When the CEO married his first love, I was locked in the basement, and my heart stopped beating.
No doctor could help. But no one knew that I was the sole inheritor of the apparent-death technique in the world.
At my funeral, the CEO wept bitterly, while I was already abroad, enjoying a carefree vacation in a tropical paradise, admiring the abs of handsome young men.
Life was supposed to continue happily like this.
Until one day, the CEO unexpectedly checked the surveillance footage from my burial.
That day, he was furious, determined to uncover the truth and find me at any cost.
Chapter 1
When the news of Oliver Stewart and Ramona Hopkins's wedding reached me, I was being held in the villa's basement, sipping a cup of stale instant coffee.
My assistant, Norene Gordon, felt sorry for me and told the security guard delivering my meal, "Miss Hardy is only temporarily restricted in her freedom. Her dietary treatment should maintain the original standards!"
The guard sneered, "She's Mr. Stewart's secret lover, but now Mr. Stewart is getting married. I'm just following the future Mrs. Stewart's orders."
Norene's face turned red with anger. She understood that Ramona was deliberately making things difficult for me.
But no one in the Stewart Group dared to say anything.
Everyone knew Ramona, the heiress from a wealthy family, was Oliver's unforgettable first love for over a decade.
People said she was graceful and charming, the quintessential high-society belle, pure and flawless.
Even this guard sided with her, "Miss Hardy, you tried to harm the future Mrs. Stewart, and she still spared your life. That's already very merciful."
Norene hurriedly defended, "Miss Hardy is innocent..."
I stopped Norene, signaling that there was no need to explain further.
Since Oliver didn't believe me, what was the point of explaining to this guard?
The guard left with a disdainful smirk.
I heard other employees outside chatting about how Oliver pampered Ramona and how extravagant their wedding would be.
"Keep your voice down, don't let the one inside hear."
"It doesn't matter if she hears. She thinks she can harm the future Mrs. Stewart just because she's been with the CEO for a few years. The CEO won't let her leave here alive."
Amidst the noisy chatter, I sat cross-legged on the sofa, closed my eyes, and began centering myself with deep breathing.
Norene brought me a cup of warm water and, seeing me like this, looked a bit worried.
She leaned in and whispered, "Miss Hardy, are you meditating?"
I nodded slowly with my eyes closed.
Norene grew even more anxious, biting her lip, "Miss Hardy, you're not planning to escape, are you? I know you have special skills, but this villa is guarded tightly inside and out. No one could get out."
I opened my eyes, and I felt my breath grounding me.
Norene didn't know that I was the sole inheritor of the apparent-death technique in the world.