****

The next day.

The atmosphere at Sabrina and I's parents' house was festive. Guests arrived, bringing gifts and congratulations for our parents' anniversary.

I stood in the corner of the room, trying to keep my distance from the center of attention. My sore stomach made it difficult for me to stand for long, but I didn't want to show my weakness in front of them, especially not in front of Sabrina and Ray.

Ray, with a confident smile, strides among the guests, receiving compliment after compliment.

"You are a great husband, Ray," said one of the guests, a business associate of Dad's.

Ray chuckled, patting the man on the shoulder. "Ah, I'm just trying to be the best for Lea. I know she's had a difficult past, so I want to make sure she feels safe with me."

I felt my heart pounding uncomfortably at his words. There was something in his tone that scared me.

"What do you mean, Ray?" asked a woman standing nearby.

Ray smiled smugly, giving me a quick before continuing in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear. "Lea had a... bad experience. She was abused by another man, you know? I ended up saving her from a difficult life."

The whole room was suddenly silent. The guests' gazes slowly shifted to me, some were whispering, and I felt like the entire air in the room disappeared.

"No... That's not true," my voice trembled, but Ray didn't care. He was enjoying the moment, making me look weak before everyone.

Sabrina added in a mocking tone, "You poor thing, Lea. If it wasn't for Ray, I don't know what her life would be now."

I held my breath, staring at our father whose face was already bright red. I knew this was bad.

"Dad, I can explain..." my voice was barely audible.

However, before I could say anything further, dad took a quick step towards me and-

PLAK!

A hard slap landed on my cheek, making my head turn to the side. I felt a stinging heat on my face, but what hurt more was the contempt plastered in my father's eyes.

"You're such a disgrace, Lea! I threw you away years ago, and you still bring this disgrace into my family!" his voice thundered throughout the room.

Tears welled up in my eyes, but I held them back. I didn't want to give them the satisfaction of seeing me destroyed.

Ray, instead of defending me, smiled proudly, accepting compliments from some of the guests who praised him as a wonderful husband for 'accepting' a woman like me.

"Ray is a wonderful man. Not many men would accept a wife with a past like that," someone said in a tone of fake sympathy.

I couldn't take it anymore. With unsteady steps, I ran out of the house, letting the tears I had been holding back just break out. I felt like the world was so cruel.

However, when I returned to retrieve my bag left in the room, I heard a voice that stopped me in my tracks.

Ray's voice.

With slow steps, I approached one of the empty rooms in this house. The door was slightly ajar, and what I saw made me almost lose consciousness.

There, Ray and Sabrina are. Their bodies are tightly intertwined in a disgusting display of lust. They were kissing, Ray's hands clasped possessively around Sabrina's waist, while my step-sister gazed at him passionately.

My body trembled. "Ray..." my voice was barely audible, but they heard it.

Ray turned to me and instead of feeling guilty, he just smiled casually. "Lea, why are you still here? Want to join us?"

I felt my whole blood freeze. Sabrina chuckled softly while caressing Ray's face. "Lea, you should have realized long ago that Ray prefers me. He's only with you out of pity," she said in a dismissive tone.

I stared at them, unable to believe what I was seeing. "Ray... I am your wife."

Ray just shrugged. "Only on paper, Lea. I love Sabrina, and you know it."

I cover my mouth, fighting back the sobs that come with great difficulty. My body felt so weak, my stomach throbbed again, and my tears flowed relentlessly.

Without saying anything more, I turned and left, leaving the two of them who were again immersed in their forbidden passion. My heart was broken into pieces, and for the first time in my life, I felt completely alone.

I hobbled to the door, my tears streaming down my already wet face. My stomach was hurting even more, but I didn't care.

I had to leave here. I can no longer be in this place of betrayal and pain.

However, my steps were halted when Ray's cold voice echoed in the room.

"You think you can just leave, Lea?" his voice was full of mockery. I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to contain the turmoil in my chest. "Stay here and watch me and Sabrina make out. You need to know who I want."

I swallowed hard, my knees feeling weak. I turned my head slowly and saw Sabrina standing beside her with a triumphant grin.

"Did you hear that, Sister Lea?" Sabrina said in a mocking tone. "Ray is mine now. You're just an obstacle."

I couldn't answer. Only tears escaped my lips. I wanted to scream, to fight back, but my body felt so weak.

The sound of Ray's cell phone ringing broke the tension between us. He grabbed his phone with an annoyed face.

"What?" his voice sounded lazy, but his expression turned slightly serious. "Wait outside, I'll be right out."

Ray gave Sabrina a quick hug and then took off, leaving me alone with her.

As soon as the door closed, Sabrina's expression instantly changed. Her face was full of hatred as she approached, standing right in front of me with her arms folded across her chest.

"You think you can win Ray over from me?" she whispered sharply. "You're dead wrong. I will make sure your son is never born to inherit Ray's fortune."

I'm wide-eyed, staring at him with a mixture of fear and anger. "You're crazy, Sabrina. He's Ray's son, too!" my voice trembled, but I tried to stay strong.

Sabrina smiled sarcastically. "That's precisely why I had to get rid of him. You'll have nothing. It's all mine."

I shook my head desperately. "No, I won't let you!" I almost shouted. "Stop having anything to do with my husband, Sabrina! You know this is wrong!"

She just laughed. "You're too innocent, Sister Lea. I'm not going to stop. I will stay with Ray, in his bed, in his life, in his heart. And I will carry his child. The child who will have everything."

I felt my anger rising. I could no longer contain myself. With all my might, I slapped him across the face. The sound of the slap echoed in the room, and I could see her cheeks turn red instantly.

"You don't know your limits!" my voice trembled with anger and hurt mixed.

Sabrina gave me a sharp look, then suddenly she pushed me so hard that I fell to the floor. I screamed, my hands automatically clutching my stomach which was in excruciating pain.

I curled up in pain on the floor, my tears flowing even faster. "Help...," I whispered weakly, but Sabrina just smiled contentedly.

As I tried to get up, the sound of footsteps came from outside. I turned my head and saw Ray entering with my father and stepmother.

As soon as they saw me falling on the floor, their faces were immediately full of anger. But before I could speak, Sabrina moved faster. She grabbed a small knife stored in the cupboard and quickly sliced the blade across hen arm.

I gaped at the blood dripping from her hand. Sabrina's face instantly turned into one full of fake panic. "Ray! Sister Lea... she tried to hurt me!" she exclaimed in a trembling voice.

Ray ran towards her, his eyes filled with anger. "What are you doing, Lea?!" he snapped.

I shook my head in panic. "No! I didn't do anything! It was Sabrina who-"

Plak!

A hard slap landed on my cheek. I gasped, feeling the heat radiating across my face. My father looked at me with hateful eyes.

"You're such an ignorant child! Already bringing shame to the family, now trying to hurt your sister!"

My tears welled up, I tried to explain but no one would listen. Ray just stood there, looking at me with disgust.

"You're disgusting, Lea," he said coldly. "I'm sick of looking at you."

My body trembled, and the pain in my stomach intensified. I whimpered softly, hoping for some compassion, but no one cared. Ray just looked at me coldly before turning to Sabrina who was crying pretend in his arms.

I watched it all with teary eyes. I couldn't take it anymore. I want to leave here. I can no longer stay in a place that only gives me wounds.

I tried to stand up even though my body was still shaking. I want to leave this place. I couldn't bear to be in a house that only gave me pain and humiliation. However, as I stepped towards the door, Ray's firm voice stopped me in my tracks.

"You're not going anywhere, Lea."

I turned around with eyes already wet with tears. "Why? Don't you want me to go? I'm tired, Ray..." My voice was soft, full of desperation.

Ray glanced at Sabrina, and I caught a glimpse of a sly smile on his face. I knew there was something behind this.

Ray walked over, suddenly wrapping his arms around me. His touch felt cold, not the slightest warmth, just falseness. "I'm sorry, Lea... I got too carried away earlier," he whispered, then gently kissed my forehead.

I was transfixed, confused by his drastic change in demeanor. I didn't understand what he wanted from me. I tried to push her away, but she tightened her embrace even more.

Sabrina who was standing behind her was not happy about all this. I could see the glint of anger in her eyes, but she kept her sweet demeanor in front of Ray.

"You can't leave, Lea," Ray's voice sounded slower and deeper. "My father chose you as my wife... and you know what that means."

I paused, holding my breath. I knew exactly what he meant. If I left, Ray's father-who was now overseas-would be furious. Not only that, Ray wouldn't get a penny of his father's inheritance.

I shook my head, trying to free myself. "Ray... I don't care about any of that. I just want to be free!"

Ray looked back at me sharply. "Free?" he muttered coldly. "If you weren't the woman of my father's choice, do you think I'd be willing to keep you? Don't dream, Lea." His face came close to my ear and whispered, "You're just a tool to me. A source of money. If not for that, I would have divorced you long ago. Sabrina is the woman I want."

My heart seemed to stop beating. The pain that I had been harboring hit me hard again.

I tried to be strong. "Then divorce me, Ray. I don't want to stay here just for money."

But instead of feeling threatened, Ray laughed sarcastically. "Divorce you?" He looked at me with contempt. "You think it's that easy? You'll stay here until I decide everything."

Sabrina suddenly groaned in pain, making the scene even more chaotic. "Ray... my hand hurts," she whined miserably. "Look... the blood is still coming out..."

Ray immediately turned around, took Sabrina's hand gently, and rubbed it attentively. "Patience, dear... I'll take care of you."

I could only watch them with teary eyes. There was nothing I could do but cry. I felt so weak and helpless.

Just then, my parents came into the room. My father and stepmother stared at the scene in front of them with different expressions. My mother looked shocked, while my father, Frans, just snorted coldly.

I gathered my courage and said, "Dad... Ray is having an affair with Sabrina. You saw them-"

Before I could finish my sentence, my father cut in with a sharp voice, "Enough, Lea!"

I was shocked. "Dad, didn't you see them?" I asked in a trembling voice. "Ray is having an affair with my sister!"

Frans looked at me with contempt. "You still dare to talk about loyalty? After all the disgrace you've caused?"

I fell silent, my heart breaking again. "Father..."

"I don't care about their relationship. I support it," I continued in a sharp tone. "Ray deserves a better woman than you. Sabrina is a better choice!"

Dad's words make me barely breathe. I stared at him in disbelief. "How can you support this affair? I'm your daughter!"

Dad leaned closer, then whispered hatefully, "You've become a dirty woman, Lea. You deserve this as a lesson."

I felt like my body was about to collapse. I couldn't believe my father was supporting all of this. Only a small sob escaped my lips. Everyone around me seemed to be enjoying my suffering.

Sabrina smiled slyly again behind Ray's back. I know she won today. But I wasn't going to give up so easily.

"What do you all want? Do you want to see me die? Kill me! Kill me now! I've had it, I'm tired of all this suffering! Please don't kill me like this. Let me give birth to my child first, then you can kill me with satisfaction!" I shouted, with tears streaming down my cheeks.