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She cried harder than she ever had. It felt like her chest was being ripped apart, just like the night she lost her family. But this pain—this betrayal—felt worse.

Daniel's disloyalty was one thing, but Lucy?

She wasn't just her best friend; she was the only family she had left.

She had begged her husband to take Lucy in when she had nowhere to go. She had pleaded for him to give Lucy a job, to make sure she was safe. And this? This was how she was repaid?

A sob tore from her throat as she clutched her chest, gasping for air. Why did it hurt this much?

""Doctor, please," she gasped, clutching her chest as her breath came in uneven spurts. Her voice wavered, thick with panic. "Check my heart… I—I think something's wrong. Why does it hurt so much?"

The doctor's expression softened. "I'm sorry you had to find out this way. We wanted to wait until you were stronger before telling you."

She swallowed hard, Her voice trembled, as if the weight of her own words was too much to bear.

. "Then tell me now. How am I still alive? Who saved me? And why?, how will I survive now huh?"

The doctor hesitated before answering. "An anonymous benefactor. He didn't just save you, Jane. He also... donated a kidney to you."

"He waited for you to wake up," the doctor continued, "but he passed away two years ago."

A heavy silence settled over the room. Why? Why would a stranger do all of this for her? Why would someone sacrifice so much when they didn't even know her?

"Do I have to pay him back?" Her voice was very low. "How did he die?"

The doctor didn't answer. He only sighed before walking away, leaving her in a storm of emotions she couldn't process.

A few minutes later, Dante walked in, carrying a tray of neatly cut fruit. But food was the last thing on her mind.

She needed answers.

"Dante," she said, gripping the sheets tightly, "I heard of an anonymous helper, who was he?"

Dante hesitated, his lips pressing into a thin line. But then he finally spoke.

"His name was Victor Orlov."

Her brows furrowed. She had never heard of him before.

Dante continued, "You once saved him and his son ten years ago. You donated blood when they were in a car accident."

Her lips parted in shock. "me???"

"You might not remember," Dante added, "but you were at the hospital that day. When you saw the emergency, you offered to donate because you were O+. Their rhesus factors matched, so you went through with it."

She tried to recall, but the memory was blurry—almost nonexistent. But if that were true...

"Is that why he saved me?" she asked, still struggling to understand.

Dante exhaled, rubbing his temple. "That was only part of it."

"When you fell, Victor was the only person who saw what happened. He was making a call outside when he witnessed you being pushed. He called 911 immediately, but before they arrived, a group of thugs took your body. Victor tracked them down, paid them off, and retrieved you. He called the police, but the whole thing was handled in secret."

Her head swam, the room tilting slightly as his words sank in..

"He brought you to the best hospital, kept you on life support for years, and when he realized his time was running out... he signed up as an organ donor. That's how you got your new kidney."

She gripped the sheets tightly, her fingers trembling. Why? Why would he go to such lengths for her?

"I... I don't know what to say," she whispered.

Dante nodded. "Hold on That's not all. Before he died, he left something for you."

He reached into his coat and pulled out a thick, embossed envelope. The golden crest on it looked expensive—royal.

"This," Dante said, handing it to her, "is Victor Orlov's will."

Her fingers shook as she unfolded the letter. Her eyes skimmed over the words, but one line made her blood run cold. Victor Orlov left everything to her.

His company. His wealth. His entire empire.

She sucked in a sharp breath. Why?

But then, a name appeared in the letter that made her chest tighten.

Her mother.

"Orlov Enterprises was co-founded by Victor Orlov and Francesca Stadler."

Her mother's name.

She looked up at Dante, but he only shook his head. "I don't know the details. All I know is that you were always meant to inherit it."

Her pulse pounded in her ears. Why had she never known any of this? But then, her gaze landed on another line.

She looked at Dante with disbelief"this looks like a scam, so good to be true" and continued. "I need proof. Bring a lawyer. And if Diego Orlov doesn't show up himself, I won't believe a word of this."

Dante exhaled, giving her a small nod. "Understood."

He turned to leave, but before he could step out, something strange caught her attention outside the door.

Men in black suits swarmed the hallway. Their polished shoes clicked against the tile, their presence demanding authority.

Then, two of them stepped to her door.

The air shifted.

Her stomach tightened when she saw another man enter—with boldness.

Black leather shoes. Long legs. A tattooed wrist. An unbuttoned black shirt. Pierced ears. Silver jewelry

on his lower lip. And then—stormy gray eyes.

He was tall, built like an idol, those big bad boys, with an aura so suffocating she found herself gripping the bedsheets.

Dante stepped aside, and the man took a slow, deliberate step forward.

Then he spoke.

"Heard you were looking for me, princess. Here I am—at your command. So, what were you saying again?"

Damn.

His voice was lethal. She opened her mouth—to argue, to fight back, to say something—but her breath caught. She should've said something—anything—but his presence swallowed her whole. She couldn't even remember what he had said to her. All she was concerned about was how good and sexy he looked.

She was still lost in her daydream when the sharp sound of a phone ringing snapped her back to reality. She blinked, forcing herself to focus. The man in front of her—tall, confident, and almost too perfect to be real—was speaking, but her brain was still short-circuiting from his presence.

"Who… who are you?" she asked, even though deep down, she already knew. Her heart was hammering, and she didn't want him to know she'd been mentally drooling over him just moments ago.

He smirked, clearly amused. "I'm Diego Orlov. Your betrothed."

She let out a dry laugh. "My betrothed? Come on, I know I just woke up from a coma, but there's no way I have memory loss… Do better." She rolled her eyes, trying to ignore the way her pulse spiked at his words.

Before Diego could respond, Dante stepped forward. "speak up Mr. Orlov doesn't have much time—"

Diego raised a hand, cutting him off. Then, with zero hesitation, he moved closer. Too close. He lowered himself onto one knee, resting his arm on the other as he studied her with an expression she couldn't read. His eyes locked onto hers, intense and unyielding.

"relax she just woke up, and besides I have all the time in the world for her," he murmured before shifting his gaze to her lips. "But earlier, you were shouting. Now you're cold, like a scared little puppy. What happened, princesa? Talk to me."

She swallowed hard. Her heart was pounding so fast it felt like she might pass out again. No man had ever looked at her like that before—like she was something worth unraveling. She needed to snap out of it.

"Dante gave me a will," she blurted out. "He said some things I don't understand or believe. So I told him if he can't bring you or a lawyer, I'm not signing anything. Because how the hell am I supposed to wake up to a freaking fortune—"

Diego didn't let her finish. He placed a finger over her lips, silencing her effortlessly. Then he turned to his men, raising a hand.

A tall man in a suit stepped forward, holding a stack of documents.

"Explain," Diego ordered.

The man nodded and turned to her. "Ms. Stadler, nice to meet you. I'm Mr. Watson, the Orlov Enterprises legal advisor."

She exhaled sharply, crossing her arms. "Nice to meet you too. Now, about the will—I need proper clarification."

She was trying to sound professional, but let's be real—her head was still spinning.

Mr. Watson adjusted his glasses and began.

"Miss Stadler, I understand this must feel overwhelming, so let me break it down for you."

"The late Viktor Orlov, founder of Orlov Enterprises, legally named you as his sole heir. That means you now own everything under his name—his company, his properties, his fortune."

"This wasn't a random decision. According to these documents, Viktor Orlov and your mother, Francesca Stadler, co-founded Orlov Enterprises together. Your family had a rightful stake in this company from the very beginning. But after your parents passed, Viktor lost track of you. By the time he returned to the country, you had already married and disappeared from the public eye."

"Years ago, you saved Viktor's life—and his son Diego's—by donating blood. He never forgot that. He saw you as someone with a good heart, someone worthy of his legacy. That's why, before his passing, he made the legally binding decision to pass everything to you instead of Diego."

She frowned. "Why not his own son?"

"Because Diego has his own fortune, separate from Orlov Enterprises. If he inherited the company, he would've sold it. Viktor didn't want that. He wanted someone he trusted to run it and protect his legacy."

She barely had time to process that when he dropped the biggest bombshell.

"However, there is one condition: to claim this inheritance, you must work alongside Diego Orlov as his assistant for a period of one year. This is non-negotiable. During this time, you will learn the ins and outs of the company before the full transition is complete."

She stared at him.

Assistant? what about dante

Before she could speak, Mr. Watson handed her the documents. She glanced through them, her law school instincts kicking in. It was all there. Legit. Ironclad. No loopholes.

Before she could say anything, Diego interrupted.

"I was told you're going through physiotherapy and rehabilitation now and will be discharged soon. You have until then to decide." He stood up, brushing invisible dust from his suit. "if you feel too pressured, just know that You can always say no, princesa."

Then, with a smirk, he turned toward the door.

"I'd love to stay in your beautiful presence, but I have a billionaire deal waiting for me. But don't worry, I will come check on you once in a while. Don't miss me too much See you soon."

Something in her snapped when he said that.

"Jane Stadler. That's my name, not princesa," she shot back. "And you don't have to do that."

Diego paused at the door, glanced over his shoulder, and grinned.

"Don't tell me what to do or what to call you."

Then, with a wave of his hand, his men followed him out, leaving her alone with a whirlwind of thoughts.

She stared at the ceiling, stunned.

She wanted to pretend she wasn't tempted. That she didn't care. That this wasn't her only way out.

But reality hit her hard.

She had no phone. No money. No job. No home.

Her only family had betrayed her. Her husband left her for another woman—her sister. Her late parents' scandal destroyed her future. She dropped out of law school.

She had nothing left to her name aside debt and not to mention "I'm dead to the world".

And now, out of nowhere, she was being handed a chance, a golden ticket—power, wealth, a fresh start.

It was too big. Too much. Too unreal.

But she knew one thing for sure.

If she walked away now, she'd spend the rest of her life drowning in nothingness.

And that? That was not an option.

She needed this. Maybe this is the person they wanted her to find, even if it's not, she will use this resources to find them

She was going to take it.

Even if it meant stepping into a world she wasn't ready for.

Even if it meant working beside a man who made her pulse race with every word.

Even if it meant signing a deal with the devil himself.

she was going to take it