[Realisation or Fake Redemption?]

Maria's lips quivered, and she forced a shaky laugh.

"Verica? Cain, you really think I'd stoop that low? I don't even know her!" she exclaimed, clutching her chest dramatically.

Cain's sharp gaze didn't waver, making her stumble over her words.

"Listen," she continued, tears brimming in her eyes. "I was jealous, yes, but I swear I never reached out to anyone in prison! Maybe someone overheard me venting... I don't know how my words got twisted into something so vile. I'd never go that far, Cain!"

She wiped her tears, stepping closer.

"You've known me since childhood. Have I ever been capable of that kind of evil? Please, believe me."

Maria wiped her tears with trembling hands, trying to steady her breath as Cain walked away. She couldn't let him leave, not yet. Not like this.

"Cain, please... I know you don't want to hear this, but I... I'm not the person you think I am," Maria's voice cracked, the desperation clear in her eyes as she caught up to him. She placed a hand gently on his arm, her fingers trembling.

Cain froze but didn't turn to face her, his expression a wall of cold indifference.

"I was lost, Cain. You were always so distant with me... I couldn't stand seeing you look at Claire the way you did. I just wanted your attention. I wanted us to go back to how things used to be—before Claire came into our lives. She's a threat to me, to us, and I... I lost control."

Maria's voice dropped to a near-whisper, her eyes wide with vulnerability. "I never wanted to hurt anyone, especially not you. But I thought... if I just made Claire look bad, maybe you'd see me, maybe you'd choose me over her. But I didn't know it would go this far. I'm so sorry."

She reached for Cain's hand, her touch light but insistent. "I never wanted you to send her to jail, Cain. Please believe me. I never wanted any of this. Can you forgive me? For what I did to Claire... and for all the mistakes I made?"

Cain stiffened, his hand clenching into a fist as he struggled to contain the surge of conflicting emotions—anger, guilt, betrayal.

Maria stood there weeping, While Cain shoved her hand and walked away.

Moments later Maria entered Claire's room with hesitant steps, her face washed with an expression of quiet determination. Madame Lana was still around, but Cain's absence left a strange sense of vulnerability in the space.

"Claire," she started, her voice softer than usual. Claire glanced up from the window where she had been staring, eyes tired, the weight of everything still hanging over her. "Can we talk?"

She looked at Madame Lana, but Madame Lana wasn't ready to leave the room. Claire assured her that she can handle it. Staring at Maria for one last time, Madame Lana walked out of the room.

Claire's eyes narrowed, but she said nothing, signaling Maria to continue. Maria's presence in her life had only ever been a source of pain, but something was different today. Was it guilt? Or just another attempt to manipulate her?

"I... I've been reflecting a lot on everything that happened. And I'm not going to lie and tell you that I wasn't wrong. Because I was. What I did to you... it was unforgivable." Maria paused, watching Claire closely as if searching for a sign of forgiveness, but Claire remained silent, a sharp contrast to Maria's emotional vulnerability.

Maria walked slowly toward her, but instead of sitting beside her, she knelt down, lowering herself to Claire's eye level. "I can't even imagine what you've been through. I hurt you, and I'll carry that guilt with me forever. I know no apology can fix that. But I just need you to know that I regret everything. And if there's anything I can do to make things right, I'll do it. No matter the cost."

Claire stared at her for a long moment, her expression unreadable. She hadn't expected Maria to show any sign of sincerity, let alone to act so self-aware.

Maria's eyes softened as she continued, "You've been through so much, Claire. And I know I can never undo the pain I caused. But maybe… maybe I can help in some way. Maybe I can show you that I've learned from my mistakes."

Just as Claire was about to speak, Maria reached into her bag and pulled out a letter. She handed it to Claire without a word. It was sealed with care, and the wax stamp caught the light, giving it a sense of importance.

Claire raised an eyebrow but took the letter nonetheless. She unfolded it slowly, eyes scanning the contents. It was a written confession—a public statement that Maria would admit to her involvement in framing Claire and would work to right the wrongs in her name. "I'm willing to make this public, Claire. I'll take full responsibility. I'll make sure everyone knows the truth."

Maria watched her closely, her expression a mix of hope and fear. "Please, Claire. Let me prove that I'm not that person anymore."

For a moment, there was a sense of sincerity in her actions—something that made Claire's heart beat a little faster, a pang of hope creeping up that maybe, just maybe, Maria wasn't completely lost.

But just as Claire looked up from the letter, she noticed something. The way Maria's eyes flickered nervously when Claire didn't immediately respond. The slight twitch of her fingers, the edge in her voice when she said, "I'm doing this for you, Claire. For everything we've been through."

"Claire, you and I share the same fate. We lost our parents and we struggled to survive. Cain and Dad are my only family. When you entered Cain's life my survival instinct went impulsive and to not let anyone abandon me, I did what I did."

Maria's was trying her best, as if she were convincing herself just as much as she was trying to convince Claire.