Chapter 1

Prologue

The day Grace was released from prison, two men were waiting for her.

One of them sent her to prison, and the other one convicted her.

The snow was very heavy that day. They looked like two snowmen waiting outside the prison.

Grace vowed in her heart, she’d make everyone pay their price.

***

“Grace, get yourself a job and be a good person out there.”

The prison guard opened the gate and told her so.

Grace nodded. Through the iron bar on the prison window, she saw two black cars parked out of the gate. Waiting for her.

They were Jacob’s Benz G-Wagon and Sean’s Porsche Panamera.

Heavy snow has caused total chaos on the roads. Jacob and Sean were standing quietly in front of their cars.

Sean held a black umbrella and stared at the gate. Jacob kept looking at his watch.

One of them was Grace’s ex-boyfriend, and the other one was her childhood best friend.

How affectionate and caring they looked! If they hadn’t sent Grace to prison and told the other inmates to “take good care” of her, maybe she would be moved to tears.

Five years ago, Grace went to confront Lily Atkinson, and her sister Jennifer Atkinson was also there. In an unfortunate turn of events, Jennifer Atkinson died. Although it was a terrible accident, the court still decided to sentence Grace to three years in prison.

Lily dragged her sister’s lifeless body out of the car and called the police. Sean arrived soon after.

“Sean, your girlfriend killed my sister!” Lily sat on the ground and cried out.

Sean’s first reaction was to push Grace down onto the ground in case she ran away.

But Grace was already too weak to resist because she’d also been hurt. What’s more… she was pregnant with Sean’s baby.

“How could you be so evil?!” When Jacob rushed over, his eyes were blood shot as he questioned Grace.

Before Grace could explain to the two most important men in her life, she was handcuffed by the police.

In court, Lily’s lawyer was Jacob, Grace’s childhood best friend, another blow to her heart.

Jacob blamed everything on Grace. She was convicted of reckless driving and involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to three years of imprisonment.

“Grace, you deserve this. People have to pay for their mistakes,” he said.

When Grace first got into prison, she was beaten constantly. She was beaten in places without security cameras and had her nails pulled out. She was yanked by the hair and pressed into toilets. Her back was always being kicked, and it was bruised all the time.

They even broke the bones in her finger, one by one.

At first, Grace didn’t know why. She was always stubborn and didn’t cry when they hit her.

But after a while, Grace found out why they picked on her exclusively. Grace sucked up to one of the female bosses in prison. She would wash her feet, give her massages, and even do her laundry. Finally, she gained the trust of the female boss, and she told Grace why.

“Girl, you poor little thing. Someone paid us to beat you.”

Grace knew who it was then in that instant. Sean.

This was the man who ordered two hundred drones to spell out “I LOVE YOU” in the night sky when he was pursuing her.

He said, “Grace, I will protect you from now on.”

***

Upon seeing their cars outside the prison gates, Grace begged the prison guard to let her leave from the back door, to avoid seeing either of their faces.

Besides, what if they were still angry with her and wanted to take their revenge?

I am nothing compared to them. I can’t afford to provoke them, but at least I can hide. Grace thought to herself.

In a trance, Grace remembered her confrontation with Lily. Lily stood in front of Grace while holding her dog and shouted, “My dog is worth 70,000 dollars. How much is your grandfather’s life worth?”

When Grace was three, her mother died and her father remarried. He abandoned her so her grandfather raised her all by himself.

Her grandfather worked night and day collecting junk and empty bottles for recycling.

When Grace was in junior high, she moved to the city from the countryside and lived in a small rental apartment. Her grandfather told her that they could make more money in the city because there was more junk to collect.

But Grace knew the true reason why her grandfather wanted her to go to school in the city.

The children in the city had shiny hairpins, and Grace wanted them too.

Grace’s grandfather once stood outside a small accessories store for hours, then he finally went inside to buy the expensive shiny hairpin for Grace.

financial aid to students from poverty-stricken families, Grace’s teacher Mrs. Green helped her apply for

with her studies. She was clever

grandfather was very grateful to Mrs. Green, but he didn’t have any

the garden while Jacob

Grace’s grandfather, “Your little granddaughter is so beautiful and adorable. How about

We don’t deserve him,” he rubbed

he didn’t

to the countryside. He didn’t

saw him begging friends for money to cover her

she would grow up to be a

that anyone could have asked for,

***

rich and powerful Stevens family. Suddenly, her father wanted to be in her life again, all because of who she was

nice young man.

grandfather said the day she took

girl should have beautiful dresses. My pretty Grace should not wear shabby

to collect junk to make

was getting too old,

winter three years

an unleashed dog in the park when

fell unconscious on the spot and was

dog. She said it was worth 70,000

day, Grace’s grandpa was sent to the ICU. Due to a fracture of the cervical spine and spinal

a lot of money to the hospital, so she went to Lily for compensation. It was her dog

“You are Sean’s girlfriend? You didn’t get money from him, so you came to me?” Lily had always liked

is broken because of your idiot grandfather, I should be the one asking you

are just a bunch of country bumpkin.

really couldn’t. So, she slapped Lily

who was

fight two girls as she was pregnant and weak, so she got into her car and wanted to drive away, but Jennifer chased

police. She didn’t even try to escape. Her grandfather was in

Grace hoped that at least one

were on the side of Jennifer

Grace was detained, she heard that her grandfather had been in the ICU

he became paralyzed for life, and he didn’t want to be a burden to Grace so he committed

on the ice-cold ground and

couldn’t save either her grandfather… or her

was locked up in prison, Lily went to

dog has always been obedient. Guess why my dog tackled your

only followed his owner’s orders,

hated Grace because she was dating

she was in prison. She blamed herself for the death of her grandfather.

her grandfather came back to life, and he told her how she was a good girl. Grace knew then it was just a dream because she was not a good

could turn back time, she wouldn’t want any shinny hairpins or

wants is just to have

***

opened her eyes suddenly. Only then did she realize that

at

broken bones, her hands would never look or feel the

back, but the prison doctors hadn’t gone out of their way to reset her

had

movements that she

more especially when

hands and

It’s okay. You’re okay.

is a new

as she stood up

the memories threatened

than just

Her

about was

the daughter of one of the wealthiest and most powerful families in the country. What’s more, she was

It’s okay. You’re okay.

a new

You don’t need anybody.

finished mopping

of a sanitation worker with her long hair tied

a glimpse of herself in a mirror on the wall. Her delicate face was slightly reddish due to the

was a student who had just graduated from college. But gone was

cruel

at her were old, far older, and duller

rolled the cleaning supplies toward

down for a few minutes had been

hadn’t meant to drift off

on the time, she moved quickly and efficiently

sanitation worker wasn’t glamorous, but after she left prison, this was the only job she

leave, she heard a

a daughter of a rich and powerful family, now she is going to marry into the wealthy

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