Chapter One - Realization

"Why did I do everything?" Lana lamented to herself as she leaned on the elevator wall. She recalled the pain in her stepmother's eyes every time she accused her of something, how her sister had insistently denied everything, how everyone who was family had ended. Just because she was so full of herself, believing she was always right and never wrong, she was wrong, completely wrong. Now, all her family was gone, and her fiancé was no more; he had traded his life for hers.

A ding woke her up, and she walked out of the elevator; she looked across the hall and saw people waiting for an elevator; her elevator was empty. Why won't anyone just use it? Right, because she was using the CEO's exclusive elevator, and she was the CEO.

She walked out of the building, ignoring the security guards' outstretched hand and holding an umbrella. She stood silently under the rain as she waited for her car to be brought around, by the time the car arrived, she was completely drenched. She asked the driver out and decided to drive herself.

She took a spin around the city, trying to calm her nerves down, but the long drive did nothing to help her feel better.

Sitting in her car, her drenched clothes now dried on her, she felt empty and cold inside her, all she wanted was to feel some warmth.

She thought back to the past; she was so utterly wrong; a misunderstanding had ruined so many people around her; all who loved and cared for her were either dead, imprisoned, or homeless.

Her eyes blurred with tears, and she had to tighten her grip on the wheel to stop them from trembling.

Somehow, she ended up at the drive to Lakeside estate, and she decided to go in. Her best friend lived there, Amira was a friend she had met abroad and they have been best friends since. She was there for her in all her down times and helped to clean off all evidence from crimes she had committed.

She drove into the estate, and being a regular, the guard just waved to her and let her in; she soon arrived at Amira's house.

Her car shut down halfway there, and she looked at the meter to see that her fuel tank was empty; no doubt, she had been driving around for so long.

She walked the rest of the way to Amira's house, and the evening breeze just made her feel extremely cold, but it was a good thing; she needed to feel something.

Soon, she arrived at Amira's home, and she knocked, but there was no answer; she used her spare keys to enter.

Amira was sensitive to cold; hence, her house always had a heater on; today was not an exception. The warm house was a contrast to the biting cold outside.

She looked around on the ground floor and saw it was empty. Normally, Amira would be seated on the couch watching some shows, but today, she was not there.

"Amira probably isn't home," she said in a small voice. She then decided to head upstairs and wait for her best friend there.

Going up the stairs, she felt like her feet were being pulled down by heavy chains every time she raised them. She had gotten a full night's sleep, she always does, and just a second ago she was brimming with energy as she ran under the rain to Amira's house.

Now, it all seems to flee from her - sucked away by a black hole from her.

She heard something in the distance. Was that laughter?

So Amira was home after all.

Groaning, she reached the top of the stairs, her breath ragged, knees weak. The sound was louder now. She recognized Amira's giggle, the other voice was masculine and ...familiar.

"It can't be," she thought, walking towards Amira's room. The door was wide open. " "He's out of town. The voice must just be similar."

She inches closer to the room, and her heart begins to pound; fear and anxiety stab through her gut. Lara tried to calm herself—it couldn't be her husband's voice; he was away, out of town, out of the country even.

But it sounded exactly like him!

Lara shook her head. It couldn't be him.

She crept towards the door, and drawing courage, peered into the room.

What she saw made her heart sink.

There, sprawled across the bed, half-naked, giggling joyfully, was Amira. And ravaging her neck with kisses… was her husband.

"Wow, you look a mess !!" Amira spoke with a condescending attitude and burst out laughing

"Why?" Lara's voice choked up and the waterworks started again. No doubt she looked pathetic.

"Because he was mine from the beginning" Amira replied in a nonchalant tone.

Confused, Lara looked at her husband, her eyes conveying all she wanted to ask.

But he only graced her a single glance before he turned his head away, disgust written all over his face.

This was the same man who saved her when her stepmother had attempted to kill her.

This was the same man who took a bullet for her.

This was the same man who pursued her for months and had asked to marry immediately after.

He was violent a few times but he always apologized to her afterwards and made it up to her.

Heartbroken, she turned to look back at Amira.

Amira stretched her hands and traced the band of his pants and threw Lara a provocative smile.

Enraged, Lara wanted to walk toward her and slap her, but unfortunately, her legs gave out, and she fell.

Amira burst out laughing; Ed walked towards her and knelt on one knee; he raised her head and looked her in the eyes for the first time since she entered the room.

"How I would like to slap this face," He said in a tone she only heard from him when he was dealing with his subordinates.

" We can't leave any fresh marks on her," Amira said from behind.

"I know," he replied; he took a deep breath and got up. He took a tissue from the corner and wiped his fingers as if he was wiping off dirt.

Lara wanted to ask what they were talking about but suddenly she felt her chest hurt and could no longer breathe properly. She felt agonizing pain in her chest and couldn't even lift a finger. She felt something was wrong and weakly muttered help, but the two near her did not care and were enjoying the look of pain in her eyes.

Gathering all her strength she raised her head and looked at the adulterous pair. "Who would've known a Cyanide poisoned enemy was this satisfying to watch," Amira said, looking directly at Lara.

Hearing those words, everything clicked, and she finally figured it out. Every terrible thing she did was after she became best friends with Amira, and every time her life was endangered Ed was there. It all made sense now.

Enraged, she grabbed a knife she had seen when she entered earlier, not knowing where she gathered strength from; she threw it towards the pair. She didn't know whom she hit, but she heard a scream, and her world blacked out.