Erika’s Pov

I ended the call and slowly locked my phone.

“What wedding were you talking about?” Jacob asked again.

For a moment, my fingers tightened around my phone.

Just hours ago I had learned the truth. My husband and my sister had stolen my child’s heart to save their own.

The old Erika would have screamed. She would have demanded answers. But the old Erika was already dead.

I forced my expression to relax.

“A friend of mine is getting married,” I said calmly. “She asked me to help with some preparations.”

Jacob studied me for a moment before nodding.

“You always liked weddings,” he said. “You even planned our anniversary like another ceremony.”

I didn’t reply.

Three years of marriage.

Three years of begging him to announce me as his wife.

Jacob had finally agreed to make our relationship public on our anniversary this year.

He promised the world would know I was Mrs. Reed.

We were supposed to stand there together with our newborn son.

The anniversary was in two days.

Now my son is dead.

And the man standing in front of me was the one who killed him.

I lowered my eyes so Jacob wouldn’t see the hatred burning inside them.

“What did you come here for?” I asked quietly.

Jacob seemed relieved that I wasn’t arguing with him.

“I know you’re upset,” he said gently. “But I’ll make it up to you. Lily only has a few months left. If you can just be a little kinder to her, everything will go back to normal once she’s gone.”

Once she’s gone, the words almost made me laugh.

How ridiculous. I had already decided to leave. There was no “normal” for us anymore.

But I simply nodded.

“Alright.”

Jacob visibly relaxed.

“Actually,” he continued, “Lily will be discharged soon. Could you prepare that medicinal soup for her? The one you always make. It helps her recover faster.”

So that was the real reason he came.

To ask the woman whose baby had just died to cook for the woman who stole his heart.

For a brief moment, anger surged through my chest.

Then I remembered something I once read.

If you want to defeat your enemy, never show them your real thoughts.

I forced a faint smile.

“Of course,” I said.

Jacob blinked in surprise.

“You… agree?”

“Why wouldn’t I?” I replied calmly. “Lily is my sister.”

He seemed satisfied with that answer.

“I knew I could count on you.”

Jacob stepped forward and tried to kiss my forehead, but I turned slightly and avoided him.

“I’m still feeling a bit unwell,” I lied.

He paused awkwardly, nodding his head in understanding.

“I’ll go arrange Lily’s discharge,” he said before leaving the room.

The door closed behind him.

The moment he was gone, my smile disappeared.

For a long moment, the room fell into complete silence.

The faint smell of disinfectant lingered in the hospital room. The same room where my child had been declared dead.

I leaned back against the hospital bed.

My marriage has lasted three years. My escape would take two days but until then I would play the perfect wife.

—

Two hours later, I quietly left the hospital.

The afternoon sun was blinding after days inside the building. For a moment, I had to shield my eyes.

The world outside continued as if nothing had happened. No one knew that I had lost my child.

I raised my hand and hailed a taxi.

“Downtown,” I said calmly.

The driver nodded and pulled away from the curb.

As the city passed by outside the window, my hand slowly moved to my stomach.

The place where my son had once been. The child they stole from me.

A dull ache spread through my chest.

You deserved to live.

My eyes closed briefly but the tears never fell. If I cried now, those people would win and I would never let them win again.

My phone vibrated again. It was Barrister John.

I answered the call.

“Mrs. Reed,” his voice sounded concerned. “I received your message earlier. Is everything alright?”

“I’m fine,” I said calmly. “I need you to handle a few things for me.”

“Of course.”

“The divorce agreement must be ready today. I’ll sign it in two days.”

“Understood.”

“And another thing.”

“My legal identity needs to be restored.”

There was a brief pause on the other end of the line.

“You mean the identity your grandfather mentioned?”

“Yes.”

“I want the name Erika Reed cancelled.”

Barrister John inhaled slowly.

“That process requires documentation and official filing.”

“I will send you everything you need.”

“That can be arranged,” he replied. “It may take some time to finalize, but we can begin the process immediately.”

“Good.”

I looked out the window at the passing buildings.

“My marriage has lasted three years,” I said quietly.

“My departure will take two days.”

Barrister John seemed to understand what those words meant.

“I will handle everything,” he assured me.

“Thank you.”

The call ended.

I lowered the phone slowly and leaned back in the seat.

For the next two days, I would continue playing the role of Jacob Reed’s obedient wife.

After that, Erika Reed would disappear and their perfect world would begin to crumble.

Erika’s Pov

The moment I stepped into the house, I perceived the strong smell of smoke coming from the sitting room. My heart skipped as a bad feeling crept into my chest.

I moved forward quickly, my steps uneven, my body still weak, but something inside me screamed to hurry.

The closer I got to the living room, the stronger the smell became.

My breath hitched as I pushed the door open and froze.

Flames flickered in the center of the room. A metal basin sat on the marble floor, fire dancing wildly inside it, devouring colors that once meant everything to me.

The canvas in the fire was my paintings. The ones my mentor left me before he died.

For a second, my brain refused to process it. Then it hit me hard. My chest tightened so violently it felt like something inside me had just been torn open again.

And standing beside the fire was Lily, a smug smile on her face.

“Oh, you’re back,” she grinned.

“Stop!” I screamed, my voice cracking as I rushed forward.

I dropped to my knees and reached straight into the fire. Pain exploded through my hand, sharp and blinding but I barely felt it.

I grabbed what was left of the canvas but it crumbled and turned to ash.

“No…” My voice came out in a whisper.

“It’s gone…”

My fingers trembled as the last piece disintegrated in my hands. The black dust clung to my skin before slipping away.

A broken sound tore out of my throat.

That was the last painting he gave me. The last thing he touched.

Master Adrian Hale, my mentor.

The only person who ever cared for me without expecting anything in return.

“Hold the brush gently, Erika.”

His voice had always been patient and warm. Like no matter how badly I failed, he would still be there.

“Art isn’t about perfection,” he said, guiding my trembling hand. “It’s how we express what we can’t say out loud.”

Back then, I had been afraid of ruining everything.

Now… Everything was already ruined.

“Why are you making such a fuss?”

Lily’s voice dragged me back.

I lifted my head slowly. Her smug face blurred through the tears gathering in my eyes.

Everything I had left of him was gone. Burned, like it never mattered.

“Why?” My voice broke. “Why would you do this?”

She tilted her head, completely unbothered.

“Do what?”

My hands shook violently, my burned skin stinging as I clenched my fists.

“Those are my things! Who gave you the right to touch them?!”

She glanced at the fire like it bored her.

“After I was discharged, Jacob let me move into the master bedroom because it faces the sun better than my old room,” she said casually.

My breath caught. The master bedroom belonged to me.

“He also said I could handle your things however I like.”

Her lips curved slightly.

“These paintings are so dark and depressing. Like some kind of curse.”

My heartbeat slowed. Each word sinking deeper.

“Maybe that’s why your child wasn’t lucky enough to come into this world.”

Something inside me snapped completely.

“You bitch!”

I surged to my feet, my vision going red as I raised my hand but it was caught mid-air.

“Enough!”

I turned sharply to face Jacob.

His grip was tight and painful, like I was the one doing something wrong.

“How dare you touch her?” he snapped. “How can you be so cruel? She just gave birth!”

Cruel? A hollow laugh escaped me.

“I’m cruel?” I said, my voice shaking. “She burned everything! Those were Master Hale’s paintings!”

“So what?”

The words landed softly but they shattered something inside me.

“So what?” I repeated in disbelief.

“Master Hale saved your life!” I shouted. “He died pulling you out of that burning car!”

Jacob frowned, irritation flashing across his face.

“I didn’t ask him to.”

My breath caught and my knees weakened. For a moment, I couldn’t feel the ground beneath me.

“How… how can you say that?” I whispered.

“That was years ago, Erika. He’s dead now,” he said coldly. “Those things don’t matter anymore. You need to move on.”

Each word sank deeper than the last, like nails being hammered into something already broken.

“Move on?” My voice trembled. “You have no heart.”

“Stop creating a scene,” Jacob said flatly. “The baby is sleeping. I don’t want you waking him.”

I smiled bitterly. My child was dead and now I had to be quiet for hers.

Lily stepped closer, gently holding his arm.

“I didn’t mean anything bad,” she said softly. “I just thought those paintings didn’t belong here. I was helping.”

Her eyes flickered to mine filled with mocking laughter, like she was enjoying every second of this.

My entire body trembled.

“I never asked for your help, you lying bitch!” I snapped.

“Calm down right now or I’ll make you regret it,” Jacob warned.

“Let me go!” I struggled, my burned hand screaming in pain as I tried to pull free.

Then I felt a sharp kick slam into my side. Pain exploded through my body as I crashed to the floor, the impact knocking the air out of my lungs.

For a second, I couldn’t breathe. My chest tightened painfully as I gasped, but no air came in.

“I’m sorry!” Lily cried instantly. “I thought she was going to hit you! It was a reflex!”

“It’s alright,” Jacob said, pulling her closer. “You were just protecting me. She’s the one causing trouble.”

My fingers curled weakly against the cold floor. My burned hand throbbed.

My side ached and my chest hurt but none of it compared to what was inside.

They killed my child and now they took the last thing my mentor left me.

“You must promise me, Erika…”

His voice had been weak that day. I held his hand tightly, afraid that if I let go, he would disappear.

“You’ll protect my art… no matter what happens.”

“I promise,” I whispered.

A tear slipped down the side of my face. I couldn’t even keep that promise.

Darkness slowly crept into my vision. The last thing I saw was Lily leaning safely into Jacob’s arms and then everything went black.

Erika’s Pov

Pain was the first thing I felt when I woke up. It spread from my side, sharp enough to make me suck in a breath, then settled into a dull ache that refused to leave.

My hand stung faintly, the burned skin tight and sensitive, and for a moment I just lay there, staring at the ceiling, not moving.

Then everything came back. The fire, the burned paintings, Jacob’s disregard for Master Hale, and most of all my dead child.

My fingers curled slightly against the rug as my chest tightened.

I turned my head but no one was there. No one was checking up on me, not even a glass of water was laid out for me. I still remained in the same spot where Lily had knocked me out.

Slowly, I pushed myself up, my body protesting immediately as a sharp pain shot through my ribs.

I sucked in a breath, steadying myself until the dizziness passed, then swung my legs over the side of the bed.

The floor felt cold beneath my feet.

As I stepped out of the room, faint voices of the servants drifted in from down the hallway.

I didn’t intend to listen, but my feet slowed on their own as the words became clearer.

“…Madam Lily said her foot hurt badly after she kicked Madam Erika. Young Master didn’t even hesitate, he carried her out himself.”

“That’s expected. He looked so worried, like something serious had happened.”

“And Madam Erika?”

There was a brief pause before someone responded, with a dismissive tone.

“She fainted, didn’t she? But no one called a doctor. Young Master doesn't care about her.”

A soft chuckle followed.

“Compared to Madam Lily, she doesn’t matter.”

I stood there quietly, listening without reacting. The words should have hurt, but they didn’t.

There was no anger, no tears, just a strange emptiness that spread through me, like something inside me had already shut down.

After a moment, I turned and walked away as if I hadn’t heard anything at all.

When I returned to the bedroom, I didn’t hesitate. I went straight to the wardrobe and pulled it open.

Rows of neatly arranged clothes stared back at me, each one carefully selected, carefully bought, carefully given.

Most of them were from Jacob. The clothes he said suited me. The jewelry he claimed reminded him of me. Shoes he insisted I needed even when I said I didn’t.

At the time, I thought they were gestures of love. Now, they felt like proof of how blind I had been.

I reached out and picked one. My fingers brushed against the fabric briefly before I folded it neatly and placed it into a box.

Then I picked another. Everything he had given me, I separated without hesitation, stacking them carefully as if they still held value, even though they meant nothing to me anymore.

Once I was done, I called out to one of the servants.

“Arrange for these items to be picked up,” I said calmly. “Send some to the orphanage and the rest to the welfare home.”

“Yes, Madam.”

I turned back to the wardrobe. This time, I focused on my own things.

I packed them into a suitcase. Soon, I'll be out of here.

As I sorted through the lower drawer, my hand paused when my fingers brushed against something hidden beneath a stack of documents.

I pulled it out and found a thin envelope that was easy to miss. At first, I opened it without much thought, but as I began to read, my breathing slowed.

Then stopped.

It was a legal document—a letter of forgiveness.

I read it again, more carefully this time, forcing myself to take in every word.

It detailed the hit-and-run accident that killed Master Hale. The perpetrator had been identified. The case had been settled. And according to the document, I had signed it myself and agreed to forgive her.

My fingers tightened around the paper. The name written there was Lily.

For a moment, my mind refused to process it. That wasn’t possible. Jacob had told me the culprit was never found. He had looked me in the eyes and said he would make sure the person responsible paid for it.

I kept reading, my eyes scanning downward until they stopped at the bottom of the page.

My name and signature were there. My chest tightened sharply as my grip on the paper trembled.

I didn’t sign this. I was certain of it. I didn’t even know Lily was the one who caused the accident, so how could I have forgiven her?

Then suddenly, it clicked.

The island.

The gift Jacob had said he prepared for me.

“Just sign here,” he had told me with a soft smile. “It’s yours.”

I hadn’t questioned it. I hadn’t read it properly. I had trusted him enough to sign without thinking.

A quiet, bitter laugh slipped out before I could stop it.

So that was how he did it. He didn’t just hide the truth from me. He used me to bury it.

I could still hear his voice from that day, clear and steady in my mind.

“I will find the person responsible.”

I had been standing beside him, crying, holding onto him like he was the only thing keeping me together.

“I promise you, Erika. I won’t let them get away with this.”

I had believed him completely. Now I understood how wrong I had been.

The culprit had never been missing. She had always been here, living in the same house, standing right beside him, protected by him. And he knew. He had always known.

A surge of anger rose in my chest, stronger than anything I had felt since waking up.

For a moment, I wanted to walk straight out of the house, drag Lily outside, and take her to the police station myself.

I wanted to see her lose everything the same way she had taken everything from me.

But the impulse faded just as quickly as it came.

No, not yet.

I took out my phone and carefully took pictures of every page of the document.

Then I made a copy, ensuring everything matched perfectly before placing the original back exactly where I had found it.

Nothing out of place. Nothing that would make them suspicious.

I had just returned to packing when the door opened and Jacob’s voice broke the silence.

“What are you doing?”

Jacob’s voice broke the silence.

I didn’t turn immediately. I folded the clothes in my hand calmly before placing them into the box, then looked up at him.

“These are too old,” I said evenly. “I can’t use them anymore, so I’m giving them away. Some to the orphanage, some to welfare homes.”

He stepped further into the room, glancing at the boxes, his brows knitting slightly in confusion.

“You’re getting rid of all of this?”

“I don’t need them,” I replied.

He watched me for a moment before nodding, though there was still something uncertain in his expression.

“That’s… fine,” he said, then after a pause, he added, “About what happened earlier… Lily didn’t do it on purpose.”

I stilled for a fraction of a second. Even now this was what he chose to say.

“She thought you were going to hit me,” he continued, his tone firm. “You know how she is. She reacts without thinking.”

I nodded slowly, keeping my expression neutral.

“I understand,” I said.

The words came out smooth, without resistance as if I truly meant them.

Jacob seemed to relax slightly at my response, clearly satisfied.

“I knew you would,” he said.

I didn’t reply. Instead, I reached into the drawer and took out the divorce document.

Then I walked over and handed it to him.

“Sign this.”

He glanced at it briefly, not even bothering to read the contents.

“What is it?”

“I want to buy a brand,” I said calmly. “To commemorate our dead child.”

Something flickered across his face, but it didn’t last.

“You can buy whatever you want,” he said. “But don’t dwell on this too much. We’ll have children again.”

My fingers tightened slightly at his words, but my expression didn’t change.

“Sign it,” I repeated.

He nodded, he didn't even read it. He simply took the pen and signed his name.

Just like that, three years of marriage reduced to a signature he didn’t even care to look at.

I took the document back, my grip steady. In my mind, the words formed clearly.

We will never have children again. We will never have a future.

Before I could say anything else, his phone rang.

He glanced at the screen.

“Lily,” his voice softened instantly, “What’s wrong? Your foot… I'm coming.”

Without another word, he turned and left without hesitation.

I stood there for a long time, the signed paper in my hand, my suitcase half-packed beside me, then I smiled.

Very soon he will wish he had read the document.