The first thing I became aware of was the beeping. Slow, steady, unrelenting. I blinked against the harsh lights, my throat parched, my body weak as though every bone had been drained of strength.

Then voices drifted through the fog.

“…we had no choice,” a doctor’s tone was calm, professional. “The wife survived. The baby didn’t.”

My breath hitched. Baby? I’m pregnant?

“What?” Tobias’s voice thundered, so close it made my heart jolt. For a brief, fragile second, warmth spread in my chest. Was he worried about me? Did he care?

But then—

“You should have let her die instead! What use is she to me without the baby? I needed the child, not her! Why didn’t you ask me whom to save?”

My world froze. Is he seriously saying that?

The doctor’s voice grew sharper. “Mr. Tobias, it was impossible to save both. Preserving the wife’s life was the only viable choice. The fetus was only six months along—far too early to survive outside the womb.”

I heard papers shuffle, the doctor sighing heavily before adding, “She likely didn’t even realize she was pregnant. With her medical condition—a retroverted uterus and polycystic ovary syndrome—carrying to term is already rare. Many women with PCOS don’t have regular cycles. It’s common to mistake the signs for something else. No visible bump until later, irregular red days… it would’ve been difficult for her to notice.”

The words blurred together, but they struck like knives. Six months. I had been carrying life inside me all this time—and I hadn’t even known.

And Tobias… he wanted me dead instead.

Footsteps shuffled, another voice chimed in—Thomas. His words were colder than ice. “So she’s alive, but the baby is gone. Pathetic.”

Paul muttered, almost to himself, “She ruins everything. What a disappointment. If she’s not stupid to be walking without looking then it wouldn’t happen, and why is she even wearing a wedding gown?”

I wanted to scream, to sit up, to fight back—but my limbs were heavy, my eyelids dragging me down into darkness.

Maybe it was a dream. Yes, it had to be. A nightmare born of pain and exhaustion.

When I woke again, the room was quiet. A nurse leaned over me, adjusting my IV.

“You’re awake,” she said softly, offering a gentle smile.

My lips parted, my voice hoarse. “W-What happened?”

“You were in an accident,” she explained. “You were hit by a truck. You’ve been unconscious for two days. I’m so sorry… you lost the baby.”

Tears slipped down my temples before I could even process the words. A baby. One I hadn’t even known I carried. And now—it was gone.

My hand instinctively pressed against my stomach. Empty. Hollow.

“My husband…” I whispered, clinging to a fragile hope. “Where’s Tobias? Was he here?”

The nurse hesitated, her silence louder than any answer. Finally, she shook her head. “No one has visited since you were brought in.”

Her words cut deeper than any scalpel.

Alone. I was completely alone.

When she left the room, I turned to the small table where my phone rested. My hands trembled as I reached for it, praying—begging—for a message. Anything.

But there was nothing. No calls. No texts. Not from Tobias. Not from my brothers.

Biting back a sob, I dialed Tobias’s number. The line rang, then clicked.

At first, I heard nothing but muffled sounds. Then—

A woman’s voice. A soft moan.

“Mm… Tobias…”

My heart stopped.

And then, laughter. Mocking. Familiar.

Janine. I ended the call with shaking fingers, my chest heaving. My vision blurred as hot tears spilled down, staining the sheets.

Moments later, my phone buzzed again. A message this time.

I opened it, and bile rose in my throat.

Photos. Tobias and Janine, their hands entwined. His lips pressed to hers. Her head tilted back in laughter as they toasted with champagne. In one, he slipped a ring onto her finger.

The caption was cruel, deliberate.

Sorry, sister. We’re on our honeymoon. But don’t worry—I’ll take care of Tobias for you. I’m back.

The mocking tone bled through every word, as though she was standing beside me, whispering in my ear.

My phone slipped from my fingers, clattering onto the floor. I pressed my palms to my face, sobbing into the silence.

The betrayal cut deeper than anything Tobias had ever done. My husband. My brothers. My own sister. Together. Against me.

For hours, I stared at the ceiling, numb, empty, broken. But as the tears dried, something else began to stir within me. A sharp, cold resolve.

If Tobias thought he could discard me, if Janine thought she could waltz back into my life and steal everything… they were wrong.

I wouldn’t beg. Not anymore.

I picked up my phone again, scrolling through my contacts. My thumb hovered over one name, a name I hadn’t dared think of in years.

Dave. The man who once loved me with a sincerity I had overlooked. The man I had turned down for Tobias’s empty promises. The man I should have chosen.

My breath shook as I pressed call.

The line rang once. Twice. Then—

“Hello?” His voice was deep, steady, tinged with surprise.

My throat tightened. “Dave. It’s me. Carmela.”

There was silence. A sharp inhale. “Carmela? After all this time—why are you calling me now?”

I closed my eyes, pushing down the lump in my throat. Pride had no place here. “Do you… still want to marry me?”

Dave’s voice was calm, teasing almost, when he finally responded on the other end of the line.

“So, what changed your mind? The last time we spoke, you swore you’d rather die than marry your enemy.”

A bitter laugh slipped out of me. “Well, Tobias already wanted me dead. So tell me, Dave—doesn’t that make you the better option?”

For a moment, there was silence. Then Dave chuckled darkly. “So I’m just an option now? A second choice because the great Tobias failed you?”

I clenched the phone tighter. “Fine. If you don’t want me, then forget I even called. I’ll figure it out myself.”

“Carmela,” his voice softened, a sigh following. “I didn’t say I don’t want you. I’ve always wanted you. But if we do this… there’s a condition.”

My breath caught. “What condition?”

“You would never leave my side again,” Dave said firmly. “No matter what happens, no matter who comes between us, I won’t allow you to walk away from me. If you want this marriage, then that’s the price. I will never let you go.”

Something heavy pressed against my chest. Was it fear? Relief? I didn’t know anymore. My lips trembled, but I forced the words out. “Then let’s plan the wedding.”

He exhaled sharply, almost in disbelief. “Just like that?”

“No.” My voice shook, but I steadied it. “There’s one more thing. I want them to suffer losing me. All of them. So can you fake my death in five days?”

There was a pause, then Dave’s low, dangerous chuckle. “Consider it done.”

I dropped the phone, my hands trembling. I never thought I would even reach this point. But this is better than staying with someone who’d been betraying me since I don’t know!

For the rest of the day, I waited. Waited for someone—anyone—to call, to check on me. To ask where I was, why I hadn’t come home. But no one did. Not Tobias. Not Thomas. Not Paul.

By evening, I couldn’t take it anymore. I dragged my weak body out of the hospital and went home.

The sight that greeted me made my stomach twist. The entire house reeked of alcohol and cigarette smoke, remnants of a party still scattered everywhere—confetti on the floor, empty bottles on the table, laughter etched into the walls as if grief had no place here.

I climbed the stairs slowly, dragging my bag behind me, but froze when I saw her.

Janine.

Her eyes went wide, her face paling as if she had seen a ghost. She stumbled back, clutching her chest. “No… no, she’s here! She might kill me!”

Before I could even speak, Thomas and Paul rushed out.

“And why would she?” Thomas asked, glaring at me.

Both their gazes fell on me, sharp and accusing.

“Where have you been?” Paul demanded. “It’s been days! You missed the welcome party. Janine is back, and you weren’t here to support her.”

My throat tightened. “Welcome party? After everything she’s done? You said you’d never forgive her—you said she was the reason for Dad’s death!”

The words barely left my lips before Thomas’s hand struck across my face, the slap ringing loud in the hallway. My cheek burned, tears stung my eyes.

“Don’t you dare say that!” Thomas snarled. “Janine already told us everything. It was you. You lured her to that man, the scammer. You introduced him. You made sure she took the blame so you’d look clean.”

My heart stopped. “What? That’s not true! Yes, I knew him—but only because Janine begged me to introduce her. She liked him, Thomas! She was the one chasing after him, not me. I never had anything to do with him outside of that one introduction. If she got herself tangled in his schemes, that was her choice, not mine!”

But Thomas’s glare only hardened, his hand curling into a fist at his side.

“You expect us to believe that?” Paul snapped. “After all this time, you’re still lying to our faces?”

I shook my head desperately. “I’m not lying! I never even got close to him. I warned her, I told her it wasn’t a good idea—but she didn’t listen. And now you’re telling me it’s my fault?”

Janine sniffled, lowering her gaze, playing the victim. “Stop… please. I don’t want us to fight anymore. This is why I never came back. I didn’t want to cause problems.”

Paul’s glare silenced me. “Enough, Carmela. We’ve heard enough of your lies. You’ve deceived us for years.”

And then Janine, the snake, lowered her gaze and whispered, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come back if it would only make us fight. Please, I don’t want us to hate each other.”

“Fight?” Tobias’s voice cut in as he walked down the stairs. He crossed his arms, eyes cold as stone. “We’re not fighting, Janine. We’re just making things straight. That’s why Carmela should apologize and hand over her inheritance. It belongs to you. You deserve it more than she does.”

I shook my head furiously. “No! Father gave it to me because he knew I was the only one who could be trusted in this family!”

Paul’s hand lashed out, striking me across the other cheek this time. “Shut up! You don’t deserve anything, Carmela. Not after what you did.”

My body trembled, rage coursing through me like fire. My vision blurred with tears but I refused to let them see me break. “I’m truly disappointed in all of you,” I whispered, voice cracking. “I don’t have a family anymore.”

I ran to my room, slamming the door shut behind me. My hands shook as I threw clothes into a bag, stuffing in whatever I could carry. Each fold of fabric was fueled by my fury, my heartbreak.

The door creaked open behind me. Tobias.

He stepped inside, his expression softened, pretending to care as he wrapped his arms around me. “Hey… I’m sorry, okay? Please, just listen. I’m only trying to—”

I shoved him away, the force of my push stronger than I thought possible. My hand reached for the plastic ring on my finger—the $5 ring he once gave me as a promise of forever. With a bitter laugh, I ripped it off and threw it at his chest.

“Leave me alone!” I spat. “You can keep your lies, Tobias. I don’t need them anymore.”

Tobias closed the door behind him, his face painted with guilt, though his eyes still carried that sharpness I had grown too familiar with.

“Carmela,” he sighed, rubbing his temples as though I were the one causing him a headache. “I only said those things because Janine was depressed. She needed someone to lift her up. You should try to be more understanding.”

I laughed bitterly, though it came out broken. “Understanding? After everything she did, after everything I lost, you want me to understand her?”

He stepped closer, lowering his voice like he was trying to soothe me. “About the inheritance… shouldn’t you give it to her? There will be signing soon. You don’t even know how to handle business, Carmela. At least she can do something with it.”

My heart ached, but it wasn’t surprise. It was the same old wound being ripped open again.

I had been used to this—his words, his promises, the way he always managed to twist everything until I was the one who looked unreasonable.

I remembered the nights he swore he’d take me away for our anniversary, the days he promised he’d introduce me proudly as his wife, the quiet vows of “next time” that never came. I had believed him each time. I thought it was loyalty. I thought it was love. But now I knew—it was blindness.

Tobias reached into his pocket, pulling out a velvet box. “Listen. I was preparing for our wedding in five days. It was supposed to be a surprise, but maybe if you know, you’ll calm down. The ring is real this time, not plastic. We’ll merge the families officially, Carmela. Please.”

His words felt like smoke.

And still, part of me—some foolish, aching part—remembered the man I once thought loved me. But that was the illusion. My heart ached with the bitter knowledge that it was never me he wanted. It was the inheritance. It was my father’s favor.

Even my brothers—Thomas and Paul. I had spent years believing they loved me, protecting me, cherishing me as their sister. But now, looking back, I saw it clearly. They smiled because Father always placed me above them.

They played the role of loyal brothers because I was the one with everything in my hands. It was never love. It was envy, carefully dressed up as family.

And Janine… back then, I thought she was the one person I was closest to. My sister. My blood. I used to share secrets with her, defend her when people called her reckless, even cover for her when Father was angry. I thought that was what sisters were meant to do—stand by each other.

I thought she stayed close to me because we had a bond. But now, I see it differently. Maybe she was close because I was convenient. Because I could shield her. Because she could laugh behind my back with Tobias when I wasn’t looking. How long had it been going on? How many nights that Tobias claimed he was “busy” were really spent in her arms?

I thought he was building a future for us. I cooked dinners that went cold waiting for him, celebrated birthdays alone, even lit candles by myself on anniversaries.

I told myself it was fine, that he loved me but was simply working hard. That one day he’d make it up to me.

But now I knew the truth—he wasn’t busy. He was cheating. He was lying. He was building a future—but not with me.

He added softly, “Janine is back because she’s sick. Try to understand her. She needs family, and we need her too.”

I shook my head, tears stinging. “Sick? You accused me of something I didn’t do. I wasn’t the one who scammed. I even lost our baby and you—”

But before I could finish, Janine’s shrill scream echoed through the hallway.

“Help me! Tobias!”

He spun around without hesitation and bolted toward her voice, leaving me standing there. Always her. Never me.

I clenched my fists, choking back a sob. Fine. Let him run to her. Let them all. I didn’t care anymore.

I turned back to my room, wiping my tears, and struck a match. A small candle flickered to life, soft and trembling. I set it down, whispering a prayer for the child I hadn’t even known I carried—the child I lost before I could love. My lips trembled.

“My baby… I’m sorry. I should’ve protected you.”

The flame blurred as fresh tears burned my eyes.

But before I could finish, heavy footsteps thudded against the floorboards. The door burst open.

Thomas stormed in, his face dark, his hand clamping down on my wrist. “Come here.”

I tried to pull back. “What are you doing?”

“You and Janine share the same blood,” he said coldly. “She needs it. You’re going to donate.”

“No! I don’t want to—”

My protest was cut short by the sting of a fist. Paul’s fist. My head snapped to the side, the room spinning.

Pain shot through my skull, and before I could even scream, darkness swallowed me whole.

When I opened my eyes again, the world was blurry. The bright lights above me hurt. My arms felt heavy, my veins aching.

I tilted my head weakly, and horror flooded me. Tubes were strapped into my arm. My blood… they were draining my blood.

“No…” My voice was a whisper, thin and broken.

Somewhere near, I heard a doctor’s frantic voice. “We can’t take more! She’s already weak from the accident. If we push further, she won’t survive!”

“Just drain everything!” Tobias’s voice thundered, colder than ice. “I don’t care what happens to her!”

My lips trembled. He… he wanted this.

Another voice followed, Thomas’s harsh and bitter. “Make her sick. Weak enough so she can’t fight back. Enough so she’ll die slowly.”

Paul’s laugh was low, cruel. “Yes. Then we’ll have everything.”

Their words stabbed deeper than the needle in my arm. My chest heaved, my vision dimming.

I wanted to scream. To fight. To tell them that they would regret this, that I would never forgive them. But my body betrayed me. Weak. Helpless.

The edges of my vision bled into black. Their voices grew faint, muffled, like echoes in a cavern.

And then, nothing. Only darkness.