No Way Back by Anna Mac
Chapter 1 – 20

Chapter 1 Abandoned In A Fire

A fire broke out, and it quickly spread across the entire room.

Jane Fowler collapsed to the ground, motionless, her body racked by coughing

fits from inhaling the thick smoke. Her eyes welled up with tears as she fought for

air.

The ash that covered her face and her disheveled hair was not enough to hide the

natural and unspoiled beauty of her features.

She was under the influence of something because she was paralyzed and

couldn’t move a muscle while wondering when exactly she was drugged.

Enter title…

“Jane, gosh, you look disastrous,” Madelyn Fowler said as she approached,

wearing a gas mask.

She was kneeling next to Jane, and from her white dress and gentle tone, she

seemed like a sweet, innocent little girl.

Or at least, that was Jane’s long–held belief.

“Did you drug me, Madelyn?” Jane cried out, her expression one of shock and

disbelief.

Jane just couldn’t wrap her head around the idea that her sweet, innocent sister

could be capable of such vile acts.

“It’s just a test, Jane,” Madelyn replied, removing her gas mask to reveal a sly

grin. “I’m interested to see if our family would believe more in you or me when

they see this.”

Madelyn then placed her gas mask on Jane’s face and smeared a bit of ash on

her own cheeks.

Then, with a gloved hand, she pulled a small knife from her pocket and

deliberately sliced open her own arm. The wound was gushing with blood.

Madelyn tossed the knife aside and took off her gloves, which she then slid onto

Jane’s paralyzed hands. After that, Madelyn clenched her injured arm and yelled

at the top of her lungs, portraying an expression of pure terror.

Madelyn yelled, “Help! Daddy, Mommy! Help me! Janie has gone crazy!”

“Maddie!” A man yelled while he kicked the door open.

As her parents and seven brothers rushed to Madelyn’s aid, Jane watched in

horror.

Madelyn continued to yell, “Daddy, Mommy! My wound hurts so much… Janie is

crazy! She started the fire out of the blue and said she wanted to die with me.

Then she cut me with a knife and told me I wasn’t good enough to be a Folwer

daughter!”

After taking in Madelyn’s blood and her terrified, deer–like eyes, Jack Fowler

glanced over at Jane, who was lying on the floor with a bloody knife and gloves

on her hands.

Jack kicked Jane hard in the stomach, growling, “I don’t know how I managed to

have such a vicious daughter!”

The force of the kick nearly twisted Jane’s intestines.

However, the suffering in her heart far outweighed the physical pain she was

experiencing.

It was as if it were being torn in two.

Jane had once taken a bullet for Jack.

Jane and Madelyn were with him when Jack attended a business event, and he

brought them along.

A psychopath broke into the event, brought a gun with him, and attempted to kill

Jack.

It was Jane who had bravely stepped in to block the bullet, while Jack and

Madelyn had fled the scene, leaving Jane lying on the ground, bleeding.

The police took Jane to the hospital, where she was rushed to intensive care, but

she miraculously survived

her wounds.

The Fowlers didn’t come to see Jane in the hospital until a few days had passed,

and they’d had a chance to

think about it.

Jack took an hour away from Madelyn to visit Jane.

Jack was embarrassed and only said a few words, but he did explain that

Madelyn is an adopted daughter, and he hoped Jane would be more accepting of

her situation. Madelyn had always feared that the family’s love and respect would

shift away from her after the family found their biological daughter.

A scant hour later, Madelyn called to say she had an emergency, so the Fowlers

left Jane in the ward for Madelyn as quickly as possible.

Those unfamiliar with their family history might assume that Madelyn was their

biological daughter and that Jane was adopted.

However, Jane believed Jack at his word because he was her father and the

family she had spent so much time and energy seeking. Blood, as they say, is

thicker than water, so she had faith that the Flowers wouldn’t

abandon her.

So, Jane always gave in to almost everything Madelyn asked for.

No matter what Madelyn wanted, Jane always gave it to her.

Madelyn selected all the gifts first, choosing the best ones and leaving Jane with

the remainder.

Jane hoped that the Fowlers would feel touched by her gesture and that she

would be accepted as a “real daughter” at last.

The whole thing was just a joke, a stupid joke, now that Jane thought about it.

She saw the Fowler family cram Madelyn into their arms and rush her out of the

fire, leaving her behind like discarded garbage.

As the flames engulfed her body and the intense pain consumed her senses,

Jane could smell the burning.

She blinked back the tear running down her cheek and let out a heavy sigh as

she closed her eyes.

She now felt glad that everything was coming to an end.

She paid her debt to the Fowler family and let go of her obsession with familial

love,

If there was a next life, she wished she’d never meet these people again.

That night, the local news reported on the sudden fire at an abandoned

warehouse on the outskirts of Stormton City.

It was reported that firefighters could only pull one burned body out of the blaze.

Unfortunately, the body vanished without a trace after being brought to the

hospital for an autopsy.

The following day, the Fowler Corporation released a statement. They made it

official that they severed all ties with Jane Fowler, the biological daughter they

had just recently found, and acknowledged only Madelyn as their legitimate child

in the family.

Whatever Jane did after that, whether she lived or died, had nothing to do with the

Fowlers.

Like the sudden revelation of the Fowler family’s search for their true daughter,

the name “Jane Fowler” became a hot topic of gossip.

Yet a few days later, as other newsworthy events came out, it faded away.

Chapter 2 Traveling Back In Time

Jane looked at her face in the mirror in a daze as she processed the fact that it

appeared five years younger

She looked somewhat naive and inexperienced for now.

But it couldn’t hide the beauty that was still to come.

“I… I’ve been reborn?”

She murmured to herself.

When she checked her phone, she saw that it was October 23rd, 2030.

It was exactly five years before the fire that had killed her.

Enter title…

It was also under a month since she was brought back into the Fowler family.

A bitter laugh escaped her lips. “Is this God’s way of telling me I was too foolish in

my past life and giving me a second chance?”

Regardless, she knew one thing for sure.

This time, she wouldn’t be the kind of person who tried to make everyone happy

and was always looking for approval. She wouldn’t live for anyone else but

herself.

She was well aware that this was an excellent opportunity for her to make

amends for her previous errors and free herself from her regrets.

She looked around the room, which was both familiar and new to her.

With renewed zeal, Jane shed her pajamas in favor of a white T–shirt, faded

jeans, and an edgy yet chic hairdo for her short crop.

One last glance in the mirror, and she knew she was ready to take on this new

life.

She had brought only a small suitcase when she arrived at the Fowler home.

But her hopes for a better life, reuniting with her birth family, and a sense of

belonging were strong.

Then she arrived at the door of her “home“.

A home that was nominally her own.

This stunning, luxurious “home” was the source of her most excruciating pain.

However, this time around, she was able to get everything done quickly, and she

began her life in this house once more.

This day, a resounding knock on the door brought Jane joltingly back to the

present moment, just as she had become immersed in her depressing thoughts.

Knock, knock…

Jane suppressed the sorrow in her heart, and an iciness settled into her

expression.

She then opened the door.

“Jane, mom and dad want you downstairs,” said the guy standing at the door.

It was Jane’s big brother, the seventh son of the Fowler family, Peter Fowler.

He was tall and handsome, dressed to the nines in designer clothes, and he

scowled at her.

Like Jane, he was also studying at the University of Oricle in Stormton City.

That was a prestigious school.

He was in his third year while Jane was in her second.

Their sister, Madelyn, was a freshman who had just been accepted this year.

“I see,” Jane replied.

Jane looked very indifferent.

And that made Peter feel a bit shocked.

He recalled the Jane from before, the one who had such a strong desire to please

and win the approval of her family.

The one who had no dignity and would do anything to be close to them but was

too scared to truly be a part of the family.

Jane’s submissive attitude and demeanor disgusted Peter. At last, he decided that

he had only one sister, a real sister, and her name was Madelyn.

With Madelyn by his side from childhood, he doted on her whenever possible.

Peter didn’t want a biological sister. All he wanted was Madelyn, the gentle and

kind little girl.

“Jane, you know what you did. Just go downstairs and take your punishment.”

Peter sneered before turning and walking away.

Jane started to wonder what she had done.

The corner of Jane’s lips twitched.

Her mind began to fill up with memories from her past.

Now she remembered what had happened today.

Now it was about time to make things right.

Jane walked down the grand staircase of the mansion with her hands in her

pockets.

And she could hear the sound of sobbing coming from the living room.

It did not surprise her to see her parents, Jack and Anna, holding their

uncontrollably sobbing baby daughter, Madelyn, in their arms and trying to

console her.

Now Jane felt as though Madelyn was the biological daughter, and she was the

one whom the family had adopted.

Their position seemed to have shifted.

Jane couldn’t help feeling a twinge of pain in her heart.

She had wanted this for a long time. She hid her intelligence and true nature from

the world as best she could.

She did all that for the sake of this hard–won familial bond.

She used to be unable to imagine giving it up, not even in a reincarnation.

However, she also knew she shouldn’t make the same mistake again.

She looked on indifferently as if she were an audience member taking in the

performance being put on by Jack and Anna.

She even considered standing up to applaud them.

The one and only problem was that Jane almost had no feelings for them any

longer.

Her remaining feelings of love for her biological parents were almost completely

gone.

When Peter came downstairs and saw how Jane looked, he immediately became

angry. “Why don’t you even ask your sister why she’s crying, Jane?” Peter asked.

“It’s not like I made her cry. Why should I ask?” Jane replied emotionlessly.

“Hey! Don’t you dare talk to Dad like that!” Peter yelled.

He almost wanted to teach Jane a lesson when he realized Jane had no plans to

change her behavior and

even wanted to get away from the trouble.

Peter couldn’t believe her real sister was such a calculating and vicious woman.

Madelyn would always be the only sister Peter would acknowledge.

He wished Jane would die soon so Madelyn wouldn’t have to go through so much

suffering.

Jane’s expression remained unchanged as she looked up blankly at Peter, who

was staring at her with a menacing look in his eyes.

Jane could feel the hatred emanating from Peter as if he wished she would just

disappear from existence so that Madelyn could get what she really wanted.

When Jane used to see this look in her brother’s eyes, it would cause a stabbing

pain to arise in her chest. She used to have self–doubts, wondering what she had

done wrong and why her own brother would look at her in such a way.

For over 19 years, Jane had no place to call home and had never known the

warmth of a family’s embrace, but she still managed to pull it through.

In Jane’s mind, it didn’t matter that the Fowlers had adopted Madelyn. Rather

than being envious, she treated Madelyn like her own sister and was concerned

about how Madelyn was feeling.

Jane had always been selfless, always putting Madelyn’s needs before her own.

She had never fought for any of the glory or recognition Madelyn received.

Jane gave up so much for the sake of this “family.”

It was never Jane’s intention to take Madelyn’s life. She had wished nothing more

than for her family to look at her and notice her presence, even if only for a brief

instant.

She had dedicated every moment of her life to serving the needs of her so–called

“family“.

But their gratitude was unwaveringly unsatisfied.

From the Fowlers‘ point of view, Madelyn was the most important member of the

family.

And Jane was just a bonus… Or even a burden.

They all harbored a deep, dark wish that Jane had died.

That way, Jane wouldn’t have barged into their lives and ruined their happiness.

They only took Jane back because they wanted to feel better about themselves.

And they couldn’t stand the guilt of not recognizing her.

Even though Jane already knew that, she couldn’t care less now.

The argument between Peter and Jane caught Jack’s attention. “Anna, take care

of Maddie,” said Jack.

Then, with a frown on his face, he stood up and walked to Jane.

“On your knees! Jane Fowler!” Jack’s angry roar echoed through the room. His

voice rang out in Jane’s head like a death knell, commanding and fierce. Peter

crossed his arms and sneered as he watched the drama unfold.

He was eager to see Jane get what she deserved for making Madelyn cry.

For the old Jane, seeing Jack so angry would have been enough to send her

running to the ground in fear. However, things were different this time around.

“Why should I kneel?” Jane replied.

Her eyes were calm as she looked at Jack.

Compared to Jack’s rage, Jane’s composure stood out like a sore thumb.

And it wielded an unexplainable power as if Jane were the senior in the family.

Chapter 3 Jane Got Slapped

“What did you say?” Jack couldn’t believe what he had just heard.

Even Peter was taken aback.

“I said, why do I have to kneel? Are you a mob boss or something? Are you

seriously considering physically harming your daughter?” Jane retorted,

remaining as composed as ever.

Her expression was calm, like that of a peaceful pond, but beneath the surface, a

flame was burning.

Jane wasn’t being angry at the Fowler family.

Enter title…

Since she no longer cared about them, she could no longer hate them; instead,

she only felt apathy.

For some reason, this made Jane remember the time in her previous life when

she had obeyed Jack’s command and knelt in fear.

She had tried desperately to defend herself against baseless accusations and

demands, but no one had listened.

When Peter saw Madelyn sobbing, he lost his temper and severely smacked

Jane.

Jane had to apologize, fearing that her family would be angry. She had no choice

but to put up with all the false accusations and carry the weight of things she had

never done.

Now she wondered why she had been such an idiot and had lived a life devoid of

dignity in her previous life.

Jane was now mad at her old self.

“Great. I see you’ve grown some backbone to disobey me,” said Jack, who was

genuinely furious this time. He was about to slap Jane and raise his hand.

At that moment, “Dad, don’t!” Madelyn suddenly shouted.

Her words abruptly halted Jack’s hand in mid–air.

Anna looked at Madelyn with a shocked expression and asked, “Sweetheart, what

are you…?”

Madelyn was sobbing and yelling at the same time, her voice becoming hoarse as

she appeared to be on the verge of passing out from a lack of oxygen. “Don’t hit

Janie, Dad, please don’t… She’s your biological daughter anyway!”

Jack was momentarily brought back to his senses when he heard the words

“biological daughter.

He cast a profound and thoughtful look in Jane’s direction.

Whether Jack wanted to admit it or not, the woman in front of him was of his own

blood.

However, when he took Jane home, Jack had no idea Jane would turn out to be

such a crafty brat.

Eventually, Anna spoke up and said, “Jack, let’s talk this out, don’t let this get

physical.”

Jane was still Anna’s biological daughter, even though it tore at Anna’s heart to

see Madelyn in so much discomfort

“Maddie is just too kind to her,” Peter muttered to himself.

Peter couldn’t figure out why Madelyn was still trying to protect Jane when she

was so upset.

As he watched Madelyn endure pain without complaint, his heart felt like it was

being ripped in two.

Now Peter was really hoping Madelyn was their real sister instead of Jane, which

was so unfair.

Jack took a few deep breaths and tried to calm the raging fire that was in his

chest.

“Jane, do you know what you did wrong?” Asked Jack, trying to make himself

sound as calm as possible. “No, I don’t,” Jane replied without hesitation, her

answer simple and direct.

All of the people in the room were taken aback by her response.

They couldn’t believe how drastically different Jane’s behavior was compared to

how it had been before. She used to be timid and always tried to please them, but

now she seems confident and unafraid.

“No, you don’t? You didn’t just say that,” Jack exclaimed in shock, his eyes wide

open.

“No, I don’t,” Jane repeated her answer deliberately, now that Jack wasn’t sure

what he had heard.

No matter how many times Jack asked her, she would always say “no.”

Her eyes were as dark and icy as they possibly could be as she continued to fix

them on Jack. Jack suddenly felt a chill running down his spine.

Jack had never before witnessed that look in Jane’s eyes, it was one he had

never seen before.

Now he realized that Jane had changed into a totally different person.

As the former Emeritus Chairman of the Fowler Corporation, he has had the

opportunity to interact with a diverse range of people throughout his career.

Jack had now retired and handed over the family business to his grown children

because they were finally of age to take it over.

Despite his advanced age, his business sense and keen eye remained intact.

“Please, Daddy and Mommy, stop! That’s enough!” Madelyn cried as she came to

Jane’s side.

“Don’t come any closer to her, Maddie!” Jack yelled as he looked at Madelyn

anxiously.

He was worried that Jane would hurt Madelyn again.

Jane’s chest tightened for an instant, but she quickly forced the discomfort out of

her mind.

She had finally come to terms with the reality of her family situation and resolved

that she would no longer struggle to win their approval. As a result, the pain no

longer caused her any discomfort, and she was confident that the wound on her

heart would close up quickly.

Madelyn cried out, “Janie, I know who you really are now. You are the real Fowler

family daughter. I understand that you pretended to be a distant relative in order

to spare my feelings, and I apologize for that.

“In any case, I’d like to have the position returned to you because I no longer care

about it. If you think I am making things more difficult for you here, I am more than

willing to leave and not return.”

Madelyn sobbed uncontrollably as she spoke, her tears falling like shattered

beads.

Everyone else, except maybe Jane, felt sorry for Madelyn.

Tears were also falling from the eyes of Anna, who was standing behind Madelyn.

“No one gets to make you leave!” Anna said firmly, “I know Jane is my real

daughter, but she can never do that!”

Jack then added, “Blood ties will never change how we feel about each other.

Regardless of what happens, my daughter, you will always be the heiress of the

Fowler family.”

“Daddy…” Madelyn sobbed.

Madelyn couldn’t hold back her tears and sobbed into Jack’s arms.

“Daddy, I’m so scared, Daddy…” She muttered.

Jack reassured her. “It’s okay, I’m here. No one can hurt you!”

When he finished, Jack gave Jane a stern look.

One tear from Madelyn was all it took to fan Jack’s suspicions about Jane into a

raging inferno of fury.

Jane, on the other hand, stood there, quiet and unconcerned, as if the whole thing

had nothing to do with her

She even smiled as if she were just a bystander in this family drama.

“Jane, does your heart even work? Do you not feel even the slightest need to

apologize to Madelyn after seeing this?” Unable to take it any longer, Peter

intervened while staring angrily at Jane.

Jane almost burst into laughter.

Her gaze was ironic as it landed on Peter.

She didn’t say anything, but Peter understood that she was judging him

condescendingly.

Peter felt ashamed because his sister, whom he had never acknowledged and

secretly hoped was dead, had embarrassed him in front of everyone.

With a burst of rage, he reached for his phone and immediately opened the day’s

most popular trend.

Then he gave the phone to Jane while shouting, “Look at what you’ve done! Don’t

blame us if you feel wronged!”

When Jane looked down at the phone, she saw that the first trending topic was

“The True Fowler Heiress Exposed.”

While Peter clicked in, Jane took in more information about the current trending

topic..

There were rumors that someone abducted Jane from the hospital soon after her

birth, and she didn’t

resurface for another nineteen years. The Fowler Company had recently

acknowledged her.

There were also pictures of Jane going in and out of the Fowler residence, going

to college, and taking part in Fowler family events.

The second trending topic is about Madelyn: “Madelyn Fowler’s Future Life.”

The comments made in response to these topics were a complete and utter

mess.

People couldn’t stop tweeting about what they thought about it.

“Real heiress vs. fake heiress? This is going to be a good show.”

“The saga of a wealthy family playing out.”

“Unbelievable! Fowler Corporation’s stock even went up because of this. Can you

believe it?”

“Madelyn is like a little princess to the Fowlers and is always at their parties, so

it’s no surprise she’s a family favorite.”

“But looking at the photos, the real heiress they found isn’t so bad either. She’s

pretty, too.”

“But her demeanor is far worse than Madelyn’s. After all, she’s been out there for

many years, and her upbringing can’t be fixed.”

Jane looked at the phone and remained expressionless, asking Peter, “What’s

your point?”Chapter 4 The Innocent And Kind Madelyn

When Peter finally lost it, he scolded Jane while pointing at her nose. “My point?

Don’t you have any sense of guilt?

“We had an agreement, Jane, that you would reveal your true identity at the

appropriate time, and you would do so without causing Madelyn any harm. You

promised!

“But instead of that, you’re being dishonest, voluntarily revealing your identity to

gossip magazines and sending them pictures. We have looked into everything!”

Peter looked at Jane as if he were looking at a bitter enemy he had a deep

grudge against rather than a long–lost sister in need of care.

Enter title…

“Jane, if you get on your knees and apologize to Madelyn now, I can forgive you

this time, considering you’ve been lost for so many years, and you’ve missed out

on the upbringing of our Fowler family. You can stay with us and be our true

heiress!” Jack said as he coldly stared at Jane.

He thought that Jane would panic and lose control after he told her this, but

instead, she calmly said, “Oh? Where’s the evidence?”

“What evidence?” Jack asked.

“You can’t just say I told a gossip magazine who I am, can you? If you can’t back

up your claims with proof, I can sue you for slander,” said Jane.

Jane’s calm and casual answer again surprised Jack and the others.

They couldn’t believe that Jane had just threatened to sue them, mainly because

she was known to be such a wimp.

Even Madelyn, who had been sobbing and clinging to Jack, stealthily glanced in

the direction of Jane.

Madelyn’s impression of Jane had shifted entirely by this point. Jane might have

appeared exactly the same as before, but she carried herself very composed and

self–assuredly.

She was exuding an air of disinterest and nobility that made her stand out from

everyone else in this place.

Madelyn didn’t know how, but all of a sudden, she felt a sense of panic in her

heart.

Madelyn quickly forced the feeling down.

She kept telling herself that this plan was perfect and she had nothing to worry

about. She kept her head down so no one could see what she was thinking.

“Okay, I see that you won’t admit it unless there’s rock–solid proof!” Jack said as

he took out his cell phone and dialed a number.

Next, he placed the phone on speaker and slammed it down on the table. A

respectful and reverent voice quickly answered the phone and said, “Mr. Fowler.”

“Mr. Richard Goode, tell me. Who’s the source of your news?” asked Jack.

“Mr. Fowler… Haven’t we talked about this? It’s Miss Jane Fowler who gave it to

me,” Richard replied.

As soon as Richard’s words fell, everyone’s eyes turned to Jane.

With this mountain of evidence, they reasoned, Jane would have no choice but to

concede.

However, instead of being panicked, as Jack expected, Jane calmly took his

phone.

She opened an application and cranked up the volume.

“You said it was me who gave it to you? Right?” Jane asked.

When talking to Richard, Jane masked her authentic voice with a voice filter.

Her voice output by the APP was much softer and lighter than her usual voice.

Everyone knew how Jane’s voice sounded as she spoke, so they were sure that

that was not Jane’s voice. Everyone, including Jack, was frowning.

They wondered what trick Jane was playing this time.

Madelyn could feel that something was going wrong.

Madelyn knew it was best if she said nothing at all since she could reveal her guilt

through her words or expression.

Richard stuttered hesitantly, “Miss Jane Fowler, it’s not my fault. Who would’ve

thought Mr. Fowler figured it out so quickly?

“I need to protect our company. If we continue to anger the Fowler Corporation, it

will be impossible for us to make progress in Stormton City.”

At this point, Jack and the others had already noticed something was wrong.

“So, how did I initially contact you? And why was I so foolish as to reveal my true

identity?” Jane asked mockingly.

And she continued, “Since you knew Fowler Corporation’s power was so strong,

why are you revealing everything now? Wouldn’t that bring you bad

consequences?”

“That…” Richard hesitated on the other side of the line. However, he quickly

responded to the question. “You contacted me through a public phone. I did not

doubt it was you because I could recognize your voice.” “You recognized my

voice?” Jane laughed. “So you don’t have solid evidence to prove that I contacted

you and exposed the matter, right?”

“I… I…” Richard suddenly realized he had made a mistake.

He silently cursed himself for being stupid and thought that he shouldn’t have

responded like that.

After he had collected himself and given it some thought for a while, Richard

finally replied, “I’ve heard your voice before, and it was very special. Even though

you had tried to imitate another person’s accent at the time, I have no doubt that it

was you. Plus, I saw your face when you and I had a face–to–face chat about the

situation, and you handed me some photos.

“How can you be so sure? Making a false accusation against someone based

solely on the sound of her voice; doesn’t that sound ridiculous to you?” Jane

immediately pointed out the error that Richard made in his statements.

“As for what you said about discussing in person and giving me pictures, do you

have evidence of that? Surveillance footage? Photographs? Audio recordings?”

Jane asked.

“I…” Richard stuttered as he began to sweat. He had none of those things. This

whole thing was a set–up to frame Jane.

“And one more thing, the voice I used on the phone wasn’t mine. It was a voice

changer app on my phone,” Jane said. “You said you saw me in person, so why

can’t you even tell that my voice was different?”

“You’re not going to tell me that I was using a voice changer app in front of you,

are you?” In fact, Jane could change her voice on her own. She only used the app

to expose the setup better.

Thanks to her new life, Jane was aware of the upcoming storylines, giving her the

upper hand. Jane was unbeatable because she could shield herself from the

influence of her family and direct the events that would occur in the future.

That might be the present that God gave Jane after she was reborn.

Richard was at a loss for words because this was nothing like what he was told

before.

He was told that Jane was timid, always trying to please others, and was a

pushover. But with just a little intimidation, she would beg for forgiveness and take

the blame for everything.

Richard never expected Jane to call and question him like this.

The guy had promised Richard that Jane would never make a big deal out of this

and that the plan was flawless. Otherwise, Richard would never dare to slander

the daughter of the Fowler family. If anything went wrong, his career and life

would be doomed.

Madelyn’s heart skipped a beat. She couldn’t believe that Richard would expose

everything so easily.

Madelyn began to wonder how an idiot like Richard had managed to get his job

and become a leader in his

agency.

Although Jack and the others had difficulty putting their faith in Jane, they sensed

something wasn’t right.

“Mr. Goode, what’s going on here? Didn’t you say Jane made you do this?” Jack

asked through gritted teeth.

“Mr. Fowler, I think there must be some misunderstanding… Someone must have

pretended to be Miss Jane Fowler and set me up,” Richard said, trying to save

himself.

To protect himself, Richard could only rack his brain for a way out.

He had no idea who was behind it all, but the reward they offered was too good to

pass up.

Richard, meanwhile, had a hunch about who might be behind the social media

trend about the saga of the fake and the real heiress of the Fowler family.

Yet if he said the person’s name, it would be game over for him.

“I’ll definitely get to the bottom of this,” Jack said, his gaze turning towards

Madelyn.

Madelyn lowered her head, her shoulders shaking with sobs as she let out soft

cries.

Her appearance was so pathetic that it made Jack want to hug her.

Jack immediately shook his head. He reasoned that Madelyn must be completely

innocent of this. She was kind, innocent, and naive and would never devise such

a vicious plan

Chapter 5 Madelyn Kneeling Down

The scene after hanging up the phone was bizarre.

The expressions on Jack and Anna’s faces, as well as Peter’s, were all those of

extreme embarrassment.

That was mainly because they had just falsely accused Jane.

After careful consideration, they realized that there were indeed many loopholes

in Richard’s words. They only found a small amount of evidence. Still, they used it

to fabricate an accusation that Jane was intentionally spreading rumors to coerce

the Fowler family into recognizing her as the true heiress.

Enter title…

It was still their underlying mistrust of Jane and too much favoring of Madelyn that

had caused the whole fuss.

Every time they saw Madelyn sad and upset, they immediately lost their cool.

“Janie, I’m really sorry. Daddy and they lost their cool when they realized I was

too upset. This is all my fault. Only if I hadn’t joined this family!” Madelyn sobbed.

She broke the silence and the awkwardness when she walked over to Jane, tears

in her eyes, and prepared to kneel before her.

“Maddie, what are you doing?” Peter, who was the closest to them, quickly yelled

as he pulled Madelyn up. Madelyn, however, had a firm resolve and knelt, saying,

“Peter, I have to do this. This is my fault, and I won’t get up if Jannie doesn’t

forgive us!”

Madelyn dropped to her knees on the ground with a dull thud.

Tears kept falling from her cheeks.

“Maddie, what are you doing? Get up quickly!” Jack yelled.

Jack and Anna quickly went to help Madelyn, who had collapsed on the ground.

They were profoundly moved by Madelyn’s efforts to be a good daughter.

At that moment, any remaining doubts about Madelyn in their hearts vanished

without a trace.

They knew that it was impossible for such a kind, selfless person who always

thought of the Fowler family to devise such a terrible scheme.

Thus, they firmly believed that it must be someone else.

“Jane, we owe you an apology. Don’t worry. I will replace out who is behind this and

make them pay for what they have done. I can’t believe they were trying to hurt

my family!” Jack said, furious at the thought of someone trying to sow discord in

his family.

“Anyone who dares to tarnish the Fowler family’s reputation will have me to deal

with,” he added, gritting his teeth. This kind of scheming was something that Jack

could not tolerate.

Above all else, Jack prioritized maintaining peace in his family.

“Owing me an apology?” Jane laughed as if she had heard the biggest joke in the

world.

She began crying from laughing so hard that she couldn’t hold her tears, and her

belly hurt.

Jack’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion and he asked, “Why are you laughing?”

Jane just kept laughing and laughing, for what Jack said was the greatest joke

she had ever heard.

Instead of defending his biological daughter, Jack had sided with the foster child.

He had led his entire family to stand against Jane, all because he was afraid she

would come back and take away everything that belonged to Madelyn.

It caused Jack to develop prejudice, and he began making false accusations

against Jane about almost

everything.

From a father like that, Jane certainly didn’t anticipate an apology.

The old Jane would have foolishly believed in the so–called family love, but the

new Jane was not a fool blinded by familial ties.

“Mr. Fowler, I truly do not believe you intend to apologize to me in any way. Also,

you’re too old and blind to even think of replaceing the mastermind behind all this.”

Jane spoke these cruel words without a hint of

remorse.

Instead, she felt a great sense of release because she was finally letting out

pent–up emotions she had been suppressing.

Jane recalled how she had taken a bullet for Jack, only to be abandoned in the

hospital to fend for herself while she struggled to stay alive after the incident.

Then, she remembered the many years this family had neglected her.

In addition, she recalled the final kick that had sent her tumbling down as the fire

continued to rage.

As a result of the accumulation of all of these grudges and resentments, Jane felt

a sense of vengeful satisfaction.

It wasn’t enough, however.

Nobody could have foreseen that Jane would express herself in such a manner.

Jane’s actions shocked everyone, including Peter, who questioned whether she’d

gone completely insane. Jane had lost all of her previous meekness and timidity,

and she went as far as making fun of Jack’s declining eyesight.

Jack growled, “What did you say? I’m your father! How dare you talk to me like

that!

“I admit I just made a mistake, but I said I’d apologize to you. What makes you

think you can give me that attitude?”

Jack had always been afraid of his wife but never of anyone else.

All his children were always well–behaved in front of him. But now, he felt like

Jane had gone mad, threatening his authority as the head of the family.

“Jane, I don’t care what you have to say; Jack will always be your father.

Apologize to him now!” Anna said as the expression on her face grew icier.

For all these years, Anna had carried around a sense of guilt regarding Jane, but

now she saw her as nothing more than a disobedient daughter.

She couldn’t believe that the daughter she had given birth to, who had been

wandering around for 19 years, could turn out to be such a disrespectful person.

The Fowlers would never want such a rude character as their daughter.

“My father? It is revolting to have such a father. I will not apologize, and I do not

accept or want your apologies,” Jane said, her eyes gleaming with resolve.

She spoke those words in a single utterance without pausing or hesitating.

With those words, she felt a sense of newfound freedom. She had finally found

the courage to speak her truth.

Truth be told, speaking out like that to the Fowler family wasn’t difficult for Jane.

in the past, she was trapped by her own clinging to familial bonds, unable to

decide.

Now, she had let go of all her worries and decided she didn’t want a family like

this. She tried to set clear boundaries.

“Jane!” Jack yelled, and he was so enraged that he was shaking.

If it weren’t for feeling guilty for falsely accusing Jane earlier, he would have

already slapped her across the face.

He couldn’t believe he had a daughter who was so petty and small–minded.

That was a great shame for him.

Madelyn cooed, trying to manipulate the situation, “Janie, I know you’re mad.

Don’t blame Daddy and Mommy. Blame just me. If I were to kneel before you,

would that not make you feel better? Then I’ll leave the Fowlers and vanish

somewhere far away. I’ll give back the role of the Fowler family’s daughter to you.

Then you won’t be at odds with Daddy and Mommy anymore.”

“Sure,” Jane said with a smirk, looking at Madelyn. “You leave the Fowler family,

and I’ll let bygones be bygones. You just said that by yourself. That was totally

your idea.”

Madelyn was shocked and speechless, unable to believe that Jane had actually

agreed.

She wondered if Jane had gone insane.

On second thought, however, Madelyn felt a surge of pleasure, knowing that this

would only increase Jack’s hatred of Jane.

Madelyn put on an emotionally scarred face, wiping her watery eyes with the back

of her hand. She wiped her tears and managed to stutter out, “I… I understand,

Jannie. It’s time for me to go. Once I leave, things should calm down for the

Fowlers again. If you want me to do it, I will.”

With that, Madelyn ran upstairs, sobbing all the way.

Quickly, Anna wrapped her arms around Madelyn and comforted her, saying,

“Maddie, don’t be sad. Jane is just upset. No one will ever make you leave as

long as we’re around.”

“Mom… Let me go. This isn’t my home anymore. Jannie is the true Fowler family

heiress, and I’m just a foster daughter…” Madelyn cried in Anna’s arms, her voice

breaking.

The Fowler family felt as though each and every word Madelyn spoke was a

sharp nail pounding into their hearts. Their hearts hurt, and they felt like they were

going to explode from the weight of Madelyn’s grief.

“Jane! How dare you say such things to Maddie!” Peter bellowed.

Hearing that Jane was actually going to kick Madelyn out, Peter was far from

calm.

Peter yelled, “Jane, you’ve bared your teeth at last! So that no one can challenge

you for the Fowlers‘ affection, you can’t wait to get rid of Maddie and have her

banished from the family so that you can be the one and only heiress of the

Fowler family!

“But now that I’m here, it’s over! Maddie will always be the child of the Fowler

family, and I’ll take her as my sister no matter what!”

Peter stood in front of Madelyn to protect her. His eyes were filled with anger as

he gave Jane a stern look. Jane looked at Peter’s face, which was very similar to

her own, and for the first time in her life, she didn’t like the way she looked.

Jane felt like she was suffocating and wanted to throw up when she thought about

the Fowler family blood that ran through her veins.

Now that she had been given the opportunity to start over, Jane didn’t want to

waste this chance.

She coldly sneered, “Yes, she is your sister, and I am… nothing.

“I am just a tool for you all to use, the thorn you’ve had embedded in your hearts

for nineteen years.

“If you don’t pay close attention, you wouldn’t even feel it, and taking me back into

the Fowler family is only so you can finally pluck out that small thorn.

“In the end, I am nothing.”

As Jane spoke each word, her heart ached.

Her emotions eventually subsided, and she began to experience a bit of relief.

The things that she said were truths that she had never before dared to

acknowledge, but she knew in her heart of hearts that they were true.

By giving her voice to them, she has exposed a raw, bloody, and boiling part of

her heart that had been hiding for far too long.

Since she was never accepted as one of the family, she anticipated mockery

when she spoke up.

Jack put up his hand and said, “I know you’ve been hurt and are angry now, but

Maddie is innocent. You must return to your room and consider how offensive and

inappropriate your behavior was just now.”

Chapter 6 Leaving The Fowlers

“No need, Mr. Fowler.” Jane sneered, taking a deep breath and finally letting out

the truth that had been brewing in her heart.

She continued, “You love Maddie so much that you won’t want anyone else to

come along and challenge her status as the Fowler family’s heiress.

“I’ll give you what you wished for. From now on, my relationship with the Fowlers

has ended, and I am no longer a member of your family!”

With that, Jane felt a huge burden lifted off her shoulders, and she walked

upstairs without looking back at the Fowlers‘ stunned expressions.

Enter title…

After she returned downstairs with her bags packed and ready to go, all the

others were shaken to the core. Jane just stood there with a simple bag and a

plain backpack.

She shot a cold glance at them and strode out of the villa.

“You stop right there!” Jack yelled. He, at last, found the courage to speak. “Are

you serious, Jane?”

“As serious as it can be, Mr. Fowler. Isn’t this what you all wanted?” Jane replied

sarcastically as she walked out of the house without looking back.

Madelyn couldn’t help but feel a sense of triumph. She had no idea why Jane

would willingly give up her position in the Fowler family, but she was relieved that

it had happened.

Madelyn’s excitement was off the charts, but she had an act to put on. “Peter,

please go talk to Jane. I’m the one who needs to be leaving, not her,” Madelyn

pleaded, tears streaming down her face. “Jane is just upset because you

misunderstood her. Please, go talk to her.”

Madelyn yelled and sobbed uncontrollably while pulling on Peter’s arm, but he did

not immediately respond to her.

Emotions were swirling around inside Peter. He believed that keeping Jane at

home would only cause trouble for the family and threaten Madelyn’s position, so

he wished for her to strike out on her own.

Also, Peter had to admit that Jane was his sister. He couldn’t deny it.

Moreover, he knew that Jane was leaving only because this family had deeply

hurt her.

Peter knew that his actions had played a role in her decision to leave, making him

feel terrible.

Madelyn was uneasy because she noticed Peter was hesitating. It dawned on her

that the Fowlers still cared about Jane. She felt lucky that if she hadn’t taken

earlier actions, her standing in the Fowler family would have been in jeopardy.

“Fine! Get out! And don’t ever come back! I, Jack Fowler, disown you as my

daughter!” Jack bellowed, his temper rising. He couldn’t believe that Jane dared

to threaten him and sever ties with the Fowler family.

Jack was not the type of person who would be scared easily by threats, as he had

been in the cutthroat business world for a long time and had met all kinds of

ruthless people. He hoped Jane would see the error of her ways, apologize, and

rejoin the Fowler family.

After all, Jack thought that being the rightful heiress to a considerable fortune was

so appealing that no one could say no.

“That’s enough, Jack!” Anna suddenly shouted at him.

Jack shrank back, fearful of his wife’s reaction.

‘Please go talk to Janie, Mommy,” Madelyn begged Anna, shifting her strategy to

retreat.

“I’ll go check on her, Jack. Peter, take care of Maddie,” Anna said, quickly

following Jane’s steps.

“Daddy, Peter, it’s all my fault. If I hadn’t cried, you wouldn’t have misunderstood

what Janie said, and things

wouldn’t have gotten this bad. I’m a troublemaker, so I should leave the Fowler

family…” Madelyn got down on the ground and covered her face as if she felt

incredibly guilty.

Peter’s heart hurt when he saw how upset Madelyn was. He quickly told her, “It’s

not your fault, Maddie. You have every right to feel sad. We made a mistake when

we lied to you and made this mess.”

Jack let out a sigh. “All right, Peter, you need to take Maddie back to her room so

she can rest. I’ll be in charge of everything else.”

Anna caught up with Jane and yelled, “Jane, wait!”

Jane halted in her tracks, whirled around, and asked Anna in a chilly tone. “Mrs.

Fowler, what do you want?”

Anna explained, “I know you’re hurt, blaming us, but if you apologize, we’ll

apologize too. Can’t you stop threatening to cut ties with us all the time? It’s not

what you think it is!

“No matter how you say it, you’re still my daughter, my blood, and my flesh. Why

wouldn’t the Fowlers want you?”

It was difficult for Anna to choose between Jane and Madelyn because she cared

about both of them equally. Jane was still important to Anna.

Jane was overcome with emotion as she observed the tears in Anna’s stunning

eyes.

Several times in her previous life, Jane had given up hope and wanted to die.

Anna’s persuasion always made Jane weak, and she wanted to be with her

family. As a result, Jane got deeper and deeper into the mud, and in the end,

Madelyn framed her, and she died in the fire.

Jane swore she would never put herself through the pain of being abandoned by

her loved ones or being burned alive without anyone else to comfort her.

Jane snapped, “I don’t need your love, and I can’t handle it. Please don’t take any

of this personally, Mrs. Fowler. I’m voluntarily severing ties with you. I won’t kill

myself, and you can be sure I’ll have a happy and fulfilling life.”

“Jane…” Anna muttered, still trying to persuade her.

As she reached for Jane, Jane silently sidestepped her.

Jane finally said, “Goodbye, Mrs. Fowler, don’t look so sad. You should focus on

Madelyn because she is more deserving of your affection, and I… I should have a

life of my own.

Jane had decided to sever ties with them and wanted to do so in a way that would

leave no traces.

Jane ignored Anna’s pleas for her to stay with the Fowler family and instead

walked out the gate, taking her belongings with her.

Just like the first time she came, she only brought simple luggage. The only

difference was that the first time she went to the Fowler family, Jane was full of

excitement, nervousness, happiness, fear, and other feelings,

and now her heart was as cold as ice.

Once she made up her mind and took the first step, Jane found that she was

much more at peace and didn’t hurt as much as she had anticipated when she left

this time. Her so–called “home” had done too much. damage to her heart, which

was beyond repair.

Anna was surprised by how determined Jane was when she left.

She stood frozen in place, unsure of what to do next.

Days ago, Jane had come to her with innocent eyes, secretly calling her “mom”

like a child who had made a

mistake.

Jane longed for family and closeness, but because she didn’t know the Fowlers

well, she was afraid to get too close for fear of making Anna mad.

Anna would have had a hard time believing that the woman in front of her was the

Jane she remembered,

although they did look the same.

After leaving the Fowler residence, Jane dragged her suitcase down the mountain

and called a taxi to take her to her next destination.

The driver was listening to the radio, which was currently airing a trending topic

about the Fowler family’s legitimate heiress. “Where to, miss?” He asked.

“Just take me to a nearby hotel, one that doesn’t require ID registration,” Jane

replied. She had no place to stay and hardly any money to her name. Making

some money was her top priority right now because if she couldn’t do that, she

wouldn’t even be able to get a meal.

Chapter 7 Queen’s Back

Jane wanted a cheap hotel for two reasons: the first was to save money, and the

second was to conceal her location from others. She didn’t want to stay in a hotel

that required ID registration because if she did, it wouldn’t make a difference if

she wore a mask and hat because her photo and other personal information

would already be out in the open. She didn’t want to take that risk.

The driver, a seasoned cabbie, was very familiar with the surrounding area. As he

considered how to get to the hotel, a look of bewilderment quickly spread across

his face.

“Excuse me, miss, did you just come down from the top of the mountain? Isn’t

that the Fowler family’s villa? You look a bit familiar like I’ve seen you somewhere

Enter title…

before…” The driver said, trying to piece it together.

As he spoke, the radio returned to its discussion of the Fowler family and the

identity of the true heiress, Jane.

“I’m not the Fowler family’s heiress. I have no ties to them,” Jane stated coolly.

The driver scratched his head, embarrassed. “I’m sorry, miss, but today there’s

just too much gossip about the Fowler family…”

“It’s fine,” Jane said, waving her hand.

Soon, Jane arrived at a nearby hotel, paid the fare, and checked into a room.

Jane tossed her bags to the side and pulled out her cell phone, dialing a number.

“The vast sky is my love, the flowers are blooming on the mountainside” started

playing as the ringtone,

Someone’s excited voice came through: “Queen! Yes, I did just get your call. Oh

my God! You said you were leaving the Darknet, and I didn’t think you’d be back.”

Jane took the phone away because she seemed to know that the person on the

other end of the line would be so excited and loud.

Then, after some consideration, she said, “Andy, I’m sorry, but I really need some

cash, and I’m looking for a job.”

Andy exclaimed on the other end of the phone, “Are you coming back? Oh my

God! The Darknet will shake from the news of that! Queen, with your status and

reputation, replaceing work shouldn’t be hard for you. Wait for me!”

After saying that, Andy hung up the phone.

Jane pulled her laptop out of her bag and entered her username and password

into an unknown website. An old bronze door with a blood–red skull emblazoned

on it appeared on the screen, and a hoarse, alien voice said, “Welcome back,

Queen.”

“I’m back…” Jane murmured to herself. She didn’t think she’d have the chance to

open this website again. The Darknet, as its name implied, was an underground

website connecting the entire world. It was a place where people often posted

illegal tasks such as black market auctions, assassinations, and hacking.

On the Darknet, there were tasks that most people would never think of, and

people could replace everything they wanted there.

To get into the Darknet and become a sponsor, one had to be qualified and have

enough money and power. They couldn’t get in if they didn’t have either of these

things.

To get their login and password, they had to pass a skills test by the Darknet’s

administrators. Therefore, the people who could enter the Darknet to take on

tasks were all extraordinary in some way.

Jane was one of them. She was known simply as “Queen,” and she was a

legendary hacker who once ruled the Darknet.

There was a lot of commotion when Jane finally logged on this time. When she

went back online, everyone

bombarded her with messages asking how everything was going and why she

was back.

Jane opened her personal profile and changed her signature from “AFK forever”

to “Back on board.” Because of this one sentence, the Darknet was thrown into

chaos as if a major earthquake had occurred.

Queen was back! Many people rejoiced and jumped for joy at this news because,

to them, Queen was a goddess.

Queen was the first person to replace a way through Meridonia’s impossible–to–

break firewall and hack into it. This caused the firewall’s program data to be

rewritten.

Overnight, she became known as “Queen,” with the implication that she was the

best hacker in the world and that nothing had escaped her prying eyes.

So, when this big shot suddenly quit the Darknet and closed her account a month

ago, it caused quite a stir. Everyone was trying to figure out what could have

happened.

However, that didn’t matter to them now because Queen was back!

Queen was back! Many people rejoiced and jumped for joy at this news because

Queen was a goddess to them.

Soon, Jane’s phone rang again, and Andy said, “Queen, there’s a mission here.

They need you to hack the firewall of a terrorist organization. 750 thousand

dollars, pay when done.”

“Got it,” Jane quickly replied.

In her capacity as a hacker, Jane needed to adhere to specific standards. Before

anything else, it wouldn’t pose a threat to the country’s security. And second, it

couldn’t violate human ethics. Thirdly, she would never take a stance against the

innocent.

So even though Jane was famous on the Darknet, there were many jobs she

couldn’t take.

After all, the sponsors who could post jobs on the Darknet were often involved in

some sort of shady business. That was why the work that Andy had just

introduced was exactly the kind of mission that Jane had been looking for.

Jane’s thin, pale fingers flitted across the keyboard like butterflies. Like falling

snowflakes, code and programming appeared on the screen, disorienting to the

layperson but second nature to Jane.

While talking and joking with Andy, she quickly broke through the terrorist group’s

defenses.

“Andy, I’ve got it here,” Jane said.

“Great, transferring 750 thousand dollars now. Same account as usual?” Andy

asked.

Jane hesitated for a moment. “Andy, this is 150 thousand dollars of commission

for you,”

“No, you can keep it. Consider it a gift for your return. When you left the Darknet,

you gave away everything you had made. Now that you’re back, I’m guessing

you’re in a bit of a pickle somewhere. I hope I can help you for a little while,” Andy

said.

“Thank you,” Jane said, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

It was exhilarating to feel like she finally belonged again. She felt as if her

“Queen” power was flooding back inside of her.

She really loved the feeling of being reborn.

Now she swore she wouldn’t be as blind as she was, suppressing her true nature

for the sake of her so–called family.

Andy was silent for a while and then spoke slowly and deliberately. “Queen, didn’t

you replace your family? You left the Darknet for their safety for them and donated all

your money.”

Jane replied firmly, “Andy, I don’t have a family anymore. From now on, I’m just

me, I don’t belong to anyone. I’ll only live for myself.”

In the Darknet, Andy was the only person Jane trusted, so he knew her story.

Andy’s heart went out to her after hearing this, as he imagined how trying her time

with her family must have been.

No one knew that the famous “Queen” was actually a 19–year–old college

student who had never known her parents. After going through so much hardship,

she finally found her family, but things turned out this way. Andy was aware of

Jane’s longing for her family, but the more she longed, the more pain she felt. Her

heart continued to bleed as a result of all this. He had sympathy for Jane, who

must have felt torn in two.

He reassured her, “It’s okay, Queen, you still have me. If you ever need anything,

just come to me. Even if the whole world is against you, I’ll stand by your side

without hesitation. I believe in you!”

Gratitude filled Jane’s heart, and she thanked Andy, “You are my best friend

forever.”

Andy continued, “And one more thing, Queen–someone with the same blood type

as yours reached out to me days ago.”

Chapter 8 Type Omega Blood

Jane’s heart skipped a beat as she thought about the rare blood type she

possessed.

She had the legendary “golden blood,” or Type Omega blood, the newest and

rarest blood type to be discovered.

This blood is compatible for donation to all other blood types, but its carrier would

adversely react to receiving the blood of a different type.

So if she lost blood, she could only receive donations from someone with the

same Type Omega blood. No one could explain the origin of Jane’s Type Omega

blood, as both Jack and Anna had normal blood types. In the medical world, this

Enter title…

is known as a “Blood Type Mutation,” which was why Jane had been taken in by

the Teacher and given the training she needed. The Teacher even said that the

fact that she had this blood type was a big part of why she was so smart.

When Jane was hurt and needed a blood transfusion right away in the past, the

hospital blood bank did not have this kind of blood. Andy helped her replace it on the

black market, but it was costly.

This was a wake–up call for Jane, and she began keeping her own fresh blood on

hand for emergencies and asking Andy to help her replace others with the same

blood type.

Jane was careful to conceal her status as “Queen,” but in the Darknet, everyone

was a potential adversary. Thus, Jane realized that the more options she had

available to her, the better.

In her previous life, Jane had cut off all contact with the Darknet, including Andy,

because she was afraid that her past involvement with it would bring unwanted

trouble upon her new family, the Fowlers.

“What did the guy say?” Jane asked, thinking about whoever had gotten in touch

with Andy.

“He made a strange request,” Andy replied. “He wanted to make a pact with you,

to sleep together.”

Jane was taken aback and asked, “What does that mean?”

Andy said, “It appears that this person is experiencing a side effect of their

unusual blood type, Type Omega, and is unable to fall asleep without the aroma

of someone with the same blood type. Also, they’ve made a very generous offer,

Queen.”

“I understand,” Jane said before hanging up.

After the call, Jane walked to the window. Her phone went off, and when she

looked at it, she saw that 750 thousand dollars had been put into her account.

That big sum of money was plenty to keep her going for a long time.

“The side effects of Type Omega blood…” Jane murmured, rubbing her temples.

In fact, Jane had some of the same problems. Rather than having trouble falling

asleep like the person who contacted Andy, she often experienced nightmares.

She used to have them twice a week when she was younger, but by the time she

passed away in her previous life, she had them six times a week.

Jane’s worst nightmares would be a reflection of her deepest fears, and at the

time, her deepest fears were being falsely accused and abandoned by the Fowler

family.

Madelyn would be the princess of the Fowler family in those dreams, surrounded

by her loving family and friends, while Jane would be confined to a glass ball, cut

off from the outside world.

No matter how hard she knocked on the glass, no one would hear her cries for

help.

Jane could only watch the lively scene of Madelyn and the Fowler family from a

safe distance before the descending sand and rocks buried her.

“Am I going to have bad dreams tonight?” Jane chuckled to herself.

Even if the Fowlers did horrible things to her now, it wouldn’t hurt as much

because her heart was already dead as a rock.

The following day, Jane woke up and rubbed her head. Another nightmare

plagued her sleep last night, and while it had nothing to do with the Fowlers, it still

left her feeling uneasy.

This time she was experiencing the sting of burns in her dream as she was

immersed in a blazing fire. Despite the many things Jane had been through in her

life, she was still bothered by recurring nightmares, and she yearned for a restful

night’s sleep nonetheless.

She needed to be happy in this life.

Since she had learned that this was a common symptom of Type Omega blood,

she pondered whether or not it would be helpful to sleep with someone who

shared her blood type.

When Jane checked her missed calls, she found sixteen, but, as she had

suspected, none were from the Fowlers. All 16 calls came from Lila, Jane’s friend

since she was in college.

Previously, Jane had a severe phobia of abandonment and found herself caught

in a whirlpool of family affection with the Fowlers. Because of the effects of having

Type Omega blood, she began having nightmares and nearly became depressed.

Without Lila’s company, Jane would have been tortured by the Fowlers, so much

so that she would have had no other option but to end her life.

Every person has their own weaknesses, and Jane is no exception. Her need for

love and acceptance from family members was the greatest vulnerability in her

previous life.

Jane would do anything for the Fowlers, even lay down her life if it meant

protecting them.

And now that she was completely cut off from the Fowlers, Jane swore she would

never again be vulnerable in any way!

Jane dialed the number, and the call connected in three seconds. Lila’s voice

came through the phone: “Oh my God, Janie, are you okay? I only saw the

trending news last night at 10!”

Jane spoke softly, “Lila, I’m sorry. Yesterday, I moved out of the Fowlers‘ house

and found a new place to stay. I was too tired, went to sleep, and didn’t respond

to your message in time.”

“You moved out of the Fowler family’s house?” Lila exclaimed in shock.

Jane told Lila about the situation.

“I can’t believe that actually happened… Janie, you must be feeling very upset. I

can only imagine how hard this must be for you.” Lila sighed.

Lila and Jane met in their first year at Oracle University, where they were both

studying Computer Science. When they first met, Jane was so shy that not even

Lila could bring herself to talk to her. However, the longer Lila was around Jane,

the more of an innate attraction she felt for her.

Jane was an orphan, which is why people said she was shy. She grew up in an

orphanage and saw too many bad things about people. Even as a young child,

Jane had a level of maturity and perspective that most children don’t have.

Then the Teacher came along, bringing a bright light into Jane’s life. He taught

her a lot of skills and was strict but also kind and caring. In Jane’s sophomore

year, however, he died in an “accident.”

After that, Jane stopped caring about anyone except her family and focused

solely on replaceing them. That was why Jane submitted so readily to the Fowlers

despite being mistreated by them in every way imaginable, from being falsely

accused and punished to being beaten and slandered.

Jane could get through everything because she had an overwhelming fear of

losing the only family she had

in this world.

Jane reassured Lila, “It’s okay, Lila. I may have lost my family, but I still have

many others, including you, who are by my side. You are my best friend.”

At this point in her life, Jane had decided she didn’t want or need a family. She

would just live for herself and the ones she loved. She’d had enough of being a

beggar, at the mercy of others‘ whims and desires, and wanted to start making

her own way in the world.

“Okay!” Lila exclaimed. “From now on, Jane, my house is your house, and I am

your sister. You’ve met my whole family, and everyone here really likes you. My

parents will accept you as one of their own.”

Lila generously shares her warmth with Jane.

Jane smiled and said, “Thank you, Lila. By the way, I’ll be taking a few days off

soon. I already talked to the school about it last night. I have some things I need

to take care of.”

Lila, sounding a bit worried, asked, “Jane, do you have a place to stay now? You

moved out of your dormitory when you decided to live with the Fowlers… Why

don’t you come stay with me at my place?”

To reassure Lila, Jane said, “Don’t worry about it. I have a place to stay. Don’t

worry about me. I won’t pretend to be strong. I’ll lean on you if I have to rely on

someone.”

Lila felt slightly relieved. “Okay! Get in touch with me if you run into any problems.

Unlike the Fowlers, I don’t have a mansion, but you can rest assured that my

home is a haven for anyone who needs it.”

After hanging up the phone, Jane took a deep breath. She now knew that there

were still many people, like Andy and Lila, who were worth caring about. She was

sorry for the foolish choices she’d made in her previous life.

Jane temporarily left her luggage at the small hotel, put on a mask and

sunglasses, and left.

She visited a Porsche 4S dealership and dropped a big fat check on a Porsche

Cayenne. She wanted to make an immediate cash purchase, and she needed a

car that was ready as soon as possible. The dealer said she could come

tomorrow to get it.

The salesman recognized that Jane was likely from a wealthy family and treated

her with the utmost deference and enthusiasm as a result.

After leaving the car lot, Jane went to a nearby apartment complex’s sales office

and spent the rest of the 750 thousand dollars on a fully furnished apartment.

Jane liked this apartment because it was in a good location, was a good size, and

had everything she needed. She signed a purchase agreement, wired the funds,

and completed the full payment.

It was already dark by the time Jane had completed these tasks, so she packed

up her belongings and made the trip to her new home. She took in the sights of S

city at night through the window and felt hopeful about her future.

At this time, her phone rang; it was Lila calling.

“Lila, what’s the matter?” Jane asked, her mouth corners raising slightly.

“Janie, are you busy now? Is this a good time?” Lila asked.

“No, I’m almost done,” Jane replied.

“All right, how about we meet at Nightshade Bar? Let’s have a drink there,” Lila

suggested.

Lila couldn’t think of a better way to comfort Jane without hurting her feelings, so

she thought and thought until she realized this was the only way.

The Night Bar was a stylish watering hole with a breathtaking view of the river

after dark. Jane was feeling down, and Lila planned to take her out for drinks and

a look at the beautiful scenery to help lift her spirits As Jane realized Lila’s good

intentions, she responded, “Okay, I’ll be there.”

“Okay! It’s settled then!” Lila chirped.

Peter was having a quiet drink at Nightshade Bar.

“Peter, I’ve never seen you this sad before; what gives? Are you drinking to drown

your sorrows?” A man asked

Chapter 9 Jane On The Dance Floor

Peter’s childhood friend, Larry, spread his hands wide as he leaned against the

couch, watching Peter down one glass of beer after another.

Larry rolled his eyes when he saw that Peter wasn’t responding and continued to

drink. Suddenly, Larry reached out and grabbed Peter’s arm, saying, “All right,

that’s enough. Don’t drink yourself into a stupor. I’m not taking you home like that.

Your dad will bite my head off.”

“It’s just beer. I’m still in control,” Peter replied, but he didn’t continue drinking.

Instead, he leaned back against the couch and looked up at the night sky, feeling

the breeze coming off the river.

Enter title…

Larry fiddled with his pink tie and shot a flirtatious glance at any attractive woman

who happened to pass by. With his stylish outfit and glistening purple diamond

earrings, he exuded the confidence of a young man who knows how to attract

women’s attention.

However, it was clear that the women were more drawn to Peter. The Fowler

family had excellent genes. All seven of Jack and Anna Fowler’s sons inherited

their parents‘ great genes, and each had his own unique charisma.

Peter’s features, including his high, straight nose and sensually cold lips, were

chiseled with the precision of a master carver. Though his hairdo was simple, his

good looks were undeniable.

“Every time we go out, the girls never pay attention to me. Boo hoo hoo,” Larry

said jealously, shooting Peter a glance.

Peter didn’t respond, continuing to keep his eyes closed.

Seeing that Peter was honestly bothered, Larry put away his playful grin. “I saw

the news that’s been trending. Is that what’s got you so worked up? Are you

worried that would hurt little Maddie’s feelings?”

“That’s part of it,” Peter replied, his eyes fixed on the drink in his hand.

“And the other reason is that yesterday our whole family misunderstood Jane and

hurt her deeply. She said she wanted to sever ties with us and has already

packed her bags and moved out,” Peter continued. Larry arched an eyebrow.

“You wouldn’t think she’s the one behind the trending news, would you?”

Peter didn’t respond, lost in thought.

“Well, think about it this way,” Larry said, trying to lighten the mood. “It’s a

blessing in disguise. The Fowler family had given up on Jane long ago, and now

she’s back, which I don’t think was a nice surprise for your family, right? Plus, You

do like Maddie more, don’t you?”

Peter let out a sigh. “Yeah, that’s true. Maddie was adopted when she was just a

baby. We grew up together and had a strong bond. But as for Jane… I don’t have

the same feelings for her. I even think it would be better if she never returned so

Maddie wouldn’t get hurt.

Larry clapped a hand on Peter’s shoulder. “Well, there you have it. Jane’s out of

the picture now. She’s cut ties with the Fowler family. You should be happy. Come

on, let’s drink to it.”

Even though Peter knew he should be happy, he was still burdened by the

thought of Jane leaving the Fowler family yesterday because Anna was unwilling

to change her mind. He couldn’t get over the fact that he had misunderstood her

and that they were related, even though he didn’t want to admit it.

If Jane were really to blame for everything, he would have been happy for her to

leave.

However, since she was wrongly accused and leaving, he felt like the Fowlers

owed her something.

As he walked around the University of Oricle, he couldn’t help keeping an eye out

for any news about Jane. He heard that she hadn’t been to classes, and nobody

seemed to know where she had gone.

Jack had said that she would return once she had calmed down, and everyone,

except for Anna, seemed to have given up trying to bring her back.

They all felt that having Maddie in the family was enough, and all of the Fowler

brothers felt this way.

Just then, Peter caught a glimpse of a familiar figure out of the corner of his eye

and froze.

“Jane!” Lila called out, waving at her. Jane gave her a small smile and walked

over to her.

Today, Jane changed into a white lady’s blouse paired with jeans and sneakers.

Her natural beauty shone through even without makeup, and she quickly became

the center of attention. Her eyes were like stars, and they twinkled like diamonds.

Peter, too, was taken aback, wondering aloud, “Jane. Is that Jane?”

At school, Peter never paid attention to Jane. He first learned of her existence in

college when he learned that Jane was his sister that had been missing for 19

years.

When Jane first came to the Fowler family, she was timid, fearful, and too humble,

which made Peter really dislike her.

So, Jane’s first impression of Peter was definitely bad. Peter couldn’t figure out

why Jane, who was from the Fowler family, wasn’t at all noble or elegant. At that

time, Jane was totally different from Madelyn. Not only did Peter think this way,

but everyone in the Fowler family also did.

Peter also worried that Jane would hurt Madelyn’s status, so he never treated

Jane well. Jane looked the same from the outside, but she was acting in a very

different way at the moment. She exuded an air of assuredness, and her every

action seemed to draw attention from all directions.

“Wow, a stunning woman. Peter; even you’re staring. That’s rare!” Larry

exclaimed excitedly.

After Jane walked into the rooftop bar on the second floor, Larry couldn’t take his

eyes off of her. The normally calm Peter was suddenly seething, “That’s my sister,

Jane!”

“What? Jane… Well. How could she be so different from the photo!” Larry said in

surprise.

Larry thought Peter was drunk and mistook someone else for Jane. However,

after looking again, Larry couldn’t help but gasp, because he found that the

person was indeed Jane.

She had just undergone a radical makeover that made it look like she was

someone else entirely. Jane didn’t notice Peter and Larry. She walked straight to

Lila, saying, “Sorry, Lila, for keeping you waiting.” Lila shook her head. “I just

arrived here, too… Hey, Jane, how come you seem to have changed so much?”

Lila was dressed in white, and her long black hair flowed freely, making her look

innocent as a little white rabbit.

When Lila first found out that Jane and the Fowlers had broken up, she was

concerned that the news would have a negative impact on her mood, but instead,

Jane seemed upbeat and positive right now.

“Yeah, I’ve changed,” Jane replied with a smile. She just came to realize the true

nature of so–called family ties and became her true self again.

“I was still a little worried about you, but now you seem to be doing much better,”

Lila said.

Jane smiled and said, “Cheers, let’s toast my new life… Or should I say ‘escaping

from the wolf den‘?”

Jane picked up the Bloody Mary in front of Lila, clinked glasses with her, and then

took a big sip.

The cold liquid, mixed with alcohol, stimulated her senses.

At that moment, with the nighttime river view, the breeze, and her best friend by

her side, Jane felt the beauty of life all around her.

She felt terrible about the time she held on to things that were never hers, to

begin with.

Jane spoke softly, but Peter, who had been listening to her the whole time, picked

up on it and felt a mixture of emotions.

“Escaping from the wolf den?” Larry said with a scoff, “Looks like your family

didn’t treat her very well.”

Larry’s comment was neutral since he had nothing to do with all this.

Many people would kill to be in Jane’s position as heiress of the Fowler family, but

she had already given that

1. up.

And Larry knew Peter always disliked Jane.

Larry couldn’t help thinking about how much the Fowler family had mistreated

Jane and how she had been able to move on despite all of that.

Peter sat in silence, picking up his beer and chugging it down.

Jane’s words echoed in his mind. He realized now that for her, going home was

like being in “a wolf den.” Thus, Peter assumed that Jane must be thrilled when

she finally decided to leave that place.

Peter now clung to the last bit of hope that maybe she was just being strong and

putting on a brave face. Lila, noticing Peter’s silence, put a comforting arm around

Jane. “Jane, don’t push yourself too hard. Remember, I’m always here for you as

your best friend. If you need someone to lean on, my shoulder is always here,”

Lila said.

Lila’s heart ached when she learned of what had happened to Jane.

Lila had known Jane for a long time and knew how much Jane yearned for a

family.

When the Fowler family came to do a genetic test and adopted Jane, Lila saw

Jane happier than she had ever been before. Jane even cried a few times. When

Jane was drunk, she hugged Lila and cried out, “I have a family now, finally! I

have a father, mother, and brothers, and they will protect me. I’m not an unwanted

wild child anymore!”

“Okay, I need your shoulder now,” said Jane as she moved to Lila and hugged

her.

Then Jane closed her eyes and sighed deeply. “I’m so lucky to have you.” Lila felt

a lump form in her throat, and her heart ached for her best friend.

“Don’t be sad. I’ll always be here for you,” Lila comforted Jane, trying to hold back

her own sadness.

“Yeah,” Jane responded, feeling a bit teary–eyed, not because of the Fowler

family but because she felt stupid. She regretted not valuing the people in her life

and giving up so much in her past life, but she also felt lucky to have a second

chance.

The bar started playing music.

“Come on, I want to go dance,” Jane urged. In her second chance at life, Jane

decided to do only those things that brought her joy, regardless of the approval or

disapproval of others.

“Sure, I’ll watch you from down here,” Lila said.

Jane stood up, ruffled Lila’s head, and unbuttoned her shirt, revealing a black vest

over a toned stomach. Moving to the center of the dance floor, she began to let

loose to the pulsating beats of the music.

She was so stunningly beautiful that many men couldn’t help staring at her and

start whistling.

Jane ignored them and spun, jumped, and closed her eyes. She danced

beautifully, not just with coordinated and fluid movements but with wild energy in

every step.

Even Peter was a bit mesmerized, as he didn’t know Jane could dance and she

looked so good doing it. With her captivating performance, Jane lifted everyone’s

spirits and brought the evening to a crescendo.

The crowd burst into an uproar. All the audience was yelling, asking her to come

back and dance once more. Even Larry was applauding Jane. He looked so

excited.

Just then, in a chamber on the fourth floor at Nightshade Bar, a pair of deep and

sharp eyes spotted Jane dancing passionately on the dance floor

Chapter 10 Hugh Croft

“Are you interested, Hugh?”

Robert Shane noticed Jane Fowler, the dancing queen, on the dance floor

beneath the stage.

She was interesting.

An eye–catcher.

But there was another thing that Robert noticed.

Hugh Croft, too, had his eyes on her.

He was gazing at her intensely too.

Enter title…

The stoic and arrogant President of DY. Group was never caught paying that

much attention to a woman.

Darkness in the room had Hugh’s face partly hidden.

The faint mottled lights illuminated part of his thin surly lips.

The tall nose and the sharp eyes on his reserved face shone like a diamond

would in the darkness enveloping them.

Hugh said nothing, but his eyes never left Jane.

That was a silent approval from him.

He saw a hint of familiarity in her.

As if he found someone similar.

The sharp glint in his eyes was nothing of the same as all others.

His sharp eyes were penetrative as if they could see through one and hook their

soul from their body.

Jane, too, could feel the existence of Hugh Croft in the room.

Her sight turned towards the pair of eyes watching her through the glass wall from

the fourth floor.

The glass was specially made to be a one–way mirror that appears reflective on

one side and transparent on the other. So, only the person behind the glass wall

could see those on the outside.

Finally, the dance ended.

Jane walked over to Lila Sutton’s side.

“Janie, you danced so well!”

Lila applauded Jane as she excitedly pranced around her.

Jane stroked Lila’s head and was about to speak when someone interrupted.

“Beautiful lady, would you care to have a drink with us?‘

A man dressed stylishly with a bad–boy vibe approached them.

He was in his early twenties, wearing a thick gold chain around his neck and hair

dyed yellow. But he was good–looking.

There was a tag hanging from the thick gold chain.

The word “Croft” was carved on the tag.

“I’m not interested.” Jane Fowler answered without even a glance towards that

man.

Her words did not anger him. He chuckled instead, “You’ve got some guts. I like

that. Let me tell you, my beautiful lady. It’s your lucky day that I took a liking to

you, and I’m Cameron Croft.”

He reached out his arm towards Jane as he spoke.

“Don’t touch her!”

Lila leaped upward and wrapped her arms around Jane as she eyed Cameron

threateningly.

She was adorable, although she tried to appear fierce and threatening.

Cameron’s eyes instantly shone.

He was initially captivated by Jane.

Little did he expect, the little maiden by Jane’s side was a beauty too.

He could tell she was still pure from the childishness she had portrayed, which

was the total opposite of Jane.

It was his lucky day.

“Hey, Peter! I think some rascal was bugging your sister.”

“He looked familiar. Isn’t that Cameron Croft?

Larry Shane slapped Peter Fowler on his back.

“I noticed that early on.”

Peter never knew he was gritting his teeth when he spoke.

Cameron Croft was related to the Crofts of Stormton City, a typical playboy that

spent his time loitering around with his fair–weather friends. He was seen with

different women every time.

He was already a disgraceful descendant of the rich and powerful, but what

others found unbelievable was that he snatched another person’s girlfriend in

public.

But, well, the Crofts were a noble family of the highest prestige in Stormton City.

Especially when it came to Hugh Croft, the President of D.Y. Group, who was

seldom seen in public.

They were the existence that everyone in Stormton City would never wish to

mess with.

Even the Fowlers would think twice about going against the Crofts.

“It’s going to be difficult for Jane to escape now that Cameron has his eyes on

her, and this will be troublesome.”

“Do you need help, Peter? Let me know, and I’ll bend backward for you.”

Larry would never go against the Crofts just for anyone.

Peter was, of course, an exception.

That would depend on how much Peter loves this sister of his.

Peter was still contemplating whether to help Jane out.

“I just wanna make friends, ladies. Do be so troubled about it…”

Cameron continued teasing.

He never noticed the iciness behind Jane’s stare that grew colder as he spoke.

She landed a kick directed at Cameron’s abdomen.

It was powerful as it was immediately followed by the sound of bones cracking.

Cameron was thrown across the room.

He then landed crashing on some tables and chairs.

Startled by the commotion, customers in the room rushed to replace themself a safe

spot before they continued watching the drama happening in the room with

interest.

Larry couldn’t help shouting, “Wow! Your sister is a badass, Peter!”

Peter, too, was dumbfounded by Jane’s action.

He was about to lend a helping hand.

Little did he expect Jane to be this good at fighting.

Was she still the same coward Jane with low esteem that always got on his

nerves?

Jane managed to shield Lila’s eyes from witnessing the violence she had

committed.

She did not want Lila to be exposed to such a violent act.

“What happened, Jane? What happened just now? Don’t be scared. The security

here is excellent, and they will not dare to harm us.”

Lila, never exposed to such a situation, shivered in fright.

Still, she tried to comfort Jane.

Warmed by her gestures, Jane spoke, “It’s okay, Lila. It will be over soon.”

“Cameron!”

The goons who were always currying Cameron’s favor immediately went to him

and helped him up

With his face covered in blood, Cameron moaned in pain. He glared fiercely at

Jane. “Damn it, woman! How dare you do this to me? Bring her to me!”

‘Yes, sir!”

“Stop!”

Peter, who had regained his senses, shouted as he stood up.

Jane was startled by Peter’s voice. She couldn’t help thinking to herself.

“Peter!”

“What is he doing here?”

“He was standing up for her.”

Cameron, already raging, roared. “Where did this hero wannabe come from? Are

you seeking trouble?”

“Yes!”

Since Peter was in for the fight, Larry, too, couldn’t stand back anymore. His lips

lifted into a smirk.

He joined Peter in the fight, and they beat Cameron’s goons in no time.

Although Cameron’s goons seemed threatening, they were never a match against

Peter and Larry, who were well–trained in martial arts.

Being the descendants of the top company in Stormton City, martial art was a skill

they needed to be equipped with.

At the very least, they could protect themselves when required.

Jane watched them from the side sharply.

“What was Peter up to?”

Was he kidding her?

She snickered at her thoughts.

The commotion alerted securities in the Nightshade Bar.

They immediately came to have the situation under control.

After understanding what had happened earlier, Cameron and his goons were

taken away without another

word.

Cameron shouted, “Don’t touch me! I’m related to the Croft family.”

For someone who could head the security department of the Nightshade Bar, he

wasn’t easily intimidated by Cameron’s claim. With a smirk, he answered, “The

boss of this bar is a good friend of Mr. Croft. You’ll get it from Mr. Croft if he knows

you stirred up trouble here.”

Hugh Croft was famous for being a bold and ruthless man.

He would show no mercy to anyone that angered him, even if they were family.

Cameron immediately paled and dared not take another breath at the mention of

his Achilles‘ heel.

If that Lucifer knew that he was showing off using his relationship with the Crofts,

he would be in deep trouble.

It would be a dead end for him.

“Now, let’s talk about the compensation.”

Cameron was then taken away from the scene.

Then the manager of Nightshade Bar made his appearance.

He apologized to all the customers for the earlier disturbance.

To compensate for the inconvenience caused, all the expenses for the night

would be on the house.

Then he approached Jane and Lila, the victims of harassment that had happened

earlier.

“We have already known what happened earlier. We hope you will accept our

compensation for your inconvenience with Diamond VIP Membership Card.”

“You will receive a 30% discount for all your future expenses when you visit

Nightshade Bar in the future. Furthermore, this Diamond VIP Membership Card

has a credit worth 75 thousand dollars.”

It was indeed excellent compensation.

Even Lila was in awe when she heard of the compensation. “Is this really for us?”

To be entitled to the Diamond VIP Membership Car, one had to spend at least 4.5

million dollars at Nightshade Bar.

Lila only dared to apply for the regular membership card when she visited the

Nightshade Bar. “Got it!”

Jane calmly accepted the Diamond VIP Membership Card.

She was happy with how Nightshade Bar dealt with the situation.

The harassment from Cameron Croft did not bother her much.

The kick she landed on him was enough to have him spend the month in the

hospital.

Cameron Croft was destined to pay for the losses he had caused tonight.

The real, powerful boss behind Nightshade bar would never let himself take that

loss.

That was undoubtedly the unwritten rule.

They wouldn’t have let Cameron off without any compensation for the trouble he

had caused.

Once the matter settled, the staff in the bar returned the state of the bar to normal

and retreated to their own task assignment.

The customers, too, weren’t bothered much by the incident earlier.

The bar continued to rock like usual.

Those who frequented bars and clubs would know that such incidents were

expected.

It was up to the bar on how they managed these troublemakers.

Since all the expenses would be on the house, it would cost the bar at least 150

thousand dollars tonight

That was a vigorous move of Nightshade Bar.

That, too, was what attracted them to visit this place.

Peter watched Jane with complicated emotions after the fight.

He was still contemplating whether to help her earlier.

It wasn’t until he called out to Cameron and started the fight that he came to his

senses.

He had already started the fight.

But Jane only threw him a glance before she left the place with Lila.

She couldn’t stand being in the same room as Peter.

She couldn’t stand being in the same room with another Fowler.

Chapter 11 Incomparable

Peter was indeed upset when Jane left without a greeting.

“Peter, your sister is leaving. Aren’t you going to say hi to her? We came to her

rescue after all.”

Larry Shane thought that Jane Fowler would have taken care of Cameron and his

goons on her own without much effort when she landed that marvelous kick.

Furthermore, Nightshade Bar was under the protection of his brother.

There were no doubts that they had the top security system.

Their stepping up did not help much in that situation.

Enter title…

“Ignore her!”

Peter was indeed upset.

“Jane! Oh, Jane! Are you serious about cutting ties with the Fowlers now?”

“Well, as you like it!”

“Okay!”

Larry tried to muffle a laugh.

Peter hated Jane and worried that she would covet Madelyn Fowler’s position in

the family. That was why he ignored Jane in the first place.

Why would he step up to help her when Cameron Croft and his goons harassed

her?

He indeed had a soft spot for Jane.

After all, she was the missing sister they reunited with after so many years. It was

after much effort spent to locate her too.

But every family had problems, and the Fowlers one was complicated too. Larry

had no intention of

interfering in Peter’s family business, even though they were as close as a

brother would.

There were too many craps in the Fowlers family affair, and Larry was too busy

pulling himself up to interfere in other’s family affairs.

“I’m going to the washroom.”

Peter then made his way to the first floor of the building.

“Pfft!”

Larry couldn’t hold back anymore and broke out into laughter.

“Peter, isn’t the washroom on the second floor?”

But Peter left as if he did not hear Larry’s words.

In the private room on the fourth floor, Hugh Croft had just finished watching the

drama downstairs.

He stood up.

Robert Shane raised his brows. “Leaving so soon, Hugh? Why don’t you stay a

little longer?”

“There are some matters I need to take care of.”

His words were layered with a hint of murderous intent.

Robert whistled a little.

That spelled the end of Cameron Croft’s good life.

It was his unlucky day to have met Hugh Croft today.

Hugh hated when others swaggered and swindled using his family name.

Now Cameron would wish he was dead.

But Hugh’s murderous intent was likely not just because of Cameron.

It was because of the woman that was like an elven queen on the dance floor.

“Hugh, I gave them a Diamond VIP Membership Card of Nightshade Bar. You’ll

definitely see them again if you come here often in the future.”

“Mind your own business!”

Hugh left the private room after he said the four words.

Robert was left leaning on the sofa with his hands behind his head.

A cheeky grin appeared on his lips.

“More interesting dramas are going to unfold soon.” He thought to himself.

Peter was leaving the bar when he saw Jane and Lila.

They were trying to get a taxi.

Hearing footsteps, Jane turned towards Peter and threw him a glance.

Then, she pretended she did not see him and continued chatting with Lila.

“Jane, that looks like Peter.”

Lila spoke hesitantly when she saw Peter.

She couldn’t tell for sure in the dim light.

Furthermore, Peter couldn’t be here. He wouldn’t approach Jane on purpose.

Instead, he would have stayed far away.

Peter was popular at the University of Oricle.

It wasn’t just because he was a Fowler but because he was a bright student too.

He was accepted into the University of Oricle for being the top scorer in the

college entrance examination in Stormton City.

He did not attend Howard University because he couldn’t bear being too far from

his family.

In other words, he did not want to be far away from his sister, Madelyn Fowler.

He was handsome, inheriting the best of Fowlers‘ family bloodline, and good–

look.

He was considered the school hunk at the University of Oricle.

“Yes, that’s him. But it has nothing to do with me.”

Jane answered firmly.

“Janie…”

Lila teared up.

She felt bad for Jane.

What had happened in the two weeks of her reunion with the Fowlers?

What had happened in the two weeks of her reunion with the Fowlers?What

turned the cheerful Jane Fowler that always speaks of the Fowlers longingly, with

her eyes shining full of expectations, into what she was today?

There must be something that happened when Jane was with the Fowlers that

made her choose to break up her relationship with the Fowlers.

Although they spoke softly, Peter heard them.

Their conversation caused him to feel uneasy.

He couldn’t help but go toward them.

“Jane!”

The glacial, deep voice called out her name.

Jane’s lips curled up into a smirk when she saw Peter calling out to her.

That was the way he called her, distant and glacial.

It was totally different from how he called out to Madelyn, warm and full of love.

Because of that, Jane would never regret her choice.

Even when she felt the stabbing pain in her heart, she would never regret her

choice.

Jane stared at Peter fearlessly with no emotions in her eyes. “What’s up, Mr.

Fowler.”

Mr. Fowler…

Looking at Jane Fowler standing before him, Peter was reminded of the Jane he

met for the first time when she first came to the Fowlers.

The timid girl that called him Peter.

The girl that longed for his reply but, at the same time, was afraid that he would

dislike her.

But all he had in mind was how Madelyn would feel.

So, he chose to ignore Jane and was disdainful towards her.

He even fiercely forbade her to call him Peter.

That was because he felt that Jane had no right to do so.

Only Madelyn could call him by his name.

That was when he understood the excruciating pain behind her eyes.

The feeling of her heart being shattered into pieces.

Even her dignity was worthlessly being stomped under his feet.

Peter did feel ashamed of his behavior.

But he was a man, and a man should never apologize.

So, he could only ignore her and turned his back on her.

Damn it!

What was he thinking of all these insignificant matters?

He couldn’t understand why his mood suddenly turned foul and chose not to

think.

With an icy tone, he spoke. “What are you doing in such a place, Jane?”

“Why can’t I come to this place? Aren’t you here too?”

Jane found Peter’s question to be funny.

“You’re an easy target for dressing up like this.”

“Isn’t that what happened? Had I not stepped up…”

“What? I can take care of them without you. I’m not a weakling like the Fowler girl,

Madelyn.”

“Furthermore, Nightshade Bar has excellent security. Did they not take those

scums away?” Jane interrupted. Her words fueled Peter’s anger.

“Jane Fowler, who are you to compare yourself with Madelyn?”

Once the words escaped his mouth, he couldn’t say another word.

His rage had suddenly calmed.

Peter subconsciously regretted the words that came out of his mouth.

He shouldn’t have said that.

He shouldn’t have compared Jane to Madelyn.

Peter turned his gaze towards Jane, thinking he would see the pain in her eyes.

But he was wrong.

There was no change in her emotion at all.

“You’re right. I have nothing to compare against the daughter of the Fowler family.

I’m just an orphan with nothing in my name, no power and wealth.

“So, Mr. Fowler. I’m no longer related to the Fowlers. Even if I died out here, it has

nothing to do with you and your family.

“When you encounter an incident like this in the future, just ignore it as a passer–

by would

Chapter 12 Heartless Fowlers

It was totally out of Peter’s expectations.

There wasn’t even a hint of pain coming from Jane Fowler.

His verbal attack came so suddenly, and his tone left them with no leeway.

Peter did not realize that he felt a touch of panic in the face of Jane’s

heartlessness.

“I did help you back in the bar. How could you treat someone who had shown you

kindness with such an

attitude?”

Enter title…

“That’s what I am. Did you regret helping someone ungrateful?”

Jane replied without any form of courtesy.

Jane Fowler refused to bow low to others and lived a dog’s life ever again.

Especially towards the Fowlers.

She had never owed the Fowlers anything at all.

“You!”

“Mr. Fowler, stop criticizing Jane!”

Lila could no longer hold back when she saw Peter keep pushing Jane. “Do you

know how much Jane longed for her family? Why don’t you and your family think

about what you have done to her that she would say something so mean?‘

Tears flowed from her reddened eyes as she spoke.

She wiped away her tears and raised her head, glaring at Peter, who was still

astonished.

“I will not allow you and your family to bully Jane again.”

“You’re an asshole!”

Even a bystander like Lila felt terrible for Jane.

How could Peter Fowler, a brother related by blood, scold Jane and say so many

mean words that hurt her so badly?

Jane had been missing for nineteen long years and yearned for her family’s love

and protection the most at this time. Were the Fowlers heartless?

Not only did they not care for her, they even hurt her. Why would they reunite with

her in the first place if they wanted to hurt her instead of caring for her? They

gave her hope and pushed her into a more bottomless abyss after. She was a

daughter of the Fowlers, not an enemy of the family. She was Peter’s sister by

blood.

“..”

Peter was speechless.

After all, the main reason for Jane’s departure was because of the

misunderstanding they had.

That was also the reason Peter was still concerned about Jane.

It was because of the guilt he had for her.

“It’s okay, Lila!”

“The Fowlers meant nothing to me now.”

Jane reached out to wipe Lila’s tears as she comforted her softly.

She was too blind in the past.

The Fowlers were more important to her than her own life, while they saw her as

just a mere weed.

She had almost neglected the true friendship she originally had that others would

kill for.

Peter’s heart skipped a beat when he heard what she said.

It seemed that the gentle girl always tip–toeing on eggshells and longing for her

family’s love was gone for good.

“Never return to the Fowlers if you dare, Jane. Jokes on you if you regret one

day.”

Peter fled in despair after landing his final words.

“I will never regret it. Never!”

Jane responded with no hesitation.

“At the same time…”

“I will not forgive!”

“I will never forgive, not now, not ever!”

“Janie.”

Lila embraced Jane, feeling sorry for her.

Tears flowed freely from her eyes.

“I had no idea I thought there would still be chances that you would return to the

Fowlers. I’ve thought of persuading you to give it a second thought.

“Now, I think they really did mistreat you. They do not deserve your joy and

cheerfulness.

“You must have felt terrible. Cry if you need to…”

Lila was already sobbing as she spoke before Jane managed to drop a tear.

“It’s okay, Lila. All my tears had dried up a long time ago. You’re right! They do not

deserve my best.

“Only people that I take as friends deserve all my goodness. As long as I still have

you by my side, I’m not without anything.”

Lila nodded between sobs and sniffles and said, “Yes! Remember this. I’ll always

be by your side, Janie!” Jane helped Lila wipe off the traces of tears from her

face. She couldn’t help laughing, “I’m supposed to be the one being upset. Why

are you sobbing like this when I did not shed a tear?”

“I feel sorry for you. You must have cried so many times when you’re alone, and I

can’t stop myself from crying when I see what you’ve gone through.”

Jane couldn’t help getting lost in her thoughts.

Lila was right.

She had shed many tears because of the Fowlers.

Even if she did, it would only invite mockery and concerns.

She always hid under the sheets and let her tears flow, hiding all her weaknesses

She was scared it would deepen the Fowlers‘ hatred for her and have her kicked

out of the family if they

knew.

She had dried her eyes from shedding more tears for the Fowlers.

They never cared for her anyway.

She would only shed tears for those worthy of her to do so.

Jane sent Lila off in a taxi.

“Janie, are you sure you’re not coming home with me?”

“It’s okay, Lila. I found a place already.”

“Thanks, anyway.”

Jane gently stroked Lila’s head.

She lowered her eyes, thankful for Lila’s offer.

“You don’t need to thank me, Janie. I’ll get angry if you continue to do so.”

“Let me know if you need anything. I’ll help you in any way I can.”

Lila pursed her lips and grabbed Jane’s hand.

“I will ”

“I guess I’ll never be alone again.” Jane thought to herself

After sending Lila off, Jane made her way toward the riverside with both hands in

her pocket, wanting to take a stroll.

The scenery at the riverside was panoramic, accompanied by the breeze from the

riverside.

It was a pleasant night, considering the cooling weather of October in Stormton

City.

The tipsiness she had earlier receded as well.

She would sometimes pass by lovers taking their stroll by the riverside.

Sometimes, she would come across a family of three happily playing together.

Some were walking their dogs, chattering happily.

Couples shouted after their kids to slow down, worried their kids might fall.

Jane felt like an alien.

She felt as if she doesn’t belong there.

Why was that so?

Wasn’t family something she should, at the very least, belong with?

Why were others‘ kids loved and spoilt?

Why did her family belittle, humiliate, and not even care when she was about to

be burned alive?

She had never wanted to take anything away from Madelyn.

Jane had only wanted a family, and having a sister was all her heart’s desire.

She only hoped the Fowlers would spare her a little love from what they showered

Madelyn. She, Jane Fowler, was, after all, the bloodline of the Fowlers, one that

was left wandering out there for nineteen years.

But the Fowlers never fulfilled the one humble request of hers.

Although it was undeniably part of Madelyn’s plan, she wouldn’t have succeeded

if the Fowlers did not pamper and believed her tricks.

If only they had wanted, just a little, to know the truth, to feel sorry for her, and to

do her justice, perhaps things would be different.

The matter wouldn’t have escalated to the situation they were in now.

But, well, it was what it was.

She lived like a sting in the eye in that place she called home.

No one wanted her to stay.

All of them wished she would disappear, the sooner, the better. Some even hoped

that she had died nineteen years back.

Jane wrapped the shirt she had on tighter to her body.

She started to feel the chill.

Jane continued walking by the riverside.

The street lights got lesser and lesser.

The pedestrians were getting lesser too.

At this moment, Jane stopped in her track.

“Come out if you want something from me!”

A few men awkwardly came out from their hiding.

“Stay still, beautiful lady. We won’t harm you.”

“We just need some services from you.”

These men specialized in picking up drunk girls outside the bar and clubs.

Some girls would get so drunk and wasted that they would fall asleep by the

roadside.

These men would target these wasted girls, rob them of their belongings, and

even do them dishonor.

Even if the girls knew what these men had done to them, they would have taken

disgraceful pictures of the girls and threatened them not to call the authorities or

the police.

This method was well–tested. Not only could they threaten the girls not to report

them to the authority, but they could also leverage the pictures to threaten them

into obedience.

Someone as sober as Jane usually wouldn’t have been their target.

But she was too beautiful.

The solitude charm she carried was too seductive.

They couldn’t help tailing her.

Little did they know, she threw herself into the net.

Furthermore, they were all in a secluded, dark place like this.

Wasn’t that her giving them a big fat opportunity to score her?

“You purposely walked into a secluded place like this even when you knew we

were following you?”

Jane took off the shirt she was wearing.

She was wearing a black vest beneath the shirt.

Her seductive body was exposed before the eyes of the men.

Their mouth watered at such a tempting target.

They couldn’t believe her spontaneity.

This was their lucky day.

“I’m in a foul mood today. I need some punching bags.

The kick she landed on Cameron Croft earlier wasn’t enough for her to release

her anger.

Moreover, she met Peter Fowler, who upset her even more.

She might have nightmares if she did not vent her hatred and anger.

“So you wanted a free meal?”

“Let’s see what you’ve got then.”

“Get her!”

The men were too engulfed in their lust to pay attention to Jane’s words. They

went after like a pack of hungry wolves.

The ending of these men wasn’t pleasant.

Bang! Thump! Slam!

Sounds of moaning and groaning echoed in the alley.

Jane took them down quickly with an overwhelming advantage over them.

Every strike she landed was enough to claim their life.

They were the scum anyway, the ones that hurt the women.

They were definitely good riddance for society.

Jane glanced at the men lying on the floor, moaning in pain.

She flung the shirt she had taken off earlier over her shoulder.

When she raised her head, her eyes met a pair of deep, dark eyes facing her.

She could feel the goosebumps all over her body.

Who was he?

How could she not feel his existence earlier

Chapter 13 Imprint

Hugh Croft was following Jane Fowler all this while.

He heard the argument between Jane and Peter Fowler.

He noticed the sadness in her eyes when she admired the families enjoying their

time while she walked alone along the riverside.

She was like a powerful beast that hid the excruciating pain no one knew.

It was only late at night that they would hide in a corner and nurse their wound.

There was something mysterious about Jane.

Hugh found that to be captivating.

Enter title…

She was like the moonflower that only blooms at night.

Hugh could feel that they were of the same type of people

He had felt that from the moment he laid his eyes on her.

Now, he was sure of it.

Jane watched the man hiding in the darkness, yet the darkness surrounding him

couldn’t shield the nobility and arrogance in that man.

Danger!

She could sense the extreme danger coming from the man standing before her.

Her powerful sixth sense reminded her of the danger every second she stood

there.

Still, she felt a sense of familiarity coming from him.

The same feeling Hugh Croft had for her.

Why were they having such a feeling toward each other?

She had never felt like that for anyone other than the Fowlers.

“Who are you?”

Jane asked, trying her best to keep cool.

Hugh stepped out from the shadow after hearing her question.

The first thing that Jane saw on the man was the top–grade leather shoes.

Covering the long, slender leg was a pair of smooth, well–tailored suit pants.

He wasn’t wearing a coat and had only a clean blue shirt.

The blue shirt he had on blended well with the darkness he walked out from,

elevating the elegance and the well–defined facial features that spells “ART.”

There was no other word to define what Hugh Croft looked like.

No words were found in the dictionary to define Hugh’s good look.

Jane felt this man might probably be the most prestigious and good–looking man

she had ever seen.

He was graceful and carried an aura of nobility with him.

He spellbound even Jane.

“Hugh Croft.”

Hugh generously announced his name.

“You are Hugh Croft?”

It was a name everyone in Stormton City knew.

Hugh Croft! Was there any meaning hidden in this name?

He was the President of the D.Y. Group and the youngest person in charge of the

Croft family.

Not only was he able to manage the entire D.Y Group alone, he even doubled the

profit and earnings of D.Y. Group every year.

Hugh Croft’s name decorated the top ten listings of Forbes‘ List of Billionaires.

He was also the youngest President ever recorded in the Forbes‘ List of

Billionaires.

The rest of the presidents on Forbes‘ list were usually in their middle–aged or

above sixties.

Jane had heard about Hugh Croft.

He was ruthless and wouldn’t think twice about taking harsh measures. Whoever

offended him would wish that they were dead.

Jane never doubted Hugh’s words.

She, too, would be afraid of someone with such nobility and astute presence.

Everything seemed to make sense if he was the legendary Hugh Croft.

But why would a person like him appear in such places?

“I think you’ve noticed that I am the one watching you from the private room on

the fourth floor at Nightshade

Bar.”

Hugh explained as if he’d sensed the confusion Jane had.

“Okay!”

No wonder Jane felt the same danger coming from his eyes.

“Why is such a big shot like you following me? I’m certain your motive isn’t like

those lowly humans with horrible taste, right?”

Jane had already started stepping backward.

She was exploring the escape routes around her.

Although cowardice was not a word she had in her dictionary after being rebirth,

she was playing with that

idea.

The man standing before him was too dangerous.

Running away wasn’t such a bad idea in certain circumstances.

She couldn’t tell what Hugh Croft wanted from her.

“Are you a person with Omega blood type?”

His sudden question caught her off–guard.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“You know what I’m talking about. You’ve already exposed yourself. You are one

with Omega blood type.”

“I am, too. You should have felt the sense of familiarity on me, am I right?”

Since he had already exposed her, there was no point in her to keep denying it.

With his capability, he could have her investigated with a snap of his fingers.

“So, what do you want, Mr. Croft?”

“I want to sign an agreement with you, to sleep with me.”

Jane frowned slightly.

His proposal seemed familiar.

Why did it sound familiar to the job Andy recommended to her?

Was Hugh Croft the one that announced the search for people with Omega type

blood in the Darknet to have an agreement to sleep with him?

“That’s too sudden. Let me think about it.”

Hugh was definitely her type.

He was incredibly good–looking, powerful, and came from such nobility.

But every rose has its thorns.

After having a second chance at life, Jane wanted to live freely and spend the rest

of her life with someone who cared for her. She wanted no attachment at all.

Although Jane wanted to be in love, being with someone like Hugh Croft was too

risky.

There was a high risk of her losing her life by the side of a man like Hugh Croft.

Perhaps she should just forget it.

“Would you leave me your contact?”

A moment of silence enveloped both of them.

Hugh’s question was concise and in a pleasant manner.

Jane was at a loss for words on how she should reply to him.

“Your number, perhaps? Or WeChat?”

Hugh repeated his question, thinking that Jane might not understand his question.

Words did not come easily out of his thin lips.

There were not many people with whom Hugh would be so patient.

Jane was one of them.

It was like an imprint.

It was on the first time he set his eyes on her.

He had imprinted on her.

The smell of her drove him crazy.

Perhaps it was because they had the same blood type.

Or perhaps they were the same type of person.

Perhaps, it was the wound that had frozen their heart that drove them together.

“Okay!”

Jane gave both her number and WeChat ID to Hugh.

It was not that she did not want to lie about it.

The reason was simple.

Even if she kept it from him, he would know.

He would be able to dig it out anyway.

Jane never liked pointless resistance.

Hugh scanned through Jane’s WeChat profile.

She had a simple user name, which spelled Jane.

She had a picture of The Simpsons family of five as her display picture.

Hugh only had a full mark “” as his WeChat ID.

His display picture was a pitch–black photo.

“Added you. If there’s nothing else, I’ll leave first.”

“About your proposal, I’ll think about it. Give me some time.”

Jane only wanted to keep her distance from this dangerous person as far as

possible.

“Wait!”

Hugh spoke.

“Yes, Mr. Croft?”

“Your name?”

Hugh stared at her before he continued, “I don’t know your name.”

“Jane Fowler. May I ask, Mr. Croft? Can I leave now?”

“Okay.”

It was totally out of Jane’s expectations.

Hugh Croft let her leave without another word.

Jane certainly wouldn’t let Hugh catch her. She left as fast as her feet could take

her.

After Jane left, Hugh was left standing on the spot.

He totally ignored the men lying on the ground, groaning in pain.

It was indeed Jane Fowler who beat them up.

They felt as if every bone in their body was broken into pieces.

Drowned in unbearable pain, they had no care about the conversation between

Hugh Croft and Jane Fowler. Furthermore, the man standing before them was

someone they never wanted to meet, let alone offend.

Hugh Croft was the Lucifer of Stormton City.

At this moment, a man that seemed well–trained respectfully approached him,

“Mr. Croft.”

Hugh calmly spoke, “Clean up this place. I never want to see these people in this

world again.”

His tonality was soft.

“He spoke as it if was just another ordinary conversation about the weather with

his staff, not an order to take the life of others.”

Taking people’s life was nothing to Hugh Croft.

It was as easy as a walk in the park.

He had gotten so used to it.

“Yes, Sir!”

“Mr. Croft, does the lady from earlier also have Omega blood type?”

Hugh threw him a sideways glance. “Did you hear what we said, Life?

That one glance was enough to send Life Croft kneeling on his feet and

immediately drenched in sweat.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Croft! I did not do it on purpose.”

There was a reason behind the name Life Croft.

Life did not become Hugh’s bodyguard after going through all the tests meant for

Hugh’s security details.

He was named Life because Hugh Croft saved his life.

He wouldn’t have been alive if not for Hugh.

That was where Life Croft got his name.

The meaning behind his name was him bearing Hugh’s life.

Life Croft was willing to trade his life for Hugh’s without a second thought.

Despite being willing to die for Hugh Croft, Life couldn’t escape the threat of being

killed by him first. He was so scared for his life that he was already on his feet.

Hugh Croft was like the King of Darkness, and it seemed natural for him to have

ultimate control over his branded slaves.

“Never mind.”

Hugh let him off easily.

There was no punishment for him.

But that sent Life’s heart racing even faster.

That seemed like a bad omen.

No one could get hold of Hugh’s emotion.

He’d rather that Hugh punished him.

A punishment would seem the better option than him being so ‘forgiving.‘

“She will come to me, be it sooner or later.”

Hugh muttered under his breath.

People with the Omega blood type were gifted with extraordinary talent and

physical quality.

But they would have neverending nightmares as a side effect.

Hugh was cold–blooded and heartless, and he would kill unblinkingly.

But he would be a gentleman to those he had imprinted on.

He felt a sense of obsession and possessiveness toward Jane.

There would be one day that Jane would eventually agree to enter an agreement

with him with a willing heart.

It would be an agreement to sleep with the Devil.

Chapter 14 Dwayne

“Clean the mess up and dig up everything about Jane Fowler.”

“It’ll be done.”

Jane got back as quickly as she could.

She pulled her laptop out and started working.

After two hours, she finally shut down her laptop.

Dawn had arrived.

Jane poured herself a glass of water,

Enter title…

Men like Hugh Croft would not be deceived by her fake identity.

Her identity as a sophomore majoring in computer science at the University of

Oricle and the young daughter of the wealthy Fowler family…

She had to keep her sock puppet safe from Hugh and prevent him from seeing

through her guise.

This was the only way Jane could stay safe.

She had gotten everything ready.

Hopefully, it will work.

“Please, no more nightmares tonight,”

Jane muttered to herself.

To her surprise, God answered her prayers.

She slept like a baby that night.

Jane woke up feeling refreshed.

“I didn’t get any nightmares and had a great rest. How long has it been since I’ve

felt so rested?”

Jane pursed her lips.

Was it because of her encounter with Hugh yesterday? She had caught his scent.

Could mere contact with another person with Type Omega blood bring such

miraculous results?

Jane pulled her phone out.

She had a text from Lila.

She also got a text from.

Hugh.

Before she realized what she was doing, Jane tapped on her phone’s screen and

opened Hugh’s message.

[Thanks to you, I slept like a baby last night.]

Hugh’s message was straightforward.

Surprise rippled through Jane.

Was her encounter with Hugh why she hadn’t had any nightmares last night?

Jane felt a sudden spike of alarm.

She had intended to drag things out and stay away from Hugh. Men like him were

dangerous.

But Hugh could stop the nightmares from plaguing Jane’s slumber and allow her

to have some sleep finally Also, she was apparently doing him a similar favor.

Jane replied to Hugh’s text.

[I’ll consider your proposal.]

Nobody enjoyed having nightmares

But agreeing to a deal with Hugh on this would be akin to making a deal with the

Devil himself.

Jane did not expect Hugh’s reply.

It was almost instantaneous.

[I’ll be waiting for your reply.]

Jane stopped herself from staring at Hugh’s text.

If she kept thinking about it, she would only get more confused.

She opened Lila’s text.

[Janie, there’s no class today. Do you want to hang out? Let’s hang out!]

Jane’s lips quirked upward into a smile.

[Sure. I’ll send you the address of where to meet.]

Jane sent Lila the address of the Porsche 4S dealer’s office.

She got out of bed, had a quick shower, and left the house.

She got herself a cab and reached her destination within minutes.

Lila was wearing a huge sun hat. She looked ready to spend the day at the beach

with her white dress and sandals. She wore a bracelet on her wrist. Its bells

jingled as she moved. She was adorable.

“Janie!”

Lily beamed and approached Jane when she caught her.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

Lila walked up to Jane and stared at her with eyes glazed with adoration. “Janie,

you look so pretty!”

Jane wore denim jeans, a white top, a thin black jacket, and heels.

She looked like a delicate doll with exquisitely painted features. Her fair skin was

as smooth as a baby’s while her eyes were sharp and their gaze challenging.

Her eyes dazzled like the stars when she smiled and revealed her unassuming

confidence.

Jane pinched Lila’s cheeks. “Stop with the flattery. My head’s going to swell.”

“It’s not flattery if it’s the truth… Janie, honestly, you’ve changed. But I like the

new you better.”

Lila revealed her honest feelings as she studied Jane with a serious look.

Lila could tell that a sudden weight had been lifted off Jane’s shoulders.

“Me too. Come on, let me get my car and take you out for a ride.”

“You own a car?”

Jane pulled Lila into the office.

They had the contract all done up for her. Jane signed it and walked away with

the keys to a white Porsche Cayenne.

Lila realized what was happening when she listened to the conversation between

Jane and the car salesman. Janie, you bought a car! A Porsche! That’s amazing!”

Honestly, a Porsche Cayenne that cost 150 grand was small change to the Sutton

family.

But Jane had bought it with her own money.

That was what made her awesome.

Lila knew that Jane was great with computers. Her professors couldn’t stop

praising her.

She must be secretly earning a quick buck online.

“Where would you like to go? I’ll drive you there”

Jane asked.

Then, suddenly…

the doors to the office opened

“Welcome to our office, Mr. and Ms. Fowler.”

Jane heard the staff greet the new arrivals.

She turned around.

Lo and behold, it was the two most detestable persons she had had the

misfortune of knowing.

Jane found herself staring at Madelyn.

She was not with Peter though.

Instead, she was with Dwayne.

Apparently, Dwayne was quite the legend.

He was a powerful fighter with a hot temper.

After graduating high school, he had not attended an ordinary college like the rest

of his family. Instead, he had chosen to sign up for the most infamous, toughest

sports university in Crucsia.

He had such excellent grades that he graduated ahead of his cohort.

To realize his dreams, he became the world’s top professional fighter.

The man made his formal debut in Meridonia.

He learned all types of martial arts.

He mastered boxing, gymnastics, taekwondo, and muay thai, among others.

Despite being only 24 years old, Dwayne had won the championship for the

World Wrestling Entertainment Tournament.

Now, he had turned his sights on the international championship for taekwondo.

The young man towered at 6 feet and 3 inches. He liked dressing like a soldier,

wearing green clothes wrapped tightly around his muscular form and tailored

black military boots. His eyes burned like fire while his tan skin gave off a healthy

glow.

In his presence, you felt safe. It did not help that he had good–looking features

too.

Like his six brothers, Dwayne had inherited Jack and Anna’s superior genes.

The young man exuded a strong, forceful presence. Despite that, you could

almost feel your heart racing as you stole a few glances at him.

Apparently, Dwayne was considered a great catch in the gay circle.

Many gay men would kill to date Dwayne. As their boyfriend, he would surely

keep them safe!

The hot–tempered, seemingly unapproachable straight young man had a

weakness.

It was Madelyn Fowler, the youngest sister he had pampered with loving care

since she had been a kid.

“Maddie, which car do you like? I’ll buy it for you.

“Cheer up, all right?”

“Dwayne, it’s fine. Daddy and Mommy got me a Mercedes Benz when I graduated

high school and got my driver’s license.”

“You haven’t got one from me. You can’t have too many cars. I’ll do anything as

long as you cheer up.”

This was unbelievable.

This was the terrifying professional fighter who got into flying rages and knocked

his opponents out in the

ring.

Who could have thought he was capable of being so gentle when it came to his

own sister?

The sharp, stern lines of his features softened as he spoke to Madelyn.

There was a soft heart hiding beneath that tough exterior.

“Thanks, Dwayne.”

Madelyn could feel herself tearing up. She threw herself into Dwayne’s arms and

shut her eyes happily.

“Being in your arms makes me feel so safe, Dwayne, like it always does.”

“That’s great, Maddie. Come on, pick a car. Stop being upset over Jane. It wasn’t

your fault.”

Dwayne said softly as he consoled Madelyn.

The young man’s eyes glanced sideward.

He froze.

Chapter 15 You Don’t Get To Call Me Your Brother, Jane

Dwayne blinked.

He thought he must be seeing things.

What was Jane doing here?

He had never seen Jane in person.

In fact…

Only a few of his brothers had seen Jane in person.

Dwayne had heard that their family had relocated his sister, who had gone

missing for 19 years.

Enter title…

Dwayne had been away for training and could not come home.

His family had sent him a photo.

Honestly, like his brothers, Dwayne had wanted to come horne.

But he was busy then and couldn’t.

But the reason he had wanted to come home wasn’t because he wanted to

reunite with the sister whom he had lost 19 years ago and was now found.

He had been worried that Madelyn would be hurt when she found out the truth.

Yesterday, Dwayne took a day off after dealing with work and took the earliest

flight to hurry back home. That was when he discovered that Jane had renounced

her relationship with the Fowler family, the online expose, and the

misunderstanding.

Honestly, Dwayne didn’t feel as guilty as Jack and the others because he had no

part in the entire affair.

But his heart ached for Madelyn, who had blamed herself for what had happened

and cooped herself up in the house. She wouldn’t eat and simply stayed in bed

and cried. Her eyes had turned red and puffy while the floor had been littered with

wads of tissue.

Dwayne’s heart had broken at the sight of Madelyn. It had taken a great deal of

work on his part to cheer her up slightly, get some food in her and persuade her to

get out of the house.

Dwayne had intended to buy Madelyn a Porsche to cheer her up.

Jane withdrew her gaze calmly.

The next moment, she felt something tighten around her fingers.

Lila had grabbed her hand.

“Are you all right, Janie?”

Lila gave Jane a worried look.

Lila had no idea who Dwayne was.

But she knew Madelyn.

The young man was around Madelyn’s age and comforting her with soft, gentle

words.

He must be one of Jane’s brothers.

It didn’t matter how well Jane tried to hide her feelings.

Lila was her best friend. She could tell what Jane was feeling.

She could see the flicker of sorrow in Jane’s eyes.

“I’m fine. Come on, let’s go for a ride.”

Jane smiled reassuringly at Lila and tightened her fingers around Lila’s.

The sight of Dwayne coddling Madelyn elicited no emotions from Jane at all.

Life still had to go on.

Honestly, she had grown sick of it all.

Jane was not going to let the Fowler family get in the way of her happiness in this

life.

“Janie?”

Madelyn raised her voice in surprise when she saw Jane.

Confusion rose within her.

What was Jane doing here?

This was a Porsche 4S dealer’s office.

Was she here to buy a car? That seemed unlikely.

Jane had renounced her relationship with the Fowler family. She couldn’t possibly

afford a Porsche.

He was right. It was Jane.

Dwayne felt his mood souring instantly.

He knew why Jane had renounced her relationship with the Fowler family.

Honestly speaking, his parents had been in the wrong.

But if he were to be completely honest with himself…

Dwayne understood why his parents had done what they had done.

The Fowler family lost their cool easily when it came to Madelyn.

Dwayne found Jane petty and small–minded.

She could have tried harder to understand how they felt.

She shouldn’t have renounced her relationship with her family so easily. Dwayne

felt his quick temper rising at the thought of that.

Jane wanted to stay out of Madelyn and Dwayne’s way. In fact, she was

instinctively turned off by anything to do with the Fowler family.

She didn’t want to be anywhere near them or breathe the same air that they did.

It made her stomach turn.

“Let’s go, Lila.”

“Okay!”

If this had happened yesterday, Lila might have tried to persuade Jane to say

hello to the Fowlers.

After all, they were her family.

Lila knew how much Jane yearned for a family.

Jane was the one who hurt the most by having to renounce her relationship with

her family.

But after witnessing Peter’s horrendous attitude yesterday, Lila realized that some

families were just not worth having. They only brought you more pain and

suffering.

Lila would support Jane no matter what she decided to do. She wouldn’t try to

stand in her way anymore! Janie…”

Madelyn started sniffling. Her eyes turned wet and shiny with unshed tears.

That was the last straw for Dwayne. He couldn’t control his temper any longer.

He rushed up toward Jane.

“Jane, Maddie just wants to talk. Why wouldn’t you speak to her?”

Dwayne hissed in a low, dangerous voice.

He sounded like a growling predator out on a hunt at night.

Everyone who heard his growls shivered instinctively.

Dwayne’s formidable physique did not help.

Any ordinary person within such proximity to Dwayne and subject to such a husky

voice would replace their hearts racing.

Not Jane, though.

The look on her face was devoid of any emotion.

Her eyes were dead.

She stared unblinkingly at Dwayne.

Dwayne felt a sudden chill stir inside him.

Steadily, it spread from the center of his chest and throughout his limbs.

It had been a while since he had felt something like that.

He hadn’t felt it since he had become powerful and scaled the heights to become

the rising star of the mixed martial arts circle. In fact, he hadn’t felt this way on the

battlefield!

Dwayne could not believe it.

Somehow, he had felt a terrifying chill from staring at his sister’s cold eyes, a

nobody he cared nothing for

“Is there a law that compels me to speak to anyone who wants to talk to me,

Dwayne?”

Jane would laugh if she could.

She wanted to mock Dwayne’s favoritism.

She wanted to mock his stupidity.

Just look at what he was doing.

Listen to the threatening words that Dwayne had uttered.

He had hissed at her for Madelyn’s sake.

Was this how someone should treat their own sister? A sister they had lost for 19

years and just recently gotten back?

Nobody would believe her if she told them.

They wouldn’t believe the Fowler family’s blatant favoritism.

The Fowler brothers had not cared much about their long–lost sister, who had

been missing for 19 years.

Instead, they yelled and flung threats at the true daughter of the Fowler family to

protect their precious adoptive daughter’s feelings.

This was Jane’s first encounter with Dwayne in this life.

But it wasn’t the first time she had suffered his violence and abuse because of

Madelyn.

Jane could feel her heart breaking. Her chest tightened sharply. She could hardly

breathe. Dwayne still cared nothing for her. All he cared about was Madelyn.

Madelyn was his precious sister. Jane was nothing to him. She was a punching

bag that he vented his anger on, and she had taken it all because she had longed

so badly for a family.

Dwayne froze.

He wasn’t sure if he was seeing things.

But he swore he could see intense hate blazing in Jane’s eyes.

The murderous look came out of nowhere and stabbed at him like a sudden

spear.

Dwayne could feel it piercing right through his heart.

Dwayne shook himself out of his momentary stupor and stared back at Jane. The

same cold dead look had returned to her eyes.

It was as if Dwayne had imagined the hateful glare in her eyes in the first place.

“What did you call me?”

Dwayne clenched his jaw.

“I called you Dwayne. Didn’t you hear me? I’ve got nothing to do with the Fowler

family anymore.

“You’re just a stranger to me. I’m not going to call you my brother.”

“Get out of my sight. You don’t get to call me your brother, Jane. Only Maddie

gets to do that. Hearing that word from your mouth makes me want to throw up.”

Chapter 16 She Doesn’t Deserve The Right!

Dwayne hissed viciously.

He hated Jane with every fiber of his soul.

How dare she speak to her own brother this way!

How dare she give Madelyn the cold shoulder!

Well, since Jane didn’t want to be a member of the Fowlers, Dwayne was in no

way obliged to treat her like one!

A sharp thrill shot through Madelyn when she heard what Dwayne had said.

This was precisely what she wanted.

Enter title…

She wanted them to hate Jane.

This way, Jane would never be able to return to the Fowler family and steal her

share of the family’s wealth. Meanwhile, she still had a guise to maintain.

“Dwayne, don’t yell at Janie. She’s the young lady of the Fowler family. She’s your

sister!”

Madelyn said softly as she tugged Dwayne’s arm.

“No bitch is going to be my sister. Maddie, you’re the only young lady of the

Fowler family. I don’t have or need another sister!

“Anyone who tries to steal what’s rightfully yours will have to deal with me first! I’m

not going to let them off!” Dwayne hissed as he glared furiously at Jane.

He was giving Jane a warning.

She should keep her dirty fingers away from what wasn’t hers.

She might think she could get something out of the family by renouncing the

family. His other brothers might give in to her, but not Dwayne.

Dwayne wasn’t going to give in to her.

Dwayne thought his words might invoke some panic in Jane.

Jane might realize that she had gone too far. The Fowler family was wealthy

beyond measure. She could get

a handsome sum that would last her till she died if she hung onto her title as a

young lady of the Fowler

family.

He was wrong.

“Don’t worry. The Fowlers are mere strangers to me now. I don’t want anything

from you!

“So, don’t try and pretend that we’re friends and try to talk to me if we run into

each other on the streets. Just pretend you don’t know me at all.

“Stop trying to make me puke with your pretenses.”

Jane said curtly.

Her merciless words cut like a sharp blade.

Dwayne found himself reeling with shock.

The next moment, rage surged within him.

I’ll hold you to your words, Jane.”

He looked forward to the day when Jane regretted her decision and decided she

wanted a share of the family inheritance. When she came crawling back and

begging the family to take her back…

Dwayne would be there, laughing in her face.

“That’s enough!”

Lila couldn’t take it anymore.

“Are you really Janie’s brother? She’s your sister! The sister who went missing for

19 years!

“Do you have any idea what she has been through? How could you treat her this

way?”

Lila’s eyes shone brightly with unshed tears. It had taken her a massive dose of

courage to confront Dwayne

Lila, who was meek by nature, was terrified of men like Dwayne.

But she had overcome her fear and spoken up for Jane.

She was simply too furious to keep her silence any longer.

Her heart ached for what Jane had been put through.

She couldn’t believe what her best friend had to go through. Jane had ended up

with the worst family ever

If she had known this sooner, she would have badgered her parents into taking

Jane in as their daughter

The Sutton family was no Fowler family, but her kind parents would surely give

Jane the love she wanted.

Surely that was better than returning to the Fowler family, having her hopes and

dreams for a family be trampled a second time and be hurt yet again!

The thought of Jane’s suffering filled Lila’s eyes with tears.

“That’s because she doesn’t deserve to be my sister!”

Dwayne replied coolly and mercilessly.

“A true lady of the Fowler family would know her place.

“A true lady of the Fowler family wouldn’t hold a grudge.

“She wouldn’t break ties with her family so easily. Did she think that we would

care or feel threatened?

“Take a look at Maddie. Then, take a look at Jane. They’re worlds apart!”

“How could you say that?”

Lila burst into tears when she heard what Dwayne had said.

“Dwayne, stop. Janie, Dwayne has a hot temper. Please don’t take his words to

heart. Just apologize to him”

Madelyn said with feigned kindness.

“Why should I apologize to him?”

Jane hissed, furious at how Dwayne had driven Lila to tears.

She started emanating an aura of intense hostility.

They had hurt her so badly in her past life.

Was that not enough? How dare they make her best friend cry!

“Apologize to Lila now, Dwayne!”

“In your dreams!”

Dwayne pointed at Lila. “She had no right to interfere in our family’s affairs. I was

teaching her a lesson by telling her not to stick her nose into other people’s

business! We can’t have her going around thinking she has the right to do that.”

He knew it. Jane was utterly shameless.

He should be the one demanding that Jane apologize to Madelyn.

How dare she demand an apology from him instead.

“Forget it, Janie. I’m fine. Let’s ignore them and go.”

Lila didn’t care that she had been yelled at.

But she knew how much Jane was hurting right now.

After all, Dwayne was her brother.

But despite how much she wanted a family, all she got in return was a crazy,

abusive brother.

Lila desperately wanted to cry. She tried to hug Jane. She wanted to grab Jane’s

hand and take her away from this place!

She wanted to protect her best friend and prevent her from ever being hurt by her

own family again.

“Dwayne, just stop. Janie’s obviously not doing very well. She must be working

here.

“Janie, if you have any trouble with making a living, you should talk to Daddy and

Mommy. Just apologize to them.

“You’re their daughter. They’ll forgive you if you apologize to them. I’ll leave the

Fowler family and stay far away from you all. I won’t get between you and your

family.”

There was no way Madelyn would let such a fine opportunity slip through her

fingers. She continued to spew lies and put on an act, pretending that she would

sacrifice herself for the greater good.

Tears fell from her eyes as she sniffled softly. Dwayne’s chest twinged at the pitiful

sight.

“I’ll see her try! Maddie, you’re the only young lady of the Fowler family. You’re the

only sister I have!

“Jane, you’ve disowned the family, so stay away from us. Don’t you ever regret

your decision because I’ll be the first to disagree with letting you return to the

Fowler family!”

Dwayne said before wrapping his arms around Madelyn and whispering soft

words of comfort to her. Then, the young man threw a vicious glare at Jane.

“Jane, you have the blood of the Fowlers running in your veins. Don’t you have

any shred of dignity? “Everyone knows that you’re a member of the Fowler family.

What if someone catches you working at a Porsche 4S dealer’s office? You’re

going to embarrass us all!”

Madelyn cupped her hand over Dwayne’s lips and shook her head. Her eyes

looked red and teary. “Dwayne, stop. Janie’s having a hard enough time as it is…”

Jane wanted to throw up.

How did she get stuck with these assholes? She couldn’t believe that she had

had her heart broken because of them.

What a nightmare. She would never forget the hell that she had suffered.

What an idiot she had been!

“Where are my keys and my car?”

“Ms. Fowler, this way, please.”

The Porsche 4S dealer’s staff said from a discreet corner of the office.

He hurried toward Jane as soon as she demanded her keys and handed them to

her.

“Ms. Fowler, your Porsche Cayenne is parked right outside. Please follow me.”

The words rushed out of the man’s mouth. He couldn’t wait for her to leave the

office. Everyone could tell that this was a family dispute.

Nobody dared to step forward and interfere in what was clearly personal.

Besides…

They had just witnessed something incredible.

Wasn’t Jane Fowler the young woman who had been trending online yesterday?

The young woman who had been identified as the true young lady of the Fowler

family?

Had she really disowned her own family? What the hell was going on?

Where did she get the money to buy the car, then?

What?

Madelyn thought to herself.

Wasn’t Jane a staff working at the office?

How could she afford a Porsche Cayenne?

“Janie, where did you get the money from? Is it from the Fowlers‘…“

Chapter 16 She Doesn’t Deserve The Right!

Dwayne hissed viciously.

He hated Jane with every fiber of his soul.

How dare she speak to her own brother this way!

How dare she give Madelyn the cold shoulder!

Well, since Jane didn’t want to be a member of the Fowlers, Dwayne was in no

way obliged to treat her like one!

A sharp thrill shot through Madelyn when she heard what Dwayne had said.

This was precisely what she wanted.

Enter title…

She wanted them to hate Jane.

This way, Jane would never be able to return to the Fowler family and steal her

share of the family’s wealth. Meanwhile, she still had a guise to maintain.

“Dwayne, don’t yell at Janie. She’s the young lady of the Fowler family. She’s your

sister!”

Madelyn said softly as she tugged Dwayne’s arm.

“No bitch is going to be my sister. Maddie, you’re the only young lady of the

Fowler family. I don’t have or need another sister!

“Anyone who tries to steal what’s rightfully yours will have to deal with me first! I’m

not going to let them off!” Dwayne hissed as he glared furiously at Jane.

He was giving Jane a warning.

She should keep her dirty fingers away from what wasn’t hers.

She might think she could get something out of the family by renouncing the

family. His other brothers might give in to her, but not Dwayne.

Dwayne wasn’t going to give in to her.

Dwayne thought his words might invoke some panic in Jane.

Jane might realize that she had gone too far. The Fowler family was wealthy

beyond measure. She could get

a handsome sum that would last her till she died if she hung onto her title as a

young lady of the Fowler

family.

He was wrong.

“Don’t worry. The Fowlers are mere strangers to me now. I don’t want anything

from you!

“So, don’t try and pretend that we’re friends and try to talk to me if we run into

each other on the streets. Just pretend you don’t know me at all.

“Stop trying to make me puke with your pretenses.”

Jane said curtly.

Her merciless words cut like a sharp blade.

Dwayne found himself reeling with shock.

The next moment, rage surged within him.

I’ll hold you to your words, Jane.”

He looked forward to the day when Jane regretted her decision and decided she

wanted a share of the family inheritance. When she came crawling back and

begging the family to take her back…

Dwayne would be there, laughing in her face.

“That’s enough!”

Lila couldn’t take it anymore.

“Are you really Janie’s brother? She’s your sister! The sister who went missing for

19 years!

“Do you have any idea what she has been through? How could you treat her this

way?”

Lila’s eyes shone brightly with unshed tears. It had taken her a massive dose of

courage to confront Dwayne

Lila, who was meek by nature, was terrified of men like Dwayne.

But she had overcome her fear and spoken up for Jane.

She was simply too furious to keep her silence any longer.

Her heart ached for what Jane had been put through.

She couldn’t believe what her best friend had to go through. Jane had ended up

with the worst family ever

If she had known this sooner, she would have badgered her parents into taking

Jane in as their daughter

The Sutton family was no Fowler family, but her kind parents would surely give

Jane the love she wanted.

Surely that was better than returning to the Fowler family, having her hopes and

dreams for a family be trampled a second time and be hurt yet again!

The thought of Jane’s suffering filled Lila’s eyes with tears.

“That’s because she doesn’t deserve to be my sister!”

Dwayne replied coolly and mercilessly.

“A true lady of the Fowler family would know her place.

“A true lady of the Fowler family wouldn’t hold a grudge.

“She wouldn’t break ties with her family so easily. Did she think that we would

care or feel threatened?

“Take a look at Maddie. Then, take a look at Jane. They’re worlds apart!”

“How could you say that?”

Lila burst into tears when she heard what Dwayne had said.

“Dwayne, stop. Janie, Dwayne has a hot temper. Please don’t take his words to

heart. Just apologize to him”

Madelyn said with feigned kindness.

“Why should I apologize to him?”

Jane hissed, furious at how Dwayne had driven Lila to tears.

She started emanating an aura of intense hostility.

They had hurt her so badly in her past life.

Was that not enough? How dare they make her best friend cry!

“Apologize to Lila now, Dwayne!”

“In your dreams!”

Dwayne pointed at Lila. “She had no right to interfere in our family’s affairs. I was

teaching her a lesson by telling her not to stick her nose into other people’s

business! We can’t have her going around thinking she has the right to do that.”

He knew it. Jane was utterly shameless.

He should be the one demanding that Jane apologize to Madelyn.

How dare she demand an apology from him instead.

“Forget it, Janie. I’m fine. Let’s ignore them and go.”

Lila didn’t care that she had been yelled at.

But she knew how much Jane was hurting right now.

After all, Dwayne was her brother.

But despite how much she wanted a family, all she got in return was a crazy,

abusive brother.

Lila desperately wanted to cry. She tried to hug Jane. She wanted to grab Jane’s

hand and take her away from this place!

She wanted to protect her best friend and prevent her from ever being hurt by her

own family again.

“Dwayne, just stop. Janie’s obviously not doing very well. She must be working

here.

“Janie, if you have any trouble with making a living, you should talk to Daddy and

Mommy. Just apologize to them.

“You’re their daughter. They’ll forgive you if you apologize to them. I’ll leave the

Fowler family and stay far away from you all. I won’t get between you and your

family.”

There was no way Madelyn would let such a fine opportunity slip through her

fingers. She continued to spew lies and put on an act, pretending that she would

sacrifice herself for the greater good.

Tears fell from her eyes as she sniffled softly. Dwayne’s chest twinged at the pitiful

sight.

“I’ll see her try! Maddie, you’re the only young lady of the Fowler family. You’re the

only sister I have!

“Jane, you’ve disowned the family, so stay away from us. Don’t you ever regret

your decision because I’ll be the first to disagree with letting you return to the

Fowler family!”

Dwayne said before wrapping his arms around Madelyn and whispering soft

words of comfort to her. Then, the young man threw a vicious glare at Jane.

“Jane, you have the blood of the Fowlers running in your veins. Don’t you have

any shred of dignity? “Everyone knows that you’re a member of the Fowler family.

What if someone catches you working at a Porsche 4S dealer’s office? You’re

going to embarrass us all!”

Madelyn cupped her hand over Dwayne’s lips and shook her head. Her eyes

looked red and teary. “Dwayne, stop. Janie’s having a hard enough time as it is…”

Jane wanted to throw up.

How did she get stuck with these assholes? She couldn’t believe that she had

had her heart broken because of them.

What a nightmare. She would never forget the hell that she had suffered.

What an idiot she had been!

“Where are my keys and my car?”

“Ms. Fowler, this way, please.”

The Porsche 4S dealer’s staff said from a discreet corner of the office.

He hurried toward Jane as soon as she demanded her keys and handed them to

her.

“Ms. Fowler, your Porsche Cayenne is parked right outside. Please follow me.”

The words rushed out of the man’s mouth. He couldn’t wait for her to leave the

office. Everyone could tell that this was a family dispute.

Nobody dared to step forward and interfere in what was clearly personal.

Besides…

They had just witnessed something incredible.

Wasn’t Jane Fowler the young woman who had been trending online yesterday?

The young woman who had been identified as the true young lady of the Fowler

family?

Had she really disowned her own family? What the hell was going on?

Where did she get the money to buy the car, then?

What?

Madelyn thought to herself.

Wasn’t Jane a staff working at the office?

How could she afford a Porsche Cayenne?

“Janie, where did you get the money from? Is it from the Fowlers‘…“

Chapter 17 Jane Is A Thief

Madelyn slapped her hands over her lips.

It was as if the words had stumbled out of her mouth unintentionally.

It had been an accident. She hadn’t intended to say that.

It didn’t matter, though. What was done was done.

An idiot could tell what Madelyn was trying to insinuate.

Dwayne whirled around and narrowed his eyes at Jane. There was a dangerous

edge to his voice “You stole the money from us!”

The tone of his voice was firm and devoid of hesitation.

Enter title…

It was as if he had witnessed Jane’s theft with his own eyes and had concrete

evidence of her crime.

A loud hiss filled the room.

Everyone gasped in shock.

The staff who had attended to Jane was stunned.

What if Jane had stolen money from Fowler to buy the car?

They would’ve given away the car for nothing if the Fowler family decided not to

pay for it!

“Janie is not a thief! She paid for the car with her own hard–earned money!”

Lila hissed angrily.

She had never been so upset at anyone before.

The Fowler family was truly detestable!

“Her own hard–earned money? Are you joking? She’s a student!”

Dwayne knew that Jane was a sophomore at the University of Oricle.

A Porsche Cayenne costs 150 grand. The average college student wouldn’t be

able to afford it.

The only way she could pay for the car was if she worked as a sex worker.

Dwayne did not say that.

Jane couldn’t possibly resort to sex work.

Besides, if Jane had been prostituting herself, the Fowler family would have found

out.

They would have done their best to avoid such vermin instead of recognizing her

as part of the family and trying to welcome her back into the fold.

“Janie, were the rumors spreading in the campus of you hanging out with strange

men in bars in the middle of the night true then? How could you have something

so foolish?”

Madelyn blurted out the suspicions that Dwayne was harboring.

The look on her face was of concern. She seemed genuinely worried that Jane

might have gone astray.

Her voice was stern and disapproving.

What the hell!

If the Porsche 4S dealer’s office staff could escape the unfolding family drama

right now, they would. What had they gotten themselves into?

Apparently, the young lady of the Fowler family had been prostituting herself

before her family found her. Honestly, she could probably make a quick buck with

her looks.

In fact, she must have gotten many clients to afford a Porsche Cayenne that cost

over a hundred grand. But none of them would dare share what they had learned

in the office with anyone. Nobody dared to incur the Fowler family’s wrath. If the

Fowler family were to replace out that they had talked, it would be the end of them.

They wouldn’t be able to make a living in Stormton City anymore.

You needed to have a certain level of professionalism to be hired as a staff at the

Porsche 4S dealer’s office. That didn’t stop the staff from eying Jane with

contempt, though.

“She’s such a young, pretty lady. I wouldn’t have expected someone like her to

have gone into that profession.”

“You really can’t judge a book by its cover.”

“Well, we’ve seen plenty of wannabes like her around in our line of work.”

“She’s a lady of the Fowler family! What if someone replaces out? She’ll be laughed

out of town!”

Dwayne frowned.

Why had Madelyn said that?

She must know that the Fowlers wouldn’t acknowledge Jane’s identity and try to

welcome her back into their fold if Jane had indeed been working as a sex worker.

But judging from the worried look on Madelyn’s face, she didn’t seem to be

feigning her concern.

Dwayne decided to speak up and clear the air.

He wasn’t doing it to help Jane.

He was doing it to save the Fowler family from embarrassment.

Who knew if someone might take this opportunity to spread malicious rumors and

ruin their family’s reputation?

“Shut your mouth!”

Lila glared murderously at Madelyn. “I’ll rip your tongue out of your mouth if you

start spewing rubbish about Jane again!”

Lila was a demure, polite young woman. Madelyn must have infuriated her so

badly that she had started cursing at her.

“I’m just worried that Janie might have gotten herself into something terrible…”

Madelyn dipped her head like a child who had tried to hold and had gotten

reprimanded for it.

The sight of his sister’s forlorn look had Dwayne swallowing his words and glaring

at Lila. Any desire to clear up the air died instantly. Instead, he was ready to

defend Madelyn again.

“Hello?”

Jane pulled out her phone and made a call then.

“Is this the police station? I want to file a report. Someone tried to defame me and

slander my good name.

“This is our address…”

This was unbelievable.

Was Jane calling the cops?

Nobody had expected her to do that.

Dwayne started yelling at Jane as soon as she ended the call. “Are you out of

your mind? Why did you call the cops? Do you really want to get thrown into

prison for stealing from your own family?”

“Isn’t that what you want?

“Besides, I didn’t steal anything. There’s a security camera in the office. I have

evidence and witnesses to back me up.”

Jane said before ignoring Dwayne completely.

“Janie, go ahead and file a report. I believe you! You’re no thief!”

Lila said firmly. She was undoubtedly on Jane’s side.

Dwayne found himself wavering at the sight before him.

Maybe Janie hadn’t stolen the money after all. Could she have honestly earned it

herself?

Was it simply a bluff?

If Jane were to end up in prison and the news of her incarceration was to get out,

the Fowler family’s reputation would end up suffering.

But there was nothing Dwayne could do about that now.

All he could do was wait for the cops to arrive.

“Who called the cops?”

“I did.”

Jane stepped forward.

“Sir, I filed the report. These two individuals defamed me by calling me a thief and

abusing me verbally. I recorded everything.

Jane pulled her phone out and played what Dwayne and Madelyn had said

earlier.

Dwayne and Madelyn froze in alarm.

They hadn’t expected Jane to record their conversation.

She had set them up!

The cop, James Holland, had been serving as an officer for many years. He

frowned after listening to the recording and turned toward Dwayne and Madelyn.

“Are there any grounds for the young lady’s complaint?”

His voice had turned chilly.

“Well, I want to file a report too. She stole 150 thousand dollars from the Fowler

family.”

Dwayne said darkly.

Jane had resorted to unscrupulous means and recorded their conversation

secretly.

Why should Dwayne care about her reputation, then?

She was going to get what she had coming.

She can’t blame Dwayne for being a heartless brother who didn’t show mercy

when she was thrown into prison

James eyed Dwayne and the others. They were clearly not your ordinary citizen.

The cop pinched the bridge of his nose.

He brought Jane and everyone back to the station to take their statements.

Then, he requested a copy of the security tapes, collected whatever evidence that

was available, and took the

statements of the witnesses.

Back at the police station.

James had heard everyone’s accounts and taken their statements.

“In conclusion, Mr. Fowler, you believe that before Ms. Jane Fowler renounced

her relationship with the

Fowler family and during the 15 days she had been residing with your family, she

had stolen money from the Fowlers and transferred it to her account.”

“She must have done it! How else could an ordinary sophomore get 150 grand to

buy a car?”

Lila wanted to say something when she heard what Dwayne had said, but Jane

stopped her before she could do it.

“Sir, I request that an investigation be conducted on the source of the money in

my bank account. I swear they are legitimate sources. I didn’t steal the money.

This man is wrongfully accusing me of theft. I’ll cooperate fully with the

investigation.”

James‘ throbbing headache eased when he heard what Jane had said. He

nodded instantly. “That would help. us immensely, Ms. Fowler.”

As long as they could prove that the money in Jane’s bank account had nothing to

do with the Fowler family, Dwayne’s accusation would be proven baseless.

“If the investigation proves that I earned the money through legitimate sources

and didn’t steal them, I demand that these two individuals issue an apology to my

friend and compensate me for the psychological damages and loss in income…“

Chapter 18 An Apology And Compensation

James nodded. “Of course.”

James had recorded their statements and had a copy of the security recording.

He had every bit of evidence that he needed. If Dwayne’s and Madelyn’s

accusations turned out to be unsubstantiated, Jane had every right to demand

compensation.

Madelyn felt an uneasiness stirring in her gut as she eyed the look of bold

confidence on Jane’s face.

She had intended to make a dig at Jane and put her in a spot.

Enter title…

She didn’t believe that Jane had 150 thousand dollars and was convinced that

Jane had somehow stolen it from the Fowler family.

She insinuated that Jane was a sex worker in an attempt to anger Jane and ruin

her reputation.

But Jane had called the cops instead and claimed she hadn’t gotten the money

through illegal means with such confidence.

Could Jane possibly have found a way out of getting caught?

“Dwayne, let’s forget about it. Janie is a part of our family. If news about our

dispute spreads, it’ll ruin the Fowler family’s reputation. Daddy and Mommy will

be so upset.

“Why don’t we..”

While Madelyn wanted to forget about it all, Jane wasn’t prepared to back down.

“Do you think you can escape the consequences of your actions if you back down

now? Dwayne, be a man of your word. It’s too late for you to be a coward and

back down now.”

The hot–tempered Dwayne lost his cool instantly. “Who are you calling a coward?

Sir, go ahead with the investigation. Make sure you’re thorough. Jane couldn’t

possibly have earned all that money!”

What an idiot.

Madelyn cursed inwardly.

Jane wasn’t an idiot. She had given the cops complete access to her account

details. What did that mean?

It meant that she hadn’t done anything wrong!

If Dwayne had seized the opportunity that Madelyn had given him, used the

excuse of avoiding further embarrassment to the Fowler family, and backed down,

they could have prevented this entire thing from

blowing up.

But he had killed all chances of doing that with his proclamation.

“Janie, please don’t be upset with us. We were simply worried that you had been

led astray…”

“Shut up, Madelyn, and stop calling me ‘Janie.‘ You make me sick!”

Jane’s rebuke had Madelyn snapping her mouth shut instantly. Her eyes began to

tear as she lowered her head and hid behind Dwayne.

“Jane!”

Dwayne glared furiously at Jane. If he could, he would tear her apart right this

instant.

Jane didn’t care. She wrote down her bank account details and handed the

information to James.

The cops had the authority to access confidential information for their

investigations. James took the information that Jane had given him, filled in the

necessary forms, and submitted them.

Throughout it all, Lila never let go of Jane’s hand. She clutched it tightly as if she

could give Jane strength through her touch.

It was as if she were telling Jane silently.

Don’t worry, Janie. You still have me!

Your family may insult and hurt you, but you still have your best friend. I’ll always

be by your side.

I’ll fend off the darkness and injustice of the world for you!

Time passed steadily.

Madelyn grew increasingly flustered.

In comparison, Jane and Lila remained calm and composed.

They did not seem anxious about the outcome of the investigation at all.

That made Madelyn panic even more.

She wanted to say something to Dwayne but didn’t know what to say.

She didn’t care that she might have to compensate Jane if they had mistakenly

accused her of theft.

But she didn’t want to apologize to Jane.

It didn’t take long before the results of the investigation were out.

James returned with a set of documents.

“According to our investigation, the money in Ms. Jane Fowler’s bank account did

come from legitimate sources and had nothing to do with the Fowler family.”

The outcome was not unexpected.

Lila released a secret sigh of relief.

Jane looked composed.

She knew exactly how legitimate the source of her money appeared to be.

She might have taken jobs on the Darknet, but Andy had been the one who

handled her payments, and Andy’s capabilities were not to be underestimated.

She would have done the necessary laundering before transferring the money to

Jane’s bank account. Nobody would be the wiser.

“What did you just say? That’s impossible. You must have made a mistake of

some kind!”

“Mr. Fowler, please calm down. We went through the proper channels for the

investigation. Everything checked out fine. We’re impartial investigators and don’t

side with any part.”

James eyed Dwayne coolly. “I’ve heard much about your exploits as an

international professional fighter. Our government sings praises of you. Please

refrain from doing anything that will damage your reputation. Do remember that

everything you do reflects not only on yourself but on your country.”

After all, Dwayne had participated in WWE and had sworn that he would become

the best professional fighter in the world. His actions could ruin Crucsia’s

reputation.

Dwayne felt a sudden chill as realization struck him.

He came to his senses instantly.

Dwayne couldn’t throw a tantrum and act as impulsively as he had. He had a

dream that he needed to achieve, and he could not allow his actions, which

reflected on himself, to stand in his own way of achieving his dreams.

“But how did Jane manage to earn so much? It seems impossible. She’s just a

sophomore.”

James glanced at the documents. “Based on the information the bank shared with

us and the confirmation that we’ve obtained from the company that Ms. Fowler

provided her services to, she has been providing services to a listed company in

return for payments of significant value.”

James handed the documents to Dwayne.

Dwayne read the documents His face darkened.

The Sports University he attended was one of the best universities in Crucsia His

curriculum included classes on fighting techniques, a strict training regimen that

trained his physique, and courses on culture. As a member of the Fowler family,

he had received the best education one could afford for elites since he was a

child.

While he might have chosen a path different from that of his family members, he

shared their sharp sense regarding financing and numbers.

Dwayne had drawn a quick conclusion from the documents.

Jane’s company was a listed company that was worth tens of billions.

Based on the company’s accounts, Jane had been working very closely with the

company.

In addition, the company had been paying Jane handsomely too.

With how much it was paying her, she could definitely afford a Porsche Cayenne.

Dwayne stared at Jane with incredulity in his eyes.

Jane didn’t need the Fowler family at all. She was competent and rich enough to

survive on her own.

In fact, you might even call her a successful person with “new money” who had

made it.

She was a sophomore at the University of Oricle who was raking it in.

Anyone who knew that would be utterly astounded.

His biological sister had more to her than it seemed.

The revelation sent Dwayne reeling.

He couldn’t help but stare at Jane.

It was as if he were seeing her through new eyes.

Madelyn stepped forward.

She found herself staring at gibberish. It was as if she were reading Greek.

The Fowlers were tough on the sons in the family but spoiled their daughters

rotten.

It didn’t help that Madelyn was their only daughter who had been adopted.

Jack and Anna pampered Madelyn like a princess and allowed her to learn

anything she wanted.

Madelyn was a decent student. Her successful admission to the University of

Oricle proved she was not an absolute idiot.

However, she was an arts student who had gotten admitted to the college based

on her portfolio.

She hadn’t taken the entrance examinations like the typical candidate.

As a result, she was not exactly your average student who excelled in math and

finance.

There was really no doubt about it.

Of course, Madelyn was no idiot either.

She knew one thing for certain.

They had lost this time.

“Are you done with the documents? You’ve got the proof staring in your face. Let’s

move on to the subject of compensation now.

“First of all, I demand Dwayne and Madelyn to apologize to my friend. You are to

apologize immediately, right

now!”

Jane said sharply and firmly, with a tone that brooked no argument.

The air of authority that she exuded felt heavy. Dwayne and Madelyn found it

nearly impossible to look her straight in the eye.

Dwayne’s fingers tightened around the documents as he clutched them to his

chest. Slowly, he lowered his hands and handed the documents back to James.

“My apologies, Jane, Lila.”

Dwayne’s apology was swift and unexpected.

It made sense, though.

He couldn’t deny the facts. It would ruin his reputation and destroy his country’s

trust in him.

There was another thing.

There was no doubt that Dwayne was a hot–tempered man.

But he wasn’t an unreasonable one.

He lost his head quickly when it came to Madelyn.

But he had come to his senses quickly after James had reminded him of who he

was.

The concrete evidence staring him in the face didn’t help too.

Dwayne was a man of his word. He had to fulfill his promises.

Denying that he was wrong when the facts clearly showed that he was would not

be the behavior fitting of a decent person.

How could someone like that be worthy of the title of the best professional fighter

in the world? He might as well give up his dreams right now!

Madelyn did not expect Dwayne to cave so quickly.

She dipped her head immediately.

“I’m sorry, Janie, Lila. We were wrong. I’m so sorry!

“Just tell us how much you want. We’ll do everything in our power to pay you!”

The matter of compensation was ironed out in a matter of moments.

Dwayne transferred the money to Jane immediately.

Everyone left the station.

Jane grabbed Lila’s hand and walked away without glancing at Dwayne or

Madelyn.

“Jane.”

Dwayne called out suddenly.

Jane didn’t turn around.

She didn’t care.

After all, nothing good could possibly come out of Dwayne’s mouth.

Jane wasn’t going to waste her precious time on people like him.

“I’m sorry…”

Dwayne murmured softly, in a voice so soft only he could hear.Chapter 19 An Unlucky Coincidence

Dwayne hadn’t felt bad when he had brought up the online scandal. That was

because he had had no part in it.

Besides, he had been preoccupied with and worried about Madelyn.

This was different. Dwayne had gotten involved.

He had accused Jane of theft when he had had no proof.

Dwayne felt unworthy of the WWE gold medal that he had just won.

“What did you say, Dwayne?”

Madelyn hadn’t heard him.

Enter title…

However, she knew that it couldn’t be anything good.

“It’s nothing.

Dwayne yanked himself out of his thoughts.

It didn’t matter. What was done was done.

There was no point regretting it now.

Besides…

Dwayne wasn’t going to hurt Madelyn just because he felt bad about Jane.

“Dwayne, if you catch up with Janie right now, you can try and convince her to

come back to the Fowler family. Janie looks so lonely. I feel so sorry for her.

“We had been misled right from the start and accused Janie of something she

hadn’t done. She had every right to be upset and disown the family. If only I

hadn’t been part of the family. This wouldn’t have happened in the first place if I

never existed.”

Madelyn said with a pained look on her face.

“Silly girl, that’s utter nonsense. You’re a part of the Fowler family. Nobody’s going

to change that fact. “You’re right. We were wrong about Janie. But that has

nothing to do with you. She’s already made up her mind. We should respect her

decision.”

Dwayne said gently, shoving whatever guilt he felt toward Jane to the back of his

head as he turned his attention back to a remorseful Madelyn.

Jane took Lila on a long ride in her newly purchased Porsche Cayenne. She felt

on top of the world.

Dwayne had given her thirty grand. She wasn’t going to turn down money.

She decided to treat Lila to a meal at the best restaurant in Stormton City.

“Let’s not, Janie. Why don’t we dine at my place instead? We should save the

money. You need it…”

“Lila, don’t forget. Half of that money belongs to you too. I’ve never been to

Cloudnine Restaurant. I really want to try it. Humor me, please.”

“All right then.”

Lila had decided that she would support Jane in her every decision, no matter

what it was. That was what best friends were for.

Jane was having a bad day today, and Lila was going to cheer her up!

They arrived at Cloudnine Restaurant.

Cloudnine Restaurant was the most famous restaurant in Stormton City.

At the height of its fame, it had a waiting list that spanned a month long.

True to its name, the restaurant was located on the 100th floor.

That was the top floor of an office building.

Diners at Cloudnine Restaurant could gaze upon the stars and enjoy Stormton

City’s lovely nighttime scenery, gazing at Fig River, which cuts right through the

city, as well as a Ferris wheel and a spectacular bridge across Fig River as they

dined.

The chef hired by the Michelin 5–star restaurant prepared dishes that looked like

works of art.

Naturally, meals at Cloudnine Restaurant came with a hefty price tag.

You had to be prepared to spend at least 15 grand for a single meal.

Janie, I recall Cloudnine Restaurant being a really busy restaurant. You need

reservations to get a table”

“Don’t worry. I have that covered.”

Jane waved her phone at Lila.

“We got lucky. We don’t need a reservation.”

“Really?”

Lila seemed slightly stumped.

This should be Cloudnine Restaurant’s busiest period.

Jane led Lila to the top floor.

The waiter scanned their QR code and welcomed Jane and Lila to the restaurant.

Lila noticed the look of deference in the waiter’s eyes as he looked at Jane.

She leaned toward Jane and stuck her tongue out. “You’re becoming more

mysterious by the day, Janie.”

I’m me. What’s so mysterious about that?”

“It’s just a feeling that I have.”

Cloudnine Restaurant had ten tables.

The restaurant could only serve ten groups of diners at any one time.

You had to be a friend of the restaurant owner before the waiting staff would set

up an extra table for you. Otherwise, you would be turned away.

The more diners there were, the rowdier the restaurant would become.

Rowdiness was prohibited at Cloudnine Restaurant, which had a reputation of

being one of the best restaurants in Stormton City to uphold.

The difficulty of getting a table at the restaurant made it all the more attractive.

In fact, it was the most popular restaurant in the city.

Jane and Lila got a table by the window.

The lavishly decorated restaurant with opulence oozing from every single detail

had Lila sighing in awe.

“It’s been two years since I’ve dined at Cloudnine Restaurant. I replace myself

speechless every time I step inside. It’s beautiful.”

“Lila, you’re paying for the meal today. Come on, order something.”

“Okay!”

Lila took the menu and ordered Jane’s favorites.

The few dishes cost them more than ten grand.

Jane took the menu and got a bottle of red wine that cost a dozen grand or so.

“I don’t feel comfortable keeping Dwayne’s money on me, so let’s spend every

single dollar of it today.”

“Sure! Let’s do it! We don’t want that asshole’s money. You don’t need it. You’re

doing fine on your own!” Jane’s lips quirked up into a smile. She tousled Lila’s hair

gently.

“Thank you, Lila. You stood up for me and tried to protect me when Dwayne and

Madelyn accused me of being a criminal.”

Jane knew how much courage that took. Lila wasn’t the sort to speak up at all.

But she had gathered her courage and overcome her meek nature because she

had wanted to protect Jane. Sometimes, Jane wished that she had been a

member of the Sutton family instead.

It would be amazing to have Lila as a sister. She was the kind of family that Jane

had always dreamed of having.

All the Fowler family had ever given her was pain. They had hurt and abused her

and left her to burn.

“Janie, we’re best friends. That’s what best friends do. Let’s not talk about that.

Drop by my place and have dinner some time. I’ll have my parents whip up

something nice for you.

“My mother keeps going on about how pretty and nice you are and how much she

wants you to be her goddaughter.”

“Sure.”

Jane’s eyes were bright with unshed tears.

She would love to be the goddaughter of Lila’s parents.

It sounded like a great idea.

The Sutton family wouldn’t treat her like dirt while treating Madelyn like the apple

of their eye like the Fowler family.

Unfortunately, Jane had had her share of disappointments in her past life.

She had died for it.

Her yearning for a family had died alongside her

Sheer coincidence had Hugh walking past Cloudnine Restaurant then.

He caught Lila and Jane chatting happily through the window.

The man was surprised by the sight. Jane didn’t seem like someone capable of

smiling.

“Something wrong, Hugh?”

Robert leaned in and spotted Jane too. He whistled.

“Destiny’s calling, Hugh. Are you going to go say hi?”

“Not now.”

Jane finally noticed someone staring at her.

She turned around.

Sparks flew as Hugh’s and her eyes met.

Hugh’s dark eyes were filled with intimidating intensity.

As Jane stared at his dangerous, piercing gaze, she could feel her soul being

drawn out of her body and into

a bottomless abyss.

She shifted her eyes away immediately.

The young woman cursed inwardly.

She had been running into people she had known the whole day.

What terrible luck!

Hugh and Robert got a table that was ideally situated in the restaurant. It was

neither too far nor too near Jane and Lila’s table.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen a woman resist your gaze, Hugh.”

Robert eyed the beautiful Adonis before him and grinned playfully.

Croft was a rich man and the president of the D.Y. Group.

However, he didn’t have to rely on his status to win the affection of a woman. His

looks and charms alone would get him any woman he wanted. If every woman

who wanted to fall in bed with Hugh were to get in line, the queue would stretch

from Stormton City all the way to Floricia.

Jane, on the other hand, seemed desperate to keep her distance.

Jane was doing the right thing. Hugh was a dangerous, unpredictable man.

Robert, who was one of Hugh’s best friends, found Hugh intimidating sometimes.

Hugh did not say a word.

All he did was stare at Jane.

It was as if he were trying to imprint a mark on his prey.

In fact, it was as if he were trying to lure his prey into a sense of complacency.

Jane felt a sudden sense of discomfort.

“Janie, is there something wrong?” Lila asked curiously.

She had not spotted Hugh and Robert.

She was simply concerned about the strange look on Jane’s face.

Jane was staring at something. Before Lita could turn around and replace out what

that was, Jane stopped her.

“It’s nothing, Lila,” Jane said.

She stopped Lila from turning around just in time.

Lila was too kind and innocent to get herself involved with Hugh and his world.

She should remain in her own bubble of happiness, where she belonged.

Meanwhile…

Someone had arrived at Cloudnine Restaurant.

“Anna, it took me great effort to secure a reservation here. We’re going to have a

feast today.”

Chapter 20 I Don’t Deserve To Be A Fowler

Diane’s voice was soft as she smiled brightly at Anna and tugged her arm lightly.

“Sure…”

Anna replied reluctantly.

Her face was lined with weariness.

“Come up, cheer up. I know you had an argument with your daughter. But it’s for

the best, right?

“Your family has never cared for Jane. You already have Maddie. Now, her place

in the Fowler family will be

Enter title…

secure.

“This is God’s will. Jane simply isn’t destined to be a part of the Fowler family.

Don’t be too hard on yourself. After all, she’s alive. Besides, your family gave her

a chance to come back. She was the one who rejected you.”

Diane said patiently.

Diane and Anna had been best friends for decades.

They had known each other in school.

Friendships like that were hard–won, and Diane treasured hers with Anna deeply.

Diane had married into the Croft family. Hugh’s uncle, the legendary Raymond

Croft, was the head of the Croft family.

After her marriage, Diane remained close friends with Anna.

She often visited the Fowler family and spent time with Anna.

Diane had watched Madelyn grow up.

She loved Madelyn and was adamant about having Madelyn as her daughter–in–

law.

Diane knew everything there was to know about the Fowler family.

She didn’t want a money grabber like Jane, who had come out of nowhere to tear

her best friend’s relationship with Madelyn apart and turn the Fowler family upside

down.

Diane had persuaded Anna not to recognize Jane as her daughter.

She had been missing for 19 years and had never received the education of an

elite. Young women like her

were irredeemable.

She wasn’t worthy of being a member of the prestigious Fowler family.

The Fowler family had been doing fine until Jane appeared out of nowhere. The

nobody ruined their lives.

Diane had seen it coming from a mile.

Fortunately, Jane had only spent two weeks with the Fowler family.

That was too little time to do too much damage.

In fact, she ended up doing her family a favor by disowning them.

“Diane, I know you have my interests at heart. But Jane is still the daughter I

carried for nine months in my womb. She was taken from me when she was born

and spent 19 years away from home. How can I pretend

she doesn’t exist now that I know she’s alive?

“Besides, we were the ones who wronged Jane without digging deeper. She got

upset and disowned us. How can I just let that go?”

Anna grimaced.

She had no idea where Jane had gone after leaving the Fowler family.

There had been times when Anna considered sending Jane a text.

That had been when she realized something.

She did not have Jane’s WeChat contact information.

She didn’t even have her number.

Her heart had sunk then.

She stared at the countless texts in her My Loving Family WeChat group.

None of those texts were from Jane, her biological daughter.

Anna couldn’t help but think to herself.

Had she neglected her own biological daughter?

Would a decent mother do that to her own child?

It didn’t matter how much more Anna cared for Madelyn.

They may not be related by blood, but Anna raised Madelyn and grew to love her.

While Jane was her biological daughter and was tied to her by blood, she was like

a stranger to her. They had spent only two weeks together.

The bond Anna shared with Jane could not compare to that she shared with

Madelyn.

That didn’t mean that she didn’t feel guilty about it all.

“Listen to me and just let it go. Tonight, we’re going to have a feast and discuss

the marriage between Maddie and my son.”

Diane couldn’t care less about Jane. She was an unpredictable element. The

sooner she was out of the picture, the better. All she brought was trouble.

“But Diane, we agreed to a marriage between Jane and Layne. Maddie had

turned down Layne multiple times because of this. Now that we know that Jane is

alive, Maddie will never agree to marry Layne.”

“That’s why as their mothers, we have to step in. Jane has disowned the Fowler

family. That means that Maddie doesn’t have to worry about her anymore. I

watched Maddie grow up. She’s the best daughter–in–law I can ever hope for.

You have to help me out here…”

Diane would never agree to the marriage if her son had to marry Jane.

It didn’t matter that the Fowler family were their family friends. Jane had never

received the education of an elite. Diane would never let her marry into the Croft

family. Jane would turn the entire Croft family upside down!

Anna froze in her tracks then.

There was a look of utter shock on her face.

“Jane? What are you doing here?”

At first, Anna thought that she must be seeing things.

Jane couldn’t possibly afford to dine at Cloudnine Restaurant.

Then, she took a second look and realized she hadn’t been mistaken.

“What?”

Diane seemed similarly stunned.

Hadn’t Jane disowned the Fowler family?

Money alone wouldn’t get you a table at Cloudnine Restaurant.

Diane, who had married into the Croft family, had to make a reservation two

weeks in advance to secure a

table at the restaurant!

Without the Fowler family’s reputation, how could an ordinary person like Jane get

a table at Cloudnine Restaurant?

Jane did not spare a single glance at Anna.

She pretended that she didn’t know the woman at all.

That upset Anna a little. “Unless my eyes are seeing things, you’re Jane. I’m your

mother, Jane. Why are you ignoring me?”

“Mrs. Fowler, please mind your words

Jane said. “We have nothing to do with each other now. Don’t be too eager to call

someone your daughter. I certainly don’t deserve to be a member of the Fowler

family.”

“How could you say that? That’s enough, Jane. Must you hurt me with your

words? I’m your mother!” “My mother?”

Jane burst into laughter.

What irony.

The look in her eyes was utterly chilly.

“I would rather have no mother than a mother like you, Mrs. Fowler.

“Save your love for Madelyn. I can’t possibly shoulder the weight of your maternal

love.”

The commotion caught Hugh’s and Robert’s attention.

“Hey, Hugh. The woman you’re interested in is arguing with someone. Isn’t the

other woman Jack Fowler’s wife? Isn’t that your aunt, Diane?”

Surprise flashed across Robert’s face.

What was going on?

Robert knew nothing about Jane.

However, he believed that Hugh was in the know.

This was his prey, after all. Hugh wouldn’t be who he was if he hadn’t investigated

Jane thoroughly.

Hugh didn’t say a word. Instead, he threw a frosty look toward Jane.

A flicker of concern flashed across his eyes when they landed on the young

woman.

His concern was genuine.

However, Hugh knew that Jane could handle the situation.

“Jane, you know that Maddie is your sister. Why can’t you be a good elder sister

and give in to her?

“Do you think you can steal the love that Maddie deserves as our adoptive child

because you have the blood of the Fowlers running in your veins? Do you want

the whole family to focus all our love and attention on you? How selfish of you!”

Anna stared at Jane with a look of utter grief and heartache.

She never thought that the child of Jack and her would turn out to be such a

vicious woman

Jane was a petty woman who couldn’t even stand the presence of her adoptive

sister.

Jane stared back at Anna.

Her smile had fallen off her face.

Anna wanted her to give in to Madelyn.

The Fowlers must be blind. They must be utter fools.

Hadn’t they seen how much Jane had given in to Madelyn?

Worried about Madelyn’s fragile feelings, Jane had given in time and again until

she had had nothing left to give.

If she backed down and gave in another time, she would fall over and into a

bottomless abyss.

The Fowler family seemed blind to it all. They thought she hadn’t done enough.

They wanted Jane to fall. They wanted her to give everything to Madelyn. That

was the only way they would be satisfied.

In fact, they wished that Jane hadn’t reappeared in their lives. They wished that

she had died 19 years ago. Jane never thought that she could compete with

Madelyn and have the Fowlers‘ total share of love and

attention.

All she wanted was a tiny slice of what Madelyn had. She would have been

satisfied with mere crumbs That had been all she asked for.

It had been such a humble wish. What else did they want from her?

Jane had nearly gotten herself killed several times to protect the Fowlers.

She thought her efforts would move them.

All she got was a perfunctory thanks.

Her pathetic wish for crumbs had been a mere dream.

“That’s right. I’m selfish and beyond saving. I don’t deserve to be a part of the

Fowler family. How I wish I

could bleed myself dry of my blood so that the blood of the Fowlers no longer ran

in my veins. It disgusts me.

“Mrs. Fowler, now that you’ve seen my true colors, you should give up and forget

about this daughter of yours. Go back to loving your precious Madelyn!