I couldn’t move.

The floor felt freezing against my cheek, and above me, the white light spun, blurring in and out of focus. Pain tore through my stomach, spreading to my back until I couldn’t tell where it began or ended. Then voices broke through.

Shouting.

Footsteps rushing closer.

Someone called my name.

Darius.

My heart stirred, fragile but hopeful. He came… he was coming for me—

But then I saw him.

He ran past me. Straight to Elowen.

She lay a few steps away, crying softly, clutching her arm as if it were broken. Without hesitation, he gathered her into his arms, panic clear in his eyes.

“Call the doctor! Now!” Darius shouted.

One of the maids stammered, “Sir, Miss Kaia is bleeding too—”

“Deal with her later!” His voice cut through everything. “Elowen comes first!”

First?

Something inside me shattered. Their voices faded. The light dimmed.

And then—nothing.

---

When I opened my eyes, all I saw was a white ceiling. The sharp smell of medicine filled my nose. My throat felt dry, almost impossible to swallow. There was a bandage wrapped tightly around my stomach.

I tried to sit up, but pain shot through me, forcing me back down.

The door opened.

Darius walked in. His face was set, his eyes colder than I had ever seen.

“So this is how you repay me?” His voice was steady, but anger lingered beneath every word. “I took you out of that place. Gave you everything. And this is what you do in return?”

I stared at him, confused. “W-what do you mean?”

He stepped closer, arms crossed. “Stop pretending. You tried to hurt my fiancée. Do you even realize she once saved my life? She took a bullet for me. And you… you pushed her down the stairs.”

My stomach twisted. “No, Darius, please—it wasn’t me—”

“Enough.” His voice rose slightly. “You always have an excuse. Always crying, always acting like you’re the victim.”

I shook my head, tears spilling over. “Please, just listen to me—”

A knock interrupted me.

A nurse peeked in, her gaze lowered. “Sir… Miss Elowen just woke up. She’s crying. She’s still in shock and asking for you.”

Darius’s jaw tightened. His eyes flicked toward me for a brief second—cold, empty, like I didn’t matter at all.

“Save it,” he said quietly. “I’ll deal with you later.”

Then he turned and walked out.

The door closed softly behind him. But to me, it sounded final—like something breaking beyond repair.

“Don’t worry, baby… we’ll leave. I’ll keep you safe. I promise.”

My hand slowly reached toward the IV needle. I just wanted to go. Anywhere. Away from all of this.

But before I could do anything, the door slammed open.

Leonhart and Evander rushed in like a storm.

Leonhart’s eyes burned with fury. Evander looked at me like I was something disgusting.

Evander moved first. His hand struck my face hard, the sound echoing through the room.

“How dare you, Kaia?” he shouted. “How dare you try to kill our sister?”

My head snapped to the side, my cheek throbbing. “I didn’t,” I whispered.

Leonhart’s voice came louder. “Don’t even think about lying. You already killed our parents. Wasn’t that enough? Now you’re going after Elowen too?”

Tears filled my eyes again. “She’s the one who—”

Leonhart stepped closer, pointing at me. “She’s the one what? You said that before. Every time you say that, someone ends up dead. Mom. Dad. Now Elowen?”

“No,” I cried, shaking my head. “You don’t understand. She lied. She set me up. Please, Leonhart—you have to believe me.”

Evander grabbed the metal tray beside my bed and slammed it to the floor. It crashed loudly—glass shattering, water spilling everywhere. “Shut up!” he roared. “You think anyone would choose your word over hers? You’re nothing. Just a stain on this family. A curse that won’t disappear.”

I covered my mouth, sobbing.

Evander leaned in closer, his voice low, filled with hatred. “Why are you still alive? Just die already and spare us the trouble.”

Leonhart grabbed my chin roughly, forcing me to look at him. His eyes were cold, almost hollow. “You’ll pay for this, Kaia. Even if Darius lets you off, we won’t.”

Then they turned and walked out, the door slamming shut behind them.

That night… I peeled the tape from my skin, the soft ripping sound too loud in the silence. I bit down on my lip to keep from crying out as the needle slid free. My arm burned, but I didn’t care. I just needed to get out.

I pushed myself off the bed, my legs weak, my body cold. The floor felt too far beneath me. Every step hurt, but I kept going, dragging myself toward the door.

Just as my fingers reached for the handle, it burst open.

Darius stood there, his face flushed, his eyes sharp with anger.

“So now you’re trying to run?” His voice filled the room. “After everything you’ve done, you still think you can just leave?”

I froze, my throat dry. “Darius, please… I just—”

He cut me off, louder this time. “Do you even understand what you’ve done? Elowen is losing blood because of you. She could die!”

Before I could say anything, his hand grabbed my arm, his grip tight enough to hurt.

“You’re giving her your blood,” he said coldly. “You’re both RH-negative. She needs it—and you owe her your life.”

I shook my head, trying to pull away. “No… I can’t. Please, let me go. I can’t do this.”

His eyes darkened, his voice dropping. “Why not? After everything I’ve done for you? I took you away from your brothers. I knew what you were, Kaia—a killer—and I still kept you. I gave you a place to stay, clothes, everything. I let you be with me. And now you act like you’re above me?”

“Darius…” My voice broke. “Please, stop.”

He let out a bitter laugh. “You should be grateful. Do you have any idea how many women would do anything to be in your place? To be the one beside me? But I chose you. And now all I feel when I look at you is disgust.”

His words hurt more than his grip. Tears blurred my vision. “I can’t,” I whispered. “I can’t give blood… I’m pregnant.”

For a second, he paused. Something flickered in his eyes. Then he laughed—cold, mocking.

“Pregnant? You think I’m stupid?” He shook his head. “You’ll say anything to get out of this. Lying comes so easily to you.”

“It’s true!” I begged. “Please, I’m not lying. It’s your child. Don’t make me do this.”

He yanked my arm, making me stumble. “Enough. You’re giving her blood whether you want to or not.”

“Darius, stop! Please!”

He didn’t listen. He dragged me down the hallway toward the nurse’s station. My feet scraped against the floor as I tried to resist, grabbing onto the wall, the doorframe—anything.

The nurses stared when we entered, frozen.

“Take her blood,” Darius ordered. “Even if you have to drain her. She’ll pay for what she did.”

“Sir…” one nurse hesitated.

Leonhart’s voice cut in. “Do it. She owes our sister her life.”

Evander nodded beside him. “Finish it.”

I screamed as they held me down. “Please, don’t! I’m begging you! I’m pregnant! You’ll kill my baby!”

No one listened.

The needle pierced my skin. I watched as my blood filled the bag, red and endless. My body turned cold. My vision blurred.

Before everything went dark, I whispered, “After this… I’ll end it.”

---

When I woke up again, the room was quiet. My body felt hollow. My hands looked pale. My breathing felt weak. It was like something inside me was gone.

A nurse stood beside the bed, her expression soft with pity. “Miss Kaia,” she said gently, “Miss Elowen is safe now. She’s stable.”

I slowly turned my head. “Did… he come?”

She looked away. “Mr. Voss hasn’t returned.”

I gave a small nod. My hand drifted to my stomach. It felt too still. Too empty.

Something wasn’t right.

“Where’s my baby?” I asked, my voice shaking.

The nurse hesitated. “I’ll call the doctor.”

When he arrived, he wouldn’t meet my eyes. His voice was quiet, like he didn’t want to say it out loud.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “We couldn’t save the baby.”

Everything stopped. For a moment, I couldn’t even cry. I just smiled faintly, trembling. “So that’s how it ends,” I whispered. “My baby died… just to save hers.”

The doctor left. The room fell silent again.

That night, I got out of bed. My legs almost gave out, but I kept walking. No shoes. No coat. Just the thin hospital gown.

Outside, the air was freezing. Rain poured heavily, blurring everything in front of me. I kept walking until I reached the bridge.

The water below was dark, rushing fast. I stood there, shaking.

I looked up at the sky. “Mom… Dad… I’m tired.”

Rain hit my face like needles. I smiled through my tears. “I’m sorry if I stop now. I tried to be good. I tried to stay strong.”

My voice trembled. “My brothers hate me. The man I loved… used me. And my baby… they took it too. I just want peace. Please… let me come home.”

I stepped forward. The sound of the river roared beneath me.

“Goodbye, Darius.” My lips shook as I said his name. “You took everything from me… and somehow, I still loved you. I don’t even know why. Maybe because I never really knew what love was.”

The rain grew heavier, swallowing my voice.

“Goodbye, Leonhart. Goodbye, Evander.” My voice cracked. “Maybe one day, you’ll remember I was your sister before I became your shame.”

A quiet sob escaped me. “You’ll wake up tomorrow and won’t even notice I’m gone. Maybe that’s better.”

Lightning flashed across the sky. I closed my eyes.

“My baby…” I whispered, pressing my hand to my stomach one last time. “Wait for me, okay? Mama’s coming.”

The river roared below.

I stepped closer to the edge, rain pooling around my feet. “This is it,” I murmured. “The last pain I’ll ever feel. I hope you both burn.”

Then I stepped forward.

The world tipped. The storm howled.

And I jumped.

The water swallowed everything.

Darius'S POV

I sat by the window, peeling an apple. The knife scraped against the skin, a slow, steady sound. The kind that filled the silence when words felt too heavy to say.

Elowen was lying on the bed, pale and quiet. Her eyes were open, watching me. I could feel her gaze even if I didn’t look up.

“Where are you going?” she asked when I stood.

I slipped the knife into my pocket, staring at the apple in my hand. “I’ll be back. Kaia hasn’t eaten anything all day.”

Elowen’s voice trembled. “She doesn’t need your pity, Darius.”

I turned to her. “It’s not pity.”

“She tried to kill me, Darius... And you’re worried if she’s eaten? You’re hurting me again.”

I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. So I left.

The hallway outside was cold. Too quiet. The kind of quiet that made your thoughts louder.

When I passed the nurses’ station, I heard them whispering.

“My heart broke for that woman… Kaia, right?” one said. “She looked so weak. I can’t believe they forced her to donate.”

“Yeah,” another said. “Miss Elowen was the fiancée. Kaia was just the mistress. Poor thing, I heard she was pregnant too.”

I stopped walking. My hand froze on the apple.

Pregnant?

“Two months, they said. But she lost the baby after giving blood. She lost too much herself.”

The apple slipped from my hand and hit the floor with a dull sound.

The nurses went quiet. I turned to them slowly. My voice came out low. “What did you just say?”

They looked at each other, nervous. No one spoke.

“I said,” I repeated, “what did you just say about her pregnancy?!”

One of them, the youngest, finally looked up. “It’s true, Mr. Voss. The report is still here. She was two months pregnant.”

My chest tightened. “Show me.”

She handed me the file with shaking hands.

Kaia Langford.

Pregnancy: Positive.

Complication: Miscarriage due to trauma and excessive blood loss.

I couldn’t breathe.

I read it again. And again.

Her voice came back to me—soft, desperate. “I’m pregnant, Darius. Please, don’t do this.”

I thought she was lying.

I dragged her out like she was nothing. I let them take her blood. I didn’t believe her.

My hand trembled. The file slipped from my fingers onto the floor. I pressed my palm over my eyes, but it didn’t help. The image of her face... pale, scared, begging burned into me.

I killed my own child! Fuck.

Our child.

The one thing my doctors said I might never have again.

My throat felt dry. My chest hurt like someone had punched through it.

I stood up fast. “WHERE IS SHE?”

The nurses looked at each other again, afraid.

“Where is Kaia?” I said louder.

“She’s gone, sir,” one whispered. “She checked out… we don’t know when.”

I stormed out of the ward. Called my assistant immediately. “Get the CCTV now.”

Within minutes, he had it ready. The footage played on his tablet.

Kaia walked down the hallway. She was barefoot, pale, and limping. Her hospital gown dragging slightly. Her hand on her stomach.

I stared at the screen, my heart sinking deeper with every frame.

“Sir…” my assistant said carefully.

“Send men to find her,” I said, my voice low, shaking. “Search every street, every bridge, every goddamn place near the hospital. Bring her back to me.”

He nodded and ran off.

I stayed there, staring at the screen, feeling the weight in my chest grow heavier.

She told me the truth. I didn’t believe her.

Now she’s gone. And so is our child.

.....

It was already night when I got back to my office. I told the nurse to stay with Elowen, to make sure she didn’t try anything stupid. I just needed a minute to think, to breathe.

I sat behind my desk, still in the same damn shirt from the hospital. The sleeves were rolled up, my tie gone, the buttons half undone. My eyes burned. I hadn’t slept. Couldn’t.

The phone rang. My assistant’s name flashed on the screen.

I picked it up fast. “Tell me you found her.”

There was silence first. Then his voice—hesitant, careful. “Yes, sir. We… we found Kaia.”

I shot up from my chair. “Where is she? Bring her here. I don’t care how, just bring her back to me.”

He didn’t answer right away.

“Did you hear me?” I barked. “I said bring her back!”

He hesitated again. “Boss… I sent you something. Please check your phone first.”

I frowned. “What is it?”

“Just… please, look first.”

I opened the message. It was a video. Grainy footage from a CCTV.

A bridge. Rain coming down hard. Headlights flashing by. And then her.

Kaia.

She was walking barefoot, the hospital gown clinging to her body. Her hair was soaked, her steps slow and weak. She stopped at the railing, holding it for support.

“Kaia…” I whispered.

She looked up at the sky, eyes swollen, face pale. Her lips moved, but the rain drowned everything.

My knees went weak.

She climbed the railing.

“No,” I whispered, backing away from the desk. “No, Kaia, don’t! Fucking don't!”

She let go.

The splash came a second later.

The sound hit me harder than a gunshot.

My phone slipped from my hand. It hit the floor, but I didn’t even look down. I just stared at the dark screen. My chest felt like it was caving in.

Then I snapped out of it and grabbed the phone again.

“Call the coast guard!” I yelled. “Call rescue teams! I don’t care who—just find her! Find her now!”

“Yes, sir. I already contacting emergency services—”

“Go!” I shouted. “She must still be alive. She has to be.” I slammed my fist against the desk. The sound echoed in the room. My veins burned under my skin. “Go, damn it!”

I didn’t wait. I grabbed my keys and ran out.

My driver tried to stop me at the door. “Sir, please, let me—”

“I’ll go myself!” I shoved past him and ran into the rain.

The storm hit hard, but I didn’t care. I got in the car, started the engine, and floored it.

Her image wouldn’t leave my head. Kaia standing there, her hair whipping in the wind, her face so tired.

“Hold on, Kaia,” I muttered, gripping the wheel. “Please hold on. Don’t die on me. Please.”

My voice cracked.

“Fuck, I’m such an idiot,” I said, hitting the steering wheel. “You told me you were pregnant and I didn’t believe you. I pushed you to donate. I killed our child. God, what have I done?”

The phone rang again. The nurse’s voice came through, shaking.

“Mr. Voss, Elowen’s missing!”

My blood ran cold.