2. I'm alive

Year 2018

A woman let out a series of deep coughs, covering her lips with the back of her hand. She was sitting in the back seat of the black sedan.

"Boss." She glanced to her side, only to see a middle-aged man with a stern expression handing her a handkerchief. She said nothing, snatching the handkerchief to wipe the blood on her lips.

"Boss, why don't you stay here?" suggested the man in a black suit. Despite his stern countenance, his worry about her condition peeked in his silver eyes.

"I waited for years," she said, glancing at the blood in the handkerchief. "There's no way in hell I will stay here."

The man frowned slightly but didn't argue. He only gazed at her side profile, catching how her phoenix eyes burned with determination. Even if the world ended now, no one would be able to stop her.

Her name was Hera.

Though not many knew her name, anyone in the underground and crime world would flee if they heard the name she was known of: Hell. The woman at the helm of the most infamous and mysterious assassin organization.

Many stories came along with the nickname she earned for the past ten years, but not many knew the story of this woman. All they knew was that she was an heiress of the previous don of the organization; that she got into her position because of her origins. Only a few truly acknowledge this woman's excellence in all aspects of life.

Sadly, this woman was counting her last days.

"Boss," called the man quietly, but Hera simply cast him a quick side-eye. "Was it worth it? Ever since becoming the head of the organization, you've dedicated your life to finding the late madam's murderer. Although this goal of yours was within your reach, don't you have regrets?"

Regrets?

Hera smirked, facing the man squarely. This man had become her father; he was her mother's most loyal retainer. Thus, she understood he cared for her like she was his own.

"Regrets?" Hera leaned back, her leg was resting over the other. She glanced at the window on her side, watching some men in black approach the mansion in the middle of nowhere. "The only regret I have is I spent ten years hunting down that motherfucker."

"I could've done it in a year, but considering he was one of the valued members of the organization, it was understandable it took me a while. I could've married, had a kid, and played a role of a good housewife before I die."

The corner of her red lips curled up into a subtle smile. "Back then, I thought I was lucky to have supportive parents who never pressured me to inherit this organization our family sustained for many generations. However, now that I've grown, it's not that they were supportive. They simply knew those dreams of mine were nothing but dreams because there is no way out in this world. They just didn't want to hurt my feelings."

"You could still do it!" the man exclaimed, hoping she would listen to him just this once. "Once this was over, you can just retire! No one knew about your condition. We can say you left for a mission and —"

"Thank you, Bear." Hera faced the man with a smile, cutting him off mid-sentence. "I know you want the best for me, but I am the Don in this family now. Maybe if I was lucky enough to get reborn, I'll pursue that dream. But now, I already pledge to spend my last breath being the head of this organization."

Hera took a deliberate pause, snapping her eyes at the window upon noticing a person approaching the vehicle. "There's no way out of this world. Even if I retire, my enemies will not stop. They will try to take my head for revenge or honor — I already pity my poor future husband."

"That is why I'd rather die as Hell and wish I'd get reborn in a normal family," she added, flashing Bear a bright smile she usually wore before the incident ten years ago. "Although it sounds ridiculous, having that thought comforted me in a way. So don't dare pop my bubble."

Knock Knock.

A man outside knocked on the window, but Hera and Bear just stared at each other. The latter sighed deeply, forcing a meek smile.

"Whatever makes you happy," said Bear, nodding in understanding. "I'll pray that the blessings your family had received will fulfill the wish you have."

Hera chuckled whilst shaking her head. She then rolled down the window to listen to the man's report.

"We already contained the traitor, Boss," said the man outside the vehicle, giving more details of the place and what went down.

"I see…" Hera rocked her head in understanding before looking back at Bear. "... I guess it's time to skin him alive."

The man outside bowed, and then cautiously opened the door. Bear didn't need assistance as he also hitched outside. As soon as he did, he gazed over the roof of the vehicle, only to see the other man handing over his rifle to the boss.

"A bomb is planted somewhere in the mansion." The side of Hera's lips stretched from ear to ear, lifting the rifle and resting it over her shoulder. "Twenty minutes… that's enough. That pig will have the most agonizing twenty minutes of his life."

A sinister grin turned up on her face, which many people feared. "Men, let's go!"

*

*

*

[ PRESENT TIME ]

Hera, now in Heaven's body, laid on her back with her eyes fixed on the ceiling as she reminisced the last moments of her life. After that night, Hera's health gradually declined. Although her health issues were kept a top secret and only a selected few in the organization knew about it, her death was no secret.

Hera lived for a few months to settle everything before she passed away.

"Five years since my death…" she murmured, still baffled at the phenomenon that struck her life. "... is it because of our name?"

Hera, now Heaven, mulled over it in silence for minutes. Her lips slowly stretched after a moment as her eyes sparkled.

"Whatever!" Heaven sat upright, full of energy. "Whatever the reason, I don't care!"

Heaven clasped her hand, only to gaze at it upon feeling the coldness in them. Her eyes brimmed with sentiments, remembering the agonizing months before she took her last breath as Hera.

"I'm alive…" she whispered in a shaky voice. "... I'm alive."

"I'm… alive!!" Heaven spread her arms wide open, cocking her head back, welcoming this new life wholeheartedly without any questions or qualms.

Episodes
1 Author's Note + Description + Book Cover
2 1. The tragic dim of the shining star
3 2. I'm alive
4 3. A bad mother and an awful wife
5 4. Mine. Now.
6 5. Something unusual in the young Madam
7 6. Meeting the husband for the first time
8 7. Let's divorce
9 8. List of suspects
10 9. No time to back out
11 10. Play dead
12 11. Nonsense
13 12. Fine
14 13. Dearest friend
15 14. Two toxic friend's reunion
16 15. Disliking me
17 16. Too much
18 17. An emergency
19 18. Grandma Zhu
20 19. Lies
21 20. Hello there, brother-in-law
22 21. Isn't that right, Hubby?
23 22. Surely, death is the only way out
24 23. A marriage built on sand
25 24. Multilingual
26 25. Does he like bread?
27 26. A small world
28 27. If you kneel and beg, I might change my mind.
29 28. Psycho
30 29. Good grief
31 30. Devil would never change his ways
32 31. Isn't it too over the top?
33 32. Finally something we have in common
34 33. First step in fixing the marriage
35 34. Can't be passive-aggressive
36 35. Operation: seduce the husband commence!
37 36. Do you think she's possessed?
38 37. You
39 38. Goodnight... not yet
40 39. You promised to keep an open mind
41 40. Sex was inevitable in marriage
42 41. Can’t help it
43 42. Third morning together
44 43. She said she was sorry
45 44. A touch of Heaven
46 45. Ten minutes
47 46. You look sexy
48 47. If you need help, asking will not hurt.
49 48. No one likes me, and that's okay
50 49. I’m not kind neither I am foolish, Heaven
51 50. Family matters
52 51. Is this normal?
53 52. Are you serious?
54 53. Console her?
55 54. Should we try it tonight?
56 55. You can’t carry me, but you can hold my hand!
57 56.
58 57. Where did everybody go?
59 58. There’s only one person who can disappear without a trace
60 59. Guilt
61 60. Made his mama proud
62 61. It’s a promise
63 62. Activity for the three of us?
64 63. She’s in danger
65 64. Karma is real.
66 65. This is better already
67 66. I am scared of me
68 67. Am I misreading you, Heaven?
69 68. Turn on
70 69. Strip tease
71 70. Just playing around
72 71+72 71. What a beautiful place to be in
73 73. I am not gentle, Heaven.
74 74. Put it on
75 75. I like it rough
76 I don’t like sharing.
77 77. Was it all a dream?
78 78. Home sick
79 79. You are not someone else
80 80. Was it because of me?
81 81. What goes around comes around
82 82. Germs
83 83. Finger licking good
84 84. Am I now having ear problems?
85 85. We?
86 86. Coming home safe was an underrated miracle
87 87. Right excuses
88 88. Being physically fit is a must
89 89+90 89. Wow, Dominic Zhu! So shameless!
90 91. Territorial
91 92. Selfie
92 93. 10M
93 94. Mommy
94 95. White and black
95 96. Hera's last mission
96 97. What a shame
97 98. Ram and Wolf
98 99+100+101 99. Such a strange name
99 102+103 102. I think she likes my husband
100 104+105 104. Touch my son and you're dead
101 106. An old flame
102 107. Deeper than six feet for sure
103 108. Fat chance!
104 109. Who is he?
105 110. OMW
106 111. Helping out
107 112+113 112. Suddenly looked like a squid
108 114. Lost my mind for a second
109 115. Dramatic
110 116. Truth slaps
111 117. Turning fall backs as opportunities
112 118. Too young to be twisted
113 119+120 119. Sharing is caring
114 121. A mother's fear
115 122.Principal's office
116 123. Be grateful your neck is still attached to your shoulders
117 124. Angry
118 125. Crazy
119 126. Something he was proud of
120 127. Head
121 128. Head II
122 129. DIRTY
123 130. DIRTY II
124 131. What could last a lifetime
125 132. Shameless
126 133. Life has a strange humor
127 134. A pot calling the kettle black
128 135. Same train of thoughts
129 136. Narrowing down to three
130 137. A collateral damage
131 138. Nice catch
132 139. Don't make a sound or I'll make you
133 140. Finish the job
134 141. Movie night
135 142. What you don’t know can't hurt you.
136 143. Welcome back, Hell
137 144. Getting to know her
138 145. Got nothing worth bargaining
139 146. The matriarch of the family
140 147. Habits
141 148. Sliver of hope
142 149. A strange turn
143 150. An ominous night
144 151. The Devil's Prelude
145 152. Dancing in the devil's tune
146 153. The scream for help
147 154. Keep it off the record
148 155. Nail in the coffin
149 156. I'll keep you safe
150 157. The first layer of the Zhu Family
151 158. Don't ever get hurt for me
152 159. Aftermath
153 160. Birds of a same feather
154 161. Clean up
155 162. Aren't you a special one?
156 163. An unwilling marionette
157 164. New place
158 165. No sense of humor
159 166 + 167 166. Brother-in-law is cute
160 168. Tangled fates will always be connected
161 169A glimpse of the bitter past VOLUME II: Crawling out of the burning sun.
162 170. Three promises
163 171. The script
164 172. I like it raw
165 173+174 173. Princess
166 175. Building rapport
167 176. Not a dumpster!
168 177. Surprise~!
169 178. Oh, Paula… this is just the beginning
170 179. The taste of her own poison
171 180. Can you give way to your best friend?
Episodes

Updated 171 Episodes

1
Author's Note + Description + Book Cover
2
1. The tragic dim of the shining star
3
2. I'm alive
4
3. A bad mother and an awful wife
5
4. Mine. Now.
6
5. Something unusual in the young Madam
7
6. Meeting the husband for the first time
8
7. Let's divorce
9
8. List of suspects
10
9. No time to back out
11
10. Play dead
12
11. Nonsense
13
12. Fine
14
13. Dearest friend
15
14. Two toxic friend's reunion
16
15. Disliking me
17
16. Too much
18
17. An emergency
19
18. Grandma Zhu
20
19. Lies
21
20. Hello there, brother-in-law
22
21. Isn't that right, Hubby?
23
22. Surely, death is the only way out
24
23. A marriage built on sand
25
24. Multilingual
26
25. Does he like bread?
27
26. A small world
28
27. If you kneel and beg, I might change my mind.
29
28. Psycho
30
29. Good grief
31
30. Devil would never change his ways
32
31. Isn't it too over the top?
33
32. Finally something we have in common
34
33. First step in fixing the marriage
35
34. Can't be passive-aggressive
36
35. Operation: seduce the husband commence!
37
36. Do you think she's possessed?
38
37. You
39
38. Goodnight... not yet
40
39. You promised to keep an open mind
41
40. Sex was inevitable in marriage
42
41. Can’t help it
43
42. Third morning together
44
43. She said she was sorry
45
44. A touch of Heaven
46
45. Ten minutes
47
46. You look sexy
48
47. If you need help, asking will not hurt.
49
48. No one likes me, and that's okay
50
49. I’m not kind neither I am foolish, Heaven
51
50. Family matters
52
51. Is this normal?
53
52. Are you serious?
54
53. Console her?
55
54. Should we try it tonight?
56
55. You can’t carry me, but you can hold my hand!
57
56.
58
57. Where did everybody go?
59
58. There’s only one person who can disappear without a trace
60
59. Guilt
61
60. Made his mama proud
62
61. It’s a promise
63
62. Activity for the three of us?
64
63. She’s in danger
65
64. Karma is real.
66
65. This is better already
67
66. I am scared of me
68
67. Am I misreading you, Heaven?
69
68. Turn on
70
69. Strip tease
71
70. Just playing around
72
71+72 71. What a beautiful place to be in
73
73. I am not gentle, Heaven.
74
74. Put it on
75
75. I like it rough
76
I don’t like sharing.
77
77. Was it all a dream?
78
78. Home sick
79
79. You are not someone else
80
80. Was it because of me?
81
81. What goes around comes around
82
82. Germs
83
83. Finger licking good
84
84. Am I now having ear problems?
85
85. We?
86
86. Coming home safe was an underrated miracle
87
87. Right excuses
88
88. Being physically fit is a must
89
89+90 89. Wow, Dominic Zhu! So shameless!
90
91. Territorial
91
92. Selfie
92
93. 10M
93
94. Mommy
94
95. White and black
95
96. Hera's last mission
96
97. What a shame
97
98. Ram and Wolf
98
99+100+101 99. Such a strange name
99
102+103 102. I think she likes my husband
100
104+105 104. Touch my son and you're dead
101
106. An old flame
102
107. Deeper than six feet for sure
103
108. Fat chance!
104
109. Who is he?
105
110. OMW
106
111. Helping out
107
112+113 112. Suddenly looked like a squid
108
114. Lost my mind for a second
109
115. Dramatic
110
116. Truth slaps
111
117. Turning fall backs as opportunities
112
118. Too young to be twisted
113
119+120 119. Sharing is caring
114
121. A mother's fear
115
122.Principal's office
116
123. Be grateful your neck is still attached to your shoulders
117
124. Angry
118
125. Crazy
119
126. Something he was proud of
120
127. Head
121
128. Head II
122
129. DIRTY
123
130. DIRTY II
124
131. What could last a lifetime
125
132. Shameless
126
133. Life has a strange humor
127
134. A pot calling the kettle black
128
135. Same train of thoughts
129
136. Narrowing down to three
130
137. A collateral damage
131
138. Nice catch
132
139. Don't make a sound or I'll make you
133
140. Finish the job
134
141. Movie night
135
142. What you don’t know can't hurt you.
136
143. Welcome back, Hell
137
144. Getting to know her
138
145. Got nothing worth bargaining
139
146. The matriarch of the family
140
147. Habits
141
148. Sliver of hope
142
149. A strange turn
143
150. An ominous night
144
151. The Devil's Prelude
145
152. Dancing in the devil's tune
146
153. The scream for help
147
154. Keep it off the record
148
155. Nail in the coffin
149
156. I'll keep you safe
150
157. The first layer of the Zhu Family
151
158. Don't ever get hurt for me
152
159. Aftermath
153
160. Birds of a same feather
154
161. Clean up
155
162. Aren't you a special one?
156
163. An unwilling marionette
157
164. New place
158
165. No sense of humor
159
166 + 167 166. Brother-in-law is cute
160
168. Tangled fates will always be connected
161
169A glimpse of the bitter past VOLUME II: Crawling out of the burning sun.
162
170. Three promises
163
171. The script
164
172. I like it raw
165
173+174 173. Princess
166
175. Building rapport
167
176. Not a dumpster!
168
177. Surprise~!
169
178. Oh, Paula… this is just the beginning
170
179. The taste of her own poison
171
180. Can you give way to your best friend?

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