I remembered… there was a time when I got a small cut on my finger. Just a tiny one. He panicked back then. Carried me all the way to the hospital, cursing at the doctors to hurry up. They even laughed at him for overreacting.

Now…

That same man didn’t even notice I was hurt.

I wiped my face quickly. Enough. I already decided, didn’t I? So why does it still hurt this much?

I straightened up, ignoring the pain in my back, and walked out of the building.

I didn’t look back.

I went straight to the courthouse and filed for divorce.

There was a waiting period. A month. After that, everything between me and Bernard would be over.

Completely over.

This time, I wasn’t going to stay.

No matter what.

…

That night, Bernard didn’t come home. He only sent me a message. Said he had to stay late at the company, some business that couldn’t wait. Then he added one more line, cold and casual. Don’t be late for dinner tomorrow. That dinner… I was the one who arranged it. A client tied to one of his underground deals. Important. Dangerous. I stared at the screen for a while before replying.

“Okay.”

That was it. I didn’t ask where he really was. What was the point?

...

The next night, I arrived at the club on time. Private room. High-end place. The kind where deals were made over drinks and blood got cleaned before anyone noticed. But he wasn’t there. Instead, I saw Ingrid. She stood up when she saw me, all neat and proper, nothing like yesterday.

“Mrs. MacAllister,” she said politely. “President MacAllister is still in a meeting. He asked me to come ahead and let you know. He also said I should observe and learn.”

Observe? I almost laughed. Still, I nodded and led her inside.

“Fine. Stay close and don’t mess anything up.”

Dinner started. The client was already tipsy, loud, eyes wandering. Ingrid didn’t hold back. She poured drinks, leaned in close, her body brushing against him on purpose. Smiling, laughing, letting him touch her arm longer than necessary. Anyone could see what she was doing. I felt disgust crawl up my throat. I hated this kind of thing. Always had. I built everything without playing those games. I wasn’t about to sit there and watch it happen in front of me. I stood up.

“Excuse me.”

And walked out to the bathroom. When I came back, something felt off. There were people gathered outside the private room, whispering, tense. My heart skipped. I pushed through them and stepped inside. The room was a mess. Chairs knocked over. Glass shattered. The air smelled sharp, metallic. And on the floor… the client lay in a pool of blood. My breath caught.

“What happened?”

Then I saw him. Bernard. He was already there. And in his arms was Ingrid, her hair messy, dress wrinkled, trembling as she clung to him. I understood in an instant. Before I could even speak again, a sharp pain exploded across my face. He slapped me. My head snapped to the side.

“Don’t you know what’s the fuck going on?” he snapped, his voice low and furious, “Naomi, you wanna play dirty, go ahead. I won’t stop you. But don’t drag her into your shit! She’s not built for that. She’s not as ruthless as you.”

I froze. My cheek burned, but it was nothing compared to what his words did. Ruthless? Me? I remembered the early days of the company. Running around, closing deals, facing men who thought they could corner me.

One time it got dangerous. I refused. Walked away even if it meant losing everything. He was furious back then. Stormed to my place, grabbed me, even hit me once in anger. Got himself locked up for a few days because of it. And when he came out, he held me and said, you did the right thing. Thank you for protecting yourself.

From that day on, everyone knew I hated those unspoken rules. But now… this was who I was to him? A woman who’d do anything for business? A tear slipped down my cheek before I could stop it.

“Is that really how you see me?”

He paused. Just for a second. Something flickered in his eyes. Then Ingrid tightened her grip on his shirt.

“Mr. MacAllister,” she said weakly, her face flushed, “Your wife… she asked me to drink with him. I told her I couldn’t handle alcohol, but she kept pouring for me. I feel so sick right now…”

Silence. Then his face hardened again. His gaze turned sharp when it landed on me. Cold. Almost disgusted.

“People change,” he said slowly. “I guess I just didn’t see it happening to you.”

That hurt more than the slap. He didn’t wait for me to respond. He picked Ingrid up in his arms, careful, protective.

“Let’s go,” he muttered to her.

And then he walked out. Just like that. I stood there, surrounded by the mess, by the whispers, by the blood. I lowered my eyes. After a long time, I forced a smile. It hurt more than crying. Yeah… people do change. He wasn’t mine anymore. Maybe he never was.

...

On the way home, the streets felt too quiet. I didn’t notice when I was being followed. Not until someone grabbed me and dragged me into a dark alley. My heart jumped into my throat.

“What are you doing?” I struggled, panic rising. “Let me go!”

No answer. They shoved me down and dragged me further, my heels scraping against the ground. I tried to fight back, but there were too many of them. Then I heard water.

A river.

Cold dread crept up my spine.

They hauled me to the edge and forced me down. One of them grabbed my hair and slammed my face into the water.

Everything went black for a second.

I choked, thrashed, tried to breathe but water rushed into my nose and mouth, burning, suffocating. Just when I thought I’d pass out, they yanked me up. I gasped, coughing, barely getting air in.

Then they pushed me down again.

Again.

Again.

I lost count. My lungs screamed, my body went weak, and I couldn’t even struggle properly anymore. I felt myself slipping, like I was already halfway gone.

When they finally stopped, I collapsed on the ground, shaking, coughing up water, my whole body numb.

Then I heard them talking.

“Alright, that’s enough,” one of them said, a little uneasy. “The boss only told us to scare her, not kill her. You wanna deal with the fallout if something happens?”

Another one laughed, “What are you scared of? You seen how that bastard treats his own wife? He doesn’t give a damn about her. Even if we go further, who’s gonna care? Hell, he might even thank us for it.”

My eyes snapped open.

They were talking about Bernard.

My chest tightened so hard it hurt.

So this was for Ingrid. Because she acted weak, because she played the victim, because she almost got “hurt” at that dinner… he wanted me to feel it too.

He really loved her that much?

One of them crouched down, his hand reaching toward my clothes, rough fingers brushing against my skin. I froze, my body going cold.

Then suddenly—

Police sirens.

Loud. Sharp. Getting closer.

“Hey! Stop right there!” someone shouted from a distance. “I already called the cops!”

The men cursed under their breath.

“Shit, let’s go!”

They scattered immediately, running off into the darkness without even looking back.

Just like that, they were gone.

I lay there, soaked, trembling, staring up at the night sky. My mind was blank. Empty.

Then something inside me cracked.

I started crying.

Everything I held in just poured out all at once. My chest hurt so bad I could barely breathe. Even then, my body kept retching.

It took a long time before I could move again.

I pushed myself up slowly and walked home.

Bernard didn’t come back that night.

Or the next.

...

A whole week passed, and we didn’t talk once. No calls. No messages. It was just silence, cold and distant, like we were strangers sharing the same name.

But I still knew where he was.

Ingrid made sure of that.

Every day, she posted pictures. Dinner under candlelight. A private movie theater just for the two of them. Fireworks lit up the sky while she stood beside him, smiling. Every post was different, but the message was the same.

He was with her. Always with her.

He gave her everything. Designer bags, jewelry, a house, even one of his black cards with no limit. The kind of treatment I never even got as his wife.

I stayed home.

I didn’t go out. I didn’t call anyone.

If I was leaving, then everything tied to me should disappear too.

On the first day, she posted photos of them together. Smiling. Close. Intimate.

I went to the storage room and took out all the albums. Every memory we ever kept. I burned them all.

I watched them turn to ash, one by one, until there was nothing left.

…

The next day, she posted a video of them baking together. Flour on their hands, laughing, feeding each other like they were the only two people in the world.

I stood in the living room for a long time, staring at it. Then I walked to the wine cabinet. Bottles he had collected for years. Expensive, rare, things he once said he was saving for special days with me.

I took one down.

And smashed it on the floor.

Then another.

And another.

Glass shattered everywhere, the smell of wine spreading through the air. I didn’t stop until my hands were shaking and the floor was a mess of broken pieces.

On the seventh day, she posted a video again. Bernard confessed to her, vand she smiled shyly before slipping off the ring on her finger.

I looked down at my own hand.

The diamond was still there. Shining under the light.

Once, I thought it meant something.

I stared at it for a long time. Then I walked to the bathroom, took it off, and dropped it into the toilet.

...

That night, Bernard came back.

It was already late when the bed dipped beside me. His arm reached around my waist out of habit.

“Wife,” he muttered, voice low and a little tired. “Let’s stop this cold war, alright? I’m not in the mood for this shit anymore. Tomorrow’s the company’s tenth anniversary. Come with me. We’ll show up together.”

Our eighth wedding anniversary.

Funny, right? It used to mean everything to me. Every year, I planned it myself. Every detail. Every smile.

This year would be the last.

I moved slightly, closer to the edge of the bed, just out of his reach.

“Mm,” I answered softly.

His hand paused in the air. Missed me.

For a second, he didn’t move. Then he let out a quiet breath. Probably thought I was still angry.

I felt him settle back.

He must’ve remembered the “gift” he prepared. Something to make me happy again. That always worked before.

It didn’t take long before his breathing evened out.

He fell asleep.

I stayed awake.

The next day, the anniversary event was held in one of his private estates. A huge garden, lights everywhere, a pool at the center reflecting everything like a mirror. People in suits and dresses, laughter, music, deals hidden under smiles.

Perfect.

Too perfect.

The big screen lit up. It started with the company’s history. Growth. Power. Blood behind success that no one talked about.

Then it switched to us.

Ten years of “love.”

Photos, videos, memories. Us standing side by side, smiling, holding hands, facing everything together.

People around us started whispering. Admiring. Envious.

I felt his gaze on me. When I looked up, his expression had softened a little. Almost… warm.

Then everything changed.

The screen flickered.

And suddenly, it was her.

Dozens of photos. Bernard and Ingrid. Close. Intimate. Some taken in places I didn’t even recognize. Some of her alone, private, exposed in ways that made people gasp.

The entire place exploded into noise.

Everyone started talking at once. Eyes turned to me instantly. Of course. Who else would do something like this? The wife exposing the mistress.

Bernard’s face darkened. His eyes went cold again.

“Naomi,” he snapped, “What the hell is this? You think this is funny?”

I shook my head immediately. “I didn’t do this.”

Before I could say more, Ingrid ran up to us, tears already falling.

“Mrs. MacAllister,” she cried, “Mr. MacAllister and I… we never crossed that line. Why would you do this to me? Why would you ruin me like this?”

“I didn’t,” I said, my voice coming out weaker than I wanted.

She grabbed Bernard’s arm, holding on tight. “Mr. MacAllister, I can’t stay anymore. If I stay, people will keep talking. I’ll resign. I’ll leave. I don’t want to destroy your marriage.”

Then she turned and ran off, crying.

Bernard’s body tensed. Panic flashed across his face. He moved to go after her, but I grabbed his hand.

“I didn’t do it,” I said again, looking straight at him. “You have to believe me this time.”

He didn’t.

He shook my hand off hard. I stumbled back, my heel slipping. My body crashed straight into the champagne tower behind me.

Glass shattered.

Liquid spilled everywhere.

I fell to the ground, pain shooting through me as sharp edges cut into my skin.

He didn’t even look.

“You’re really getting out of hand,” he said coldly. “Following people, taking pictures, spreading shit like this. What won’t you do anymore?”

“I didn’t…”

“I was gonna make it up to you,” he cut me off, irritation clear in his voice. “Thought you were just throwing a tantrum. But you? You crossed the line.”

Then he pulled something out.

An emerald necklace.

My breath stopped.

That necklace… it was my family’s. Passed down for generations. I sold it years ago to save his company. I never got it back and now it was in his hand.

For a second, hope flickered.

Then he threw it.

Straight into the pool.

“No—!” I shouted, my voice breaking.

But he was already turning away.

“Stay here and clean up your mess,” he said without even looking back. “I don’t have time for this.”

And then he left.

Chasing after her.

I pushed myself up, ignoring the pain, and ran to the edge of the pool. The water rippled where the necklace disappeared.

Without thinking, I climbed over and jumped in.

Cold water swallowed me whole.

I opened my eyes, searching, my chest burning as I dove deeper and deeper.

I didn’t know how long I’d stayed there. Maybe minutes. Maybe hours. All I knew was… I couldn’t let it go.

…

The moment I found the necklace, my body was already at its limit. The cuts on my skin burned when the pool water soaked into them, the pain sharp and constant, but I still held on. I clenched my teeth and kept searching until my fingers finally closed around it.

When I climbed out, I was shaking so hard I could barely stand. I dragged myself to the edge, pulled myself up, and collapsed on the ground, gasping for air.

The necklace was still in my hand.

I tightened my grip on it, water dripping from my fingers. Memories hit me all at once. The day I pawned it. The way he held my hand and promised me he’d take care of me for the rest of my life. That he’d only love me.

What a joke.

A broken laugh slipped out of my mouth.

I kept laughing, but tears came out at the same time. My chest hurt so much I couldn’t breathe properly.

When I got home, I fell sick.

High fever. My whole body felt heavy, weak. Even getting up to pour water felt impossible. I just lay there, staring at the ceiling, half-conscious.

Then the door opened.

Bernard was back.

Before I could even react, he grabbed my arm and pulled me up.

“Get up,” he said coldly. “You’re coming with me.”

I thought… maybe he noticed. Maybe he saw I was sick. Maybe he was taking me to the hospital.

So I didn’t resist. I followed him.

But halfway through the drive, something felt wrong.

“Bernard,” I said weakly, holding onto the seat. “This isn’t the way to the hospital. Where are we going?”

He let out a short, annoyed laugh. “Hospital? You’ve got some nerve. You haven’t even cleaned up your mess and you’re thinking about a hospital?”

My mind was slow. Foggy. I didn’t understand.

Not until the car stopped.

A bridge.

High. Dark. Cars passing below, lights flashing.

And at the edge… Ingrid stood there.

My heart dropped.

Bernard dragged me out of the car and pulled me forward. The wind was strong, cold against my face. Ingrid saw us and stepped back, panic on her face.

“Don’t come any closer!” she cried.

“Ingrid, stop this,” Bernard said quickly, his voice tense for the first time. “Don’t do anything stupid. I brought her here. Naomi’s here to apologize. She’ll clear everything up online. No one’s going to hurt you.”

Apologize?

I froze.

“No,” I said immediately, “I’m not apologizing. Why should I? I didn’t do anything.”

They were the ones who cheated. They were the ones who humiliated me. Why should I be the one begging?

Ingrid lowered her head, her shoulders shaking. “Of course you don’t need to apologize. I’m just… worthless anyway. Everyone’s laughing at me now. Maybe it’s better if I just die.”

Bernard’s face changed instantly. “Don’t say that!”

He turned to me, anger flashing in his eyes. “What the hell is wrong with you?! It’s just an apology. You really can’t do that?”

My chest tightened.

“Bernard,” I said, my voice trembling despite myself. “Ten years. We’ve been together for ten years. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”

I wasn’t just asking for myself. I was asking for the one who already died once. The one who loved him until the very end.

He paused.

Just for a second.

Then his expression went cold again. “Are you going to apologize or not?”

So that was my answer.

I had no choice.

A tear slipped down my face. I clenched my teeth. “Fine. I’m sorry. Miss Ingrid, I’m sorry. I’ll fix it right now.”

My hands shook as I took out my phone and posted a public statement. Clearing her name. Taking all the blame.

When I finished, he didn’t even look at me.

He walked straight to her, “Ingrid, you hear that? It’s done. Come down now, don’t scare me like that again.”

Then he reached out and pulled her into his arms.

Careful. Gentle.

I stood there, watching. My chest felt empty.

I pushed myself up slowly, using the railing for support.

Ingrid walked over to me, still holding Bernard’s hand. She reached out and grabbed mine.

“Mrs. MacAllister,” she said softly. “Thank you.”

Her grip tightened.

Then she leaned closer, her voice dropping so only I could hear.

“As a woman, don’t you think you’re pathetic?”

My head snapped up. Anger rushed through me. I tried to pull my hand away.

But she held on tighter then she dragged me back with her.

“Ah!” she suddenly screamed.

My foot slipped and the world tilted.

Everything happened too fast.

Bernard rushed forward, reaching out. His hand caught hers.

Only hers.

Not mine.

For a second, our eyes met.

Then I fell.

The wind roared in my ears. Lights blurred. My mind went blank, then flooded with memories. Every moment. Every promise. Every lie.

In the end…

He chose her.

My body hit something hard below.

A black SUV passing under the bridge.

The impact knocked the air out of me instantly. Pain exploded through my entire body, sharp and unbearable.

Then everything went dark.

...

When I opened my eyes again, I was in a hospital.

So I didn’t die.

The fall wasn’t as high as it felt. The bridge wasn’t that tall, and I hit the roof of the SUV before rolling onto the ground. Lucky, they said. If you could call this lucky.

Three ribs broken. Every breath felt like something stabbing into my chest.

“Honey, you’re finally awake.”

Bernard rushed over the moment he saw me. He looked tired, eyes slightly red, like he hadn’t slept properly.

“For a second I thought…” he stopped, then let out a breath. “Good. You’re fine now. Ingrid’s been blaming herself this whole time. She couldn’t even eat, and said she felt guilty seeing you like that.”

I stared at him.

So that’s where he’d been. Taking care of her.

I slowly pulled my hand away from him. “With you around her all the time, I’m sure she’ll live a long life,” I said quietly.

His expression darkened. “Do you have to talk like that?”

I didn’t answer.

“Ingrid works under me,” he continued, his tone turning colder. “She’s alone in this city, no one to rely on. Of course I’m going to look after her. And don’t forget, if it wasn’t for you, she wouldn’t have ended up like this.”

There it was again.

My fault. Always my fault.

I closed my eyes. I didn’t have the strength to argue anymore. What was the point? He already chose who to believe.

His phone rang.