At dinner, Elias fussed over Laura. He served her food, picked out fish bones, and mumbled about what was best for the baby.

He didn't even look my way. I was stuck in my wheelchair at the far end of the table, where everyone else acted like I wasn't even there.

"If Jean hadn't broken her legs, she probably would've won the national dance competition and ended up training with me," Laura said, knowing exactly how to hit me where it hurt.

I lifted my head and met her gaze. "Yeah. If it weren't for my 'accident', you wouldn't have gotten anywhere near such a big stage as a last-minute replacement."

Laura froze, not expecting me to have the guts to bring up what happened back then or how she'd conveniently stepped in.

Bertha snorted and spoke up for Laura. "But that accident did happen, didn't it? That's just how things work. You sure like to talk. If you're done eating, get out of here. Can't you tell you're killing everyone's appetite? You're sickening."

I tightened my grip on the arms of my wheelchair and looked at Elias. He clearly couldn't stand me messing with his precious Laura. Instead of backing me up, he had someone send me upstairs to rest.

He knew I hated staying at Levy Manor. I begged him to take me home, but he wanted more time with Laura, so he forced me to stay the night.

Late that night, my old injury flared up—the familiar pain burning through my damaged legs. Normally, Elias would've helped me find painkillers and massaged the area to ease it.

However, he still hadn't come back to the room by 11:00 pm. I had no choice but to look for him. He was the only one I could count on in this massive Levy Manor.

When I passed Laura's room, I noticed the door was slightly ajar. I could hear voices inside—familiar and suggestive.

"Elias, it must be tough for you, being stuck with that cripple Jean."

"It's worth it if it makes you happy. So, the baby's five months already? Can I see?"

"Sure. Just be careful. The baby likes a gentle person, doesn't it?"

I slowly rolled my wheelchair closer and peeked through the crack. Laura was lying on the bed, her shirt lifted to show her rounded belly. She looked up at Elias shyly.

He knelt beside the bed, gently rubbing body oil on her stomach to keep the stretch marks at bay. The tenderness in his touch and the way he looked at her showed nothing but devotion.

The man I used to know as my caring, attentive husband was practically worshiping Laura. That was when it really hit me—I'd lost it all.

Laura picked up on something and looked up. I quickly pulled back into the shadows. She was boldly staking her claim before me while I could only retreat into the shadows and watch them.

After a long, heavy silence, I wheeled myself back to my room, each movement taking everything I had.

My legs hurt so much I couldn't sleep. I pulled up my email and reread the message I'd never answered. It was from my dance instructor, Marissa Wilkes.

She wanted me to be the choreography consultant for her latest project. The only catch was I'd have to travel abroad, and I'd been hesitating. But now, I had no reason to stay.

Without a second thought, I sent Marissa a reply. "I'm in."

She called soon after to confirm, her voice warm and welcoming. I'd be leaving with her in three days.

…

I finally saw Elias the next morning at breakfast. I nibbled at the scrambled eggs the housekeeper had brought me. To my surprise, he started explaining himself.

He said he'd had too much to drink last night and ended up crashing in a guest room next door. It was a pretty flimsy excuse, but I didn't call him out on it. I nodded, keeping my face neutral.

Thinking I wasn't suspicious, Elias eased up and cheerfully sprinkled some dried thyme on my eggs, forgetting that I was allergic to it.

The second he did, I set down my fork and asked, "When are we going—"

Before I could finish, Laura came downstairs and turned to Bertha. "I can stay two more days to keep you company. I've got a prenatal appointment later. Elias, do you want to take Jean in for a checkup, too?"

That was all it took for Laura to grab Elias' full attention. He didn't bother asking me what I thought. He just jumped in with a yes, sounding pumped.

"Really? You're staying two more days?" Elias asked.

Laura hummed in response, smiling.

Then, with deliberate emphasis, she responded, "I even prepared a special costume for my next performance. However, now that I'm pregnant, I wonder if it'll still fit. I'll try it on for you all later. You can tell me what you think."

Elias' eyes ignited with an undeniable passion.

…

On the way to the parking lot, Laura took it upon herself to push my wheelchair.

Leaning close to my ear, she taunted in a low voice, "You were outside the door last night. Why hide? Did it finally sunk in that you don't deserve Elias, you worthless crap?"

Humiliation surged through me, and I clenched my fists, asking, "Laura, why do you hate me so much?"

"I just can't stand you! Why should you get everything—parents, a doting brother—without lifting a damn finger, while I had to grow up alone with no parents?

"You pick up dances so fast, and Ms. Wilkes even points to you as the one to follow. But no matter how much I practice, she keeps telling me I'm not cut out for dancing.

"I won't accept that! I want to prove that fate isn't set in stone. Look at me now. I've taken everything from you, haven't I? You'll never be my equal!"

The more Laura spoke, the more she seemed to swell with smugness.

"Did you know? You only ended up like this because of your amazing brother and devoted husband. All I had to do was say I wanted to be in the same performance, and Melvin and Elias took care of everything for me.

"All I did was mention that I liked your fiancé and couldn't bear the thought of losing him. And they made sure you got assaulted so the Levys would call off your engagement."

Even though I already knew the truth, hearing Laura say it out loud made my blood boil. I swatted her hand away, refusing to let her push my wheelchair.

Unexpectedly, Laura took that moment to throw herself to the ground.

Her eyes widened in a dramatic act of innocence, tears welling up as she cried, "Jean, why did you push me? What did I do wrong? You can yell at me, but please don't hurt my baby."

Just then, Elias pulled up and happened to see everything. He rushed over, shoved me hard, and I hit the ground.

He gently held Laura in his arms and snapped, "Jean! What's your problem? Laura's pregnant but still worried about you, bringing you along for a checkup. And this is how you treat her?

"When are you going to get over your jealousy? You've had everything handed to you your whole life, while Laura lost both her parents when she was just a kid.

"Isn't that enough? What else do you want? You should have some time alone to reflect on what you've done!"

Elias always lost his mind when it came to Laura. I used to be too blind to see it.

He carried Laura away and took off, not even caring that I was stuck under my wheelchair. I tried to push it off, but I couldn't move it.

So this was what Elias and the others meant by me having an "easy life"?

Ever since Laura joined the Sorensen family, I gave up my room, my toys, and eventually, my parents' and Melvin's love. I even walked away from my fiancé, Quentin, and let go of my dreams.

Why won't she just leave me alone? I lay there, tears of humiliation and defeat rolling down my face.

After a while, someone passing by helped me to my feet and moved me off to the side of the road. Since I didn't have my phone, I had no choice but to wheel myself home.

Before long, Melvin showed up, but he wasn't there to take me home. He was there to yell at me. Apparently, he'd heard I "pushed" Laura.

Like Elias, he didn't bother to get the whole story. He'd already decided I was the one at fault. I didn't even have the energy to argue with the brother I'd grown up with. I just looked at him in silence.

When I got home, I dragged myself inside and started packing. I spent two years living there but didn't have much to my name. Everything I owned fit into a suitcase.

…

Elias returned home after spending two days with Laura as if he'd just remembered he had a wife.

"Jean, I'm back. Why'd you take off on your own? You're way too impulsive. I was just helping Quentin look after Laura like any brother would.

"He's out of the country for work, so I couldn't just let Laura go to her prenatal appointment alone. I wasn't ignoring you these past few days. You shouldn't have pushed Laura. Luckily, the baby's fine.

"Call her later and apologize, and I'll drop it. Oh, and I got you something. I was so caught up that I totally forgot last week was our anniversary."

He kept talking, but there was no reply.

Usually, the moment I heard Elias come home, I'd roll out in my wheelchair to greet him. However, this time, nobody was there.

He looked around, calling out my name without thinking. Then, it hit him—I wasn't there, and neither were my clothes or our photos.

A cold feeling of dread crept over him. He grabbed his phone and called me. I glanced at my flight about to take off and picked up the call.

"Jean, why didn't you wait for me at home?" Elias asked.

Home? Did I even have a home? For two days, I'd been waiting for him to call first, only to realize that hope had been pointless. He didn't even notice what I left on the nightstand.

"I left you something on the nightstand," I answered.

Then, I hung up and switched my phone to airplane mode.

Elias probably thought I'd left him some kind of anniversary gift. But when he checked the nightstand, all he found was a divorce agreement.