My heart shattered when I saw Zachary''s face, all tear-streaked behind the ss. He was only five, supposed to grow up without worries, but instead, he had to deal with the heartbreak of losing his mother. "Hey, don''t cry, sweetie..." I held back my tears and forced a smile. "I''ll be back before you know it. I''ll care for you even more when that dayes, okay?"


    Zachary nodded hard, pressing his tiny hand against the ss as if hoping to break through it and touch me.


    "Mommy, I''ll be good every day and wait for you toe home..." His little voice cracked, hitting me like a punch to the gut.


    Ethan''s eyes were red, but he sounded resolute. "Evelyn, don''t worry about Zach. I''ll look after him. I swear I''ll find out the truth and make sure the person who did this doesn''t get off easy!"


    I looked at him gratefully, tears spilling down my cheeks. "Honey... I''m sorry I couldn''t be the wife or mom you and Zach deserved-"


    "Don''t say that," he choked out, cutting me off. "You''ve done everything you could. Trust me, I''ll get you out of here."


    "Time''s up! Prisoner, back inside!" The guard''s impatient shout snapped us back to reality.


    I took onest lingering look at Zachary before I was roughly yanked away. The iron door mmed shut with a deafening bang, cutting me off from both my family and any hope of freedom. I sank into a corner of the cell, staring bleakly at the pale white ceiling. Ten years... How was I supposed to make it through a whole decade of this?


    Zachary was still so young. Would he feel lonely without me? Would he have nightmares at night? The thoughts hit me, and I couldn''t hold back the tears. I cried, heartbroken and unable to stop. Life behind bars was bitterly cold and brutal. Every day, I faced a group of tough, hardened inmates. Some were career pickpockets, others drug-trafficking kingpins, and some even murderers. To them, I-a "white-cor" criminal caught up in financial crimes-was just a joke.


    "Well, look who it is! Our very own celebrity! The big fashion queen is sharing a cell with us now, huh?"


    The guard shoved me into the cell without mercy, and snickers rose from the others.


    I refused to cower. I held my head high, shooting them a cold look. "What''s the problem? This ce isn''t weing to sessful people, huh?"


    "Cut the crap. The lead female


    inmate stepped up, her eyes cold and menacing. "I run things here. You''d better listen-don''t fight us over anything or push your luck, or you''t be so beaten up, you won''t even recognize yourself!"


    A chorus of voices rose in agreement. She clearly seemed to rule this ce.


    "What''s your name?" I asked, keeping my face neutral and trying to keep my voice steady.


    She paused, then sneered. "I''m Madison Sutton. They call me Maddie. You''d better wise up fast."


    Madison was rumored to have a trail of murders behind her, a notorious underworld figure. She looked the part-broad-shouldered, with cold, hard eyes and an energy that just screamed power and controb


    I nodded slightly and turned to my bunk.


    The tiny cell only had a hard wooden bed to sleep on. The wall was covered in carvings left by the inmates, showing the endless, painful days they had spent here.


    I copsed onto the bed, staring at that sickly white ceiling as tears streamed down my face.


    How had I, Evelyn Wiley, ended up in this miserable state? How would I survive among these vicious inmates? Were Zachary and Ethan fine out there?


    I sobbed quietly, my tears soaking the pillow.


    The days behind bars seemed to


    stretch on forever, and every minute felt like pure torture. I had no time for anything except the basics-eating, drinking, and just getting by.


    Even dreaming was impossible as I''d be jolted awake by the constant cries and screams whenever I closed my eyes. There were so many times I thought about ending it all.