My hands were trembling as I watched them scramble out of the bed.

Their eyes were wide with shock as they watched me. For a moment, we all stood in silence

Then Cain’s lips curled into an arrogant smile. “Elle. What are you doing here?” He asked.

“Today is our anniversary Cain, You didn't come home early and I came looking for you.”

Aliya lifted her chin, holding back laughter. “Cain and I were just discussing some business with the company.”

My heart broke because I knew it was a lie but I couldn't say a word. I swallowed hard and forced a smile.

“You should know not to listen in on conversation Elle,” Cain warned sternly

My stomach twisted. “Sorry.” I managed to respond.

“Let's go home!” He said, leading me out of the room.

As I followed him, I caught Aliya's scowl as she looked at me, her face twisted with anger.

My stomach twisted as I realized the truth. Cain had never loved me; he came to save me in the church because he wanted my father's money.

He had used me, just like James.

But before I could say anything else, my phone vibrated in my bag.

I glanced down at the screen; it was the hospital.

“Hello?” I answered

“Mrs. Blackwood. Your father just got into the ICU. He had a heart attack. You need to come here right now.”

My heart stopped. “No,” I whispered in horror.

I didn’t care about Cain and Aliya anymore. My eyes were filled with tears as I turned around and ran out of the penthouse.

The hospital was bustling when I stormed in. I rushed toward the ICU, my face twisted with fear.

A nurse met me at the entrance.

“He doesn’t have much time,” she said in a hurry.

I pushed past her and entered the room.

My father lay on the hospital bed, surrounded by tubes and machines. He looked weak and pale.

“Dad,” I choked out.

His eyes fluttered open.“Elle,” he called out, reaching for me. I grabbed his hand and held it against my cheek.

“Don’t talk,” I whispered, tears running down my face. “Just rest. You’re going to be okay.”

“I’m… so sorry,” he whispered.

“For what?”

But before he could answer, I heard a loud beep from the monitor.

“No, no, no!” I screamed as the nurses rushed in. I shook him desperately, trying to get him to wake up.

But he was gone.

I stumbled out of his room, struggling to breathe. My world was crumbling all around me.

I walked down the corridor and leaned against the wall, trying to catch my breath when I heard his voice.

Aliya’s voice. I froze and moved closer to the door.

“She is suspecting us,” she hissed into the phone . “We need to handle her before she ruins our plan now that he's dead.”

"Relax; her father is finally dead. Our plan is already coming through.”

They were happy my father was gone. All they wanted was the money.

“We need to get rid of her,” she muttered. “Before she turns against us.”

I could hear Cain sigh through the line. “She’s not a threat.”

She grunted and ended the call in anger.

“He doesn't even know she's pregnant; I can't let her have his baby,” she muttered to herself with annoyance.

My breath caught in my throat in shock. How did she know?

“How did you find out about pregnancy?” I asked, slowly stepping into the room.

She looked up at me in surprise and then her eyes narrowed at me.

“I overheard the specialist talking. I know you have been trying for months, and you finally got her wish. But if you think that baby is going to save you, you're wrong. I won't let you give you Cain an heir.”

I took a step back to get away from here, but my foot hit the door.

I tried to run, but before I could get away, Aliya rushed forward, wrapped her hand around my wrist and dragged me back.

“Where do you think you’re going?” she snarled.

I struggled away from him, “Let go of me!”

She stepped forward with a cruel smile. “You should’ve stayed away, stepsister.”

I tilted myself away from the railings but Aliya held me down. I fought against her hold but she pushed me hard and then I toppled over.

I crashed down the stairs, tumbling too fast and then my head hit the floor hard.

A beeping sound pulled me away from the darkness.

I felt pain blooming in my stomach. I groaned as I slowly stirred awake. I could hardly remember anything, just Aliya pushing me over the railings.

I was barely alive. I tried to sit up, but I felt a sharp sting in my stomach that made me cry out. A nurse ran inside, her eyes filled with pity as she stared at me.

My hand flew to my belly. The baby.

“You’re lucky you are alive,” a nurse’s voice said gently, checking the machines. “We had to do emergency surgery, but we could only save you; the baby was already gone.”

My heart broke; my baby was gone. I held back my screams, my heart breaking all over again.

Tears streamed down my face as I lay in the hospital bed. I held my hand over my belly, grieving my child I would never meet.

I felt a little stronger after a few hours and I decided to leave the hospital. I still haven't seen Cain since the accident, but I pushed that to the back of my mind.

Once I stepped into our home, I heard Cain and Aliya’s voices laughing as they sat by the table having dinner.

They barely looked at me as I winced past and went upstairs. Sobs whacked through my body as I crumbled into the bed.

The room was still decorated with petals for our anniversary, but everything had changed.

Now I have found out our marriage was just a big scam and my father is dead.

The door swung open and Cain stepped inside the room.

“I'm sorry about your father's death Elle, you know I love you, but you shouldn't tell anyone about the accident with Aliya.”

I flung up from the bed, even though my body ached with every movement.

“It was no accident, she pushed me down on purpose.” I spat back.

His expression darkened and he took a slow step forward.

“I was there, it was all an accident, Aliya didn’t mean to hurt you.”

I stumbled backwards, my face twisting with confusion.

“But…” I stammered

“Do you understand?” He growled

My mind spun, my heart racing. I clutched my heart as I thought of my dead child. I could barely nod my head in response.

“If you want to stay in this house, you shut your mouth and be a good girl.” He ordered then stormed out of the room.

I stared at the door as it slammed shut behind him. I was losing my mind.

My father's funeral was the next day, my body felt frozen still as I watched his body lay cold and pale in the coffin.

My stepmother was wailing loudly beside me, dolled up with a new Birkin bag. Anger riled me as I saw Aliya standing beside her also crying.

‘What an actress’ I muttered under my breath.

My skin burned with Cain's hands wrapped around my waist. Even after everything he still wanted to pretend for the paparazzi that we were still a loving couple.

Even as we stood together I could still feel his eyes wandering to my step-sister.

The ceremony drawled out before me but I could hardly hear a thing. Once the coffin was lowered into the grave, I stepped out to a corner with the family lawyer.

“Can I see a copy of my father's will?”

“Mr Macmillan's will is already finalized and I will send a copy to you tomorrow.” He said with a curt nod.

“Ok, we can have a reading tomorrow,” I said with a curt nod.

He nodded and I walked out to join the crowd, Aliya's eyes flickered at me. I tried to remain calm as she walked over.

“What were you talking to the lawyer about?”

My stomach churned as I faced her. “Nothing that concerns you, Aliya.” I spat back.

I have been avoiding her since I found out about the truth but she always seemed to be in my way.

“I can't believe you are talking about the will at your dad's funeral, did you even care about him at all or are you just happy he is dead?” She said with a devilish smirk.

The crowd gasped around us, their eyes landing on me filled with accusations.

“We both know the truth here, I would never want my father dead.” I shot back, but my voice was weak and trembling.

“I'm sure you had something to do with his sudden sickness and death.” she retorted

My blood boiled, and my vision turned red. Without thinking I lunged forward and slapped her hard across the face.

Aliya flung back and crumbled onto the floor, screaming for attention. It was all a blur of movement as Cain appeared in front of me and hit me hard on my face.

I stumbled back, my cheeks stinging with pain.

“How dare you?” He growled. “Why would you hit Aliya like that?”

Tears rolled down my face as I stared at my husband. He rushed back and lifted Aliya off the ground gently.

His eyes landed on me with spite before he walked out of the room with her.

My heart broke as I watched them leave, cameras flashing in my face as people murmured around me.

I cried the whole way home, I was a puppet in their plans. Cain didn't care about me at all.

When I got home he was waiting for me at the dinner table.

“You need to apologize to your sister Elle, we are all a loving family and we can't be fighting outside.”

I stared at him, anger coursing through me, it was all too much but I didn't have a choice.

“Yes, I would,” I whispered.

My mind was blank as I sat beside Cain in the lawyer's office watching him read my father's last will before he died.

“Mr Macmillan gave the mansion in Spain and 20 million dollars to his wife…” The lawyer announced.

I felt disgusted as my stepmother jumped up in joy, hugging Aliya.

I waited for all the listed properties, hardly listening to the reading. I didn't care about the money; I just wanted my father to be alive.

"And for the King Corporation, it would go to my only daughter, Elle Blackwood.”

I merely nodded at the announcement. I always knew my father would leave the company for me.

“Wait,” Cain spoke up. I looked up at him in confusion.

He pulled out an envelope he was holding and handed it to the lawyer.

“That is the document Elle signed when we just got married to transfer ownership of the company to me when her father died.”

My eyes widened as I watched the lawyer read over the document. I rose and snatched it from his hands, my eyes scanning the paper with disbelief.

“I never signed this!” I said.

Cain only smiled, “You don't remember, darling; you signed it when we just got married.” He replied. “But there is no need to worry; what is mine is yours.”

My body was trembling as I stared at the bottom of the page to see my signature. I remember Cain giving me some documents to sign a year ago but I was so in love with him I didn't even think of reading them.

This was their ultimate plan—to strip me of everything till I had nothing. My mind went back to the day I married Cain.

James and I were in love and then he didn't show up to the wedding and Cain stepped in. My stepmother kept pushing me to marry him immediately.

I never questioned why James didn't show up when he loved me so much. But now nothing was making sense.

I was silent during the ride with him, my mind playing everything all over again till I couldn't think straight.

Once Cain dropped me home, he planted a kiss on my forehead and drove away, making an excuse he needed to work.

But deep down I knew the truth—he was going to Aliya. In the room, I dragged open Cane's wardrobe, staring at the box he never allowed me to touch.

I flipped the lid of the box and my breath caught in my throat at the pictures of Aliya since she was a child. She looked so beautiful and happy in the pictures and I could tell Cain was the one behind the camera.

My heart dropped at the last picture at the bottom of the box; it was the picture of James that was on the news the day we were supposed to get married.

But it wasn't real; it looked like someone photoshopped his face into the picture.

Was it true? Did Cain spread this picture to ruin my relationship with James? But why did James never show up?

I couldn't reach out to him since that day because Cain said I shouldn't dwell on the past.

I stumbled backwards, my head swirling with confusion, but then my eyes caught something down in the drawer.

They were bottles of drugs that had my father's name on them. But they didn't seem like his normal pill.

I grabbed the bottles and stormed out of the house. I drove wildly to the hospital, rushing to the nurse who treated my dad.

“What is this?” I asked, holding out the bottle to her.

Her eyes narrowed at the pills in confusion. This seems like the bottles of pills for Mr. Macmillan's prescription but the drugs are different.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“These pills would only spike his blood pressure and keep him sick.” She responded.

I stumbled out of the hospital in confusion. Did Cain switch my father's medication to keep him sick till he died?

I can't do this anymore; this betrayal was more than I can imagine. Cain has done enough and ruined my entire life.

I threw the pills in the bin with my phone and credit cards. I need to leave this place for good.

Cain kept calling all day for help to deal with the stakeholders of the company but I was already gone.

The nurse heard the ringing and picked up the phone from the bin.

“Hello Elle, I've been calling you all day; why didn't you respond to my love? I need you to come and talk to the shareholders of the company and introduce me as the new CEO. He said in a hurry.

“Mr. Blackwood, your wife is gone. She threw her phone in the trash. She found out about some secret pills used to kill her father.”