After five years in prison, the first thing Valerie Hartman did was book her own sky burial.
“Ms. Hartman, this is your scheduled sky burial service. After your death, your body will be sent to Azure Summit for the ceremony. We require a deposit now, and the remaining balance must be paid within two weeks.”
Valerie nodded. She reached into the pocket of her faded jeans, pulled out a plastic bag, and carefully counted the crumpled bills and coins she had saved up in prison. It took a few tries, but she finally scraped together the full deposit.
She had been diagnosed with late-stage cancer in prison, and the doctor said she had about a month left to live.
Years ago, she and Fabian Porter had made a promise to hold their wedding in Eleyburn, where the gods of Azure Summit would bear witness to their love.
That wedding would never happen now. But at least she could rest there forever. That was counted as a small comfort.
The burial wasn’t cheap. After leaving the agency, Valerie went to Nightfall Club to apply for a job as a waitress to earn the rest of the money fast.
As she had a criminal record, no decent place would hire her. But Nightfall was one of the most famous luxury clubs in Nobert City, and the waitresses made good money.
After a quick rundown of the rules, they handed her a uniform and put her to work that same night.
Following a brief training session, Valerie carried a tray of liquor into one of the VIP private rooms.
The lighting inside was dim. A crowd of socialites and rich heirs was playing drinking games.
Keeping her head down, Valerie crouched and set the bottles down on the table quietly. Just as she was about to turn and leave, a familiar, cold voice rang out.
Her body went rigid at once.
Sure enough, on the couch in the center of it all, Fabian sat like a king among his peers. The shifting light accentuated his sharp features, making his presence all the more commanding.
Five years had passed, yet his face hadn’t changed. If anything, he seemed even more untouchable.
Valerie couldn’t help but take another look, only to notice the woman in his arms. That was her best friend, Sasha Donaldson.
Sasha and Fabian were talking about wedding plans.
“Let’s have our wedding at the beach chapel, just like you wanted. I’ll have them cover the sand with pink roses.
“And if you don’t like the dress the designer made last time, I’ll have them redo it. Everything will be just the way you like.”
As Valerie listened to that familiar voice, her thoughts drifted away. Five years ago, she had been just a step away from becoming Fabian’s bride.
They had grown up together since childhood.
When her parents died, it was Fabian who got her through the grief.
Fabian took her to school on his bike and fought anyone who bullied her. The first time she got her period, he had turned bright red but still ran out to buy her sanitary pads.
The two had fallen in love naturally. Step by step, they had walked toward their future together. Then, on the night before their wedding, Valerie ran over his mother, Amelia Booth, with her car.
Valerie would never forget the way Fabian looked at her that night. His eyes were bloodshot.
He lost control. He had cornered her against the wall and demanded to know why she had killed Amelia.
Valerie had never felt more hopeless. She had raised her head and smiled. “No reason. She caught me in bed with another man and was going to tell you. I got angry, so I ran her over.”
She would never forget the way Fabian looked at her—anger, hatred, and disappointment tangled together like an unbreakable net, suffocating her.
In the end, he had handed her over to the police.
During those five years in prison, Valerie had replayed that night countless times. She wondered if things would’ve turned out differently had she told him the truth.
But reason reminded her that she couldn’t do that.
Because the truth was, Amelia had been suffering from severe depression.
The night before the wedding, her symptoms flared up, leaving her disoriented. In her confusion, she mistook a bodyguard for Fabian’s father, Matthew Porter, and slept with him.
Valerie had been looking for Fabian to discuss wedding plans, only to stumble upon that scene by accident.
When Amelia came to her senses, she had broken down. She had begged Valerie not to tell anyone.
Valerie had hesitated. But in the end, she had agreed.
She never expected Amelia to run straight into the path of her car on that very night.
Fabian had been born into power and prestige. If the truth came out, the scandal would destroy both him and Porter Group.
Who knew what people in their circle would think? Some might even start questioning his identity.
For Fabian’s sake, Valerie had chosen to take the fall. And now, with death on her doorstep, there was no longer any need to clear her name.
If he hated her, so be it. At least that way, when she left, there would be no lingering ties.
Trembling, she turned to leave, but a voice called out behind her.
“Valerie? You’re out of prison?”
Valerie trembled, not daring to meet the sharp gaze from above. Just as she was about to leave, someone stuck out a foot and tripped her.
Caught off guard, she crashed into the table and fell hard onto the floor.
Several bottles toppled over, shattering on impact. Sharp shards cut into her hands, and fresh blood seeped from the wounds.
Laughter erupted in the room. One by one, people stood up, sizing her up as she lay there in disgrace.
“Damn, Valerie. Just got out of jail and already working so hard? Impressive.”
Without a word, Valerie pressed a hand over her bleeding wounds.
“What are you waiting for? You spilled liquor all over the place. Clean it up. On your knees.”
Laughter echoed around her. She had no choice but to pull a rag from her apron and kneel down to scrub the spilled liquor over and over again.
Valerie kept her head down, but she could feel Fabian’s hateful gaze fixed on her. It was like a blade hovering over her, waiting to strike.
He despised her that much. Watching her suffer must have been the greatest satisfaction he could ask for.
She hurriedly wiped away the spilled liquor and was about to stand up and leave, but the people before her had no intention of letting her go so easily.
“Where do you think you’re going? These drinks cost a fortune. How do you plan to pay for them?”
Valerie clenched her fists. She did not dare to raise her head. “I’m sorry. It was an accident.”
“Sorry doesn’t cut it. You can’t afford to pay, so I’ll give you an alternative. Crawl under my legs, and we’ll call it even.”
After saying that, the man propped a foot on a stool and smirked down at her.
The others laughed and chanted, “Crawl over! Crawl over!”
Valerie clenched her teeth. Her face burned as the mocking stares pierced her back like knives. There was no escape.
She could not afford to pay them, and it was clear that they were here to vent Fabian’s anger. Even if she refused to crawl, they would find another way to make her pay.
After five years in prison, dignity had long lost its worth to her.
Her vision blurred, and she bit her lip so hard it nearly bled. In the end, with everyone watching, she dropped to her knees before the man with a dull thud.
Just as she was about to bow her head and crawl, the table was kicked over with a violent crash. Following that, a sharp voice cut through the room.
“Enough!”
Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through Valerie’s arm. Before she could react, she was yanked away.
In the dim hallway, Fabian shoved her against the wall. His eyes were burning with hatred.
“Valerie, is this what you’ve become?”
Her back hit the cold marble, which sent a shiver through her body. She turned her head slightly and said, “You shouldn’t stand up for me. Your mother won’t rest in peace if you do.”
His anger flared at her words. He shoved her back. “Stand up for you? Don’t kid yourself. I brought you out here to discuss a deal.
“You need money, right? Stay outside my room tonight, and I’ll pay you. From now on, stick by my side. I guarantee you’ll make more than you ever did serving drinks.”
Before Valerie could refuse, Fabian flung a wad of cash at her face.
The bills cut her cheek, and blood welled up instantly.
She knew this was just his way of getting back at her.
And Fabian made sure of it.
That night, as Valerie stood outside his door, she heard him and Sasha in bed.
