Prologue

The day Grace was released from prison, two men were waiting for her.

One of them sent her to prison, and the other one convicted her.

The snow was very heavy that day. They looked like two snowmen waiting outside the prison.

Grace vowed in her heart, she’d make everyone pay their price.

***

“Grace, get yourself a job and be a good person out there.”

The prison guard opened the gate and told her so.

Grace nodded. Through the iron bar on the prison window, she saw two black cars parked out of the gate. Waiting for her.

They were Jacob’s Benz G-Wagon and Sean’s Porsche Panamera.

Heavy snow has caused total chaos on the roads. Jacob and Sean were standing quietly in front of their cars.

Sean held a black umbrella and stared at the gate. Jacob kept looking at his watch.

One of them was Grace’s ex-boyfriend, and the other one was her childhood best friend.

How affectionate and caring they looked! If they hadn’t sent Grace to prison and told the other inmates to “take good care” of her, maybe she would be moved to tears.

Five years ago, Grace went to confront Lily Atkinson, and her sister Jennifer Atkinson was also there. In an unfortunate turn of events, Jennifer Atkinson died. Although it was a terrible accident, the court still decided to sentence Grace to three years in prison.

Lily dragged her sister’s lifeless body out of the car and called the police. Sean arrived soon after.

“Sean, your girlfriend killed my sister!” Lily sat on the ground and cried out.

Sean’s first reaction was to push Grace down onto the ground in case she ran away.

But Grace was already too weak to resist because she’d also been hurt. What’s more… she was pregnant with Sean’s baby.

“How could you be so evil?!” When Jacob rushed over, his eyes were blood shot as he questioned Grace.

Before Grace could explain to the two most important men in her life, she was handcuffed by the police.

In court, Lily’s lawyer was Jacob, Grace’s childhood best friend, another blow to her heart.

Jacob blamed everything on Grace. She was convicted of reckless driving and involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to three years of imprisonment.

“Grace, you deserve this. People have to pay for their mistakes,” he said.

When Grace first got into prison, she was beaten constantly. She was beaten in places without security cameras and had her nails pulled out. She was yanked by the hair and pressed into toilets. Her back was always being kicked, and it was bruised all the time.

They even broke the bones in her finger, one by one.

At first, Grace didn’t know why. She was always stubborn and didn’t cry when they hit her.

But after a while, Grace found out why they picked on her exclusively. Grace sucked up to one of the female bosses in prison. She would wash her feet, give her massages, and even do her laundry. Finally, she gained the trust of the female boss, and she told Grace why.

“Girl, you poor little thing. Someone paid us to beat you.”

Grace knew who it was then in that instant. Sean.

This was the man who ordered two hundred drones to spell out “I LOVE YOU” in the night sky when he was pursuing her.

He said, “Grace, I will protect you from now on.”

***

Upon seeing their cars outside the prison gates, Grace begged the prison guard to let her leave from the back door, to avoid seeing either of their faces.

Besides, what if they were still angry with her and wanted to take their revenge?

I am nothing compared to them. I can’t afford to provoke them, but at least I can hide. Grace thought to herself.

In a trance, Grace remembered her confrontation with Lily. Lily stood in front of Grace while holding her dog and shouted, “My dog is worth 70,000 dollars. How much is your grandfather’s life worth?”

When Grace was three, her mother died and her father remarried. He abandoned her so her grandfather raised her all by himself.

Her grandfather worked night and day collecting junk and empty bottles for recycling.

When Grace was in junior high, she moved to the city from the countryside and lived in a small rental apartment. Her grandfather told her that they could make more money in the city because there was more junk to collect.

But Grace knew the true reason why her grandfather wanted her to go to school in the city.

The children in the city had shiny hairpins, and Grace wanted them too.

Grace’s grandfather once stood outside a small accessories store for hours, then he finally went inside to buy the expensive shiny hairpin for Grace.

school offered financial aid to students from poverty-stricken families, Grace’s teacher Mrs. Green helped her apply for it. That’s when Grace met Jacob, Mrs. Green’s son, whom she

the best scores at school. He occasionally helped Grace with her

was very grateful to Mrs. Green, but he didn’t have any money, so

lived in a small cottage. Her grandfather swept the garden while Jacob and Grace did their homework

granddaughter is so beautiful and adorable. How about she and Jacob make

no, Jacob is too good. We don’t deserve him,” he rubbed his

that he didn’t

grandfather went back to the countryside. He

friends for money to cover

grandfather did his best to give her everything. Grace vowed in her heart that she would grow up to be a top lawyer so that her grandfather would

could have asked for,

***

the rich and powerful Stevens family. Suddenly, her father wanted to be in her life again, all

young man. Bless

said the

big girl should have beautiful dresses.

to collect junk to

many times. He was getting too old,

was a winter three

was tackled by an unleashed dog in the

unconscious on the spot and

dog. She said it was worth

the ICU. Due to a fracture of the cervical spine and spinal damage,

needed to pay a lot of money to the hospital, so she went to Lily for compensation. It was her

get money from him, so

dog’s leg is broken because of your idiot grandfather, I should be

just a bunch

hold back. She really couldn’t. So, she slapped Lily across

and Grace started to fight. Jennifer, who was Lily’s sister,

she was pregnant and weak, so she got into her car and wanted to drive away, but Jennifer chased after her in her fancy convertible. That’s

police. She didn’t even try to escape. Her grandfather

names. Grace hoped that at least one of them could save her grandfather’s

were on the side of Jennifer

grandfather had

and he didn’t want to be

the ice-cold ground

her grandfather… or her

locked up in prison, Lily went

Grace, “My dog has always been obedient. Guess why

he only followed his owner’s

Grace because she was

in prison. She blamed herself for the death of her grandfather. Lily would’ve never harmed her grandfather if she

knew then it was just a dream

wouldn’t want any shinny hairpins or

is just to have

***

Grace opened her eyes suddenly. Only then did she realize that she

down at her

and broken bones, her hands would never

fingernails had grown back, but the prison doctors hadn’t gone out

she had residual pain.

fine movements that she

hurt more especially when it was cold or

hands and breathed

It’s okay. You’re okay.

is a new

repeated the mantra as she stood up and

threatened to

more than just her

Her boyfriend.

about was gone

she’d accidentally killed was the daughter of one of the wealthiest and most powerful families

It’s okay. You’re okay.

is a

You don’t need anybody.

finished mopping

bright-colored work suit of a sanitation worker with her long hair tied

a glimpse of herself in a mirror on the wall. Her delicate face was slightly reddish due to

was a student who had

how cruel the

were old, far older,

rolled the cleaning

few

to drift off

eye on the time, she moved quickly and efficiently

after she left prison, this was the only

a colleague

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