Unmasking the Heart

Mrs. Smith had always frequented the F&K Jewelry Designers shop, where her late daughter Jessica had worked, to obtain her daughter's final piece. Jessica's love for designing jewelry had been her passion, and Mrs. Smith clung to that last piece as a poignant memory of her. But today, that piece was sold to the auctioneer at the event, and Mrs. Smith was resolute—she would do whatever it took to reclaim what belonged to her daughter.

She sent someone to bid on the necklace on her behalf, but upon hearing that Adrain was also involved, Mrs. Smith couldn't resist taking matters into her own hands. She knew the importance of the necklace to her daughter's legacy, and she couldn't let it slip away without a fight.

However, the night had not gone as planned. Adrain's conditions, his cold demeanor, and his indifference had only fueled her anger. The stakes had risen beyond the necklace itself; this was about securing Anna's future. Mrs. Smith had spent years positioning Anna to gain Reginald's favor, using Catherine as a pawn in their twisted game.

She knew the truth about Catherine—she wasn't Adrain's mother, but Lionel's. This made things far more complicated, especially since Anna had failed to conceive. Mrs. Smith had carefully orchestrated Anna's role, steering her toward Adrain, because she recognized something in him that Lionel lacked: intelligence, power, and influence. Adrain ran the family now, and Mrs. Smith's ultimate goal was for Anna to marry him.

But there was one problem. Adrain was emotionally detached, still haunted by the memory of his first love, Sophia. His coldness to every woman was evident, and Mrs. Smith was shocked to see him with another woman tonight—especially one he called "his woman." This development needed further investigation, and Mrs. Smith was determined to get to the bottom of it.

As she stood there, the cold breeze brushing her face, her thoughts swirled. She had lost Jessica, but she wouldn't lose Anna. Anna was her last hope, and she would do anything to ensure her daughter's rise to power.

A car pulled up in front of her, the driver's face familiar.

"Take me home," Mrs. Smith commanded, her voice strained with the weight of her thoughts.

Her head pounded as she climbed into the car. She couldn't afford to let things fall apart now, not after everything she'd invested. Reaching into her designer bag, she grabbed her phone and dialed Anna's number. After the second ring, her daughter answered.

"Hello, mom," Anna's voice was tired, the exhaustion clear.

"Hello, my princess. I know it's late, but I need to meet with you. Can you come home and spend the night with me?" Mrs. Smith asked, her own voice worn.

"Mom, I'm trying so hard to impress that witch Catherine, but she's so hard to please. I'm exhausted and I need rest." There was a bitterness in Anna's words as she spoke about Catherine.

"It's okay, just come home. I have something important to tell you. It's about Adrain." Mrs. Smith knew Anna had feelings for him, and this would catch her attention.

"Okay, mom. I'm coming," Anna said before hanging up.

Mrs. Smith arrived home first. Moments later, Anna entered the living room, looking impatient.

"Mom, what about Adrain? What do you want to talk to me about?" Anna demanded, her tone sharp.

Mrs. Smith motioned for Anna to sit. "About his new woman. Do you know about this woman?"

Anna looked confused. "What woman? We all know Adrain hasn't moved on from Sophia, so which woman are you talking about?"

"He came to the auction tonight with a girl and called her his woman," Mrs. Smith observed, watching Anna closely for any hint of reaction. "She's very pretty, and I'm afraid she might help Adrain forget about Sophia."

Anna's face turned red with anger. "That's impossible, mom!" She stood up, fists clenched. "He's never shown any interest in anyone since Sophia."

Mrs. Smith remained calm, unfazed. "It won't be impossible if you stop focusing on impressing Reginald and Catherine and start focusing on Adrain. Adrain is your fiancé, and you need to take care of him. If you keep distancing yourself, someone else will swoop in and take him from you."

Anna, still seething, paced back and forth. "What do you think I should do? I thought if I could just win over Reginald and Catherine, I'd get him. But now he's found someone else. He barely even talks to me anymore." She stopped pacing and looked at her mother, desperation in her eyes. "How am I supposed to get him back?"

"You have to make him sleep with you," Mrs. Smith said bluntly.

Anna's frustration flared. "Even if he sleeps with me, I can't get pregnant! I lost my womb years ago."

Mrs. Smith's expression softened, but her resolve didn't waver. "I know. But you can fake it. If you fake your pregnancy, no one will suspect a thing."

Anna stared at her, wide-eyed. "What if they ask for a DNA test? What do I do then?"

"Trust me, Anna. I've gotten you this far, and I won't let you fail now." Mrs. Smith's voice was firm. "I met with Adrain, and he's willing to cancel the engagement, but only if he gets Jessica's starlight necklace in exchange."

Anna tensed at the mention of Jessica. "What are you going to do, mom? Are you going to leave me because of Jessica?"

"Jessica is your sister, Anna!" Mrs. Smith snapped, her voice suddenly harsh. "I'm not abandoning you. If you marry Adrain, you can have the necklace, and you'll still be Mrs. Reginald. I won't lose both of you."

Anna seemed to calm down, her voice quieter. "Do you really think this pregnancy plan will work?"

"Have I ever made a wrong move?" Mrs. Smith answered with a pointed question, her tone confident.

Anna sighed, still unsure. "But what if I can't even get him to touch me? He's been avoiding me for days."

Mrs. Smith thought for a moment before heading upstairs. She returned shortly with a small, unmarked container. "Here. This is all you need. A little bit of this powder in his drink will do the trick."

Anna eyed the container warily. "What is this?"

"It will enhance his sexual urges. You just need to slip it into his drink. Wait for about 10 minutes, and then act like it was a coincidence. When he sleeps with you, don't use protection, and then we can fake the pregnancy." Mrs. Smith smiled, clearly pleased with herself.

Anna hesitated for a moment before hugging her mother tightly. "Mom… you're the best!"

Mrs. Smith returned the hug, a determined gleam in her eyes. "Now go. Make sure Adrain comes back to you, or go find him wherever he's hiding. You've got this."

With a final, reassuring squeeze, Anna left, her mission clear: make Adrain hers, no matter the cost.