Chapter 3 3

She cried harder than ever before after hearing that, as if her chest were being ripped apart-the same agonizing feeling she'd experienced the night she lost her family. But this pain, this betrayal, cut deeper.

Daniel's disloyalty hurt, but Lucy-she wasn't just her best friend; Lucy was the only family Jane had left. Jane had begged her husband to take Lucy in when she had nowhere else to go. She'd pleaded for him to give Lucy a job, to keep her safe. And now, this was how she was repaid?

A strangled sob tore from Jane's throat as she clutched her chest, gasping for air. "Doctor, please," she managed between ragged breaths, her voice thick with panic. "can you run the check up again, can you Check if my heart is okay...I-I think something's wrong. Why does it hurt so much? or do I need a heart transplant too?" she urged for answers for explanations

The doctor's expression softened with pity. "I'm sorry you had to find out this way. We wanted to wait until you were stronger before telling you."

Jane swallowed hard, her voice trembling under the weight of her emotions. "Then tell me now. How am I still alive? Who saved me? And why... how will I survive now?"

The doctor hesitated before answering. "An anonymous benefactor. He didn't just save you, Jane-he also donated a kidney to you."

"He waited for you to wake up," the doctor continued, "but he passed away two years ago."

A heavy silence fell over the room. Why would a stranger go to such lengths for her? Why would someone sacrifice so much when they didn't even know her?

"Do I have to pay him back?" Jane's voice was barely a whisper. "And how did he die?"

The doctor only sighed and walked away, leaving her drowning in emotions she couldn't process.

A few minutes later, Dante entered carrying a tray of neatly cut fruit, but food was the last thing on her mind. She needed answers.

"Dante," she said, gripping the sheets tightly, "I heard about an anonymous helper-who was he?"

Dante hesitated, his lips pressed into a thin line. Finally, he spoke. "His name was Victor Orlov."

Jane's brows furrowed in confusion. "Me? I don't understand."

Dante continued, "You once saved him and his son ten years ago. You donated blood when they were in a car accident."

Her mouth opened in shock. "Me?"

"You might not remember," Dante added gently, "but you were at the hospital that day. When you saw the emergency, you offered to donate because you were O+. Your blood matched perfectly."

She tried to recall, but the memory was blurry-almost nonexistent. If it was true...

"Is that why he saved me?" she asked, still struggling to understand.

Dante exhaled, rubbing his temple. "That was only part of it. When you fell, Victor was the only one who witnessed what happened. He was outside making a call when he saw you get pushed. He immediately dialed 911, but before help arrived, a group of thugs took you. Victor tracked them down, paid them off, and got you back. He then called the police, but everything was handled quietly."

Her head spun as his words sank in. "He brought you to the best hospital, kept you on life support for years, and when he realized his time was running out... he signed up as an organ donor. That's how you got your new kidney."

Jane gripped the sheets, her fingers trembling. "Why would he go to such lengths for me?"

"I... I don't know what to say," she whispered.

Dante nodded. "Hold on-that's not all. Before he died, Victor left something for you."

He reached into his coat and produced a thick, embossed envelope with a golden crest that looked as if it belonged to royalty.

"This," Dante said, handing it over, "is Victor Orlov's will."

Jane's hands shook as she unfolded the letter. As she skimmed the words, one line made her blood run cold: Victor Orlov had left everything to her-his company, his wealth, his entire empire.

She sucked in a sharp breath. Why?

Then, a name appeared that made her chest tighten even further: her mother's.

"Orlov Enterprises was co-founded by Victor Orlov and Francesca Stadler."

Her mother's name.

Jane looked up at Dante, but he only shook his head. "I don't know all the details. All I know is that you were always meant to inherit it."

Her pulse pounded. She had never known any of this, and now everything was coming at her too fast. "This looks like a scam-too good to be true. I need proof. Bring a lawyer. And if Diego Orlov doesn't show up himself, I won't believe a word of this."

Dante gave a small nod. "Understood."

He turned to leave, but before he could step out, something strange caught her attention outside the door. Men in black suits swarmed the hallway. Their polished shoes clicked on the tile as they moved with authority. Then, two of them approached her door.

The atmosphere shifted. Jane's stomach tightened as another man entered-confident, with black leather shoes, long legs, a tattooed wrist, an unbuttoned black shirt, pierced ears, and silver jewelry on his lower lip. And then there were those stormy gray eyes.

He was tall, built like a movie idol, and his presence made her grip the bedsheets even tighter. Dante stepped aside, and the man took a slow, deliberate step forward.

Then he spoke. "Heard you were looking for me, princess. Here I am-at your command. So, what were you saying again?"

Jane's heart skipped a beat. His voice was smooth and dangerous. She opened her mouth to argue, to fight back, but her breath caught. She wanted to say something-anything-but his presence swallowed her words. All she could think about was how strikingly attractive he was.

Lost in her thoughts, she was jolted back to reality by the sharp sound of a phone ringing. Blinking hard, she forced herself to focus. The man in front of her-tall, confident, almost too perfect to be real-continued speaking, while her mind struggled to catch up.

"Who... who are you?" she finally asked, even though she already suspected the answer. Her heart pounded, and she hoped he wouldn't notice how flustered she was.

He smirked, clearly amused. "I'm Diego Orlov. Your betrothed."

Jane let out a dry laugh. "My betrothed? Come on-I just woke up from a coma. I don't have memory loss that bad. Try harder."

Before Diego could respond, Dante stepped in. "Speak up, Miss. Mr. Orlov doesn't have much time-"

Diego raised a hand, cutting him off. Then, without hesitation, he moved closer-too close. Lowering himself onto one knee, he rested an arm on his other and studied her intently. His eyes locked onto hers, intense and unyielding.

"Relax," he murmured, shifting his gaze to her lips. "You just woke up, and besides, I have all the time in the world for you. But earlier, you were shouting. Now you're cold, like a scared little puppy. What happened, princesa? Talk to me."

Jane swallowed hard. Her heart pounded so fiercely she feared she might pass out again. No man had ever looked at her like that-like she was a mystery worth unraveling. She forced herself to snap out of it.

"Dante gave me a will," she blurted. "He said things I don't understand or believe. So I told him if he can't bring you or a lawyer, I'm not signing anything. How am I supposed to wake up to a fortune-"

Diego silenced her with a finger pressed gently over her lips. Then he turned to his men and raised his hand. A tall man in a suit stepped forward holding a stack of documents.

"Explain," Diego ordered.

The man nodded and addressed her. "Ms. Stadler, nice to meet you. I'm Mr. Watson, the legal advisor for Orlov Enterprises."

Jane exhaled sharply, crossing her arms. "Nice to meet you too. Now, about the will-I need proper clarification."

Trying to sound professional even though her head was still spinning, she listened as Mr. Watson adjusted his glasses and began:

"Miss Stadler, I understand this is overwhelming. Let me explain. The late Viktor Orlov, founder of Orlov Enterprises, legally named you as his sole heir. That means you now own his company, his properties, and his fortune."

He continued, "This wasn't a random decision. According to these documents, Viktor Orlov and your mother, Francesca Stadler, co-founded Orlov Enterprises. Your family had a rightful stake in the company from the very beginning. But after your parents passed, Viktor lost track of you. By the time he returned to the country, you had already married and vanished from the public eye."

"Years ago, you saved Viktor's life-and his son Diego's-by donating blood. He never forgot that. He saw you as someone with a good heart, someone worthy of his legacy. That's why, before his passing, he made the legally binding decision to leave everything to you instead of Diego."

Jane frowned. "Why not leave it to his own son?"

"Because Diego already has his own fortune, separate from Orlov Enterprises. If he inherited the company, he would have sold it. Viktor didn't want that. He wanted someone he trusted to run the company and protect his legacy."

Before Jane could process any further, Mr. Watson delivered the biggest bombshell. "However, there is one condition: to claim your inheritance, you must work alongside Diego Orlov as his assistant for one year. This is non-negotiable. During that time, you'll learn every aspect of the company before the full transition is complete."

Jane stared, stunned. Assistant? And what about Dante?

Before she could ask, Mr. Watson handed her the documents. Scanning through them with her law school instincts kicking in, everything was in order-legitimate and ironclad, with no loopholes.

Diego then interrupted. "I understand you're in physiotherapy and rehabilitation now, and you'll be discharged soon. You have until then to decide." Standing up, he brushed off imaginary dust from his suit. "If you feel too pressured, know that you can always say no, princesa."

With a smirk, he turned toward the door. "I'd love to stay in your beautiful presence, but I have a billion-dollar deal waiting. Don't worry-I'll check on you once in a while. Don't miss me too much. See you soon."

Something in Jane snapped at his parting words. "Jane Stadler. That's my name, not 'princesa'," she retorted. "And you don't have to call me that."

Diego paused at the door, glanced back, and grinned. "Don't tell me what to do or what to call you."

Then, with a dismissive wave, his men followed him out, leaving her alone with a whirlwind of thoughts.

Jane stared at the ceiling, stunned. She tried to convince herself that she wasn't tempted, that she didn't care, that this wasn't her only way out. But reality hit hard: she had no phone, no money, no job, no home. Her only family had betrayed her. Her husband had left her for another woman-her own sister. The scandal surrounding her late parents had ruined her future, and she'd even dropped out of law school. All she had left were debts and the feeling of being "dead to the world."

And now, out of nowhere, she was being handed a chance-a golden ticket to power, wealth, and a fresh start. It was overwhelming, too much, and almost unreal.

But she knew one thing for certain: if she walked away now, she'd spend the rest of her life drowning in nothingness. And that was not an option.

She needed this. Perhaps this was the opportunity meant for her-to use these resources to find the people who had wronged her and rebuild her life.

She was going to take it. Even if it meant stepping into a world she wasn't ready for, even if it meant working alongside a man whose every word made her pulse race, even if it meant signing a deal with the devil himself-she was going to take it.