Chapter 4 Happened

Years ago...

Lillian had always believed in justice. She had believed that as long as people worked hard, they would reap the benefits of their labor.

But that belief shattered the day a gun was pressed against her temple. The cold metal burned against her skin, sending a shiver of terror down her spine. Her body trembled as she dared not move, her breath caught in her throat.

Her mother gasped beside her, frozen in shock, while her father clenched his fists, his face pale with fear.

A piece of paper landed at their feet, a pen landing beside it.

"Sign it," a man in dark shades ordered, cocking the gun. "Refuse, and your daughter dies."

Lillian gasped in fear, her head hanging low. Her father was sweating bullets, his hands shaking violently. He turned to look at his wife, at Lillian, his throat bobbing as he swallowed hard.

They had fought too hard for this land. This was their home, their livelihood, their legacy. For generations, their family had grown and harvested strawberries, producing the best strawberry jam in the countryside. Their land was their pride. But lately, men in suits had been coming, offering money, demanding they sell.

They had refused every single time. But now, refusal was no longer an option.

Her father reached down, picking up the pen with trembling fingers. His hesitation only made the gun press harder against Lillian's skin.

"Sign it, old man!" The man spat, clearly impatient.

Her father had no choice. With one signed signature, their entire future was stolen.

The gun was finally pulled away from Lillian's head. She gasped, her knees buckling, and her mother held her tightly.

Bundles of money were thrown at their feet like they were nothing but beggars.

"You have one week to pack your things and leave," the other man said indifferently. "Shalom."

They turned to leave, but rage burned in Lillian's chest.

"Who sent you?" she whispered, her voice shaking with fury.

The man with the gun heard her and stopped, then turned around, smirking.

"Jake Hernandez." His voice dripped with amusement. "Do you want to question him?" the man mocked. "His bodyguards would throw your body a few meters away before you could even reach him."

He hissed before entering their cars and drove away. Leaving behind a broken family.

And Lillian Hayes never forget that name. For years, that name haunted her. And she swore that one day, she would destroy him. Defeat had never been in her nature. She lived by one rule after that incident, justice. That was the motto she carried when her parents entrusted her with the money, urging her to pursue an education.

So she studied law to become a lawyer then a judge, determined to fight for those who had no voice to ensure that no one else suffered the same fate her family had.

Her parents often told her to let go, and to see the brighter side, she was able to return to school because of what happened. But Lillian wasn't one to listen.

Her years in school were filled with hardship, working part-time jobs to survive and support her parents. Finally, she graduated, and after years of digging into Jake Hernandez, she uncovered the truth.

He wasn't just a businessman, but a Mafia King. A man whose name sent people into silence.

A man no one dared to cross, but Lillian didn't care. She was willing to risk everything for justice. But she needed more. Her family's case alone wasn't enough to send him behind bars.

Every police station in Spain refused to help her, and warned her against him. Lillian saw them as a corrupted authorities, fearing a dangerous citizen they ought to bring down together. So she traveled all the way from Spain to California, their police men over there had the balls to help her mission to bring Jake down.

So Lillian kept digging until she found a way to reach him.

Jake had a habit. Every week, he slept with a different woman in a particular hotel. And that was her way in.