The late afternoon light streaming that reflected through the wall of glass that made up an entire side of his cast office cast a warm light over the room.

If she looked at it, it seemed as if she caught a flicker of hell’s fires, it was not exactly a comforting thought.

Lei Zhao stood in front of the glass, a king quietly surveying his kingdom, not knowing he would soon be brought to his feet.

Somewhere along the line, her objectives had shifted from destroying Yan Mei to disgracing her, letting the world truly see the weakness in her, and finally destroying her.

She wanted everyone to see her for her true self, a weak sniveling coward who froze in the face of danger and had to be saved. That wasn’t going to do at all, they insisted on showing concern and being kind to her and it rankled her. Somewhere along the line, it had gotten important to prove that she was better than Yan Mei.

”Holding out till the battle is over takes a lot of strength but she’s done more than that. She’s gone through hell with grace and she’s ready to face it all again” Lei Zhao touted with a blissful smile, he didn’t see the surge of anger that contorted the face of his long-lost friend and new personal assistant.

The spells she had planted hadn’t worked, no matter how many times she has renewed it with her blood, it still withered in twenty-four hours. That much was obvious, if they did she wouldn’t be here hearing him wax rhapsodic about his wife, instead he would be all over her as he should be. Tethered and lost to allure, promising to set himself and his world on fire for her.

Every incident incensed, the trust they showed her annoyed her. The fact that they believed her made the embers of her hatred fan higher, every incident in which she emotionally ensnared them by hashing out false scenarios of the rescue made her disdain for them even worse.

She was toying with them, and she had neither love nor respect for her puppets, the way they fell in line do easily made him lose respect for them. Especially,Yan Mei, she had thought it would be more difficult she had believed she would be more. At least aware enough to recognize the truth, during enough to fight; no such luck.

Yue Yan quickly smoothed her face as Lei Zhao turned around, she steeled herself as he came closer. It was the natural reaction of a predator even if they were only unsuspecting prey, even now she wondered what he would do if she tore away her glamour and set after him. She masked the thought with a smile, slowing him to pat her on her left shoulder.

”I know it may not seem like much but she’s been trying hell, and she deserves heaven and I’ve sworn to give her that or die trying.” His smile was wistful now, his mind lost in thoughts for one brief moment before he snapped back to the present.

The smile that curved her lips were full of malicious irony that was easy to misinterpret. Lei Zhao smiled in return and checked his watch obviously eager to go home, but he returned to his seat behind the desk and sat down as if he didn’t have a single care in the whole world.

Yue Yan watched him with detached eyes, malevolent apathy swirling in her eyes. He might not realize it but he had believed his perfect wife had gone through hell already. Nothing could be farther from the truth, a stillborn child and the hatred of a man who loved her was not hell.

It was merely the results of the meddling of a demon who had inflicted her with constant misfortunes. No one knew hell like her, especially when she had been born in it, raised in it, fought in it, and would someday rule in it. Nobody knew hell as she did but if Yan Mei was lucky before she died, she would get a taste.

”I know you’re still shaken by what happened. I’m sure returning to the hospital so soon after your recent pain experience in it is enough ground to be shaky.” Lei Zhao sympathized unknowingly raiding her hackles with his good intentions.

”Yes, that” her voice had barely a trace of sarcasm, easily missed, “I think that’s just it.”

”I just want you to know you’re strong yourself. You’re capable of pulling through, give yourself time to adjust, and maybe take the day off?” He prompted his eyes shadowed with concern.

Yue Yan gritted her teeth, it was all she could do to stop herself from reacting irrationally “I’ll think about it”

”Give Yan Mei a chance, please” he added as an afterthought, his eyes riveted in hers

”You’re right, I’m just shaken” she replied gently.

”See? The wasn’t so hard,” Lei Zhao smiled triumphantly at her from across the table, her cheeks ached with the blinding smile she directed back at him.

In her mind, rage and anticipation warred but she quelled her mounting hunger with a curt promise. ‘Soon’

Lei Zhao looked at his wristwatch again and smiled, “I think it’s time we went home.”

Yue Yan nodded and walked to her own desk to the side of the office and began tidying up. The mindlessness of the task gave her a chance to master her expression.

Her plans were unraveling but only because she couldn’t hold back on the rage pounding in her. They clustered like sheep and offered friendly smiles hoping that would change anything, what they didn’t know was that she was a being made entirely of hatred, anger, pain, and an unquenchable hunger.

The only thing that would satisfy her was fulfilling her plans, the only thing that could date her now was blood. This game was quickly losing its allure, there was no pleasure to be found in manipulating fools. It was time to strike, to completely show her hand and revel in the destruction she was about to bring.