Emily's POV

I never meant to slap Rachel. The moment unfolded like a slow-motion nightmare, and yet I felt trapped within it, my heart pounding against my ribcage. Rachel's incessant nagging about family and their expectations, something inside me snapped.

"Emily! What's going on?" My husband, Nathan, rushed into the living room, his voice booming, eyes wide with shock.

The attention of everyone around us shifted to my face, a mixture of curiosity and concern mingling in the air.

"Why did you slap her?" he barked, his face a mask of disappointment. I felt the heat rise in my face, but I was too embarrassed to respond.

"I didn't mean to—" I stammered, my voice quiet against the chaos.

Rachel, ever the dramatist, let her mouth run wild. "What did I ever do to you? I only asked you to come see Mom and Dad! How can you abandon this family after all they've done for you?" Her words were sharp, like daggers aimed at the heart.

Nathan turned to me, his brow furrowed in disapproval. "What did Rachel ever do to deserve this?!"

Rachel seized the moment, pretending to spring her ankle as she dramatically collapsed onto the floor."Oh, my ankle!" she wailed. I rolled my eyes, but inside I felt a twist of frustration.

"Go get the first aid box!" Nathan commanded. "I will take Rachel to her room"

"I don't know where it is!" I replied, my tone more defensive than I intended. But truly I don't know where it's been kept.

"Check your room!" Rachel whispered, a smug smile playing on her lips.

My heart sank at the mention of my room. I hadn't been back in three years, not since I cut ties with this family—a family that had treated me like an outsider. I reluctantly trudged down the hallway, memories flooding back as I approached the door.

When I finally opened it, I was met with a sight that shattered whatever remnants of love I had for this place. My room, once a sanctuary, had been converted into a storage space, filled to the brim with trash and forgotten items.

The realization hit me hard: they didn't love me. I was just a burden they had shoved into a corner. I grabbed the first aid box, my heart heavy with sorrow and anger as I walked up to Rachel's too

And then I saw it, Rachel sprawled across Nathan's chest, feigning tears, and he was comforting her. The sight twisted my gut.

"What took you so long?" Nathan barked as I entered. I handed him the box, my hands trembling.

"Why don't you bring out the cream and rub her ankle?" I shot back, anger igniting a fire inside me.

Surprisingly he did as I said, he began to massage her ankle, and he turned to me, disappointment etched across his features. "Emily, you're being senseless. Rachel only cares about you. You should be grateful."

"Grateful?" I spat. "I'm not ungrateful! She's not my sister! She was adopted!"

"Shut your mouth!" he roared, his voice like thunder. Before I could respond, his hand flew out, landing hard against my cheek.

The world spun as I fell to the ground, blood spilling from my lips, my hands instinctively went to my stomach to protect my baby. The shock of his actions left me breathless. He was about to touch me but shifted with shock and fear.

I can't believe Nathan hit me because of my sister, after how much I sacrificed for him when he was ill. Fought so hard for him, even donating a kidney when he needed it.

I had sacrificed my happiness for this man, and now he stood over me, the embodiment of betrayal.

"Why did you do that?" Rachel whined, feigning innocence. "Emily didn't do anything wrong!"

He looked at me with a hint of guilt but he didn't apologize, instead, he said"You caused this, Emily. You should never have come here."

I didn't even get the time to process what he said before my pretender of a sister chipped in "I'm truly sorry for everything, Emily."

With that, she leaped up, running from the room in tears, and Nathan contemplated on whether to go after her or stay with me.

"Go back home, Emily. We'll talk later," he muttered and dashed after her.

The cause of shock in all this was that my husband had not shown me this indifference for the last three years, and this was the first time I saw the pretense. I now realize that the signs have been there all alone, I was just too on love to notice.

I stood from the floor, took the first aid box, and cleaned the blood on my lip.

Then I walked out of the house about to stop a taxi when I remembered I had forgotten my phone so I went running back into Rachel's room to collect it. I was about to pull the door open when I heard weird sounds, the door was slightly ajar, and so I peeped through it only to discover that it was my husband and sister having sex.

I stumbled backward In shock, I already knew my husband was cheating on me with my sister, but witnessing it firsthand was more heartbreaking.

I pulled out my wedding ring and threw it away before dashing out of my family house. I just had only one thought in my mind, my marriage was over.

Emily's POV

The city blurred past me, every streetlight remembered fleetingly one life of the existence I thought I was supposed to be having. I was going home, but it was more of a prison now than anything else.

The moment I unlocked the front door of our home, the whole weight of the world crumbled. I dropped my keys on the counter and suddenly collapsed to the floor to let my tears flow freely.

Memories washed my brain, over the years trying to mud myself as the perfect wife for a man who could not love me the way I deserved. I had changed my wardrobe, changed habits, and everything about me that he thought was unworthy.

I used to wear vibrant, flirty dresses that made me feel alive, but he said they were drawing too much attention. I usually wear them to try and please him, now I wear shabby outfits that again feel like a second skin, suffocating me.

Rachel, the one he seems to find irresistible now, wearing the same clothes I had thrown away. It is as though I threw away my identity for a man whom I am now being betrayed by with my sister, The point hit me directly to the heart.

I thought having a baby would finally complete our family, I was going to tell him tonight but after what I saw, I guess not.

I have made a decision, I picked up my phone and called my best friend, I could hardly even get words out through my sobs, but she would always understand me, my lifeline in these troubled waters.

"I have tried so hard in this marriage," I choked out, "but he is having an affair with my sister."

Her silence was deafening. I could sense, though I couldn't tell if it was a reaction to what she heard or the fact that my sister was also involved in the affair.

"For how long?" she asked finally, and I could only shake my head; it felt like everything was crumbling beneath my feet. "It's been ever since we got married," I sobbed, every word tearing at my throat like glass. I was done with this. "I want a divorce."

It almost felt like a relief having the words out, quickly overshadowed by its meaning. "But he won't allow me to go, because he is going to lose the most, His father offered to give him a 30 percent share of the company as long as he stays with me"

"You need to leave without him knowing," she suggested with a glimpse of hope in me.

"Is that even possible?"

"Yes, I can arrange it for you," she assured me, and just like that gratitude flooded me. I thanked her as my heart raced under the thoughts of freedom.

It was morning with a headache and waves of nausea. Think of breathing, of clarity. I stuffed a small bag with barely enough to escape without raising suspicions and headed to the kitchen to make lunch.

I heard the door crack open and automatically knew he was the one. The moment he entered, he stopped in his tracks. The table looked astonishingly well laid out, a royal feast spread on it. I had to do my best in acting, even while my heart cried out.

He expected fury, I was all apology. "I shouldn't have slapped Rachel," I said, amazing myself at my calmness.

Nathan's eyes opened wide, and I could see the play of confusion on his face. "I know but You have to apologize to Rachel, and everyone else,"

Nathan said, and I answered him, "No problem." I watched as Nathan relaxed, perhaps thinking I was finally going to obey his perfect wife image.

Breakfast was nearly enjoyable, especially when I presented Nathan with his birthday present. "I'll check it later," he said casually. Marking time presently on his way to the shower. His aroma wafted in the air, mixing with a faint trace of Rachel's perfume.

The moment he left my cell phone buzzed. It was from my best friend, Jane "Everything is settled. Just get ready for your flight." My heart fluttered as I even thought about leaving this life behind. I listened closely as she explained the entire detail, and nodded along.

Nathan's Pov

I climbed the stairs with the faint sounds of Emily's chatter still audible through the closed door as she talked to her best friend. I was now in the bedroom, with a head full of ideas. The present she had given me lay in my palm, weightless and meaningless. The last thing I expected her to be was collected and warm even that much earlier.

She had slapped Rachel. I knew Emily was not one to resort to violence, but she had enough reasons to be very furious. I had been cruel, dismissive, and paraded. Yet here was a smiling Emily, a birthday gift in hand for me as though I deserved it.

I tossed the gift onto the bed without even looking back at it. It landed with a thud, and I just left it unopened. What could it be? Probably one of those cheap belts? A pair of socks? Something dull and unimaginative, I bet. My thoughts turned to Rachel.

She was the very antithesis of Emily in many aspects: the fire, the passion, the boldness. Nights spent with her were necessarily unforgettable and intoxicating, I couldn't help but think of Rachel as the spontaneous, exciting type who was quite adept at keeping a person like me on edge. Though in contrast, Emily? Predictability. Obedience. Boring.

Yet, here I sat on the bed, trapped by memories of a father who had coerced Emily down my throat. It was far more Rachel, wild and irresistible, whom I'd want, but to him, she was deemed reckless—a stain on the reputation of the family. Emily, obedient and polished, fitted his vision.

When I refused, he dropped the bombshell that I was illegitimate, and this was my only way into the family fortune: marry Emily. The plan was simple—marry her, and get 30 percent of the company share, even if the shares were in her name and not mine.

"A gift?" Rachel chuckled. "What's in it?"

"Who cares? I threw it to the side. Probably some useless junk."

Rachel laughed again, her amusement grating and comforting all at once. "You're unbelievable. Anyway, I'll see you later."

I ended the call without another word and headed for the shower. The hot water cascaded over me, washing away the day's grime but not the irritation lingering beneath my skin. I got dressed and went downstairs.

Emily was still chatting with her friend when I interrupted, my tone clipped. "I'm heading out. I'll be back for dinner. Make sure it's ready."

She gazed at me, her face betraying no expression. "Don't bother," she said, "I'll manage everything."

That only aggravated me more, and without a word further, I beat a path to the office.

By the time I got there, the board was already in session. They didn't bother waiting for me. I hung out outside, fuming as the sounds of muted voices echoed from the conference room. Finally, my father walked out all commanding and grand into the world.

"Nathan," he barked. "My office now."

I followed him, ready for the blow to hit.

"You useless filthy thing," he said behind the shut door and added, "Do you know how embarrassing it is to have you as a son? At least thank God that you are not a legitimate son so I can still say that my real heir is not a complete failure."

He leaned back in his chair, his lips curling into a sneer. "Your brother, Richard, now that's a man who knows how to get things done. Everything you are not responsible, intelligent, capable. You? You are nothing but a liability."

The words stung, but I covered it with an indifferent attitude. I'd heard this speech a dozen times before.

Once more I leaned back and walked out of there. He called my name to stop me, but I ignored him entirely. The whole drive home, I could feel my face flushing as I gripped the steering wheel; my knuckles turned almost white.

Walking into the house, the first thing to hit me was the silence. There was no cheerful bustle around the house, like Emily cooking in the kitchen or humming softly to herself.

"Emily!" my voice echoed in the emptiness of space.

Nothing.

I walked into the bedroom. Her clothes are still there, but everything else feels twisted. Cursing myself impatiently with each added stair, I started back downstairs. The calm was broken by a knocking on my door outside.

I flung the door wide open, hoping to find Emily on the other side, but instead, I found Rachel with a couple of my colleagues.

Rachel stepped through the door and asked, "What about dinner?" Her voice was bright, but the mocking undertone wasn't lost on me.

"My stupid wife is busy." I slammed the door with an angry shout.

Rachel laughed with a highly sarcastic tone. "Maybe she is working extra hours as a *waiter*."

What she said was a sharp knife cutting through irritation into an angry flush. "She is not working. It isn't time for her shift."

Rachel laughed again. "Well, why don't we go check? Maybe your friends can stay here while we find her."

Nathan finally decided to do the unthinkable, search for Emily out at the restaurant where she works.