Lily stood frozen as her world shattered into a million pieces just as the judge declared through the courtroom.

"The court finds the defendant, Lily Peterson, guilty of attempting to murder Ms. Vivian Albert. Based on the evidence presented in a court. Therefore, the defendant is sentenced to three years in prison."

The air was sucked out of Lily's lungs, leaving her gasping for breath.

'How can this be?' She thought.

After all her efforts to prove her innocence. After pouring her heart and soul into uncovering the truth, how do they still find her guilty?

All the memories of countless nights poring over documents and searching for any shred of evidence to clear her name flashed before her eyes like a cruel taunt.

It felt like she had been punched in the gut, her mind reeling with implications of the verdict. She cooperated fully with the investigation, answered every question, and provided every scrap of information she could.

The gaping hole in her memory haunted her the most. That fateful night remained a blur, a dark void she couldn't shake.

Lily remembered arguing with Vivian, feeling betrayed and hurt, but the following events were complete mystery. And now Henry, her husband was absent from the courtroom. His absent cut more profoundly than any knife. She asked herself where was he? Why hadn't he stood up for Her, supported Her, believe Her?. His silence was deafening.

"I didn't do it" she whispered, tears streaming down on her her face.

Her eyes scanned the crowded room for understanding. But no one met her gaze, no one symphasized with her.

The courtroom was a sea of unfamiliar faces, all of them judging Her, condemning her.

"Why won't anyone believe me?!" She yelled, desperation clawing at her throat.

Her lawyer grasped her hand beside Her, his voice spoke calm but firm. "Mrs. Peterson, please Calm down. Additional outbursts will only worsen your situation"

She shook him off, her voice rising. "I'm innocent! I don't remember what happened that night. But I know I wouldn't hurt anyone. Why won't anyone listen?"

The courtroom erupted into chaos, the sound of shouting and screams filling the air.

Reporters surged toward their cameras and microphones thrust into her face. The beliefs closed in, their hands grasping for her like vultures. She felt cold metal encircle her wrists as they cuffed Her harsh grip on the officer's hand pulled me to my feet.

Lily stumbled forward, her eyes scanning the crowded room again for familiar faces. Her mother and brother sat on the front row, tears streaming on their faces. But Henry, he was nowhere to be found.

The officer dragged Lily through the swarm of reporters, their questions and camera flashes blinding her.

"Lily Peterson, how do you feel to be convicted of attempting murder?" A reporter yelled.

"Did you plan to harm Ms. Vivian Albert from the beginning?" Another one shouted.

"Will you divorce Herny Peterson?" Another question was thrown toward her.

Lily shook her head, overwhelmed by the cacophony. "I didn't do it," she protested, but her words were drowned out. A microphone was shoved into her face.

"Lily Peterson, what drove you to commit such a heinous crime?"

Lily tried to respond, but the officer yanked her forward, silencing her. As they pushed through the crowded hallway, the question continued.

"How did you react to Henry's affair?"

"Did you have any accomplices?"

The paparazzi's relentless barrage left Lily breathless and disoriented.

Outside the courthouse, the chaos intensified. Camera crew and reporters swarmed back at her, surrounding her, their faces blurred together. A reporter grabbed Lily's arm, spinning her toward the cameras.

"Mrs. Peterson, do you have any regrets?" Lily wrenched her arm free, her eyes welling up.

"I didn't do it," she repeated, her voice cracking.

The officer pulled her into the waiting police van and slammed the door shut behind her.

A sudden silence was a welcome respite, but it was short-lived. As the car pulled away from the curb, Lily caught a glimpse of her mother and brother, their faces etched with worry and sadness. She felt a twinge of regret, knowing that she had let them down.

The police car sped away, leaving the chaos of the courtroom behind. But Lily knew that this was the beginning of her nightmare.

As she sat in the police car between female police officers, she was cuffed and helpless; the cityscape blurred outside her window like a watercolor painting in the rain. Her mind was a jumble of thoughts, each one more chaotic than the last.

'How did it come to this?' She wondered, her eyes scanning the crowded street as if for an escape route.

One moment, she was a devoted wife, a successful businesswoman and respected member of chaebol woman society. Then next, she was convicted felon, a shameless woman and disgrace to all chaebol woman that she was once admired.

The media's words echoed in her mind like a mantra of shame. 'Lily Peterson, the privileged wife who attempt to murder her husband's misyress."

The headline haunted Her, their cruel words seared into her brain like a branding iron. Henry's face flashed in her mind, his betrayal cutting more deeply than only knife.

Why didn't he stand by her?

Why did he let her take the fall?

The questions swirled in her mind like a maelstrom, leaving her dizzy and disoriented.

The car stopped at the red light, and Lily caught a glimpse of herself in the rearview mirror. A stranger's eyes stared back at her, sunken, haunted, and defeated.

'Who am I now?' She asked herself.

The answer was simple; she was a prisoner, a conviction, a monster. The thought sent a shiver down her spine, and she felt a wave of despair wash over her.

Tears streamed down her face as reality hit her like a tidal wave. She was losing everything: her name, her reputation, her freedom, her dignity. The traffic light turned green, and the car moved forward, carrying her toward a life she never imagined.

The city blurred around her, a kaleidoscope of colors and sound that seemed to grow fainter with each passing moment.

☆☆☆

As Lily entered the prison, the heavy metal door slammed shut behind Her, echoing through the barren corridor like a death kneel. The sound sent shivers down her spine and she felt a chill run through her veins. A mixture of fear and despesparation.

The correction officer led her to process room, where she was stripped of her identity, literally and figuratively. Her clothes and dignity were replaced by a dull orange jumpsuit and a prisoner's badge.

The cold, impersonal gaze of the processing officer made her feel like a specimen in a lab, a curiosity to be studied and dissected.

"Name ?" A gruff voice asked, the tone devoid of any warmth or humanity.

Lily hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to respond.

'Was I still Lily Peterson?'

Or was she someone ekes entirely?

"Lily.... Peterson" she replied finally, her voice barely above a whisper.

The processing officer'gaze lingered on her, a mixture of curiosity and disdain.

"Crime?" The word hung in the air like a challenge, daring Lily to respond.

Lily took a deep breath, steeling herself for the answer.

"Attempted murder," she muttered, the words still hard to accept.

The prodding officer's expression didn't change, but I sensed a flicker of interest behind her eyes.

"You're the one who tried to kill a lady called Vivian Albert... huh! Henry Peterson's mistress.".

Lily nodded, feeling a stinging sensation in her eyes. The shame and humiliation washed over her like a wave, threatening to engulf her.

As she was led to her cell, the sounds of the prison surrounded her: the clangs of doors, shouts of inmates, and the constant hum of fluorescent light. Lily's heart sank with each step, the weight of her new reality setting in like a physical burden.

Cell No. 23B. Her new home. The door freaked open, revealing a cramped space with a narrow two-bed, a toilet, and a sink. A woman with a hardened face and ratios looked up from her bunk, her eyes narrowing as she looked at Lily's appearance.

"Welcome, newbie," she said, her voice laced with sarcasm. "I am Rachel, and you are Lily, the infamous wife who tried to kill her husband's mistress."

Lily nodded, feeling a flush rise to her cheeks.

Rachel's gaze softened slightly, and she nodded toward an empty bed. "You can take that one. We'll get along just fine, kid."

As the door closed behind Lily, she collapsed onto her bed. Overwhelmed by the harshness of prison life.

How is she going to survive this? The question echoed in her mind like a refrain, a constant reminder of the challenges that lay ahead.