Chapter 1

She continued to run without looking back. Her jewelries were nowhere to be found. Only one earring remained. Her makeup was smudged, and her full, long hair occasionally covered her face, as the rain continued to beat her. Even the heavens were not on her side. A rumble vibrated the floor she was running on. The thunder was so loud that it could render someone deaf, but she didn't care as she continued running, ignoring the looks pedestrians gave her.

She couldn't let those men get her. If they did, she was done for.

She finally slowed down, panting really hard, when she arrived at the crossroad. There was nowhere she could run to. Her stepmother's people would definitely find her. She should just give up, right? In a daze, she began to cross to the other side, unaware of a truck driving at utmost speed towards her. She heard the people's scream, but before she could make sense out of it, she was lifted off the ground, thrown in the air, her back hit the top of the truck, then she rolled down, her body feeling the extreme pain. She felt something warm and sticky trickle down her mouth. She didn't need a safe to tell her it was blood. She was bleeding! She attempted to call for help, but nothing was forthcoming. She could only scream in her mind. Her surrounding slowly became hazy, as what happened an hour ago began to play in her mind.

She had received an anonymous message three hours ago, when she was at her fashion studio.

'Do you know where your boyfriend is? In a hotel with your sister' What followed was the hotel name and the room number. She had thought it was a prank and did not take it serious. But she couldn't get the thought off her mind. In the end, curiosity got the best of her. She took a taxi and proceeded to the said hotel.

On getting to the door, she heard the unmistakable sound of her sister, Marie's voice. She was moaning her head off.

"Ohhh… Jayden… Don't stop. Yes, baby…" It went on and on. The sound of flesh hitting flesh was so loud.

Lily's heartbeat doubled. She didn't want to believe it. Jayden? That was her boyfriend's name. They had been dating since college. He had told her he loved her too. Her father hadn't really approved the relationship because he wasn't wealthy and was just starting his company, but she still stayed with him. He had even defended her and stood by her when she got raped. She raised her hands to knock, but kicked against it. Her hands went to the knob, though something in her strictly warned her not to. She didn't listen and opened the door. What she saw broke her heart into a million pieces. In the large bed were two connected naked bodies. Jayden was on top, and was thrusting with full vigor. His eyes were closed, so he didn't see her. But, Marie did. She looked Lily in the eyes and smirked, letting out more provocative sounds. She balled her hands into fists to stop herself from screaming out loud. She ran out of the hotel, walking aimlessly. Her eyes were red, and her head felt so heavy.

Never would she have thought Jayden would do this. She knew her sister was a vixen, always after what she had, and she tried to keep him away from her sight, but little did she know that the duo met in secret and had sexual rendezvous most of the time. Her phone vibrated. It was a message from her sister.

'Hello Sissy. Shocked, right? Don't be too startled when I tell you that Jayden and I have been dating for three years, so back off. Jayden is mine!"

Lily's eyes widened. Two… two years! She staggered and quickly held a nearby pole. Her hands shook. It was like her world came crashing down.

She found herself before her father's mansion. She little knowledge about her parents' history, but she knew that her father was a common man before he got married to her mother, who was an heiress. Her maternal grandparents didn't consent to the marriage, but her mother was blinded by love and went ahead to marry Rupert Savage, her father. She even cut ties with her family, and set up her real estate company. Portico. It flourished.

Nineteen years later, after her death, Lily tried to work in the company severally, but her father declined with the excuse that she needed to learn how to make money. And she did exactly that. She set up a small fashion studio with the money her dead mother left for her. Meanwhile, her stepsister was idle but got everything she needed with just a flick of her fingers. He didn't bother to hide the bias.

She stepped into the house. The servants saw her, snorted and went back to work. Her face remained blank. She was used to it. It was funny. She was being treated like a pushover in her own house. Her status was worse than a servant's. She went up to her room, well, not exactly a bedroom but a storeroom cum bedroom. Her former room was now occupied by her stepsister.

She changed her mind and went to the garden. She wanted to clear her mind. She however stopped when she heard whispers. That was Silvia, her stepmother's voice. She got interested in whatever the sly woman had to say and paid attention.

"I want you to get rid of her…. Yes…. Today. She must not see tomorrow…. I said I want her dead today…. Lily must die!"

Lily's eyes widened. She was to be killed? Her insides churned with fright as her heart slammed against her rib cage. She could still escape. She didn't know she was there. She turned to leave but hit her legs against a log of wood and fell.

"Who is there?"

Lily picked herself up and began to run. Silvia must have seen her because she heard her say something like "Get her now"

A Few minutes later, she was being chased by unknown men.

Back to the present, crowds had gathered around her. She could feel life slowly slip away from her. She stared at the sky, her tears mixing with the raindrops.

"What a great way to die"