Evren brushed the tip of Rosette's nose with his finger, making her giggle and blush. The two of them flirted and whispered sweet nothings, completely unaware that I was standing just outside the door.

My mind went blank. My face was as pale as paper. It felt like all the strength had been drained from my body.

Suddenly, the little charm hanging from my phone slipped loose and hit the floor with a sharp clink.

Startled, I looked through the crack of the door—and met Rosette's gaze. Her eyes curved with satisfaction as she leaned closer into Evren's arms, while he remained oblivious to my presence.

Holding him tightly, Rosette turned slightly toward my direction, a sly smile tugging at her lips.

"Hehe, that brooch? I threw it into the shallow waters by the shore. If someone were desperate enough to dive for it, maybe they'd find it."

Evren let out a low hum, pressing a lingering kiss on her forehead. His voice was deep and lazy.

"It doesn't matter. If I say it's real, then it's real. Analeia won't doubt my words. Now focus on me."

My knees buckled. I slid down against the doorframe, trembling, listening to the sickly sweet sounds from inside. My chest tightened until I could barely breathe. Somehow, I forced myself to leave the house, made it to the underground garage, and drove away in one of Evren's cars.

By the time I reached the beach Rosette had mentioned, dusk had already fallen.

The beach was quiet, empty except for the sound of waves lapping against the shore.

With such a long stretch of coastline, finding that brooch was nearly impossible—but I searched anyway.

I waded along the shallow waters, combing the sand bit by bit.

Two days and two nights passed, and I still found nothing.

Eventually, I collapsed from exhaustion and was taken to the hospital.

While I lay there half-conscious, a message arrived on my phone—from Rosette.

[I heard you spent two days looking for that brooch and ended up in the hospital again. You'd better be careful, or you might lose the baby. Honestly, I lied that day. I threw the brooch into the sewer.]

My hands trembled as I read the message. Rage boiled in my chest, and I started coughing violently.

The doctor said he'd informed Evren—but he never came.

Not that day. Not the next morning either.

When I was finally discharged early the following day, I checked my phone again.

Evren had sent me a message.

[Rosette, today marks your 7,365th day with the Johnson family. I want to give you a surprise.]

A photo followed.

His bare chest filled the screen. Near his heart bloomed a freshly inked gardenia—Rosette's favorite flower—and beneath it was her initials.

He'd gotten a tattoo for her.

Once, when we were still in love, I mentioned wanting to get matching tattoos—to leave a symbol of us on each other's skin.

But he had rejected me outright.

He'd said tattoos were childish, pointless, and that he hated them more than anything.

Now, I finally understood.

It wasn't that he hated tattoos. He just hated the idea of having mine.

I stood at the hospital entrance, staring at the photo until my tears blurred it out of focus.

A bitter smile crept across my lips as I deleted his message.

...

When I returned home, Evren was waiting in the living room.

The moment he saw me, he stood up quickly and walked over, a trace of panic and guilt flashing across his face.

"You're back," he said, forcing a smile. "Did you... see the message I sent you?"

I lowered my gaze, my expression hidden in shadow, and shook my head slowly.

"No. What did you send?"

Evren's shoulders relaxed in relief.

"Nothing," he said quickly.

"Oh."

I turned calmly and headed to the bedroom.

A few minutes later, Evren came in carrying a glass of orange juice.

"Drink this," he said softly.

After he left, I poured it straight into the toilet. Obviously, he'd forgotten I was allergic to oranges.

Five minutes later, he returned to collect the glass. Seeing it empty, a faint smile curved his lips.

I lay down, pretending to sleep, when the faint murmur of voices drifted from the living room.

"Brother, are you sure she's asleep?"

"I put a sleeping pill in her orange juice. Since I promised to give you a surprise tonight, I won't let anyone interrupt us."

"Hmph. You sent the wrong photo. Aren't you afraid she'll see it?"

"Don't worry. She said she didn't get it."

Rosette giggled softly. "And what if she did?"

There was a long silence. Then Evren spoke, his voice calm and chilling. "Then we'll get a divorce."

I lay in bed, tears streaming down my face.

Evren's words from last night echoed in my ears—so calm, so detached.

It was then I understood: our marriage meant nothing to him.

For Rosette, he could do anything.

...

The next morning, Rosette barged into my room holding the divorce papers. She threw them on the bed with a sneer.

"My brother has already signed. You'd better handle the rest and file the divorce yourself. Don't you dare play any tricks, or you'll regret ever staying in this house."

I lowered my head slightly, giving her a cold, humorless laugh.

"Don't worry. I want this divorce finalized faster than you do. I'll file it as an urgent case—it'll be done in seven days."

Her lips curled. "Good. You said it yourself. I expect to see that divorce certificate when it's done."

A week later, my father's company would officially withdraw its investment from the Johnson family. When that happened, I'd finally be free of Evren—completely.

That day, I planned to bring the brooch to my mother's grave. But Rosette insisted on tagging along, clinging to me the entire way until I gave in.

At the cemetery, she stood behind me, sunglasses hiding her eyes but not the smirk on her lips.

"It's just a stupid little brooch. You treat it like a treasure. That kind of petty sentiment really doesn't suit someone who married my brother."

Before I could respond, a sudden chill grazed her neck.

A knife—gleaming cold in the sunlight—was pressed against her skin.

"Hand over your money!" the man barked. "And anything valuable you've got!"

Both of us froze.

Rosette burst into tears, trembling.

"Please don't hurt me! I'm Evren's sister from the Johnson Corporation—I'm pregnant with his child! If anything happens to me, my brother will make sure you pay!"

The man, clearly a fugitive hiding from the law, gave a mocking laugh.

"Funny, I've heard Evren's supposed to be single. I didn't know he had a wife let alone a sister carrying his baby! What kind of twisted family is this?"

"Well, fine then, I'll let your precious brother buy you back!"

He tied us both up and forced me to call Evren.

Less than half an hour later, Evren arrived, clutching a black duffel bag. He was alone. His face was tense, his eyes darting straight to Rosette before glancing briefly at me.

"The money is here. Let them go!"

The man sneered. "I'll release one. You choose. Who knows if you've already called the cops?"

Then he pressed the knife deeper against Rosette's neck. A thin line of blood bloomed across her pale skin, staining her collar crimson.

"Brother! I'm scared!" she cried, clutching her stomach. "My belly—it hurts! What if something happens to our baby?"

Evren froze, feeling torn. His gaze flickering toward me. For a second, guilt softened his features.

"I'm sorry, Analeia," he said quietly. "Rosette is terrified, and she's carrying the Johnson family's child. I can't risk her life."

Then he turned to the kidnapper and pointed.

"I choose her."

"Evren!" I cried, my eyes burning. "I'm carrying your child too! Can't you see?"

My voice trembled. My hands instinctively cradled my swollen belly, feeling the faint flutter of life within. But Evren only frowned, his eyes cold and distant.

"You won't be harmed. I've paid him, and once I get Rosette to the hospital, you'll be safe."

That was the moment something inside me shattered completely.

I closed my eyes, tears spilling freely, the last trace of warmth in my heart extinguished.

Evren took Rosette from the man's grasp, wrapped her trembling body in his arms, and left without looking back.

Leaving me behind to face death alone.

When the sound of sirens finally echoed through the cemetery, the kidnapper panicked.

He slashed his knife toward me. Pain seared across my neck as blood gushed out.

The doctors later said that if the blade had gone a little deeper, it would've severed my artery.

I survived—but barely.

Lying in the hospital bed, my body trembled uncontrollably.

Evren never called. He didn't even send a single message. Instead, I overheard the nurses chatting outside.

"Did you see the news? Evren's sister was kidnapped! Poor thing, she got her neck cut. He's been searching the entire city for a pink gemstone to cheer her up!"

"God, what a perfect brother! She gets hurt, and he turns the whole city upside down to make her smile. That's devotion."

I let out a quiet, bitter laugh.

So that was it. While I was lying here, barely alive, Evren was too busy comforting Rosette.

Whether I lived or died didn't matter to him at all.

It wasn't until the next day that Evren finally remembered my existence.

I was still lying in my hospital bed when I received his message. [I heard you only suffered some minor injuries. If you're feeling better today, come with me to Mount McKinley.]

"What for?" I replied.

"To check on our love lock—and maybe add a new one."

That single line rekindled a small, fragile spark of hope in my chest.

On the way there, Rosette sat in the front passenger seat as always.

The spot was practically her throne—complete with her custom vanity mirror, a plush rabbit seat cover, and her makeup neatly arranged in the compartment.

Evren once told me that Rosette was his "little sister," spoiled by everyone in the family, and that I, as her sister-in-law, shouldn't mind.

He also claimed that she got carsick easily and could only sit in the front.

Now, I realized what a joke that was. The truth was simple: no one—not even me—was ever allowed in that seat.

It belonged to her.

I lowered my head, a bitter smile tugging at my lips.

When we arrived at Mount McKinley, Evren told me to head up first while he stayed behind to "help Rosette settle."

After a few steps, I realized I'd forgotten my hiking pole and turned back.

That's when I heard them.

Evren's voice was soft, gentle—full of the tenderness I hadn't heard in a long time.

"Don't worry, Rosette. I'll cut off that love lock today. You won't have those nightmares again."

Her delicate voice followed, laced with fake worry. "What if Sister-in-law doesn't agree?"

He chuckled lightly. "Don't worry. I told her we're replacing it with a new one. Once it's cut, I'll just say I forgot to bring the new lock. Problem solved."

My breath caught in my throat. The hand holding my bag trembled.

So this was his plan all along.

To erase everything between us.

The lock I'd bought—the new one meant to symbolize a fresh start—suddenly felt like a cruel joke.

When we reached the mountaintop, Evren handed me the bolt cutter. His expression was calm, practiced.

I looked straight into his eyes, voice quivering.

"Do you still remember the vow you made that day?"

He paused for a moment, then nodded. "I remember..."

I exhaled slowly. The pain had dulled into a strange sort of clarity.

Back then, Evren had woken me at three in the morning so we could climb this mountain before sunrise.

He wanted to hang our lock at the very peak, where the first rays of light could bless it. He promised to love me for a lifetime—to never betray me.

And if he ever did, he swore, the day he cut that lock would be the day he walked naked down the entire mountain in penance.

Now, that oath felt like a cruel parody.

"Good," I whispered. "Then remember it well."

Click.

The sound of metal snapping echoed in the still air. Our love lock tumbled down the cliff, disappearing into the mist below.

I stood silently as Evren feigned regret, frowning as though he'd simply "forgotten" the new lock.

"Next time," he said softly, "I'll bring another one. We can hang it together."

I smiled calmly, almost serene. It was as if I had finally let go of every wound he'd ever given me.

"Evren," I said gently, "the lock is broken. Isn't it time you kept your promise?"

His face froze. For a long moment, he said nothing. Then, under the chill of the mountain air, he began to undress.

Step by step, he walked down the slope, bare-chested in the biting wind.

Couples hiking nearby stopped to stare, some even snapping photos.

By evening, 'Johnson Corporation's CEO Walks Bare-Chested Down the Mountain' was trending across social media.

When we finally reached the base, Rosette's eyes brimmed with tears.

She rushed forward, draping her coat around his shoulders, her voice trembling with theatrical sorrow.

"It was just a mistake! Did you really make my brother go down like that? Don't you know it's freezing in the mountains? How could you be so heartless?"

Her words cut through the air like knives.

Evren stroked her hair, his tone tender. "Don't cry. I made that vow myself, so I had to honor it. As long as my little sister stops having nightmares, I'll do anything."

Rosette nodded pitifully, though the flicker of satisfaction in her eyes didn't escape me.

Neither of them looked my way.

On the drive back, Evren got a call from his assistant about a business banquet. He intended to decline—until Rosette started pouting.

In the end, he brought us both along.

"Leia," he said gently as we arrived, "you're pregnant. Don't move around too much. Stay here and rest. I'll take Rosette to greet a few people."

After they left, I sat quietly in a corner, trying to steady my breathing.

Then my father's message came through.

[Three days from now, I'll visit the Johnson Corporation to finalize the withdrawal.]

Almost immediately after, my lawyer texted as well. [Your divorce certificate will be processed in three days.]

The words brought a dull ache to my chest, but also a strange relief. It was almost over.

Feeling stifled by the crowd, I stepped outside for some air, drawn to the soft sound of the fountain beyond the hall.

But as I turned the corner, I froze.

In the dim light near the service corridor, I saw Rosette—speaking in a harsh whisper to a woman dressed in a janitor's uniform.

"I told you to stop showing up here!" Rosette hissed. "You're like a damn ghost haunting me! I'm already pregnant with the Johnson family's heir—do you really think I can't pay off Dad's gambling debt now?"