The first rays of dawn filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows of my new residence, casting golden light across the polished marble floors. I sat cross-legged in the center of the spacious living room, my eyes closed, focusing on the strange energy flowing through my body.
Throughout the night, I had been exploring the flood of knowledge that had somehow appeared in my mind. Ancient medical techniques, cultivation methods that seemed impossible yet familiar—it was as if I'd always known these things but had only now gained access to them.
I directed my breathing according to a technique called "Dragon's Breath Cultivation," drawing energy from my surroundings into my body. With each breath, I could feel something building within me, a reservoir of power I'd never imagined possible.
When I finally opened my eyes, the sun had fully risen. I flexed my fingers, marveling at the subtle glow beneath my skin. In a single night, I had reached the first layer of the Qi Refining Stage—a feat that should have taken months according to the knowledge in my mind.
"This can't be real," I whispered, rising to my feet.
I needed to test this power. I walked out to the private garden behind the villa where decorative boulders lined a small meditation path. Selecting a rock about the size of a basketball, I took a deep breath and struck it with my palm.
The boulder exploded into dust.
"Holy shit!" I jumped back, staring at my unmarked hand in disbelief.
My heart raced with exhilaration. Three years of being belittled, treated like dirt beneath everyone's feet, and now... now I could shatter stone with a single blow. I laughed aloud, the sound echoing across the empty garden.
According to the knowledge in my mind, I could advance much further. The Qi Refining Stage was merely the beginning, with Eight Layers to master before advancing to the Foundation Building Stage. From there, the path extended upward through increasingly powerful realms.
But I needed resources. Specifically, I needed herbs to create pills that would accelerate my cultivation. I searched my pockets, finding the meager remnants of my savings—just a few hundred dollars. Seraphina had always controlled our finances, claiming I couldn't be trusted with money. How ironic that seemed now.
After showering and changing into the only decent clothes I owned, I decided to visit a local pharmacy. It wouldn't have the rare herbs mentioned in my cultivation knowledge, but perhaps some common medicinal plants might serve as substitutes.
The Dragon Rising Community where my new villa was located represented the height of luxury in Havenwood City. As I walked through the pristine streets, I drew curious glances from residents unaccustomed to seeing unfamiliar faces in their exclusive neighborhood.
Just as I reached the community gates, a sleek black car pulled up, blocking my path. The back door swung open, and Seraphina stepped out, her face twisted with anger. Behind her emerged Gideon Blackwood, his tall frame radiating hostility.
"I knew it!" Seraphina spat. "You've been stalking me! How did you get into this community?"
I stared at her, seeing her clearly for perhaps the first time in our relationship. How had I ever loved this woman? Her beauty was still evident, but now I could see the ugliness beneath—the calculation in her eyes, the cruelty in the set of her mouth.
"I live here now," I said calmly, enjoying the flash of confusion on her face.
"Don't lie," Gideon stepped forward, invading my personal space. His expensive suit couldn't hide the brutish nature beneath. "People like you don't live in Dragon Rising. Security is probably on their way to remove you as we speak."
I smiled, feeling a strange new confidence flowing through me. "People like me? And what kind of people would that be, Gideon?"
"Worthless parasites," he snarled. "Men who leech off their wives' families because they're too pathetic to provide for themselves."
Seraphina circled me like a predator, her designer heels clicking on the pavement. "How did you even get past security? Did you jump the fence? I'm calling the police."
"Call them," I shrugged. "I have authorization to be here. More than you do, actually."
"Authorization from who?" Seraphina demanded, her voice rising an octave.
I refused to mention Isabelle's name. That was information they didn't deserve. "Why are you here, Seraphina? Following me now?"
"Don't flatter yourself," she scoffed. "Gideon has business with a client who lives here. I came along to shop at Celestial Gardens. Running into you was unfortunate coincidence."
"Convenient timing," I noted. "Did my call last night worry you? Afraid I might actually be telling the truth about my new circumstances?"
Gideon stepped closer, his face inches from mine. "Listen, you piece of garbage. Whatever game you're playing, it stops now. The Sterlings and the Blackwoods are about to close a major partnership with the Ashworths. If you do anything to jeopardize that—"
"Like telling them about how the Sterling family treats people?" I interrupted. "Or how the man they're considering doing business with is sleeping with another man's wife?"
Seraphina's face paled. "You wouldn't dare."
"I haven't decided what I'll do yet," I replied honestly. "But calling me garbage isn't exactly motivating me to keep quiet."
"You ARE garbage," she hissed, her perfect composure cracking. "Three years I put up with your incompetence. Three years of watching you fail at every opportunity my father gave you."
"Opportunities?" I laughed bitterly. "You mean being your family's personal servant? Being humiliated daily by your mother? Having my medical education sabotaged whenever I tried to advance?"
"Always blaming others for your failures," Seraphina shook her head. "Pathetic to the end."
Something in me snapped. All the rage, all the humiliation of the past three years crystalized into a cold fury. "You're the pathetic one, Seraphina. A spoiled, empty shell of a person who's never worked for anything in her life. You're garbage wearing designer clothes."
The slap came fast, but my newly enhanced reflexes were faster. I caught her wrist before her hand connected with my face, holding it firmly enough to make her gasp.
"Don't ever try to hit me again," I said quietly, releasing her arm.
Gideon lunged forward, grabbing my collar. "You dare touch her? Kneel down and apologize right now, or I'll break every bone in your body!"
I looked into his eyes, seeing nothing but a bully used to getting his way through intimidation. Yesterday, I might have cowered. Today, with the power of cultivation flowing through me, he seemed almost comically fragile.
I calmly removed his hands from my shirt. "No, Gideon. You're going to kneel and apologize to me."