Chapter 2

Her heart was still pounding. The events of one year ago still loom in her memory. As the fire raged high, it soared to touch the clouds. The surroundings darkened due to the smoke from the fire that devoured the hut as well as her grandparents who were inside.

Fernanda's heart is broken whenever she remembers the incident. But from then until now, she still thought about who set fire to her grandparents' hut.

"My lady, Miss Haruka is here," said one of the servants after knocking on Fernanda's bedroom door.

"Let her in."

A woman entered after the servant opened the door. "Boss, you have a meeting with a client who wants to collaborate with C&D Company," said the secretary, Haruka.

C&D company is a company with huge influence in the city of X. It was owned by a famous person in the world of wealthy clans who recently passed away. But before that man died, he happened to be indebted to Fernanda. Ever since that person met Fernanda, he did everything to help her especially when he found out that Fernanda's past had not been good. He did everything he could including giving Fernanda all his wealth as a token of gratitude, which for him was still lacking in return for the kindness Fernanda had done to him. Who could have been luckier? What could Fernanda have helped him with?

Fernanda learned a lot from that man. The man helped her realize that if she would stay to be a village girl who doesn't know how to fight, she will not have a good fortune and she will be oppressed over and over again.

Her former self as a village girl has turned into a charming but authoritative woman who can conquer anything.

Her billion-dollar inheritance is still intact in the bank, and it increases every hour because of her good management of the businesses left to her by the mysterious man.

With a lazy and haughty face, Fernanda looked towards her Haruka. "What time is the meeting?"

Haruka searched her phone, and looked at the schedule.

"Ten o'clock," replied Haruka, "the meeting will be earlier today," Haruka added.

Fernanda got up from her bed and walked towards the window. The sound of her daughter laughing and learning to walk in her vast garden caught her attention, she was tempted to join her cute little daughter.

"It's still three hours early, isn't it?" Fernanda glanced towards the wall clock then decided to play with her daughter.

An hour passed, she was done playing with her daughter. They are currently eating food at the dinner table.

"My Lady, you got a call," one of Fernanda's servants wearing a black white uniform gave her the phone.

"Hello," Fernanda greeted.

Fernanda was not using her real name to the public. She used the name Cassandra as her new name.

It was the mysterious man who asked Fernanda to change her real name. The man knew that Fernanda wanted revenge for the bad deeds of Carlos and his family, so she must hide her true identity for the mean time. The man gave her a new name, so she is now known as Lady Cassandra. No one knew that Cassandra had a one-year-old daughter.

Therefore, many men propose and want Cassandra as their wife, but she rejected them all. She doesn't want to get into a romantic relationship for now because all she wanted was revenge.

But despite her intense anger, Fernanda could not deny that in her heart, there was still love left for Carlos.

It is just covered by a lot of anger every time he remembers what happened a year ago when Carlos' family treated her cruelly.

The clock on the wall already showed nine o'clock, she was already preparing to meet Carlos' family. Cassandra's appearance now is different. She now looks very beautiful and graceful, that anyone would think that she really came from a wealthy family since childhood.

Her limousine had stopped in front of her large and spacious yard. After kissing her daughter's cheek, Cassandra stepped foot towards the car.

"Mama, work," Cassandra said to her little daughter, she means that she is obliged to leave but she will also return immediately.

Her little daughter's tiny hand pulled Cassandra's hand as if she's saying, "Don't go." but Cassandra is used to this scene.

A few minutes later, Cassandra is on her way to the office. She opened a document containing Xavier's surname.

On the first sheet, he saw Carlos' father named Oscar. Oscar Xavier once attempted to rape Fernanda while Mrs. Xavier, and Carlos were not at home.

"No! Dad. Please, don't!" Fernanda begged. But the evil hand pulled her shirt until it was torn and showed her underwear. Fernanda screamed and she ran away towards the door, but the door was locked. Fernanda thrashed and screamed for help. Unfortunately, no one was home. "No one can save you, we're just the of us here, haha!"

Mr. Oscar's laughter still ringing in Fernanda's ears. Her heart was pounding and her hands became wet recalling her former in-laws' treatment of her.

Luckily the butler heard Fernanda scream, and immediately knocked on the door rapidly. "Fernanda! Fernanda! What's going on!" The shouts from the butler gave Mr. Oscar goosebumps.

Along with the butler's shouts, Mrs. Sara and Carlos happened to return home because they forgot something. They were both wondered to receive a report from the butler that Fernanda was screaming inside the room.

Carlos breaks down the door and finds Fernanda wearing underwear only with a tattered shirt that Mr. Oscar has torn. The woman was curled up in a corner with a trembling body. Both of her hands covered her face. She looks horrified.

With bloodied lips and watery eyes, she saw who had saved her, "Carlos," Fernanda called in a weak voice. Carlos was a hero to her. But Carlos was always cold to her, so Fernanda doubted if Carlos loved her.

Carlos' eyes looked around and saw his drunk father wanting to attack Fernanda.

All Carlos did was secure his father first, but what Mrs. Sarah did was unpleasant.

Mrs. Sara immediately approached Fernanda, and pulled her remaining pieces of torn clothes. Fernanda rose to her feet and now their height was parallel, then unexpectedly, Mrs. Sara's long, lotic hand slapped Fernanda's face. "So this is the reason you pretend to be sick and don't want to go with us!" said Mrs. Sara with overflowing emotions. She was angry because she thought her daughter-in-law had dared to seduce her husband.

Fernanda was crying. She was really sick and was not able go with them. Fernanda never did what Sara accused to her. Her father-in-law suddenly came to her room.

At first, her in laws and Oscar left together, but half an hour later, Fernanda was shocked to see her father in law was already inside of her room. His eyes are red and he slowly walked closer to her.

"No, Mom. it's not true. I can never do that," Fernanda exclaimed.

"Cheap! prostitute! Here's how you repay the kindness of your husband's family! You should be grateful that you can get fancy food in this house!" Mrs. Sara was really angry, her red face was extinguished to the ears, all her blood seemed to be sucked up.

She slapped Fernanda's cheek again and again until she was satisfied.

Her eyes were disgusted at Fernanda's body which was only wrapped in underwear. "Get out of this house!" This was the words that Fernanda heard every day. Her chest was pounding. She was crying but no one dare to help her.

***

Fernanda was sitting in the car. Her chest feels tight. She had to meet someone who had tried to rape her before. Her heart ached when she recalled her pathetic past.

The car stopped in front of her workplace.

She got out of the car with her chin up.

All the employees who passed her bowed, greeting her, "Good morning Lady Cassandra." She nodded her head but she didn't say a word. She walks into her office.

Documents about Xavier's family are still in Cassandra's hands. The fate of the Xavier company depends on her decision. You have to feel what it's like to be vilified, Cassandra says in her heart. Then she put the document on the table and called her private secretary.