CHAPTER 1: THE END OF A SHADOW

The low hum of the air conditioner inside the luxurious building of Villarigo Construction felt like a deafening whisper in my ears. Clutching a simple paper bag, I held the adobo I knew was Rafael’s favorite—one I had meticulously cooked for four hours, enduring the painful splatters of hot oil on my arms. I walked softly down the carpeted hallway toward my husband's office, hoping this night would be a happy celebration for us.

Today marked our third wedding anniversary. Three years ago, I turned my back on all my wealth, the prestigious name of De La Vega, and my father, Don Sebastian, just to be with the man who promised me the world. For three long years, I threw myself into being a simple housewife, making him my one and only world.

But as I reached the door, I noticed it was slightly ajar. A familiar voice echoed from within, freezing me in my tracks.

"Oh, Rafael... slow down. Someone might see us here," Sofia Astor’s flirtatious laughter shattered the silence of the night.

"Who would see us? My employees have all gone home. And Sabel? She’s surely busy at home, cleaning up after those cats of yours," replied a voice I knew all too well. The voice of my husband. A voice that used to be dripping with sweetness whenever he begged for my "yes," but was now dripping with absolute mockery.

I peeked through the narrow crack of the door. It felt as though a dagger had been driven straight into my heart at the sight. Sofia, my best friend, was sitting on top of Rafael’s desk. Her arms were wrapped tightly around my husband's neck as their lips locked in a fierce, passionate kiss. The two people I trusted more than myself were making out in the very office he had always forbidden me from visiting.

"Don't worry about that woman, Sofia," Rafael added after breaking away from the kiss, gently caressing my friend's cheek. "She’s useless. A worthless, uneducated woman who is just riding on my wealth now. If it weren't for me, she’d probably be begging on the streets."

Little did I know, this scene was a carefully orchestrated stroke of fate planned by Sofia herself. She purposely left the door open because she knew I would arrive to deliver dinner—a simple trap to permanently end my role in Rafael’s life. Ever since I first introduced Rafael to her at a simple birthday party when we were single, envy had taken root in Sofia’s heart. She secretly seduced my husband until they formed a hidden affair, while I was left preoccupied with managing the house just to ensure I remained a good wife.

The paper bag slipped from my hands. The heavy thud of the food container echoed loudly down the hallway, startling the two inside and forcing them to quickly pull apart.

I violently slammed the door open. My eyes, which used to be filled with love and gentleness, were now burning with rage and profound betrayal.

"S-Sabel?!" Rafael stammered in shock, quickly adjusting his polo shirt. "What are you doing here? Damn it, don't you know how to knock?" Instead of showing shame, his voice instantly flared with anger and arrogance.

Sofia quickly slid off the table, the seductive smirk vanishing from her face, instantly replaced by a meek, innocent expression. Tears began to well up in her eyes—a calculated performance to make it seem as though she was the victim in this situation.

"Sabel... my God, Sabel, please forgive me..." Sofia’s voice trembled as she slowly approached me, placing both hands over her chest. "I didn't mean for this to happen... Forgive me, my friend. We just got carried away by our emotions. It’s my fault, please don't be mad at Rafael. I am the one to blame..."

I stared at her, utterly disgusted by her pathetic act. I knew the truth. I saw exactly how she wrapped her arms around my husband. But before I could even raise my hand to slap her, Rafael violently yanked me back, stepping in front of Sofia to shield her from me.

"Don't you dare touch Sofia, Sabel! And stop apologizing to her, Sofia! You did nothing wrong here!" Rafael bellowed at me. Behind his broad shoulders, I caught a fleeting, triumphant smirk on Sofia’s lips—a silent celebration of how quickly my husband rushed to defend her, leaving me cast aside in the corner.

"She did nothing wrong?!" I screamed, the dam of my three-year patience completely breaking. "Three years, Rafael! For three years, I took care of your daily meals in that house. I cleaned your home, washed your dirty clothes, and even fed those damn pet cats of yours every single day without a word of complaint! Only to find out tonight that those are the favorite cats of my best friend, Sofia Astor!"

Rafael stepped forward, the fury in his eyes intensifying. "That is your obligation as a wife! And don't you dare throw those cats or your cleaning back in my face, because I am the one putting food on your table! I hired Sofia as my personal secretary because she is educated, because she is worthy of being presented to clients and brought to social parties! Meanwhile, you? What exactly do you contribute to my life? You constantly embarrass me! And most of all... you are barren! You can't even give me a child!"

The word barren pierced through the deepest recesses of my heart. I remembered the cold, detached face of the doctor when they told me I would never have children. It was painful, but I had accepted my fate. I truly believed I was flawed. But to hear it from my own husband as his justification for cheating was a poison I could not stomach.

"I am barren, Rafael. I know that," I said, forcing my voice to remain steady as I wiped away a tear that escaped down my cheek. "I accept that I wasn't blessed with the ability to be a mother. But is that a justifiable reason to betray me? Is the deficiency of my body enough reason for the two of you to play me for a fool for three whole years?!"

"Yes!" Rafael answered without an ounce of hesitation, while Sofia continued to wipe away fake tears behind him to look pitiful. "I am a man, Sabel. I need an heir, I need a capable woman by my side. And since you are completely useless, don't blame me for finding someone better."

I wanted to laugh out loud at his sheer arrogance. This proud, pompous man had no idea that the company he bragged about, the multi-million contracts he held right now, were not due to his own brilliance. My family had secretly used its vast connections through my father's old associates to secure clients for Villarigo Construction. If not for my covert assistance, his business would have gone bankrupt long ago. Back when he was courting me, he would have plucked the stars from the sky just to get my "yes." But the moment his company expanded, he grew cruel and indifferent toward me. No wonder he rarely came home; he was sleeping at my friend's house.

"The two of you disgust me," I said coldly. The tears in my eyes dried up, replaced by a rigid, final resolve. "Don't worry anymore, Rafael. You no longer have to endure a barren, useless wife. Let’s file for divorce. Let’s end this madness."

I expected Rafael to be shocked, or at least show a glimmer of fear. Instead, he let out a mocking laugh. He walked quickly to the safe beside his desk and pulled out a thick bundle of documents, throwing them directly in front of me.

"I’ve had these ready for a long time, Sabel," Rafael said with a smug smile. "I took care of the paperwork myself so our divorce would be fast. Sign it right now so I can legally marry Sofia. And don't expect to get a single cent from me, because I ran this business while you were just lounging around the house!"

I grabbed the pen from the desk. Without a single trace of hesitation, without my hand shaking, I signed every single page of the divorce papers. When I finished, I threw the pen hard against his chest.

"I am leaving. And I will make sure you regret this day for the rest of your life," were the last words I uttered before turning my back on him.

Upon arriving at our house, I packed only a single suitcase of clothes—the simplest garments I had brought with me when I originally left our family mansion. I left behind every piece of jewelry Rafael had ever given me, because to a De La Vega, his entire fortune was nothing but pocket change. Carrying my suitcase, I walked out of the house into the dead of night. I pulled out my old phone, which I had kept hidden beneath my things for three years, and dialed our old butler.

"Mang Tomas... it’s Sabel. I'm coming home. Please tell Papa to have me picked up at the subdivision gates," I ordered.

Thirty minutes later, a convoy of five luxury black vehicles pulled up to the curb where I stood. Armed bodyguards clad in expensive suits quickly stepped out. Every single one of them bowed deeply to me.

"Welcome back, Lady Isabella," they greeted in unison.

I stepped into the back of the largest vehicle. Waiting inside was my father—Don Sebastian De La Vega. The wealthiest Don in the country, owner of endless lands, massive corporations, vast material manufacturing plants, and giant shipyards. The very empire I had abandoned all for the sake of a worthless man.

"My child..." my father's voice cracked with emotion as he drew me into a tight embrace. "You've finally returned."

"I'm here, Papa. My days of being a foolish housewife are officially over. I am ready to claim my responsibilities," I answered directly. "I will personally destroy Rafael with my own two hands."

As the convoy sped off toward the sprawling De La Vega estate, I dialed my childhood friend's number. Adrian Sebastian. The boy I grew up with, who secretly harbored feelings for me.

The only Adrian I knew was a kind, simple, and reliable friend. I had no idea that on the other side of the world, inside a dimly lit room in Italy, Adrian was currently sitting in his leather swivel chair, surrounded by heavily armed men holding high-caliber rifles. He was a multi-billionaire mafia boss—a terrifying, dangerous man harboring dark secrets beneath his gentle demeanor.

The phone barely rang once before he picked up.

"Sabel?" Adrian's deep, velvet voice resonated from the other end. "Is it really you?"

"Adrian... I'm back. My marriage to Rafael is over," I said straightforwardly.

I heard Adrian let out a sharp, ragged breath, his tone instantly shifting to one of absolute authority. "I'm coming back immediately, Sabel. First thing tomorrow morning, expect me."

"Thank you, Adrian. See you tomorrow," I replied before hanging up.

I looked at my reflection in the tinted car window. The weak, pitiful Sabel who fed cats and endured the emotional abuse of others had officially died tonight. Rafael's business was a mere drop in the bucket for my family.

"Enjoy your celebration for now with your mistress, Rafael," I whispered into the darkness. "Because tomorrow, I begin taking back every single cent of the success you thought was yours."