Elena’s POV

I didn't waste any time. I went straight to the bedroom and began packing my things. I didn’t know what to do, but I was very certain that I couldn’t stay here anymore.

I moved mindlessly, pulling clothes from hangers, emptying drawers as I arranged them all in my bags.

"Elena?"

I froze.

Adrian's voice came from the doorway. "What's going on? What are you doing?"

I turned slowly to face him.

His expression changed instantly when he saw my face. My eyes were red and swollen from crying, and my cheeks stained with tears.

"What's wrong?" Panic flashed in his eyes as he stepped closer. "Are you okay? What happened?"

The concern in his voice made my stomach turn. He was so good at pretending. He sounded so convincing.

I shook my head. “Nothing.” I croaked.

He stepped closer even more, looking worried. “Come on, it can’t be nothing, you’ve been crying.”

I knew Adrian wouldn’t drop it anytime soon, so I lied,

"It's Clara," I whispered, my voice breaking.

He furrowed his brows. “Your foster mother? The one who’s been in a coma since the car accident?

I nodded. "The hospital called. She's getting worse. They said... they said she might not make it."

For a split second, I saw relief flash in his eyes.

Then it was gone, replaced by fake sympathy.

"Oh, Elena." He stepped forward, pulling me into his arms. "I'm sorry. I know she means a lot to you."

My skin crawled at his touch. The hands that had murdered my babies, were now holding me, and comforting me.

I wanted to scream. I wanted to claw his eyes out.

But I forced myself to stay still, to let him hold me.

"Adrian?" Celeste's voice called from the doorway.

Adrian's body tensed up. He pulled away immediately and rushed to Celeste's side.

"Are you okay?" he asked her with genuine concern, not the fake concern he had just given me.

Celeste nodded, smiling. "Yes, I just wanted to know if you've told Elena yet."

Adrian turned to me, and suddenly his entire demeanor changed. His voice was vibrating with excitement.

“Elena, Celeste has good news.”

I lifted an eyebrow. “Good news?”

He nodded. “Yes. And I would be throwing a party next week for a big celebration of the good news. I'm inviting all my friends, business partners, investors—everyone important."

I knew what the good news was. The pregnancy. My husband's baby growing inside my sister. And I knew the plans he had for me at that party.

I stared at him. "All these for the ‘good news’?"

"Yes." Celeste smiled sweetly. "Adrian wanted to do something special for me, as we’re all family."

He was throwing a party to celebrate the baby he had created using my murdered children.

"There will be a family dinner tonight first," Adrian continued. "Just us and your parents. But the big party is next week. I've already hired caterers, sent out invitations—”

"I'm not interested," I said flatly.

Celeste's smile faltered. "But Elena—"

"I said I'm not interested."

Celeste’s face dropped, and her eyes watered.

"Elena!" Adrian snapped, his expression darkening. "Your mother and father will be there. They're expecting you."

“I can’t bring myself to celebrate while Clara is dying," I said quietly, the lie rolling off my tongue easily.

"She's old," Adrian said dismissively. "She's lived her life. But this baby—" He placed his hand on Celeste's stomach. "This is new life. Something to be happy about."

My hands clenched into fists at his cruel words. Clara had always treated him like her son, even though I wasn’t her biological daughter. I couldn’t believe that he would be so flippant about her life.

"Don't be selfish," he continued. "Celeste is trying to include you in something important—"

"I said no."

Celeste's eyes filled with tears. "I just wanted us all to be together as a family. But if you don't want to be there..." Her voice broke. "If you hate me that much..."

"I'm just worried about Clara." I replied, turning away from her to continue packing the clothes.

"She wasn't your real mother," Celeste said softly. "She was just—"

"Don't." My voice was cold. "Don't you dare finish that sentence."

Celeste flinched, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks. She turned to Adrian. "See? She hates me. I try so hard to be a good sister, but she—"

"Enough." Adrian's voice was sharp. He turned to me, his eyes hard. "You're coming to dinner tonight. And you're coming to the party next week. That's final."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are." He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous tone. "You're my wife. You'll attend both events, you'll smile, and you'll support your sister. Do you understand?"

I stared at him. The man that I had loved for eight years. The man who had murdered our children.

"Fine," I said quietly. "I'll come."

Satisfaction flashed across his face. "Good. Dinner starts at seven."

He turned and guided Celeste out of the room, whispering something in her ear that made her laugh.

The door closed behind them.

I stood there for a long moment, staring at the closed door with a glare on my face.

Adrian had no idea of the storm that was coming for him.

Elena’s POV

At 7:00, I walked downstairs wearing a simple black dress.

Adrian was in the living room with Celeste. When he saw me, he frowned.

"You're wearing black?"

"I have no reason to celebrate," I said quietly.

His jaw tightened, but he didn't argue.

Celeste, meanwhile, was wearing a flowing pink dress that made her look radiant and glowing.

"You look beautiful," Adrian told her softly.

She beamed. "Thank you."

He didn't even glance at me.

The doorbell rang.

"That'll be your parents," Adrian said, heading to the door.

I watched him greet my mother and father with warm hugs and handshakes.

My mother spotted me and frowned. "Elena, why are you wearing black? This is a celebration."

"I cannot celebrate when Clara is still fighting for her life," I said simply.

"Oh." My mother's expression didn't change. "Well, that's unfortunate. But tonight is about Celeste and her good news."

Of course it was. They didn’t care about anything else.

We moved to the dining room.

I sat at the far end of the table. Adrian sat at the head, with Celeste on his right and my parents on his left.

They chatted and laughed amongst themselves, completely ignoring me, almost like I was invisible.

Halfway through the meal, Celeste stood up.

"I have an announcement," she said, her voice shaking with excitement.

Everyone turned to look at her. Adrian was beaming.

"I'm pregnant," Celeste said softly.

My mother gasped, jumping up to hug her. "Oh, sweetheart! That's wonderful!"

My father grinned. "Congratulations, Celeste."

"Who's the father?" I asked quietly.

The room went silent.

Celeste's eyes widened. "What?"

"I asked who the father is," I repeated. "You're not married. You don't have a boyfriend that I know of. So who got you pregnant?"

"Elena!" my mother snapped. "How dare you—"

"It's a reasonable question," I said calmly.

Celeste's eyes filled with tears. "I... I was seeing someone. He died a few months ago. This baby is all I have left of him."

The lie rolled off her tongue so easily.

I glanced between my father and my mother. They looked very uncomfortable, avoiding my eyes.

And that's when it clicked.

They knew.

They all knew whose baby it was.

My own parents knew my husband was having an affair with my sister, and they were celebrating it.

"I'm sorry for your loss," I said flatly. "Congratulations on the baby."

Adrian cleared his throat. "As I mentioned earlier, I'm throwing a celebration party this Saturday. A big one. All my business partners, investors, and friends will be there to celebrate this wonderful news."

My mother clapped her hands together. "How exciting! Celeste, you'll need a new dress—"

"Already ordered," Adrian said with a smile. "Only the best for my... for Celeste."

He had almost said something else. I saw him catch himself.

"Elena, you'll need something appropriate too," my mother said, eyeing my black dress with distaste.

"I have plenty of dresses," I said quietly.

"Nothing suitable for a celebration," she countered. "Tomorrow, you and I will go shopping."

"I would rather spend tomorrow at the hospital with Clara."

My mother's expression hardened. "Elena, that woman is dying. There's nothing you can do for her. But you can support your sister during this happy time."

That woman. Not even your foster mother. Just that woman.

"If you'll excuse me," I said, standing to my feet. "I'm not feeling well. I'm going to bed."

"Elena, sit down," Adrian said sharply.

"No."

"I said sit down!"

"And I said no." I looked at him coldly. "I came to dinner like you asked. I heard the announcement. Now I'm leaving."

I turned and walked out of the dining room.

Behind me, Celeste’s voice wobbled with fake tears. “She hates me, Mom.”

“Don’t worry, sweetheart,” my mother soothed. “At least, thanks to her, you’re now…” Her voice dropped, too low for me to hear.

My breath caught.

They knew. My parents knew what Adrian had done—and they supported it.

I went upstairs and shut the bedroom door. I lay there, staring at the ceiling while laughter, clinking glasses, and music drifted up the stairs. They were celebrating my pain.

Soon, they would have nothing left to celebrate.

Elena’s POV

Hours passed and the noise faded and the house went quiet. My parents took one guestroom. Celeste took the other. And Adrian… I knew exactly where he’d be.

My throat was dry. I needed water, but I waited another half hour, just to be sure.

I slipped out of bed, crept down the stairs, and entered the kitchen, and filled a glass from the tap.

I heard Adrian’s low voice coming from his office. “I don’t care what it takes. Keep her sedated.”

I froze, the glass halfway to my mouth.

“No, I’m not interested in her waking up,” he said. “I’m paying you enough to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

My heart slammed against my ribs.

“The monitoring showed brain activity? So what? Increase the dosage. I don’t want her to be conscious. Ever.”

I set the glass down and crept closer. The office door was slightly ajar.

“You don’t understand,” Adrian hissed. “Clara is dangerous. If she wakes up, everything falls apart.”

A pause. Then: “Yes, I know it’s illegal. That’s why I’m tripling your fee.”

Another pause.

“Because she saw me,” he snapped. “She saw me with Celeste months ago. She threatened to tell Elena. So I handled it.”

My hand flew to my mouth.

“The car accident wasn’t an accident,” Adrian said coldly. “I ran her off the road myself. She should’ve died, but the old woman was tougher than I thought. Now she’s in a coma, and I need her to stay that way.”

No. No, no, no.

“If she wakes up and tells Elena what she saw, my entire plan falls apart. Keep her sedated until after the party. After that... I don’t care what happens. Let her die naturally, just make sure it can’t be traced back to me.”

The call ended. His chair scraped back.

I ran.

I flew up the stairs, heart pounding, and shut the bedroom door just as his footsteps echoed down the hall. I pressed my back against it, trembling.

Adrian had tried to kill Clara.

He was keeping her sedated.

He was going to let her die.

I grabbed my phone with shaking hands and dialed Ivan.

He answered on the second ring. “Mrs. Moretti. It’s late.”

“I need your help.” My voice cracked. “Please. It’s Clara—my foster mother. Adrian ran her off the road months ago because she caught him with Celeste. Now he’s paying her doctor to keep her in a coma. She’s showing signs of waking up, and he’s—he’s going to let her die.”

Silence.

“Please,” I whispered. “I need to move her somewhere safe. But I can’t do it alone. He has people everywhere.”

“Where is she?”

“Mercy General Hospital. Room 304.”

“I’ll have her moved by morning,” Ivan said. “She’ll be safe.”

Relief flooded through me. “Thank you. Thank you so much—”

“But you know what this means, Elena.”

I closed my eyes. “Yes.”

“Say it.”

“I accept your offer,” I whispered. “I’ll marry you.”

“Good. You have four days.”

The call ended.

I sat there in the dark, phone clutched in my hand.

I had just agreed to marry a man I’d never met. My husband’s worst enemy.

Adrian didn’t know it yet, but I just became his reckoning.

***

I couldn't sleep. My mind kept replaying everything I had just heard in Adrian’s office.

Then I heard footsteps approaching, and a knock on the door.

"Elena?" Celeste's voice was sweet, concerned. "Can I come in?"

I didn't answer.

"Elena, please. I just want to talk."

I stayed silent.

"Elena, open the door."

She turned the doorknob and opened the door, stepping inside.

There was a pause. Then her voice changed, she dropped the sweet voice.

"Oh, you look so pathetic right now, sis.” She drawled.

I didn’t move.

She continued. “But I want you to know something. That child in my womb is Adrian’s. He chose me.”

I sat up slowly, turning to face her.

She had a cruel grin on her face. "He told me how boring you were in bed. How you could never satisfy him. How he had to close his eyes and pretend you were someone else."

My hands clenched into fists.

"And those babies?" She laughed. "Four chances, Elena. And you couldn't even manage to keep one alive. What kind of woman can't even do the one thing her body was made for?"

My vision turned red.

"Your body must be defective," she continued, her voice dripping with venom. "Maybe it's nature’s way of telling you that you would be a terrible mother.”

Anger burned through me at her words, and I stood up, walking towards her with clenched fists.

"Adrian loves me," Celeste said, with a nasty grin on her face. "He's having a baby with me. A real baby. One that will actually live, because I can give him what you never could—a family."

I shoved her hard.

She stumbled backward, her eyes widening in shock.

"Get out," I gritted coldly.

"You bitch!" she hissed. "How dare you—"

"I said get out!"

I slammed the door in her face and locked it this time.

There was silence for a moment, then the sound of footsteps walking down the hallway.

I walked back to the bed and sat down.

Then I heard a loud thud, and a scream.

"Adrian! Help! Adrian!"

My blood ran cold.

What did she—

The bedroom door flew open with such force it slammed against the wall. The lock of the door had been broken.

Adrian stood in the doorway, breathing heavily. His face was twisted with rage.

Behind him, my mother and father appeared, holding a sobbing Celeste.

"You pushed her down the stairs?" Adrian's voice was deadly quiet.

"What? No, I didn't—"

"She came up here to comfort you," my mother said, her voice shaking. "To try and make peace. And you attacked her!"

"That's not what happened!" I stood up. "She was inside my room, insulting me—"

"That’s not true!" Celeste sobbed. "I just wanted to talk to my sister. To make sure she was okay. And she... she pushed me!"

"I shoved her away from my door! I didn't push her down the stairs—"

Before I could say anything more, Adrian’s fist slammed into my face.

The impact sent me flying backward. My head cracked against the wall, and pain exploded through my skull.

Then everything went black.