1

In Devera's manor, the grand ballroom was ablaze with crystal chandeliers, casting a warm, golden glow over elegantly dressed men and women. The room buzzed with soft conversations and the gentle strains of a live orchestra.

Lucille Gracestone, a conservative woman in a modest gown, entered on the arm of her fiancé, Mateo Devache. Despite the bluntness of Lucille's appearance, her fiancé's extremely good looks made them look like a stunning couple.

She clung to Mateo's arm, a radiant smile on her face, as they navigated the sea of socialites. The click of heels against the marble floor mingled with the rustle of silk and the murmur of the elite crowd. She looked up at Mateo, her eyes sparkling with a mixture of love and determination.

"Mateo, my love, this is our chance to secure our future. The Devera family has underestimated us for too long," she whispered.

Mateo smirked, his gaze fixed on the unsuspecting crowd. He tightened his grip on Lucille's hand, silently confirming their shared goal.

"Tonight, my dear, the Gracestone legacy will intertwine with the Devera name in ways they could never have imagined," Mateo whispered back.

"Yes, you will finally take Devera's name for yourself," she said.

They reached the center of the room, where the patriarchs of both families engaged in conversation. Lucille and Mateo joined the circle seamlessly, their smiles masking a hidden agenda.

"What a splendid affair, Mrs. Devera. Your family knows how to throw a celebration," Lucille said to the matriarch of the Devera family.

"Thank you, Lucille. It's delightful to have you and the Gracestones here," Rebecca Devera responded, though her expression didn't hide her displeasure with Mateo's presence. "Illegitimate children aren't usually allowed to attend such occasions, but I'm making an exception for you. You're lucky you're engaged with Lucille Gracestone, Mateo Devache."

Mateo's lips twitched as he tried to hide his irritation at hearing Rebecca emphasize his name as "Devache" and not as "Devera."

"I am truly blessed with a fiancé like Lucille, madame," Mateo responded with a forced smile.

Meanwhile, the Devera heir, a kindhearted and unsuspecting man, approached with a champagne flute in hand.

"May I join this conversation?" Marcus Devera chimed in.

"Nice seeing you here, brother-in-law," Lucille said.

The heir nodded politely, unaware of the impending danger. Lucille exchanged a secretive glance with Mateo, who discreetly adjusted his cufflinks.

"Yes, it's our pleasure to meet the heir of the Devera family," Mateo said.

"Don't call me that, half-brother," Marcus replied, his benign expression remaining, but their eyes sparked with rivalry as Marcus and Mateo locked gazes.

"Sure. Let's enjoy this night casually," Mateo said.

"He's right," Lucille added. She raised her glass, subtly toasting it to conceal their sinister plot.

Lucille and Mateo's eyes fixed on her glass as it touched Marcus's glass as her glass's were wrapped in poison. Lucille was simply doing fine carrying the glass as she's wearing gloves but they both know that even a light touch from the poison could be lethal.

Marcus, friendly with Lucille, would never suspect that the toast Lucille offered would be the cause of his death.

"I'm sorry. I will pay for this sin in hell," Lucille thought inwardly while smiling toward Marcus. Although she plotted this crime with her fiancé, she couldn't help but feel the guilt and terror of killing someone for their goal. Yet she was filled with determination to do anything for her love—her fiancé.

"I committed a crime as he told me to. He should be happy, right?" she mused inwardly, glancing at her fiancé with anticipation. "Now that he will become Devera, will he love me back?"

As the night progresses, the atmosphere remains festive, the ballroom alive with music and lively conversations. Lucille and Mateo gracefully navigated through the crowd, ensuring their composure remained untarnished, even as their plan inched closer to fruition.

"The poison should start taking effect soon," Mateo whispered, filled with excitement.

They discreetly observed the heir, who began to exhibit subtle signs of discomfort. A bead of sweat formed on his brow, and his movements became slightly unsteady. Yet, amidst the revelry, their actions remained unnoticed.

"It won't be long now. He's feeling the effects," he said with anticipation. It was not much later that a servant screamed upon seeing Marcus Devera collapse on the floor.

"Help! He's coughing up blood!"

The liveliness of the manor suddenly shut down as terrified eyes watched the heir of the family, inching closer to his demise.

Help immediately arrived, but it was too late. The poison had already seized control of the poor heir and soon stole his soul from his body.

But the night didn't end there; another scream reverberated through the manor, announcing another person's demise.

"Mr. Devera! Oh no! Help!" another servant screamed desperately, calling for assistance as the parents of Marcus also collapsed.

"What is happening? This is scary!"

"Guards! Look for the one behind this!"

Lucille watched the chaos unfold as she couldn't hide the trembling of her body any longer.

"Are you scared of taking the poison too?" Mateo asked, gently holding her hands.

"I am not. We have to taste the poison to avoid suspicion," she responded, thinking about the lighter dose of poison they agreed to take together—a poison that will only knock them down. The plan was to make it seem like they were also victims.

"You did well, my love," Mateo said. His chiseled face vanished, and a bright smile appeared across his face. "It's finally our time. As soon as the Devera estate is mine, I will make you my wife. You'll be the matriarch of this family."

Lucille trembled even more, as if his joy and affection were contagious.

"That's right. This much is enough. His happiness is my happiness. If I can be together with Mateo, I can do anything," Lucille thought internally as her eyes dazzled with love for Mateo.

They discreetly took the poison together while Lucille held on to the love Mateo promised.

"Ugh! This is..."

She fell to the floor, clasping her chest, enduring the pain that she trusted would not cause her harm.

However, strangely, Mateo Devache, who took the same poison as her, did not collapse like she did. He fell to the floor and lost consciousness, as if he were just going to take a nap. On the other hand, she, who took the same poison, was sweating profusely and experiencing excruciating pain inside her body.

"What's happening? Why is this so painful?" she gasped, stretching out her hand towards Mateo to seek help. "Mateo… something is wrong. I don't want to die."