm. The island’s silence, broken only by distant animal cries, pressed in like a curse.They had brought back meager findings: a handful of strange fruits, bitter but edible, and a few fish caught in the shallow tide pools where wreckage had trapped them. The food was shared among trembling hands, enough to dull the sharpest edge of hunger but not enough to satisfy. It was survival in its weakest form—just enough to remind them how much further they had to fall.On their way back,
The dawn came reluctantly, gray light peeling back the night to reveal the island in fractured pieces. Mist hung low over the jungle, clinging to trees like ghostly shrouds. The tide whispered against the sand, warning them not to venture further.Jenna stood first, her body aching like her bones had been soaked in lead. Every muscle screamed from the night’s ordeal, but survival had no patience for rest. Steeve stirred beside her, his hair plastered to his forehead, his face drawn and hollow. The others still lay in broken heaps across the sand, clinging to what little warmth their exhausted bodies could muster.Jenna pressed her hand against Tiara, whose glow had faded to a dim pulse. The AI chirped faintly: Energy low… environment hostile… proceed cautiously.
The horizon was no longer a dream but a jagged shadow in the distance, and with each agonizing paddle of their limbs, the survivors dragged themselves closer. Jenna’s arms trembled with every movement, her body screaming for rest, but the outline of land urged her forward. Every wave that rose seemed designed to push them back, every undertow another hand dragging them toward the abyss. Sharks still circled, their fins occasionally slicing the water, reminders of the death waiting below. Terror had not vanished, but exhaustion and hunger had dulled it to something even more dangerous — numb acceptance. The only thing sharper than the cold was the will to survive.Steeve Evans clung beside her, his once-pristine celebrity veneer stripped down to bare humanity. His face was gray with fatigue, his lips cracked, but his eyes clung to Jenna’s determination like a lifeline. His chest heaved with every stroke, but unlike earlier, he no longer asked if they would make it. He simply followed h