After dinner, Camilla Robinson received a call from Jillian, "Since I helped you escape from Victor, that doesn't mean we are friends now. I haven't forgotten that you killed my mother. So, after the deal is done, I'll be back to haunting you."
Camilla exhaled sharply, gripping the edge of her desk. She had expected Jillian to hold a grudge, but hearing it so directly sent a chill through her.
"I never asked for your friendship," Camilla replied coolly. "And I don't need your forgiveness either."
Jillian's voice on the other end was like steel. "Good. Because you'll never have it."
There was a brief silence between them, the weight of past betrayals pressing heavily.
Camilla leaned back in her chair. "You're walking a dangerous road, Jillian. Be careful, or you might not like where it leads."
A dark chuckle came from Jillian. "That's the thing about revenge, Camilla. It doesn't matter where it leads, as long as it ends with you paying for what you did."
With that, Jillian hung up, leaving Camilla staring at the phone, her heart pounding.
For the first time in a long time, Camilla wasn't sure if she was still in control.
Jillian spent most of her days buried in textbooks, her desk covered with notes and practice exams. The weight of the upcoming Tingshua entrance exam loomed over her, but she thrived under pressure. Every morning, she woke up early to revise, her eyes scanning through formulas and theories, and every night, she burned the midnight oil, determined to secure her place at one of the most prestigious universities. Her routine was strict—study, eat, and sleep, with little room for anything else.
But even as she drowned herself in academics, she couldn't ignore the lingering tension in the background. Dante and Leo had taken it upon themselves to monitor Camilla's movements, blending into the shadows as they followed her every step. They watched how she carefully maneuvered around the Smith estate, how she whispered into her phone at odd hours, and how she seemed to slip away unnoticed more often than not.
Dante, ever the skeptic, believed she was plotting something bigger, while Leo, though cautious, kept their focus on the present. "She's too careful," Dante muttered one evening as they regrouped. "If she was clean, she wouldn't be so secretive."
Jillian, meanwhile, tried not to let their reports distract her. She needed to pass this exam, needed to earn her future before she could confront the past. Still, the weight of it all—her mother's death, her broken ties with Harlond, and the uncertain road ahead—sat heavy on her shoulders.
One evening, after hours of studying, she stepped out onto the balcony of her apartment, taking in the cool night air. The sky was clear, stars twinkling above, and for a brief moment, she allowed herself to breathe. She thought of her mother, of the life she had lost, and of the battles still left to fight. But not now. Not yet. First, she had to cross this hurdle.
The entrance exam was in one month. After that—she would return to uncovering the truth.
The Countdown Begins
Days passed in a blur of books, practice tests, and late-night study sessions. Jillian had locked herself in a strict routine—waking up before dawn to revise, attending mock exams, and reviewing every possible topic that could appear on the entrance test. Sleep had become a luxury, and meals were often an afterthought.
Dante and Leo noticed the change. "You're overworking yourself," Leo pointed out one evening, watching as she scribbled notes in the dim glow of her desk lamp. "You need a break."
"I don't have time for breaks," Jillian muttered, flipping through another page. "Tingshua isn't just any university. I need to be prepared."
Dante leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "And what good is passing if you burn yourself out before the exam?"
She sighed, rubbing her temples. They weren't wrong. Her body was exhausted, her mind constantly racing. But this exam wasn't just about academics—it was about proving herself. About securing a future where she wasn't bound by the past.
Meanwhile, outside of her academic world, Dante and Leo had been keeping tabs on Camilla. She moved carefully, speaking in hushed tones whenever she answered her phone. They had yet to uncover anything substantial, but they knew she was hiding something.
One evening, Leo returned with an update. "Camilla met someone today," he reported. "Not in public. She left the Smith estate in disguise and went to a private location. We couldn't get close, but she's up to something."
Jillian listened, but she didn't react. Not now. Not yet.
"Let her move however she wants," she said at last. "I'll deal with her after the exam."
Dante and Leo exchanged a look. It was unlike Jillian to put something like this on hold. But they understood. Right now, she had a battle of her own to fight.
The countdown had begun. One more week until the entrance exam. And after that? Jillian would return to the war she left unfinished.
The last week before the exam felt like a test of endurance. Jillian spent every waking moment buried in textbooks, solving equations, and memorizing complex theories. Even as exhaustion pressed against her, she refused to slow down.
Dante and Leo, though not involved in her studies, made sure she ate properly and got at least some rest. They knew better than to argue with her when she was this determined.
One evening, as Jillian reviewed past exam papers, Leo placed a cup of coffee beside her. "You've got this," he said simply.
She glanced up, offering a small smile. "I have to."
Meanwhile, Harlond Smith had been paying close attention. Jillian's sudden quietness unsettled him. For someone as stubborn and relentless as his daughter, giving up so easily didn't make sense. Had she truly let go of her rebellious streak, or was she merely biding her time for something bigger?
He had his people watching, listening. If Jillian was planning something, he needed to know.
One afternoon, as he sat in his office, one of his informants stepped in. "Sir, there's been no unusual activity from Jillian. She's fully focused on her studies."
Harlond frowned. That was what concerned him the most.
"Keep watching," he ordered. "She's not one to surrender this easily."
The night before the exam, Jillian sat in silence, staring at the stack of papers in front of her. The weight of everything—her past, her future, the unfinished war—pressed against her shoulders.
But she wouldn't let it break her.
Tomorrow was the first step toward securing her future. And after that? It was time to finish what she started.