The corridor leading to the public records office smelled of stale air and forgotten stories. Jane walked slowly, her steps measured, yet her hands clenched into fists at her sides. The fluorescent lights buzzed above her head. Each flicker echoed the pounding in her chest. Behind her, Jullie walked with a crisp, professional pace, her heels clicking against the linoleum floor like a metronome keeping time with Jane's dread.The receptionist barely looked up. “Name?”Jullie answered before Jane could. “Jane fransica Stadler.”There was a pause — not of recognition, but of confusion. The receptionist’s fingers stilled above the keyboard. “You must be mistaken.”“I’m her attorney,” Jullie said, sliding a folder across the counter. “We’re here to begin the process of correcting an erroneous death registration.”The woman stared at Jane. “That’s… not possible.”“It is,” Jullie replied coolly. “Rare, but not impossible.”They were sent to a back room, where a thin man with wire-rim glasses
The courthouse was a monolith of glass and steel, an impersonal beast swallowing stories whole. Jane stood in the hallway outside Hearing Room 2C, clutching the lapels of her blazer like armor. Her eyes flicked across the waiting benches where whispers slithered between reporters and interns, all pretending not to recognize her.She wasn’t a secret anymore — Jane Stadler was alive, but the law had yet to catch up with the truth.Inside the hearing room, the buzz of tension settled like static against her skin. Jullie stood at her side, chin high, expression carved in marble."Try not to let the prosecutor’s face fool you," Jullie muttered under her breath. "He’s paid to look constipated."Jane stifled a smile.Across the aisle, the public prosecutor, Harris Wren, was already flipping through Jane’s file like it insulted his intelligence. Silver-haired and sour, he tapped the paper slowly and looked up at the judge.“With all due respect, Your Honor, we cannot simply erase a legal deat
The courtroom smelled of old paper and newer tension.Jane sat straight-backed in the wooden seat, her palms sweaty against the fabric of her skirt. Beside her, Jullie shuffled a stack of documents with quiet purpose, her lips pursed, heels crossed neatly beneath the table. The room wasn’t full, but the presence of reporters from outside, along with Orlov’s legal counsel and a few curious spectators, made the air feel tight, dense with anticipation.On the bench, the judge adjusted her glasses and cleared her throat. “We are here today to review Petition 08-9342, regarding the reversal of a previously issued Certificate of Death, bearing the name—” she looked up at Jane, “—Jane Francisca Stadler.”Jane’s breath hitched in her throat. That name hadn’t been spoken in a courtroom in over six years. Not without “deceased” beside it.Jullie stood. “Your Honor, we’ve submitted full medical records from multiple institutions, DNA verification,
Daniel & Lucy (estate, Crestwell City) The silence in the penthouse was loud. Rain splattered lightly against the glass as Lucy closed the door to Nathaniel’s empty room. She lingered there, staring at the little dinosaur plush toy on the shelf, her nails biting into her palm. “Do you think he misses us?” she asked, her voice soft and hollow. Daniel, seated on the couch with his tie loose and his phone untouched beside him, didn’t look up. “It’s been two weeks.” “That’s not an answer.” Daniel rubbed his temples. “We made the right choice, Lucy. He’s safe in the UK. Far from all this.” “All what?” Her voice cracked, sharp now. “Far from his mother’s shadow? Or far from the mess we created?” He turned toward her, finally. “You want him here? In this circus?” “I want to stop pretending like we didn’t throw our own son into exile because we’re afraid o
Jane stood on the rooftop, trembling with panic. She could not believe what she had just seen. Tonight was meant to be a celebration of their anniversary—a night of love and tenderness, not betrayal. Earlier that evening, Jane had found a set of divorce papers. Though she had tried to convince herself they were not meant for her, a dark suspicion had grown. Determined to confront her husband, she had gone searching for him. Instead, what she witnessed filled her with terror.Jane’s chest tightened, and she struggled to breathe as if a vise gripped her heart. Every desperate gasp felt weak. She refused to let him see her break down. Before Daniel could turn around, she had bolted for the rooftop—anywhere but where he might catch her.Not wishing to draw attention from below, Jane quickly took out her phone and texted Lucy, her adopted sister and the one person she trusted. The message read:"Lucy, please come to the rooftop. I’m stranded. I don’t know what to do."After what seemed lik
The first thing Jane noticed was the sharp smell of antiseptic and the cool, sterile air. She tried to move, but a dull ache spread through her body—as if she had been beaten for days. Her limbs felt heavy, and her throat was dry.Weakly, she raised her hand. That’s when she saw it: a cannula. A shiver ran through her. This was not a nightmare."Where... am I?" she croaked in a hoarse whisper.She tried to sit up, but her body refused to cooperate. Panic bubbled beneath the surface as her mind raced with questions. Was this the afterlife? No—it could not be. If this were heaven, why did everything hurt? Or was this already hell?"I'm finished," she murmured.Before she could think more, the door creaked open. A nurse entered, carrying a tray. Her steps faltered, and the moment their eyes met, the tray clattered to the floor. The nurse bolted out of the room and returned seconds later with a doctor in tow.The doctor stepped closer and shone a light into Jane’s eyes. Squinting, she met
She cried harder than ever before after hearing that, as if her chest were being ripped apart—the same agonizing feeling she’d experienced the night she lost her family. But this pain, this betrayal, cut deeper. Daniel’s disloyalty hurt, but Lucy—she wasn’t just her best friend; Lucy was the only family Jane had left. Jane had begged her husband to take Lucy in when she had nowhere else to go. She’d pleaded for him to give Lucy a job, to keep her safe. And now, this was how she was repaid? A strangled sob tore from Jane’s throat as she clutched her chest, gasping for air. “Doctor, please,” she managed between ragged breaths, her voice thick with panic. “can you run the check up again, can you Check if my heart is okay…I—I think something’s wrong. Why does it hurt so much? or do I need a heart transplant too?” she urged for answers for explanations The doctor’s expression softened with pity. “I’m sorry you had to find out this way. We wanted to wait until you were stronger before te
It had been a month since Jane woke up from her coma, and things were slowly starting to get better. One thing she was especially grateful for was that Dante and Diego never left her side. She would be lying if she said she was okay—her heart still felt terrible—but she reminded herself to be grateful for life once again.Leaving her room, she went to meet Dr. White for her final checkup. His response brought a sense of relief. "Congratulations, Miss Stadler. You are back on track. I will process your discharge now, so get ready to leave. I hope we don’t meet again unless it’s for something great, okay?" He had given her the best news she could have hoped for.After leaving his office, she returned to her hospital room and found Dante sitting there. "Miss Stadler, how are you doing today? I was ordered to come pick you up and also give you this," he said in his usual professional yet charming tone. Dante always had a way of passing messages, something Jane liked about him. But what ha
Daniel & Lucy (estate, Crestwell City) The silence in the penthouse was loud. Rain splattered lightly against the glass as Lucy closed the door to Nathaniel’s empty room. She lingered there, staring at the little dinosaur plush toy on the shelf, her nails biting into her palm. “Do you think he misses us?” she asked, her voice soft and hollow. Daniel, seated on the couch with his tie loose and his phone untouched beside him, didn’t look up. “It’s been two weeks.” “That’s not an answer.” Daniel rubbed his temples. “We made the right choice, Lucy. He’s safe in the UK. Far from all this.” “All what?” Her voice cracked, sharp now. “Far from his mother’s shadow? Or far from the mess we created?” He turned toward her, finally. “You want him here? In this circus?” “I want to stop pretending like we didn’t throw our own son into exile because we’re afraid o
The courtroom smelled of old paper and newer tension.Jane sat straight-backed in the wooden seat, her palms sweaty against the fabric of her skirt. Beside her, Jullie shuffled a stack of documents with quiet purpose, her lips pursed, heels crossed neatly beneath the table. The room wasn’t full, but the presence of reporters from outside, along with Orlov’s legal counsel and a few curious spectators, made the air feel tight, dense with anticipation.On the bench, the judge adjusted her glasses and cleared her throat. “We are here today to review Petition 08-9342, regarding the reversal of a previously issued Certificate of Death, bearing the name—” she looked up at Jane, “—Jane Francisca Stadler.”Jane’s breath hitched in her throat. That name hadn’t been spoken in a courtroom in over six years. Not without “deceased” beside it.Jullie stood. “Your Honor, we’ve submitted full medical records from multiple institutions, DNA verification,
The courthouse was a monolith of glass and steel, an impersonal beast swallowing stories whole. Jane stood in the hallway outside Hearing Room 2C, clutching the lapels of her blazer like armor. Her eyes flicked across the waiting benches where whispers slithered between reporters and interns, all pretending not to recognize her.She wasn’t a secret anymore — Jane Stadler was alive, but the law had yet to catch up with the truth.Inside the hearing room, the buzz of tension settled like static against her skin. Jullie stood at her side, chin high, expression carved in marble."Try not to let the prosecutor’s face fool you," Jullie muttered under her breath. "He’s paid to look constipated."Jane stifled a smile.Across the aisle, the public prosecutor, Harris Wren, was already flipping through Jane’s file like it insulted his intelligence. Silver-haired and sour, he tapped the paper slowly and looked up at the judge.“With all due respect, Your Honor, we cannot simply erase a legal deat
The corridor leading to the public records office smelled of stale air and forgotten stories. Jane walked slowly, her steps measured, yet her hands clenched into fists at her sides. The fluorescent lights buzzed above her head. Each flicker echoed the pounding in her chest. Behind her, Jullie walked with a crisp, professional pace, her heels clicking against the linoleum floor like a metronome keeping time with Jane's dread.The receptionist barely looked up. “Name?”Jullie answered before Jane could. “Jane fransica Stadler.”There was a pause — not of recognition, but of confusion. The receptionist’s fingers stilled above the keyboard. “You must be mistaken.”“I’m her attorney,” Jullie said, sliding a folder across the counter. “We’re here to begin the process of correcting an erroneous death registration.”The woman stared at Jane. “That’s… not possible.”“It is,” Jullie replied coolly. “Rare, but not impossible.”They were sent to a back room, where a thin man with wire-rim glasses
"Surprise? For me?" Jane blinked in disbelief, looking between Dante and Diego. She followed Dante up the stairs, heart racing. Something about his expression—like he was barely holding back a grin—told her this wasn’t just some casual shit, what could it be , she wondered When they got to her door, Dante stepped aside. “Go on,” he said, lips twitching.Jane opened the door—and before she could even process what was happening, someone jumped out from behind the curtain."JULIEEEEEEE!" she screamed, eyes wide in total shock.Julie, her childhood best friend, flung her arms open and caught her in a tight hug. The two of them twirled around the room, squealing and laughing like teenagers, overwhelmed with joy.Jane jumped, danced, her hands clutched tightly in Julie's. “I can’t believe this—how are you even here?!”Julie was laughing, tears in her eyes. “Diego, that fool, finally reached out to me last week. Do you know I almost passed out when he said you were alive?! I dropped everyth
"You've been saying that for close to a year now. Tomorrow makes it exactly one year since you woke from that coma, but you still don't want to take that bold step." Diego’s voice cut through the silence, low and firm. He paused, his gaze locking onto Jane. "The other day when you went missing... you tried to harm yourself. You did things, Jane."Jane turned away, tears drying on her cheek as she rolled her eyes with a bitter scoff. "You think it's so easy, right? Some days I’m happy. Some days I just want to find them and kill them both. But then I think of my sister’s child—Nathan. And I can’t help but feel soft."Diego moved closer, his expression hard. “Did they think of you when they pushed you off that rooftop? Did they care then? You spent years lying in a hospital bed while your so-called mate fulfilled his dreams—his plans. While Lucy played the perfect assistant.” His voice cracked with restrained emotion. “And you’re talking about feeling soft?”Jane flinched at the truth o
Life had a strange way of playing with you, bending and twisting your reality into shapes you didn’t ask for, never wanted. Before Lucy came to live with us, before she stepped into our world and offered me a glimmer of hope, my life had been a shadow of what it could have been.Daniel’s behavior had turned darker, more suffocating with every passing day. It was like I was drowning in his control. At first, I thought it was all just part of the marriage, the adjustments two people make when they come together. But soon, I realized that it wasn’t just adjusting—it was subjugation.From the moment we married, Daniel insisted on a certain kind of order in our household. He believed it was my duty to take care of everything. I was supposed to manage the house, cook his meals, and take care of all the mundane, soul-draining chores that most husbands would help with or at least share. But not Daniel. No, he wanted to make it clear who was in charge.I washed his clothes by hand, every singl
The day I turned 18 felt like the beginning of a new chapter, a fresh start. But I had no idea just how much it would change my life, how the decisions I would make in the next few weeks would irrevocably alter everything I had known.Daniel Crestwell was no stranger to me. He was known for his brilliance, his ability to resurrect dying companies and make them thrive again. At first, it seemed like the perfect match—he had a reputation for being a savior in the corporate world, a man with a vision and an iron will. The kind of person who didn’t back down from challenges. And for someone like me, who felt as if she were drowning in her family’s debts, the thought of being with someone like him seemed like the lifeline I so desperately needed.My parents, too, had been drawn to him. He had made them promises—promises that he could save their company, that he could restore their family’s legacy. In exchange for his efforts, they were willing to allow him into our lives, not just as a par
Jane’s POV, Diego’s ReflectionI sat in the dimly lit room, the weight of the past pressing down on me, suffocating in its intensity. Diego sat across from me, his expression a mixture of concern and something else I couldn’t place. His dark eyes, usually so steady and calm, now held a softness I had never seen before. It was as if he had just peeled back a layer of my soul, and what he found, he didn’t want to leave unspoken."You must have been through a lot," he said, his voice low, gentle. I nodded silently, unsure if I could even begin to explain the turmoil that had defined my life for the last few years. His words—simple, straightforward—felt like an acknowledgment of all the pain I had carried alone. Maybe he saw it in me. Maybe he knew the weight of the silence that had followed me for so long. Whatever it was, it made me feel... seen.I couldn’t help but glance away. The memories of the last few years played in my mind like a film I couldn’t stop watching. My time with Danie