Everyone Meets Their Fate

Samuel’s brows knitted together instantly. “What?” he barked, striding quickly into the bathroom.

The room was empty, but his gaze landed on the wall, where a message was scrawled in blood: “Mr. Fury, regardless of our social gap, I’d never marry you. Goodbye.” The handwriting was precise and bold, reflecting the writer’s determined spirit.

For a moment, Samuel stood there, dumbfounded. Could his research on her have been wrong?

After a brief pause, he snapped out of it and issued a command. “Search the mountain!”

He couldn’t let his mother’s final wish go unfulfilled.

At the back of the mountain, Ciara clung to the thorny vines, carefully lowering herself down the steep slope. Her clothes were in tatters, but she managed to evade the Fury family’s search by hiding under a dense thicket until nightfall. Once darkness fully descended, she continued her escape, moving around the mountain until she found a way out.

By dawn the next day, Ciara arrived at the Luscious Residence, her presence causing a shockwave of panic. Colt Luscious and Ruby Sullivan stared at her, speechless.

Ruby was the first to recover, though her voice shook with guilt. “How did you escape from prison?”

A mocking smile played on Ciara’s lips. “Mrs. Luscious, I served my full sentence.”

“You shouldn’t be here!” Ruby’s tone turned harsh as she recoiled from Ciara’s dirtied appearance. “You’re dirty and you reek! Get out!”

Ignoring Ruby, Ciara fixed her gaze on Colt. “Uncle Luscious, you know the truth about why I was imprisoned, don’t you? Just four days ago, you visited me in jail. You said if I went to the address you provided and spent a night with a man, you’d give me money to save my mother. I did as you asked, but my mother died anyway.”

Colt shifted uncomfortably, guilt flickering in his eyes. “Everyone meets their fate. I tried to help, but your mother passed before we could do anything. How can you blame me?”

Fury surged through Ciara, her nails digging into her palms as she fought the urge to lash out at him. She didn’t yet have the power to uncover whether the Luscious family was involved in her mother’s death.

She bit back her anger and asked calmly, “Where is my mother buried?”

Colt’s response was evasive. “She’s in a simple grave at your hometown’s cemetery you cant miss it. anyways, I supported you for eight years, paid for your living and education—do you expect me to buy an expensive plot too? You ungrateful girl, leave now!”

As Colt moved to close the door, he threw a thousand-dollar bill at her. “Consider this payment for your service that night.”

Every mention of that night stabbed at Ciara’s heart, but she kept her head high, defiance burning in her eyes. “If anyone should pay, it’s the man who needed me that night. But he’s dead, so there’s no point. I’m not a call girl, Colt. I agreed because I wanted to save my mother and to repay you for raising me. We’re even now.

Eight years living under the Luscious family’s roof had been enough...

Ciara turned to leave then  pause, “Oh, I hope you werent lying about my mother’s grave. cause if you are... ” She walked ahead leaving Colt not feeling the need to finish her threat.

Ruby’s voice cut through his thoughts, sharp and furious. “What’s wrong? Are you feeling sorry for her? Don’t forget, she is a cursed child!”

Ruby’s fist trembled from her rage. “They were born on the same day. So why should she live while our daughter died at birth? the answer is simple. it isnt just fate or good luck. i am certain, her whore of a mother had resorted to charms. else there is no way a cheap woman like her will take the place of my baby! She had caused nothing but chaos and disorder ever since she enetered our lives eight years ago.

”Colt shook his head. “I’m not feeling sorry for her. But now that she’s out of prison, if she finds out that the man she slept with isn’t dead, but is now head of the Fury family, we’ll be in big trouble.”

Ruby let out a harsh laugh. “She doesn’t even know who he is! What’s there to worry about? The real concern is getting Samuel to marry our daughter. If Linda has his child, no one will dare cross us.”

Colt sighed. “Old Master Fury values family background. I’m worried he won’t accept Linda since she’s adopted.”

Ruby’s laugh turned cold and calculating. “Accept her? Samuel’s an illegitimate child himself. He had no right to inherit anything, but he still took over the Fury Group in a single night.”

“As long as Samuel believes Linda was the one who sacrificed herself to save him, nothing will stop their marriage. Colt, just wait—our daughter will marry into South City’s wealthiest family and become Samuel’s wife!”

Colt nodded, his guilt over Ciara vanishing entirely.

Meanwhile, Ciara had walked nearly a hundred meters away and was about to step onto the main road when a flashy, bright-red sports car screeched to a halt in front of her.

Linda Luscious stepped out, her heels clicking arrogantly on the pavement. “Well, if it isn’t the broke woman who begged at our house for eight years. Ciara, have you lost count of how many men have used you? And you still haven’t showered? The stench is unbearable. Are you here to beg at our house again? You’ve already sold your body—why are you so shameless?”

Without a word, Ciara swung her hand, landing a sharp slap across Linda’s face. The force left a clear, red imprint of her fingers.

Linda touched her cheek, then brought her fingers to her nose, cringing as she sniffed them. Her anger flared. “You... You dare to hit me?”

Ciara’s voice was cold and dismissive. “Yes, I dare. And I will not hesitate to do it again if you keep pushing me.”  

Linda stood there, stunned by Ciara’s indifference, too shocked to retaliate. She watched as turned on her heel and walked away without a backward glance.

Ciara made her way to the seediest part of South City, renting a small bed for temporary rest. 

She needed to find work to save up enough money to return to her hometown, but every employer turned her away once they learned of her prison record. Desperate, she spent her last bit of money on a fake ID and assumed a new identity as Layla Young.

After a few days of searching, she landed a job as a waitress at a fine dining restaurant. The pay was meager, but Ciara was grateful.

Three weeks later, her hard work and gentle demeanor earned her a promotion to the VIP rooms, where she would serve the restaurant’s most prestigious guests.

“Layla,” the manager addressed her by her new name, “The VIP rooms are different from the main dining area. The guests are important, so be extra careful.”

Ciara nodded. “I understand.”

Another week passed, and Ciara continued to excel at her job.

During a break, a few waitresses gathered around her, chatting. “Layla, you’re so lucky to get promoted to the VIP rooms so quickly. With your height, tiny face, and long legs, you could easily be an air stewardess, a model, or even work in entertainment.”

Ciara smiled faintly and walked away, her head bowed.

Her colleagues exchanged looks, offended by her coldness. “She’s just a waitress in the VIP rooms, but she acts so arrogant!”

“Yeah, who does she think she is? She’s not that pretty. Her face is average at best, and she’s got no education. She’s just pretending to be aloof!”

“She’s not pretentious, just quiet. And she’s reliable. Watch this...”

One of them called out to her, “Layla, my stomach’s upset. Can you take my dishes to the VIP room?”

Ciara nodded. “Sure.”

“It’s the Platinum VIP Room on the third floor. Thanks!” The waitress hurried off, leaving Ciara to handle the task.

Under the watchful eyes of her colleagues, Ciara went up to the third floor, collected the dishes, and entered the room.

She was focused on serving when a hand suddenly grabbed her wrist. Ciara froze and looked up, her breath catching in her throat.

Before her stood a man with a cold, stern face, his gaze sharp and commanding.

“How did you know I dine here often?” Samuel’s grip tightened on her wrist, his eyes filled with a dangerous glint.