Chapter 3 3

Vanya POV

My hands trembled as I stared at the numbers on my phone screen, counting each zero over and over again to make sure I wasn't hallucinating. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. Fifty million dollars. The number was so large it didn't even look real.

"Is this really my money now?" I whispered, my voice barely audible in the quiet hospital room.

Athena's warm voice filled my mind immediately. "Yes, my child. You have just unlocked your first reward. This is how I will be compensating you every time you stand up against unfair treatment and choose justice over submission."

I pressed my hand against the glowing necklace, still unable to fully comprehend what was happening to me. "I can't believe this is real."

"It is very real, and it is only the beginning," the goddess replied with satisfaction. "You are going to use this money wisely, Vanya. You will divorce Bernard and make everyone who made your life miserable pay with their own blood, sweat, and tears."

A surge of power flowed through me that I had never felt before. For the first time in five years, I felt like I had control over my own destiny. Bernard and Tracy thought they could destroy me, but they had no idea what they had just awakened.

"What do I do now?" I asked, sitting up straighter in my hospital bed.

"Now, you begin your transformation," Athena said. "Show them the woman you were always meant to be."

Three days later, I was discharged from the hospital and ready to begin my new life. The first thing I did when I got to my apartment was call Marcus, my childhood friend who had become one of Sacramento's most successful lawyers.

"Marcus, it's Vanya," I said when he picked up the phone. "I need you to prepare divorce papers for me."

There was a long silence on the other end of the line. "Vanya? Are you serious? What's going on? Why the sudden change?"

"Don't ask me questions right now," I replied firmly, my voice stronger than it had been in years. "All I need you to do is have the divorce papers ready in twenty-four hours. Can you do that for me or not?"

"Of course I can," he said quickly, clearly shocked by my new tone. "But Vanya, are you sure about this? Marriage is a big step to-"

"Twenty-four hours, Marcus," I interrupted. "No more questions."

After I hung up, I looked at myself in the mirror and barely recognized the woman staring back at me. My hair was a mess, my skin was pale, and my clothes hung on my thin frame like rags. But tomorrow was Tracy's birthday party, and I was going to make an entrance that would change everything.

I spent the entire next morning transforming myself. First, I went to the most expensive salon in Sacramento and told them I wanted a complete makeover. They styled my hair in soft waves that framed my face perfectly, gave me a facial that made my skin glow, and applied makeup that enhanced my natural beauty without making me look overdone.

Next, I went to the luxury shopping district and bought the most stunning dress I could find. It was a deep emerald green that brought out my eyes, fitted perfectly to my body, and cost more than I used to spend on groceries in three months. I paired it with designer heels and jewelry that sparkled under the store lights.

When I looked at myself in the dressing room mirror, I gasped. The woman looking back at me was confident, beautiful, and powerful. This was who I was meant to be all along.

On my way to the real estate office, I decided to stop by the grocery store to pick up some essentials for my apartment. As I walked through the parking lot, my heels clicking confidently on the pavement, I spotted two familiar figures near the entrance.

Bernard and Tracy were standing by his beat-up car, arguing about something in hushed voices. They looked tired and stressed, probably worried about money since Bernard's construction business was crumbling due to his terrible management and laziness.

I walked past them slowly, my head held high and my designer dress flowing around my legs like liquid silk. I could feel their eyes on me, and I couldn't help but smile when I heard their conversation.

"Holy shit, who is that?" Bernard whispered, his voice filled with awe. "She looks like a movie star or something."

Tracy craned her neck to get a better look at me. "I don't know, but she's gorgeous. Look at that dress, those shoes, that hair. She must be some kind of celebrity."

"She reminds me of someone," Bernard said, squinting as he tried to get a better look. "Something about her face looks familiar, but there's no way my wife could ever look like that. Vanya doesn't have clothes like that, hell, she doesn't even know how to do her makeup properly."

Tracy laughed cruelly. "Bernard, your wife is a pathetic housewife who shops at thrift stores and cuts her own hair. Even in her dreams, she could never look like that goddess over there. That woman probably spends more on her monthly beauty routine than Vanya spends on groceries in a year."

I kept walking, letting their words wash over me without feeling any pain. In fact, I felt sorry for them. They were about to learn exactly what this "pathetic housewife" was capable of when she stopped playing their game.

The real estate office was located in the heart of Sacramento's business district, a gleaming glass building that screamed success and wealth. I walked through the lobby with confidence, my heels echoing on the marble floors as I approached the reception desk.

"Good afternoon," I said to the young woman behind the counter. "I'd like to speak with someone about purchasing a property."

She looked me up and down, clearly impressed by my appearance. "Of course, ma'am. What type of property are you interested in?"

"I want to buy the house that Bernard Frederick and his family are currently renting," I said calmly. "The one on Maple Street."

The receptionist's eyes widened slightly. "That's a very expensive property, ma'am. Are you sure you're interested in that particular house?"

I smiled sweetly and pulled out my platinum credit card, placing it on the counter with a soft click. "Money is never my problem, sweetheart. In fact, if you prefer cash, I can have the full amount transferred within the next five minutes."

The woman stared at my card like it was made of pure gold. "The house is valued at one point two million dollars, ma'am. That's quite a substantial investment."

"Like I said," I replied, my voice dripping with confidence, "money is not an issue. I want to complete this purchase today, within the next hour if possible."

The receptionist fumbled for her phone, clearly flustered by my directness. "Let me get our senior agent right away. He'll need to speak with you about the details and-"

"Five minutes," I interrupted, checking my diamond watch. "That's all the time I have to spare."

As she scrambled to call her supervisor, I couldn't help but smile. Bernard had no idea that the house he'd been living in for free was about to become mine, or that his perfect little world was about to come crashing down around him in the most spectacular way possible.

The game had officially begun, and I was playing to win.