Few minutes later, Lilian was stepping out of the car.
She had made her choice- work with Victor Hale, no matter what his mission was.
Although, the warning from Ellen still burned in her mind, the pull of that document, the promise of information about the Drayke's Empire, had been too strong to resist.
Her heels dragged slightly on the pavement as she tried to walk well in them. It was the first time she would be wearing such.
"Maybe I should have gone for some flats instead..." She noted mentally but
straightened up, adjusting the strap of the bag on her shoulder. The driver pulled away immediately, leaving her standing at the entrance of an exclusive country club.
Ahead of her, she could see the sprawling green golf course, filled with wealthy businessmen in polo shirts swinging clubs like they owned the world.
"What if..." Doubt wanted to creep into her mind about fitting in such setting but she shook her head sharply.
"I can do it. I'm doing the right thing." Lilian whispered to herself, her voice firm with conviction.
She was determined to even work with the devil if it meant she would be working against the Draykes. That was how deep-seated her hatred for them was.
Nothing else mattered. Not Ellen's warnings. Not the nagging feeling in her gut.
She walked toward the golfing area where she was supposed to meet Victor, her mind slipping back into memories she had tried so hard to bury.
One of those ugly memories that reminded her exactly why she was doing this.
FLASHBACK
It was Lilian's second day at work in the Drayke's mansion.
She had been so nervous that morning, wanting desperately to do everything right. To prove she deserved to be there, even though the other servants had already started whispering that she wouldn't last a week being the young mistress's personal maid.
"The young mistress doesn't tolerate mistakes." The head housekeeper had warned her.
Lilian had nodded, determined to be perfect.
That afternoon, she had been tasked with bringing tea to Cassandra. The young heiress was having one of her regular mother-daughter sessions with Madam Evelyn Drayke in their private sitting room.
Lilian had prepared the tea exactly as instructed- hot and freshly brewed. She carried the silver tray carefully, her hands steady despite her nerves.
When she entered the room, both women looked up.
Cassandra sat with perfect posture, dressed in a designer outfit that hugged her figure. Her dark hair was pulled back, exposing the sharp lines of her face.
Lilian found her beautiful but cold and terrifying even though the girls were of the same age.
Evelyn Drayke sat across from her, equally poised, with an air of sophistication that made Lilian feel like dirt beneath her shoes.
Lilian approached the table and set down the tea service, keeping her eyes lowered respectfully.
Evelyn's eyes narrowed immediately, her gaze fixed on the rising steam. She lifted one perfectly manicured finger, pointing at the tea with an expression of distaste.
"Cassandra, I think you should teach your new maid how to properly serve you tea." She said in a smooth but cold voice.
Cassandra's eyes shifted to the cups, then to Lilian. No emotion crossed her face. Just that cold, calculating expression that made anyone tremble.
"Of course, Mother."
Lilian's heart started pounding as she wondered what had she done wrong.
Cassandra adjusted elegantly in her seat, crossing one leg over the other. Then she spoke, her voice casual, like she was commenting on the weather;
"Stretch out your left arm."
"Excuse me?" Lilian blinked in confusion, not understanding what her arm had got to do with serving tea.
"Your left arm... extend it." Cassandra's tone didn't change. Still calm and cold.
Lilian hesitantly stretched out her arm, confusion and fear mixing in her chest, making it pounded harder.
"Now, pour the tea on your arm. By yourself." Cassandra continued.
The words didn't register at first. Lilian stared at her, certain she had misheard.
"Did I stutter?" Cassandra's eyes lifted to meet hers, and Lilian's breath caught. Those eyes were like ice, empty of any warmth, any mercy.
"N-No, but, I don't..." Lilian's voice shook. The tea was scalding hot. She could still see the steam rising from it.
"Then do as I said." Cassandra said simply while her mother just watched on like a proud teacher.
Lilian's hands trembled as she reached for the teapot. Every instinct screamed at her not to do it and just run. But the fear was stronger.
The fear of losing this job- she had nowhere to go.
The fear of what Cassandra might do if she disobeyed.
Still, she hesitated.
"Come closer." Cassandra's expression hardened as she commanded.
Lilian's feet moved before she could think, carrying her closer to where Cassandra sat. She didn't want to move. Her body just obeyed.
Cassandra leaned forward slightly, her eyes started to gleam faintly, locking onto Lilian's with an intensity that made the world disappear.
"Pour the tea on your arm. Now." She said again, her voice dropping lower, more commanding.
Something shifted in Lilian's mind. The fear melted away, replaced by an overwhelming compulsion to obey. Her hands stopped shaking and her doubts vanished.
She had just been compelled!
She picked up the teapot and without hesitation, she poured the content on her arm.
The scalding liquid hit her skin and for a split second, there was nothing. Then a white-hot, searing pain exploded through her arm as the spell broke.
Lilian screamed, dropping the teapot. It shattered on the floor, tea pooling across the expensive carpet.
She clutched her arm, tears streaming down her face as she stared at the angry red burn spreading across her skin. Blisters were already forming.
"What... what have I done to myself?" Lilian sobbed, her voice breaking.
Cassandra heaved a bored sigh the leaned back in her chair, completely unbothered.
"Well done, darling." Evelyn smiled approvingly, lifting her own teacup to her lips.
"Now, clean up this mess and bring me another tea. Cassandra said, her voice still that same detached calm.
Lilian could barely see through her tears. Her arm was throbbing, the pain so intense she thought she might pass out.
But still she nodded. "Y-Yes, Mistress."
It took her three more tries. Three more trips to the kitchen, her arm screaming in agony with every movement, before she finally brought a cup of tea that Cassandra deemed acceptable.
"There... That's how you teach maids like her." Evelyn had laughed.
END OF FLASHBACK
Lilian's hand instinctively went to her left arm, fingers searching for the scar that had been there for so long but it was gone.
She heaved a small sigh of relief when she realized this was Rose Bennett's skin now. Unblemished. Untouched.
However, the memory of that burn still felt fresh and real.
Her rage gave way to a cold smirk as she stared at the golf course ahead.
"I will make you burn, Cassandra Drayke." She whispered.
~~~~~~~~~~
Meanwhile, at another part of the city, an expensive black sedan was driving smoothly along the main road.
In the backseat, Cassandra Drayke sat with her legs crossed, her sharp gaze fixed on the tablet in her hands as she read through the news.
Her public relations and crisis specialist, Billy, sat beside her, also scrolling through the news on his own phone. Across from them in the third row sat Lawrence, typing rapidly on his laptop.
"The media is already picking up the story, We need to get ahead of this before..." Billy was saying, stress showing in his voice.
"I know. That's why we're going there now." Cassandra cut him off, her tone clipped.
One of the public properties her company was in charge of managing had been burned down early this morning. This was what her personal assistant had called to inform her of, when she was at Rose's place earlier.
It was suspected arson. The footage was already circulating online, and the press was having a field day.
Cassandra was seeing red.
Her jaw clenched as she imagined getting her hands on whoever was responsible. She was already imagining how she would tear them apart, slowly and painfully, making them regret ever thinking they could attack what was hers.
"Do we have any leads on who did it?" She asked, not looking up from her tablet.
"The police are investigating, but no suspects yet." Lawrence replied.
"I don't care what it takes. I want names by the end of today." Cassandra said with a low growl.
Billy opened his mouth to say something when suddenly---
Crash!
A massive vehicle came out of nowhere, slamming into the side of their car with brutal force.
The world spun violently. Glass shattering, metal screaming.
The car flipped twice and everything was noise, chaos and pain.
Then the car finally came to a stop, landing on its side with a sickening crunch.
Smoke filled the air.
Then flames...
And just like that the car erupted in fire.