3.

My mother was about to walk toward me. For a fleeting second, I thought I saw a flicker of guilt on her face. But then Vanessa chimed in.

“Arabella, I know you hate us all for sending you to reform school, but that doesn't mean you should fake a hemorrhage just to make Mom feel guilty!”

I squinted my eyes in confusion, but I knew her for what she was: a pathological liar.

“Arabella, must you pull stunts like this just for attention?” my mother shouted, not even bothering to check whether my bleeding hand was real or staged.

Why was I acting surprised? This was who they were. They had never once cared about me, let alone checked to see if I was telling the truth.

“Arabella?”

I heard a familiar voice. Dark blonde hair, piercing blue eyes. Lucas stared back at me, looking far more mature than I remembered. As my eyes scanned him, a flash of silver caught the light… a ring gleamed on his finger.

“You're married?” I asked, genuinely shocked. ‘Who on earth would actually marry him?’ I thought, before noticing how Vanessa casually hooked her arm around his.

“Yes, to Vanessa,” he answered proudly, holding his head high.

I let out a dry, biting scoff. “Good for you all. I'm tired and I need rest.”

Without waiting for a response, I turned my back on them and walked toward my room.

The Rosewoods were one of the wealthiest families in the city, which meant taking them down wouldn't be easy. I needed someone powerful, someone whose very name could make a lion shiver. And there was only one man capable of that: Alexander Blackwood.

Before coming home, a friend of mine who had also spent three years at the reform center had come to pick me up. She now worked as a high-end fashion designer under the anonymous moniker, ‘Pink’. I had saved her life back at the center when she nearly died from a toxic food combination she accidentally ingested. I had diagnosed the problem and treated her in secret, earning a fierce loyalty ever since. She had promised to repay me, though on her own, she wasn't powerful enough to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the elite.

“Ugh,” I sighed, collapsing face-first onto my crappy, lumpy bed.

How do I get into the Blackwood building? And what do I have to offer that would catch his attention? I wondered.

Buzzz… zzz.

My phone vibrated against the mattress, and I snatched it up.

“Hello, Pink,” I teased. I knew it was her instantly; she was the one who had given me the phone, and her contact was the only number stored inside.

“Let's meet up. I have a golden opportunity for you, a way to get your ultimate revenge. Didn't you say you needed someone powerful? Well, guess what kind of power is about to land in your lap? Tomorrow, meet me in front of the Blackwood building,” she rushed out.

I pushed myself up onto my elbows, my heart skipping a beat. “What? Really?”

I could hear the smile in her voice on the other end of the line. “Yes, girl.”

After ending the call, for the first time since returning home, a genuine smile touched my lips. But a second later, my hazel-green eyes narrowed into cold slits.

“Just you all wait and see,” I whispered to the empty room.

***

The next morning, I pulled on a sleek black dress, stepped out of my room, and walked toward the living room. I was only a few feet from the front door when heavy hands grabbed my arm, yanking me back.

“So, you're finally back?” Nathaniel said, his voice dropping low, feigning a pathetic hint of pity. But I knew better.

“Nat, she just got here! She's still angry at us,” Vanessa whined, rushing over with her blue eyes wide and innocent, her golden-blonde hair tied in a neat ponytail.

“We only sent you away so you could change your attitude, Ara. Is that really why you're holding a grudge?” Nathaniel asked, tilting his head.

I scoffed, raising a single eyebrow. “Reform school, so I could change? Did any of you ever once try to check if the things….mph!”

“Ah, Nat... my head hurts,” Vanessa whimpered, clutching her temples right as she realized what I was about to expose.

“Sorry, Ara. I need to take Vanessa to the clinic. Don't be jealous,” Nathaniel shot back dismissively before scooping her up bridal-style and carrying her out the door.

I let out a long, heavy breath. ‘Jealous? Why on earth would I be jealous of trash?’

Shaking my head, I hurried out of the Rosewood compound and hailed a cab straight to the Blackwood building.

When I arrived, Pink was already standing outside waiting for me. The moment she spotted me, she waved excitedly, and I jogged over, a small smile greeting her.

“So, what's the big news?” I asked.

She grinned, bumping her shoulder playfully against mine. “Alexander Blackwood's mother is severely ill, and the doctors say she's dying. But from the symptoms leaked online, I recognized them, it's the exact same condition I had back at the center.”

I nodded, the pieces clicking together. “So you're saying I can save her?”

Pink nodded vigorously. “My father got the news yesterday through hospital channels. He was devastated and even sent elite doctors over, but none of them could do a thing.”

Determination flared hot and bright in my chest as Pink confirmed the intel. Her father worked as a hospital director, though she had been cast out by her evil stepmother, who was now rotting in prison.

“Okay, I'll do it. But how on earth do I get a meeting with Mr. Blackwood?” I asked.

Pink flashed a mischievous, wicked smile.

“No... no way,” I groaned, reading her expression.

She nodded eagerly.

We slipped into the grand building, dodging the lobby crowds before sprinting toward the private CEO elevator. It was a massive gamble; the sharp-eyed security guards were already starting to turn our way.

‘Why didn't Pink just book a proper appointment?’ I panicked internally.

I bolted for the closing elevator doors while Pink hung back to cause a scene and stall the guards.

As the elevator surged upward, my heart pounded wildly in my ears. I had heard terrifying legends about how ruthless Alexander Blackwood was, but I had never laid eyes on him. And now, I was marching straight into his lion's den.

Ding.

The elevator stopped. As I braced myself to push past the doors, a pair of polished black shoes blocked my exit.

Slowly, I raised my gaze. Cold, dark eyes stared down at me with chilling intensity. Even amidst the high-stakes panic, I couldn't afford to get lost in the man's striking, dangerous looks. All I knew was that I needed his power.

“I can save your mother,” I blurted out, refusing to give him a chance to speak.

“Drag her out,” he commanded coldly, and my eyes widened in horror. ‘Didn't his mother need saving?!’