Emerging From the Haze novel Chapter 1

The day Scarlett Swain was released from prison, the biting wind left her shivering.

She lifted her bony hand to pull her worn coat tighter around her, but the fabric hardly offered her any protection. The freezing air made her knees throb with each step as she dragged herself through the gate.

Just outside, the driver of a sports car spotted her and quickly got out to take her bag.

"Mr. Letcher and Mr. Eugene are hosting a party for Ms. Sharon's birthday. They asked me to pick you up and bring you over," he said.

Taken by surprise, Scarlett paused before responding with a soft hum.

The car sped through the streets, heading straight for the town's most upscale hotel.

When the door swung open, Scarlett was met with the dazzling sight of a grand ballroom, filled with elegantly dressed guests. The air hummed with lively conversation and the steady clink of glasses.

She clenched her fists without realizing it.

Not far off, Sharon Swain, wearing a designer gown, stood surrounded by a crowd, her face glowing with laughter.

Calvin Letcher carefully placed a dazzling birthday crown on her head, while Eugene Swain held the cake, leading the group in singing "Happy Birthday."

The atmosphere was filled with warmth, unity, and happiness. Guests wore expressions of admiration, continuously showering Sharon with praise.

"I heard Ms. Sharon signed with a record label right after graduating from Berynthia University. She's definitely got a bright future ahead!"

"Absolutely! Ms. Sharon is a once-in-a-lifetime talent in the music industry. The first song she wrote went viral overnight, and she quickly gained a huge following!"

Amid the sea of compliments, someone noticed a figure by the door and, with a disdainful tone, called out sharply, "Who's that? This is a luxury hotel. How did they let someone like that in? Look at those ragged clothes. She reeks of poverty!"

The crowd turned to look, and when they saw it was Scarlett, both Calvin and Eugene froze. It didn't take them long to regain their composure, and they quickly stepped forward to welcome her.

Calvin took her hand, his eyes filled with concern. "It's been three years since I last saw you, and you've gotten so thin."

Eugene brushed the hair away from her forehead, tucking it behind her ear. Her face, now fully visible, looked pale and drained.

"It's going to be okay. With some effort, you'll be back to normal in no time," he said.

Scarlett's eyes grew dull, a self-deprecating smile crossed her face.

"And what about my life? Can that be fixed too?" she asked.

Calvin and Eugene shared a look, their brows knitting together as they returned to the same explanations they'd used when they had sent her to prison.

"Scarlett, we've already been over this, haven't we? This is what you owe Sharon. Once it's settled, it's done for good. Please, don't make this more difficult than it has to be, okay?"

"Eugene and I will look after you, just like we used to. Try to leave all those unpleasant memories behind you."

Unpleasant? They believed that all the years of her suffering could be summed up in a single word.

One of the men standing before Scarlett was her brother, and the other was her boyfriend. They had once adored her, their devotion bordering on obsession, only to become the ones who ultimately cast her into the abyss.

Scarlett was adopted.

Ten years ago, after Eugene's younger sister went missing, he brought Scarlett home from the orphanage. He asked her to think of him as her own brother and doted on her for eight years, cherishing her like something irreplaceable.

In return, she remained faithfully by his side, slowly helping him heal the wounds and darkness left by the loss of his sister.

Later, Eugene's close friend, Calvin, fell for Scarlett the moment he saw her. After a few attempts to win her over, they soon became a couple.

For a time, she had the two men who cared about her most in the world—Eugene and Calvin.

But right then, Eugene's real sister, Sharon, came back. Everyone insisted Scarlett should make up for the true heiress of the Swain family, who had endured so much hardship.

Scarlett was painfully aware that everything she had once owned rightfully belonged to Sharon. So, whatever Sharon wanted, Scarlett handed over without a fight.

Her room? She gave it up. Her academic achievements? She let them go. Even when Sharon's kidneys failed and she needed a transplant, Scarlett offered her own without a second thought.

Still, no matter what Scarlett did, Sharon continued scheming to bring her down.

And Eugene, driven by guilt and sympathy, always intervened to defend Sharon. To Scarlett's disappointment, even Calvin sided with her.

Later, when Sharon ran someone down with her car and fled, they pressured Scarlett—who had just received her acceptance letter from Berynthia University—into taking the fall.

She refused, but they used their influence and connections to have her thrown in prison against her will.