A woman sat in a hotel room, writing in a book.

"It's been ten years since I left California, and I'm still piecing together the news from the newspaper. I've heard that California is now a tumultuous city where everyone feels insecure, and my father, as part of the social change coup, became president of the California Chamber of Commerce. The Lincoln residence, which I used to know, has a new hostess ". She exhaled a sigh.

Arci Lincoln, 23 years old, 152 cm. she is petite and sweet, She is cute and has a round face, she is slim.

She came to the country to bury her mother because it was her mother's wish that she be buried in her native land.

She tucked her diary away in her suitcase. She took two photographs from her suitcase and stroked them.

She took a look at the second picture. When she recognized a familiar face.

It was the face of her mother's bride servant who is now the mistress of her house.

This shameless woman.

 She is the real legitimate daughter of the Lincoln family. The current madam Dawn in the Lincoln now actually used to be her mother's bride servant girl and her younger sister is the illegitimate daughter of her father and the bride servant girl.

Unfortunately, her brother died tragically ten years ago and her mother took her to America in distress. Hence, the bride servant girl and the illegitimate daughter became legitimate members of her family.

Others are like a sparrow turning into a phoenix, But her? She is like a crestfallen Phoenix whose life is no better than that of a chicken. How is she going to live the rest of her life under other people's roofs?

No she must take whatever that belonged to her.

There is no one she can trust in her family.

Arci sighed as she waited for a car from the lincoln mansion to come pick her up, but there was none. She was sick of waiting and checked into a hotel.

She reorganized her suitcase.

She possessed her mother's dowry, which her mother had given her before her death.

She recalled her late mother's final words.

"Arci, you're on your own now, and you should think for yourself more. If you have any problems at the Lincoln home, you can sell my marriage dowry to help you start a new life on your own."

Her face was flushed from crying.

"Don't be worried, Mom. I will do as you say and live a good life for the sake of you and my elder brother."

She returned the dowry and closed her suitcase.

Her mother died when she was a child, and her father married her new stepmother. Her father adored her mother, and when she was young and happy and living in peace, everything fell apart when her mother died. That's when things started to go wrong. Her brother died soon after her mother….

She was young at the time, so she couldn't recall many specifics.

She walked out of the hotel room with her suitcase. She is hungry so she went to the hotel's restaurant.

She sat down at an hidden corner.

The restaurant was bustling a lot of people are eating too.

A waitress walked up to her and bowed her head.

"What do you want to order ma'am?" The waitress inquired politely.

"Could I please have a cup of coffee and a newspaper?"

"Sure, just a moment," the waitress said as she walked away.

She sat down and looked around her when she saw a couple sitting down behind her eating too.

A man handsome and a pretty lady.

She looked away from them and wait for the waitress. 

"This is the newspaper and the coffee Miss." She was given a newspaper by the waitress.

"Thank you," arci said softly

The waitress smiled and walked away.

….

Richard Bush, 27 years old, 182 cm. 

He is tall and handsome.

He also has a little sister who was studying in a school in Los Angeles. 

He is a soldier.

His father was a soldier before he was maliciously killed by his colleague who was jealous of his position.

He returned to Los Angeles to settle his father soldiers, take his father rightful position and he wants to avenge and reveal the person who killed his father.

A woman was sitting next to him, Grace Alfred, She is tall and pretty.

She is his assistant also a spy. Grace Alfred likes Richard but he just treats her coldly.

They sat down together at Empire Hotel and restaurant, Just to eat. He just arrived at Los Angeles yesterday with Grace, they got a room at the hotel together since their flight arrived late yesterday.

Grace rose from her seat and approached Richard.

"Darling, darling, I'm sick in the stomach. Why don't you eat by yourself while I take a break?" Grace stated

"No way," Richard replied, "I'm not eating anything without your company.". 

"But I'm really sick," Grace lamented.

Richard sneered in his mind because he knew that she already betrayed him since he couldn't give her what she wants.

"Be a good boy," Grace said as she patted him on the back.

She stood up and was about to walk away when Richard hold her and cradle her in his arms, Grace glass cup fell down from her hand.

"Simply remain where you are. I'm not eating anything by myself" Ri c hard told her

A waiter approached them quickly and packed up the broken glass.

"But I'm really sick," Grace insisted

"Touch here, my stomach is really upset," Grace said, taking Richard's hand in hers and placing it on her stomach.

"Off you go," Richard said

Grace gave him a gentle smile before leaving.

Richard smirked, he stood up from his sit and walked away.

….

Arci took a sip from her coffee as she enjoyed the gentle breeze, she sighed when she remembered her mother.

….