"I am the only heir of the Sayer conglomerate. You are required to obey me."

I

My identity was stolen.

"I can't love a person like you. I already promised my heart to someone else."

The man I married hated me.

"Why are you even my mom? Aunt Carryl is better than you! She treats Tom very well. Hmp, I hate you!"

Even the child I fought hard to give birth to, with blood in my hands from all the schemes I needed to create in order to protect him...

Hated me.

Just where did I go wrong? Was it giving birth? marrying someone forcefully? being born and switched at birth?

JUST WHERE?

Even if I feel anger and disappointment, no one would care to answer these question that I would love to be answered.

no one cared.

The pain and anguish overshadowed me for ten f*cking years, the words of my child was the last straw.

With a calm smile, I smiled at the woman reflected on the clear glass.

This must stop now. IT. MUST. STOP.

~NOT VENGENCE~

CITY OF DREAMS, EPHIRAM

"" HAT DO YOU MEAN THERE"S STILL NOTHING?! "

The inspector slammed the report papers unto his table, trembling in frustration and anger. He The latest killings of huge conglomerate members led the whole city into a frenzy. None of these men had clean records, but it does not mean they deserved to die.

"We tried sir.But like the other stations, we

could not even find evidences on the scene as if the killer itself did not exist."

The inspector who is already in his late fifties sat back into his seat and breathed out an irritated sigh. He This made the people in the room somehow unable to breath.

"That crimal might have used some type of trick to clean the scene of the crime. continue looking into it and ask around."

"Yes sire!"

The officers and investigators briskly left the room, and leaving the old inspector pondering over matters himself with a unreadable expression.

The sound of a lighter being lit and the smoke from the lit cigarette reminded him of something for a moment, and the room remained ever so silent.

In the bustling metropolis, where may gamble even their souls to succeed in life, a rumour started like wildfire.

"She's really asking for divorce?"

"Yes, it's all over the news."

In an article posted by the Morningstar a well-known news company, the Madam of Heaven Empire of Companies applied for a divorce.

Now everyone knows the Madam had always been a docile and a silent person.She only appeared a couple of times in the media. If it wasn't a special occasion, she would not appear at all.

She was from the Sayer Corporation Family before and married the only son of the Zylin family.

They had one son, Arthur Sigmund Zylin. He's currently ten years old and born in the fourth year of the couple's marriage.

Everything seemed perfect, but why did she ask for divorce?

Picture perfect and living in boudoir, that's how people pictured her life.

Anna finished th painting in front of her. The peaceful summer breeze blew against the stain drapes of the wide Pavillion in the middle of the peony grden.

The woman had her raven hair in a loose bun, her clothes consisted of a long-sleeved big shirt under a black apron. Her hands had paint stains on it.

She placed her brush down and went to wash her hands on a nearby fountain.

She never spoke or made huge ounds while doing all of this, creating a picture of silence and solidarity

On the canvas was a portrait of a black porcelain vase and a few azaleas inside the vase.

Anna headed back inside her villa to take a quick shower and came down in a black sun dress. She was making some lunch when her phone rang.

But she ignored the ringing, and continued to indifferently cook food.

"The owner is not at home, please leave your message at the tone *beep*"

The man on the other line placed the phone down in silence.

She still doesn't want to answer.

Erne leaned against his office chair and anyone who look at him right now would see the illusion of a heavy cold that hung over him.

When did it all go wrong?

The wedding? Before wedding? Maybe before even all of that?

He did not even once dream that the woman whose warmth he had ignored would someday leave him all empty.

It all began a year and a half ago.

A YEAR AGO

"Sir, a call from the office came."

Ernest Zylin, C. E. O of the Heaven Empire of Companies is currently 33 years old. He used to be the most promising Batchelor in the business circle until he was forcefully married to the daughter of the Sayers. It was huge talk amongst elites since three years ago, that daughter was found to be a fraud. The real daughter appeared from being switched at birth, but the Sayers graciously let this fraud stay in their home.

Ernest married Anna Maria Sayer when he was twenty years old. It was sudden, and made Ernest who was inlove with the real Sayer daughter upset.

He had a lot ahead of him! He strived to go ahead of his peers and contest elders to impress Carryl, the real Sayer daughter.

Of course he didn't know she was a Sayer before if he did then he would have helped her and married her.

But he was stuck with a woman he barely knew and he did not love.

The child they had was a one night of mistake, it was not out of love.

"Hello. Yes, I will be right there."

He let his butler help him into his coat and he heads out to the front door.

"You won't have breakfast?"

Ah, she does this in the daily.

He indifferently left, passing by her like she did not exist.

The butler looked at the madam in pity. The plain woman who only have one child looked like she was forty.

She had let herself go because of love. He could only pity her.

The Lady who was ignored once again silently went upstairs. The maids always felt pity for the madam. She was obviously a very soft spoken and kind person but the master doesn't even seem to acknowledge her.

If only they could be friends at least.

"She did not eat today too."

"I'll take some food to madam."

The relationship between the two is as cold as the northern plains. The madam loves the master but the master loves another woman. Every time the madam wants to make a move the master would react as if she did not exist or if he was really on a bad mood, he would lash out at her.

At times like that, the madam could only cry. Since the master hates looking at the crying madam, she learned to hold it in as she go and hide somewhere.

The first years of marriage was already bitter and everybody thought it would always be bitter since even the Young master shares the same hate towards the madam that the master has.

But one day, after an argument with the little master the Madam seemed different.

Like a switch, the event seemed to have switched on something that could possibly be bad or good.

She started to go out more, she was also eating well. She also ceased to wait on the master and the Young master. She also stopped going to school activities, started sending servants to parent meetings, and seems to be doing more physical activities.

She's also getting more beautiful. Not in a vulgar way, but rather in an elegant way.

She was BLOOMING!

"Aunt, I'll be going out today too. I won't be home for a few days."

She had one luggage and one tote bag. Donned in a high waisted jeans, black crop top and a good pair of white sneakers. Her usually bunned hair was now placed in a ponytail,

"Madam you look younger these days. Are you going to travel far?"

But she lost her smile. That's the only downside.

"Yes. I have a meet up with some friends from the fight club."

"F-Fight club?"

"I'll be going now Auntie, you all take care and don't tire yourselves out."

Bidding the servants goodbye and passing by the young master who stood near the door holding a ball he was playing on this sunny Saturday, the Madam left like she saw nothing.

" Where's she headed dressed like that? "

The young blonde child asked with a snide. The head maid smiled at him and naturally answered.

"Madam has something to do with her friends."

"Friends? That woman has friends?"

As condescending as always. If it was before the maid would have been worried about the feelings of the madam. But now, she was more worried about the future of the Young Master.

If he keeps this up with the changes of the madam he'd come to regret it.

And just like that, Erne began to notice the emptiness of the house. At first he didn't really know where the emptiness came from.

Not before Anna came home from her three month absence. She came back with curly hair, full on seductive make up, white crop top under black fur jacket, leather skin thight pants.

"Madam welcome back."

The head maid and other servants greeted her naturally. They already saw her wear these things before she left, so it wasn't a surprise anymore.

But not for Erne who immediately had a frown on his face.

"Where have you been in three months and what's with your clothing?"

Anna passed her luggage to the maids who took it upstairs as she headed for the kitchen.

Erne was completely ignored.

'What game is she playing now? Trying to ignore me for attention?'

He sneered and left, hand inside his pant pocket.

" Sher. "

" Yes Master?"

"How is Arthur and his field trip going?"

"Well, the servants took good care of the Little Master. But he was unable to participate in some of the activities since it needed parents. Lady Carryl did accompany him with Young Master Tom but separate activities where she has to accompany her child comes first. "

Before, Madam never missed any school activity. She was the most active parent at school activities and she never missed any parent meetings. Even if young master bullies her and disregard the efforts she made she never seem to grow tired of doing things for him. But months ago she suddenly just stopped any effort she made.

She stopped waiting, stopped going to school activities, stopped cooking food, stopped washing clothes- she insists to wash young master's clothes before-she also stopped staying at home, stopped staying docile and timid and most importantly, everyone could shlee that the love she used to have in her eyes was gone as if it never existed.

Erne's face darkened. His son aklays looked forward to the school activities, especially this year's activities which involves science. Arthur loves science and he was always such a curious and bright kid. He clearly remembered the look on that child's face when he told him about the science field trip months go.

"Do you have anything you want to tell the young master, or sire?"

"Just make sure he come home safe."

The butler boed and bid him farewell as the car door closed nd the driver drove off.

With a sigh, the old Butler looked up to the fourth floor, and stared at a certain window for an amount of time.

The Madam used to look through the blinds with longing s Master's car leaves the estate. Now, the blinds were drawn closed, and there was not even a single movement.

nna cme Don to make her own meal and greet the maids. She then leaves on her slick jaguar dressed like she was going to a party of some sort. Then she came back at three a. m.

Of course this would start a talk amongst servants. Even if the head maid and the butler reprimands them, mouths would continue to tlk and gossip.

But the Madam seemed unmoved by the ordeal. She reminded stoic and silent about it.

That is, I until that one faightful night.

"I think the Madam is seeing someone."

Ws how the conversation started. I Erne paused, and I and stopped the Butler from interfeering. It was late at night so the minds did not expect him to come home.

"Oh you say? I think she's found someone who makes her happy. She looks like a young girl again."

"Yeah. She's also going out late at night nd comes home very late."

They were gossiping on a orner by the stairs. It was enough to hide them but also make them unable who enters from the door or who comes down from the stirs.

nn came down to get some water. She saw Erne by the stairs and stood near him with arms crossed and an eyebrow up looking at the mais with interest.

"M-Madam-"

she smiled at the butler, and she but the smile did not reach her eyes.

"No. Let them talk more. I m kind of interesting what type of colourful gossips goes around these days."

"I liked her more when she was docile and silent."

"Yeah yeah. I Even though she was pathetic, and I it was better than being loose."

The harsh words disgusted even the butler. The He looked at the Madm worriedly only to find a very wide grin on her face. The It was filled ith amusement ND also a cold tinge of danger.

" Sher, and what do you think would happen if I weeded out the maids? Do you think the rest of the good grains left can handle the job?"

"Do you intend to fire them?"

"No. I intend to cut off their ways of living. Mke them feel how being pathetic feels like."

'Madm are you serious? "

" Of course I' m not. Do you think I have the power to fire them? You must be joking. "

She took careful steps towards the unsuspecting maids, and and crossed her arms to listen.

"Do you think the Young Master is even the son of the Master? You know, people doesn't really chage, they just get better at hiding their nature. Now that she realized she couldn't get the master using the child, she stopped taking care of him."

"Yeh, and Yeah.She's and vile bitch isn't she?"

"Yeah Yeah-MADAM!"

The reaction of those maids ere too colourful that nna laughed so hard she was clutching her stomach.

"You- You ll looked like deer in the headlights. No, I better yet, but You look like a gaping fish, and I the other one looked like a gping pig, but and the rest just looks ugly s f*ck!"

She cussed!

The mids bowed their heads in shame nd fear.

"Oh no, I are you guys ashamed and afraid? How sweet."

The sarcasm dripping in that voice and the coldness that those pair of cerculene black eyes emitted while looking t them just scared the living hell out of them.

"M-madam... That..."

"Oh it's alright. You are free to talk more but make sure you can afford whatever you say. I don't take offense much from useless talks amongst loly servants. But remember this, you I don't take offense does not mean I don't take pleasure in giving out punishments. I I don't have the power to fire you since I don't own you. But until the time of me being the only Madm of this house ends, I can make you suffer a life worse than death. "

" Madam please have mercy! "

" Mercy? That's for pathetic people. "

She smiled and turned to get water from the fridge humming as she did and left to go upstairs.

It was only then that the maids noticed Mr. Sher and the Master.

ell, and you could say it was a double kill that night

The next day Erne and Anna actually crossed paths by the stairs. Neither of them spoke, but and just walked down the stairs.

"Ah, good morning Master and Madam."

"Ah yes. Good Morning Sher."

"Madam you're looking beautiful today! Are you going shopping?"

"h no. I'm going on a trip brunch with my old friends from art college."

"I see. Then be careful on your way Madam."

"Thank you Sher. Tell Aunt I would be home for Lunch."

"Yes."

With a smile the butler bid her frewell, and nd looked t the Master who stood there ignored.

"Ahem. You are going to be late, sir."

The Man snapped out of his stupor, and nd cleared his throat before heading towards his own car.

"Sher. I need you to do something."

With a smile on his face, the Butler bowed.

"Yes Master, what it is that you command?"