Vespera

"Thank you, Marcus," Elena sincerely expressed her gratitude. "Without you, I probably wouldn't have survived. Since God has spared my life, I will make that woman pay the price she deserves." Turning her head to the side, Elena fought back the tears that threatened to fall.

Marcus stood beside her, somewhat at a loss. He frequently came to check on this patient, even though she spent most of her time in a deep sleep. He still vividly remembered the moment he found Elena five years ago. The sky was dark and heavy, rain drizzling steadily, the air filled with the scent of wind and fallen leaves. On his way to his grandmother's secluded home, he had caught sight of a bloodstained arm protruding from the soil. Without hesitation, he dug frantically, revealing a woman with golden, cascading curls. Her striking red lips and the expensive jewelry adorning her body were undeniable, even as mud and blood smeared across her skin. His heart pounded wildly, but he ignored it, lifting the woman into his arms and racing toward the hospital.

"I must save her. I have to save her," Marcus vowed to himself—not only because of his duty as a doctor but also due to a sliver of emotion he dared not admit.

"Mr. Marcus, a good man should see things through to the end. I need your help."

Snapping out of his thoughts, Marcus found himself staring at Elena's moving lips, momentarily dazed. Without hesitation, he responded, "Alright."

Elena stood up, walking toward the hospital window. She gazed out at the lush greenery, one hand holding the warm drink Marcus had prepared. Slowly, she spoke: "Since that woman has stolen my identity and become 'Elena'… Mr. Marcus, do you know how to perform plastic surgery?"

At that moment, Felix was fiddling with the blocks in his hands. His mother, Elena, always brought him to these high-society gatherings, yet she never let him play video games. "So unfair," Felix muttered under his breath, expressing his silent discontent. He glanced at his mother, who was engaged in conversation with a group of socialites, then shifted his focus back to his toy.

That was when a shadow fell over him. He looked up and saw a poised woman seated before him.

She had long, dark brown hair and was dressed in a sleek black gown. Her hands were elegantly folded, clutching a small black clutch purse.

Elena—no, she should be called Vespera now—spoke in a warm yet alluring voice. "Hello, Felix. My name is Vespera. I'd like to be your art teacher. If you let me teach you, I'll let you play video games every day."

Felix tilted his small head, confused as to why a stranger would approach him. He thought about his strict mother and then about the games he loved so much. Furrowing his little brows, he quickly made up his mind. Jumping down from his chair, he stepped closer to Vespera and lifted his head to ask, "Really? I can play games? But why are you helping me?"

Vespera's lips curled into a slight smile as she nodded gently. "Of course." Then, lowering her voice to a whisper only she could hear, she murmured, "For revenge."

At Damien's villa entrance, Vespera strode across a vast stretch of lawn. She was back at the place she once knew so well.

Sitting gracefully on the sofa ahead was 'Elena,' her legs crossed as she leisurely sipped her coffee. She studied Vespera for a moment before speaking in an elegant yet commanding tone.

"You do have some charm, but I don't care what your intentions are or what tricks you used to get close to my son and make him insist on having you as his art teacher. Your only job is to teach him to paint—nothing more. Stay in your place. Otherwise, for people like us, crushing someone like you is as easy as squashing an ant."

Vespera responded calmly, "Yes, I graduated from an art academy. You can trust my skills."

A smirk tugged at Elena's lips. "If I hadn't injured my hand five years ago while trying to save my husband, I would still be a renowned painter. And you? You wouldn't even be worthy of teaching my son. Just so you know, before my injury, I was one of the best in the field."

With a dismissive wave, she signaled Vespera to leave and return on the weekend to begin Felix's lessons.

As Vespera was about to step out of the door, Damien arrived, parking his car. She turned slightly, watching as the man she had once loved dearly entered the villa. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, she saw him embrace Elena.

The affection in her gaze didn't waver, but a cold smile curled on her lips.

"Do you really know your wife?" she whispered. "Or were you always in on it?"