Diana stared at her phone screen, exhaustion evident in her delicate features. Her lips were deathly pale, and her slightly curled fingers clenched so tightly that her pink fingertips turned icy white. Her hands trembled from the sheer force of her grip.
She struggled to suppress the turbulent emotions surging within her. Her gaze swept over the messy items on the table, and one by one, she gathered them up and carefully stowed them under the bed.
Half an hour later, Jackson rushed in, disregarding all formalities as he rudely shook her awake.
Choking back his sobs, he said,
"Madam, the news of Sir's accident has been confirmed... My deepest condolences."
Boom-
A bolt of purple-red lightning streaked across the night sky, piercing through the curtains and casting a blinding white glow on Diana's face. Her fair skin looked even paler and more ghostly under the light.
Her complexion was ghastly, dark circles under her eyes betraying her exhaustion. She still wore a thin white nightgown, her long, wavy hair cascading in soft disarray around her shoulders, adding a fragile beauty to her appearance.
Her youthful and delicate face was as exquisite as a limited-edition porcelain doll, her innocent demeanor stirring a strong protective instinct in others.
Her thick, raven-like lashes trembled, her fragile, pitiful form radiating helplessness. Her voice quivered as she spoke,
"Did they recover the body?"
Jackson, the chief secretary, felt his throat tighten.
He shook his head, trying to compose himself and responded in a professional tone,
"I've already contacted the rescue team to assist in recovering the victims' remains. However, it's hard to say when we will be able to find Sir's body."
He paused before reaching into his suit pocket and taking out an item wrapped in white cloth.
"Madam, this was left to you by Sir."
Diana turned her head slightly. Jackson had already pulled back the white cloth, revealing a white jade seal adorned with golden edges.
It was Alex's personal seal.
"According to the will, all of his assets, including The Smith Family Consortium, Shadow Pavilion, and all associated forces, will be inherited by you."
Diana bit her lip, her eyes flashing with a sharp glint as she reached out to take the seal.
After listening to Jackson's words, she lifted her head, her expression momentarily blank. A few seconds later, she finally heard her own voice, sounding utterly disbelieving,
"What... forces did you just mention?"
"Sir had already prepared a will when you married," Jackson stated solemnly, pulling out a document he had prepared in advance. "Sir's intention was for you to inherit all of his organizations and industries. This document contains the full details."
Diana accepted the file from his hands. The first page was Alex's handwritten will.
His elegant, charismatic script was unmistakable-she recognized it instantly.
The stack of papers that followed detailed Alex's entire empire.
As Diana flipped through them one by one, her usually graceful and composed demeanor faltered. For the first time in her two years of marriage, her mind went blank, and she almost ripped the pages apart in shock. A complex mix of emotions flashed across her stunning face, her expression slowly fracturing.
She never expected Alex to leave all of his power to her.
But even more shocking-she never realized how deep this man's secrets ran!
Shadow Pavilion, Nether Sky... even Asura Island belonged to him?!
Diana trembled, unsure whether it was out of fury or pure astonishment.
Two years of marriage, and she had never noticed a thing!
To Jackson, however, her trembling body and widened eyes seemed like a natural reaction of helplessness-a grieving widow, suddenly burdened with an immense responsibility, feeling utterly lost.
But now was not the time to panic. Handling Sir's passing was the most urgent priority.
He straightened his posture, his expression serious as he said,
"Madam, you must stay strong! My team and I will assist you in handling Sir's affairs, ensuring you successfully inherit everything."
Diana's long lashes fluttered, her almond-shaped eyes glistening with unshed tears. She whispered weakly,
"How... can I possibly shoulder all of this?"
She looked like a fragile white flower, trembling in the wind, as if she might collapse at any moment.
Jackson's heart softened.
"Madam, rest assured. We will handle everything. You only need to be a figurehead."
Diana's lowered gaze darkened slightly.
As expected, Alex wouldn't hand over everything so easily.
While she mocked him internally, she showed no emotion on her face. Instead, she maintained her heartbroken expression.
She lifted her gaze, tears spilling down like shattered pearls, her tear-drenched eyes radiating determination.
"Secretary Jackson, you must protect Alex's legacy!"
Jackson nodded solemnly. From this angle, he could see the tear droplets clinging to her dark lashes, shimmering in the dim light.
This accident had caught them completely off guard.
Had Alex not been so far-sighted, preparing everything in advance, Jackson wouldn't even know where to begin.
"Madam, it's late. You should get some rest."
Diana barely held back a yawn, but she forced herself to stay awake.
"Something this major just happened to Alex. How can I possibly sleep..." she covered her mouth, sobbing softly.
Two years of marriage had trained her to be stoic and unreadable, yet now, she openly wept in sorrow.
Seeing this, Jackson's eyes turned red, his nose stinging. Once again, he felt how deeply devoted Madam was to Sir.
He quietly stepped out, leaving her to grieve alone.
Diana locked the bedroom door and slowly walked inside.
The grief-stricken despair on her face faded like ripples on water.
She carefully put away the seal, then casually tossed the documents onto the bed before clicking her tongue,
"I never expected you to hide so much."
For the first time, Diana felt lucky about this marriage.
Three years ago, she was reunited with her biological parents, only to return home and discover an imposter had taken her place.
The moment she stepped in, Mrs. White warned her,
"Alice has been with us for eighteen years. Our bond won't change just because you're back."
Despite being the real heiress, she was treated like an outsider.
The elite circles mocked her, calling her an uneducated, talentless country girl-a useless vase.
Even Mrs. White eventually gave up on her, spewing cruel words, making her an outcast in her own home.
Heartbroken, Diana accepted Alex's proposal without hesitation.
From the outside, they seemed like a loving couple, but in reality, it was all an act.
On their wedding day, Alex set three rules.
Two years later, they still slept in separate rooms.
Now that Alex was dead, their contract marriage was over. She should have been happy to finally be free from the act-but instead, she had to inherit his empire.
Thinking of this, she felt even more thrilled.
Her gaze drifted to the plush doll beside her. She picked it up and tapped its head playfully, her voice tinged with amusement,
"Leaving everything to a so-called useless vase... Are you reckless, or just overly confident?"
Little did she know, her casual slap sent Alex-trapped in the doll's body-into utter shock once again.