Chapter Three The Burial

Rebecca’s POV

By our tradition, the dead must not stay long before burial. I remember how my mother buried my father quickly after his death in 2009. And now, just two days after her passing, we laid my mother to rest as well.

Natasha and I left India and returned to Mandena, the country we call home.

After the funeral, we went back to the family mansion. It was only Natasha and me now—she was all I had left. As we settled into the sitting room, one of the housekeepers turned on the TV. And there he was: Gabriel. His face filled the screen, celebrating his one-month wedding anniversary.

Next to him was the same woman I had seen in his office, sitting on his lap like a queen. She was smiling, completely unaware of the destruction they’d caused in my life. They looked picture-perfect, soaking in the attention of flashing cameras.

But I wasn’t heartbroken anymore. That part of me died with my mother. All I felt now was hatred—a deep, burning hatred for the man who had tried to kill me and who, in a way, had killed my mother. He had to pay for what he’d done, and I was going to make sure he did.

Suddenly, the villa assistant stepped into the room, dressed in a crisp white suit. "Ma'am, someone is here to see you. She says she's from the conglomerate."

I nodded, already knowing what this was about. Natasha smirked as if we both shared the same thought.

"Let her in," I said.

Within seconds, a woman stepped inside. She wore a black suit with sleek heels and her hair pulled back into a neat ponytail. A pair of glasses perched perfectly on her nose, and in her hand was a briefcase. I didn’t recognize her, but I knew my mother must have brought in new staff while I was away.

The woman bowed slightly. "Hello, Ma'am. I’m terribly sorry for your loss. My name is Attorney Victoria Kane, and I am your family’s lawyer. Before Mrs. Becky Harrington passed, she wrote a will. In it, she transferred all her possessions to you, her heir. I’m here to finalize the process." She opened her briefcase and pulled out a thick document, handing it to me with a pen.

"Please sign here, ma'am," she said, pointing to a spot on the page. I glanced down and read the words: Rebecca Harrington, Heir of Valentine Conglomerate.

With a steady hand, I signed my name. The lawyer smiled. "Congratulations, Ma'am. You are now the president of the Valentine Conglomerate." She bowed again and prepared to leave.

"See you soon, ma'am," she said before exiting the room.

***

The next day, Natasha and I were ready to visit the conglomerate for the first time in years. We had already decided that Natasha would be my personal assistant. Who else could I trust more than my best friend?

As we drove to the conglomerate in the sleek company car, I thought back to everything that had happened. My mother's death. Gabriel’s betrayal. The crash that nearly ended my life. And now, here I was—stepping into a position of power, armed with nothing but my wits and a burning desire for revenge.

When we arrived, the vice president of the company greeted us with enthusiasm.

"Good day, everyone. Ms. Rebecca Harrington, the heir of Valentine Conglomerate, is now the president of the company," he announced to the board members. They all stood and bowed, pledging their loyalty and support.

After the meeting, I called aside Mrs. Elena Brooks, the vice president, and the person who had been running things since my mother’s decline.

"Mrs. Brooks, I’ll be entrusting the day-to-day operations to you for now. I have some personal matters to handle, but I will take over soon," I said.

Mrs. Brooks, a capable woman who had always worked closely with my mother, nodded respectfully. "Yes, Ma'am."

As she left, I exchanged a knowing glance with Natasha. We both smirked, sharing the same unspoken thought: this was the beginning of our plan.

Gabriel was going to pay. And with Natasha’s skills, he didn’t stand a chance. While I would handle things in the field, Natasha would work behind the scenes. She was an expert in cybersecurity, having worked for major companies before joining me in our cause. Together, we would set everything in motion.

***

By the evening, Natasha and I had set up a small operations room in the mansion. She worked on her laptop, pulling up data and tracking every move Gabriel made. His accounts, his communications—nothing was beyond her reach.

"We’ve got our first target," Natasha said, her eyes gleaming as she spun the laptop towards me. There, on the screen, was Gabriel’s bank account information.

"This is just the beginning," I whispered, feeling the weight of the moment.

The game had started, and there was no turning back now.