Divorce Unleashed Her: The Mafia Empress Awakens

In the dim light of the hospital room, a woman's trembling voice broke the heavy silence. "Ah-no... Carl... not here... Ashlyn is still lying right there. No matter what, she is your wife. We shouldn't be doing this beside her bed..."

"What is there to fear?" came the man's low, mocking reply. "She cannot see. She cannot hear. And let us not forget-you were the one who pursued me first, her so-called closest friend."

"Mmm... Carl... I know... I was truly in the wrong... slow down... be gentler..."

Upon the hospital bed lay a woman of exquisite beauty, her features serene and unmarred even in profound stillness. Beside her, a man and a woman-garments askew, limbs entwined-indulged in illicit passion with brazen disregard for propriety.

Even as he held Paulina Ward close, Carl Hughes spared only a fleeting, indifferent glance for the woman who had lain unconscious for three long years, his wife, Ashlyn Marsh. She appeared unchanged-radiantly beautiful, eternally silent, untouched by the passage of time.

For reasons rooted in his own greed and ambition, Carl wished fervently that Ashlyn would remain asleep forever-an eternal sleeping beauty, never to awaken.

What neither of them could possibly have foreseen was that, throughout those three agonizing years, Ashlyn's body had been imprisoned in slumber while her mind remained painfully, inescapably alert.

She could not open her eyes, yet every sound within that room reached her with cruel clarity.

Every act, every whispered betrayal committed by this shameless pair over those endless months and years, had assaulted her hearing. She had endured three years of unrelenting psychological torment.

Only in this helpless state did Ashlyn finally comprehend the bitter truth that the man for whom she had left behind everything-even her own family-was nothing more than a consummate liar, a creature of deceit and depravity.

From the very beginning, he had deceived her at every turn.

The sounds of Carl and Paulina intensified in volume, their rhythmic movements and the persistent creaking of the frame fueling a blaze of rage within her. She longed to rise, to confront and kill them both in that very moment.

Perhaps the torrent of her emotions surged beyond endurance, and a finger, long deprived of her command after years of immobility, stirred with the faintest, almost imperceptible tremor.

And Paulina noticed it.

"Carl," Paulina gasped, her voice laced with sudden unease, "I swear I just saw Ashlyn's finger move. She... she isn't waking up, is she?"

"Calm yourself, darling," Carl replied breathlessly, leaning in to silence Paulina with a kiss. "There is no chance of that."

Paulina's curiosity only grew. "Why are you so certain?"

"Because for the past three years," Carl confessed between labored breaths, "I have been adding a special foreign drug to her infusions-one that ensures she remains unconscious for the rest of her life."

That was the source of Carl's unshakable confidence that Ashlyn would never awaken.

"While we're on the subject," he continued carelessly, "I might as well tell you the rest. Three years ago, that car accident was no accident at all. I orchestrated it. I needed Ashlyn incapacitated so that, as her lawful husband, I could seize control of her shares."

A shadow of bitterness flickered across his face.

"If Ashlyn hadn't wielded such formidable influence in the company, I would have ensured she died that day. Instead, I've spent these three years playing the role of the devoted husband-ever at her bedside-so the board and staff would gradually accept my authority. But this charade has dragged on far longer than it should have."

Believing Ashlyn utterly devoid of awareness, Carl gave voice to his darkest, most unfiltered thoughts without hesitation.

After all, he was certain that Ashlyn could not hear him and that she would sleep eternally.

Unbeknownst to Carl, his words only fanned the flames of Ashlyn's inner turmoil, driving her anguish to its breaking point.

So everything had been his doing.

Three years earlier, Ashlyn had joyfully accepted Carl's invitation to celebrate their fourth wedding anniversary-only to suffer a near-fatal crash.

She had always assumed it was a tragic mishap. Never had she suspected his hand in it.

No wonder she had emerged gravely injured while Carl, seated beside her in the same luxury car, escaped without a single scratch.

Most bitterly ironic of all was that, in her final moments of consciousness before the coma claimed her, she had pleaded with her dearest friend, Paulina, to care for Carl should anything happen to her.

And care for him she had-straight into her own bed.

There could be no forgiveness for this.

With every recollection of the immense sacrifices she had made for Carl's sake, a fresh dagger of pain twisted in Ashlyn's heart.

How had she fallen so far? How had she allowed herself to be so utterly deceived?

She had once been the rightful heiress to the Deity Syndicate-a shadowy empire so formidable that few dared even whisper its name.

Cherished deeply by her parents and idolized by her five elder brothers, she had been raised as though she were a princess in her own kingdom.

Exceptionally gifted and fiercely capable, she had been meticulously prepared by her father-the undisputed leader of the Syndicate-to inherit his mantle, defying tradition by passing it to a daughter.

Her brothers, without a trace of resentment, had pledged their unwavering loyalty, vowing to support her reign without question.

Yet for the sake of Carl Hughes, she had renounced her beloved family. She had severed every tie, abandoned her legacy, and followed him across the globe to Giphis. There, with nothing but her own brilliance and determination, she had built a thriving company from scratch and single-handedly elevated the entire Hughes family from destitution to prosperity.

And how had the Hughes family repaid her boundless devotion?

Convinced she was an orphan with no kin to defend her, they had tormented her relentlessly. Carl's mother, in particular, had treated her as little more than a domestic servant, issuing commands with the casual arrogance one might reserve for hired staff.

In the past, Ashlyn had endured it all without complaint.

Only now, trapped in the agony of betrayal, did she see how profoundly mistaken she had been.

At that instant, Carl's phone shattered the charged atmosphere. With a flicker of annoyance, he disentangled himself from Paulina and snatched it up. Upon glimpsing the caller's name, his expression brightened instantly, and he answered without delay.

"Wonderful news, Paulina-the banquet is about to begin!" Three minutes later, Carl ended the call and hurried back to Paulina, his face alight with triumphant glee.

"So the senior executives have finally accepted your proposal?" Paulina asked, her excitement surpassing even Carl's.

"They have. The old guard has yielded at last. Tonight, they will formally announce that I am stepping into Ashlyn's position. All those years of feigning the devoted husband have finally paid off." Carl could scarcely contain his elation.

After all, those very executives had once been fiercely loyal to Ashlyn alone.

"Congratulations, my love," Paulina purred, nestling into his embrace. "And what of me?"

"Have no fear," Carl assured her, sliding an arm possessively around her waist and drawing her close for a lingering kiss. "I never forget my promises. Once my authority is unquestioned, I will marry you."

A cold glint sharpened his gaze. "And when that day comes, Ashlyn will have no further reason to draw breath."

"Carl, I love you beyond words!" Paulina exclaimed, radiant with joy.

At long last, her patience had been rewarded.

Hand in hand, the pair departed the room like a victorious, enamored couple, utterly convinced of their impending triumph.

No one noticed the profound shift unfolding within the quiet hospital chamber.

Ashlyn's motionless form began to tremble violently, as though hatred itself coursed through her veins like molten fire. Her consciousness, long imprisoned, grew razor-sharp, piercing the veil of darkness with relentless clarity.

Feeling gradually returned to limbs that had lain dormant for years.

At last, in the chill solitude of that sterile hospital room, Ashlyn's eyes snapped open-ablaze with a terrifying, unearthly crimson glow.

She had awakened.

Inside the grand banquet hall of the Serenity Hotel, a wave of applause crashed through the room as the host's voice boomed, welcoming Carl's arrival.

To the sound of thunderous clapping, Carl strode in confidently, his secretary Paulina walking gracefully at his side.

The event, held in Giphis's most luxurious hotel and personally hosted by the Hughes Group, had drawn nearly half the city's elite-movers and shakers, along with every major partner the company had.

All of them gathered for one reason. To witness the announcement of the Hughes Group's next CEO.

"Wow, Mr. Hughes is absolutely gorgeous!"

"Not just good-looking-he is the whole package. Successful, devoted, and completely loyal to his wife, who has been bedridden for three years. He never so much as glanced at another woman. And get this-she was an orphan to begin with."

"My goodness, that woman hit the jackpot."

"Of course she did. Three years ago, even Raphael Nelson-the country's top medical expert-said there was no chance she would recover. Yet Mr. Hughes never lost hope. Honestly, without his stubborn refusal to give up, she wouldn't have lasted this long."

The hall buzzed with admiring whispers and sighs.

Carl soaked it all in, his chest swelling with pride almost without him noticing.

At that moment, Oliver Hall, the board's representative, stepped forward and addressed the crowd. "As everyone knows, our former CEO, Ms. Marsh, has been unable to fulfill her duties for three years due to her serious illness. The board has therefore decided to appoint a new leader to take over her responsibilities. And that new CEO is..."

Right as the suspense peaked, a sharp ringtone sliced through the silence, cutting him off.

Carl pulled out his phone. Seeing the hospital's name on the screen, he froze for a split second before answering.

A nurse's excited voice spilled through almost instantly. "Mr. Hughes, it's the hospital. Your wife has just woken up. When can you come see her?"

"What?" Carl's grip trembled so hard he nearly dropped the phone.

Ashlyn had woken up? That wasn't supposed to happen.

But not wanting to cause a scene, Carl quickly ended the call and flashed a tight smile at Oliver. "Just a trivial matter. Please, go on."

In his mind, he figured that as long as he locked down the shares first, it would already be too late-even if Ashlyn had miraculously opened her eyes.

Oliver nodded politely and carried on. "On behalf of the board, I am proud to formally appoint Mr. Carl Hughes as the new CEO of the Hughes Group."

The room erupted in enthusiastic applause once more.

"Mr. Hall, where do we sign the equity transfer agreement?" Carl asked quickly, his pulse racing now that he knew Ashlyn was awake.

Oliver shook his head. "Mr. Hughes, the contract won't be signed tonight."

"Not tonight? Then when?" Carl's face tightened, a flicker of unease creeping in.

"The official signing will happen at the press conference three days from now, where we'll announce it publicly. Tonight was simply the preliminary announcement." Oliver's calm explanation echoed in Carl's ears like a taunt.

Even after the banquet ended and he slid into the driver's seat of his sleek luxury car, Carl was still reeling, as if from a physical blow.

"Damn it."

He pounded the steering wheel with his fist, frustration boiling over.

"Carl, what's going on?" Paulina asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"The shares aren't mine yet-and Ashlyn woke up first," he muttered darkly, turning the key in the ignition. "We're heading to the hospital. We have to keep her quiet for now."

...

In the softly lit hospital room, Carl leaned in close, his voice a careful murmur. "Ashie, you've only just come around. The doctor says you need plenty of rest. Have a little something to eat first-you must be famished. Don't worry about the company at all. I'll take care of everything. You just focus on getting better in here."

Lying back against the pillows, Ashlyn watched Carl and Paulina fuss around her bedside in silence.

If she hadn't stayed conscious the whole time, she never would have believed that mere hours earlier, these same two people had been whispering betrayal right beside this very bed.

"Oh, yes, Ashie," Carl added smoothly, "I checked with the doctor a little while ago. He said you're still extremely fragile and shouldn't be around radiation from screens-it could slow your recovery."

He strolled over, clicked off the television, gave Ashlyn's nose a playful tap, and scooped up her phone with an affectionate smile. "No phone for now, either. It's not good for you. Just be a good girl and hang in there a few more days."

Until he had put his signature on that equity transfer and officially become CEO, Ashlyn could not-under any circumstances-be allowed to reach the outside world.

And the company absolutely could not learn that she was awake.

If they did, every scheme he had spun over the past three years would crumble like a house of cards.

"That's right, Ashie," Paulina chimed in gently. "Your health has to come first. With Mr. Hughes looking after the company, you can relax completely."

She delivered the reassurance with the ease of long practice, even brushing an invisible tear from the corner of her eye-no drop ever appeared, but her voice dripped with worry. "Ashie, those three years you were out... you can't imagine how terrified we were. Mr. Hughes and I both-we lived in fear you would never open your eyes again. We sat right here every single day, calling your name..."

In the past, those words would have melted Ashlyn's heart. But now, they turned her stomach.

"Is that so?" A soft, almost amused laugh escaped her lips. "During those three years of sleep... I think I do remember hearing your voices."

That one quiet sentence landed like a thunderbolt, sending an icy shiver racing down Carl's and Paulina's spines.

Could it be that Ashlyn had never truly slipped into oblivion during her coma-that she had been aware the entire time?

And if that were true, did she know every treacherous word they had whispered at her bedside just hours ago?

The flicker of raw panic on their faces only made the subtle smile playing at Ashlyn's lips grow a fraction wider.

"I can't quite tell if it was a dream or something real," she murmured, her voice soft and uncertain. "After everything faded to darkness, my mind just... went empty."

She let the words hang, deliberately tossing them a lifeline to ease their terror.

She wasn't ready to unmask them-not yet. Finishing this too soon would be letting them off the hook far too lightly.

She had built Carl up to this point herself; tearing it all down again would be child's play.

Only then did Carl and Paulina finally exhale, tension draining from their shoulders. They had been paranoid, reading too much into it.

"It's okay, Ashie," Carl said quickly, relief thick in his voice. "None of that matters now. Don't strain yourself trying to remember. The important thing is you're awake, and you're safe."

"Maybe we shouldn't press Ashie too hard right now," Paulina added with a gentle smile. "She has been through so much already. There'll be plenty of time to catch up later."

Terrified that more talk might jog unwanted memories, the pair scrambled for a flimsy excuse and hurried out of the room.

As they practically fled in a flurry of nerves, a cool, knowing smile curved Ashlyn's lips.

They actually believed confiscating one phone had trapped her in isolation. How laughably naive.

If Paulina had lingered a moment longer, she would have instantly recognized the sleek device now resting in Ashlyn's palm-it was hers.

Ashlyn unlocked it without hesitation and dialed a number she hadn't touched in years.

The last time she had made this call was seven years ago-right before she vanished from the Deity Syndicate.

The line connected almost instantly.

"Hello?"

Hearing that familiar voice, a faint, genuine smile tugged at Ashlyn's lips. She spoke softly, yet with unmistakable weight. "Michael."

"Miss Marsh!"

On the other end, Michael Gibson froze, the phone nearly slipping from his fingers.

That single word was all it took. No one else carried that quiet command, the kind that once made the entire underworld snap to attention.

Only the woman who had single-handedly ruled the global shadows deserved such instinctive reverence.

"Miss Marsh-it's really you! Seven years. Seven long years. Ever since you disappeared, we've searched everywhere. Things fell apart without you. Even petty outfits like Pale Blur have been walking all over us..."

Ashlyn lowered her gaze, her tone calm but edged with steel. "Spread the word. I'm back."

...

That very day, word ripped across the globe like wildfire that the long-lost heiress of the Deity Syndicate-the woman who had vanished without a trace for seven whole years-was finally coming back.

Night settled over Prexfield like a heavy velvet curtain.

The Willis family stood as one of the oldest, most shadowy arms dynasties in the continent, the unchallenged kings of the worldwide weapons trade.

On the global stage, their influence rivaled the Deity Syndicate's blow-for-blow.

Nothing of real importance slipped past their notice-not a single whisper on the international wind.

In the private study of the sprawling Willis estate, a tall, broad-shouldered man in crisp military uniform lounged at the wide worktable, his posture easy yet radiating quiet authority. This was Isaac Willis, the iron-fisted force steering the family's worldwide arms empire.

His features were sharp and arresting-clean-cut lines framing a gaze that burned with controlled intensity.

As always, he was sifting through the day's reports on family operations.

A sharp knock at the door snapped him out of his focus.

"Mr. Willis," came an urgent voice from the hallway. "We have news."

"Speak," Isaac said, his tone clipped and direct.

His subordinate stepped inside and wasted no time. "Mr. Willis, we've got a solid lead. We've found Ashlyn."

Isaac's fingers clenched around the pen until his knuckles blanched.

He wrestled his surging emotions back under control, but the edges of his eyes still betrayed him, turning a telltale red as he asked, "Where is she?"

"She is in Giphis-the biggest city in Arcridge."

Isaac slipped a hand into his pocket and drew out the photograph he always kept close.

He stared at the girl in the picture, her smile radiant and carefree, and something raw and fiercely possessive flared in his eyes-no longer leashed.

"Seven years," he murmured, voice low and rough. "Ashie, I've finally found you. This time, I'm never letting you out of my sight again."