Chapter 1
A prison warden handed Rowena Shore a small bag at the entrance to Graystone Prison. He opened the door and escorted her out. “Remember to toe the line in the future. Be a good person.”
Rowena clutched the bag and looked down at her hands, which were much coarser than before. Her face was devoid of emotion, and her gaze was empty. She didn’t even know what she’d done wrong.
As she puzzled this out, a black Maybach entered her line of sight and stopped before her. Jordan Pallet got out of the car, reaching out a hand toward her. He wanted to help her get into the car.
However, she dodged him and got in without a word.
He retracted his hand and shut the door. Then, he sighed. “I’m the only one who’s here to take you home. Your release from prison coincided with Jasmine’s cello recital—your parents and brother have gone to watch it.”
Rowena slowly turned to look at him. “Why aren’t you there, then?”
Jordan hadn’t expected that. “What?”
She repeated, “Why aren’t you there? Don’t you, Mom, Dad, and Roland all adore Jasmine?”
His expression darkened, and he frowned. “What nonsense are you spouting? You’re the one we adore. We wouldn’t have resorted to sending you to prison to teach you a lesson if not for you doing all those horrible things to Jasmine.”
Rowena turned to look at the scenery out the window as they zoomed past. She almost wanted to laugh until she cried at his words.
She was the one they adored? Perhaps that would’ve been true in the past.
Since childhood, her parents, brother, and even Jordan, her fiancé, had always doted on her. They treated her like a precious treasure—she’d felt like the happiest princess in the world.
But everything had changed after she got into an accident and ended up comatose. Initially, everyone had visited her at the hospital daily. She couldn’t wake up, but she still had her consciousness. She’d frequently heard them telling her how much they missed her.
However, one day, they’d started mentioning Jasmine Green’s name. Only later did Rowena learn that her family had found another woman who resembled her to act as a stand-in for her because they missed her too much. Jasmine was that stand-in.
Gradually, they’d started mentioning Jasmine more and more. It had made Rowena panic, and she’d desperately tried to wake up.
Everyone had been excited and overjoyed when she’d finally woken up. She’d thought they would no longer need Jasmine since she was back. However, her family had no intention of sending Jasmine away.
Her parents wiped their tears and said, “Jasmine has had a tough life, and it hasn’t been easy for her to care for us while you were comatose. Let’s allow her to stay with us so she doesn’t have to suffer anymore.”
Their tears had softened Rowena’s heart, and she’d agreed. But later, she’d discovered that her parents, brother, and Jordan loved and cared for Jasmine more than they did for her.
To make matters worse, Jasmine was the scheming and manipulative type. She framed Rowena time and time again. It had started out with her falsely accusing Rowena of slapping her and pushing her down the stairs—and her family had bought it.
Later, she’d gotten into an accident and accused Rowena of being behind it. Everyone had been infuriated by this and berated Rowena for being out of line.
So, they’d worked together to have her thrown behind bars. They’d wanted to show her some tough love and teach her a lesson so she would turn over a new leaf.
Rowena had spent three torturous years in prison, yet now, Jordan was telling her he adored her.
His heart tightened at the sight of her reddened eyes. He wanted to say something, but he was interrupted by the ringing of his phone.
After he answered it, Jasmine’s sweet voice filled the car. “It’s my first cello recital today, Jordan. Why aren’t you here? You’re the only one missing.”
His gaze softened, and he said gently, “Be good, okay? I’m picking Ro up from prison today.”
“Bring her along, then!” she chirped. When he didn’t say anything, she said coquettishly, “I know you guys are worried about Ro hurting me again, but I believe she won’t do it anymore. Come together! It’s my first recital, and I don’t want you to be absent.”
Jordan chuckled. “Alright, alright. We’ll be right there.”
He hung up and told the driver to turn the car around. When they arrived at the recital hall, he said to Rowena, “Jasmine is kind and naive, Ro. She’s not in the best of health, either. Don’t hurt her anymore.”
He held Rowena’s hand and pulled her forward, not noticing that she didn’t seem to have heard a thing he’d said.
Jasmine was kind? Perhaps she was, but only to them.
The recital hall was large enough to accommodate over a thousand people. Blinding lights shone down on the center of the stage, attracting everyone’s attention.
It was a spot Rowena had once dreamed of being in. She used to play the cello, too. She’d been exceptionally talented, and her dream had been to become a renowned cellist.
Now, however, it was an impossible feat. Her time in prison had left its mark on her; she couldn’t remove it.
Jasmine was getting ready backstage. Rowena’s mother, Melinda Hertz, rearranged the hem of Jasmine’s gown while Rowena’s brother, Roland Shore, stood behind her and helped her wear a necklace. Rowena’s father, Philip Shore, watched them with a warm smile curving his lips.
They were a happy family of four, but they were supposed to be Rowena’s family.
“I heard Mr. Francis Quill, the nationally renowned cellist, will be here today. He’s been searching for someone to take on as his final apprentice all these years, and I dream of being selected.
“But I’m also worried that he’ll actually pick me. What will I do if I have to tour the world with him? You guys won’t be able to see me anymore,” Jasmine said.
Jordan hurried forward when he heard that and gently tucked her hair behind her ear. “You’re so silly. You have to go if you’re selected—it’s such a rare opportunity. Mr. Quill is very influential in the field of music, and you’ll be one of the world’s best cellists after becoming his apprentice. We can always visit you every week.”
She smiled and was about to say something when she saw Rowena out of the corner of her eye. She hurried forward and clung to the latter’s arm affectionately. “You’re finally back, Ro!”
Rowena extricated herself, feeling uncomfortable. She made a sound of acknowledgment.
Philip, Melinda, and Roland frowned at that. Then, Philip said, “Change your attitude now that you’re back. Stop picking on Jasmine.”
Before Rowena could say anything, a staff member came to usher Jasmine on stage. “It’s time for you to take the stage, Ms. Green.”
Everyone took their seats after Jasmine went onstage. Their eyes glimmered with admiration as they watched her shine.
Rowena bent over to put her chair away after the recital was over and it was time to leave. Her loose collar fell open, revealing the bruises all over her body. Every inch of her once flawless skin was covered in wounds—there wasn’t an unmarked spot.
Jordan’s eyes widened at that, and he grabbed her hand. His voice shook as he asked, “How did you get all those injuries, Ro?”
The Shores saw them as well. Their expressions shifted drastically.
How had it happened?
Rowena had been subjected to physical abuse from her first day in prison. She’d gone hungry and without sleep all because of Jasmine’s order to “take good care of her”.
Her expression turned mocking. Jordan was about to lift her shirt to check on her when Jasmine cried out in pain. “Ouch, it hurts!”
She clutched her ankle, her face crumpled from the pain.
Philip, Melinda, Roland, and Jordan instantly forgot about Rowena and ran to Jasmine. Jordan lifted her into his arms, and the Shores surrounded them as they hurried off.
Rowena smiled self-deprecatingly at the sight. She was about to leave when someone stood in her way. She stopped, feeling astonished. “M-Mr. Quill?”
Francis smiled fondly. “I didn’t expect you to still remember me, young lady. If that’s the case, you should remember that I wanted to take you on as my apprentice three years ago. You turned me down because you didn’t want to leave your family, but I’ll ask you again now. Are you willing to leave with me?”
“Aren’t you here to see Jasmine, Mr. Quill? Besides, I’m now…” She trailed off, looking ashamed. She didn’t know what to do.
“I know you were released from prison today. That’s why I came to see you. I admire your talent—your background and past don’t matter to me. I can’t let your talent go to waste.
“I’ll make sure you stand on an international stage and turn into the brightest star in the sky. I can even help you change your identity if you don’t like your current one,” Francis said.
Rowena’s eyes lit up at his words. After a brief silence, she said resolutely, “Alright. I’ll leave with you!”
