On the eve of my wedding, I received an invitation. A funeral and my name was on it.

Date: tomorrow.

Darius’s mother smiled and said, “If you don’t exist, he can’t marry you.”

So I disappeared.

Two years later, Darius found me.

The man who’s now the President of Davenport Group and the mafia king of La Serpiente cried when he saw me again. He held me so tightly I could barely breathe. His hands trembled against my back while he kept whispering my name, as if terrified I would vanish the moment he let go.

After that, he spent years proving how much he loved me. He cut ties with his family. He bought me diamonds, estates, and private islands. He gave me everything money could buy. Whenever people talked about Darius Davenport, they spoke about a ruthless mafia boss who ruled half the country's underground world. But when he was with me, he seemed like a completely different man.

And I believed him.

I believed every promise. I believed every late-night confession. I believed every time he looked at me like I was the most important person in his world.

Five years into our marriage, we had a beautiful three-year-old daughter, Lara. She was Darius's entire world. At least, that was what I thought.

He spoiled her endlessly. He carried her on his shoulders during family gatherings. He canceled meetings just to take her to the aquarium. Every time she wrapped her tiny arms around his neck and called him Daddy, his entire face softened.

Sometimes I would watch them together and think how lucky I was.

How stupid.

How unbelievably stupid.

Everything changed when our daughter got sick.

It started with a fever that wouldn't go away. Then came the hospital visits, the tests, and the endless waiting.

The diagnosis nearly destroyed me: A rare kidney disease. The doctors said she needed a transplant as soon as possible.

For months, Darius used every resource available to him. He practically turned the entire country upside down searching for a donor but no match was found.

Then one day, the doctors discovered something.

I was compatible.

Perfectly compatible.

The moment they told us, I didn't hesitate. Not even for a second. She was my daughter. I'd gladly give up my kidney if it meant she could live.

Darius looked devastated when I signed the consent forms. He sat beside my hospital bed that night and held my hand for hours.

"Marianne, thank you," he whispered, pressing his forehead against my fingers. "I don't know how I'll ever repay you for this."

"She's our daughter. There was never a choice to make. I'd do anything for her."

His eyes turned red. "I know… That's exactly why I don't deserve you."

Back then, I thought he was overwhelmed because he loved her, now I knew better.

The surgery happened three days later. When I woke up, the first thing I saw was Darius sitting beside my bed. His suit was wrinkled. His eyes were bloodshot. His face looked pale.

For one brief moment, I thought everything was fine then I noticed the tears.

My heart immediately dropped. "D-darius? W-what happened" I whispered.

He looked at me and completely broke down. The most feared man in the country buried his face in my hand and cried so hard his shoulders shook.

Something inside me started shattering.

"Where's our daughter?" Panic clawed up my throat as I searched his face. "Darius, where is she?"

He couldn't look at me. "I'm sorry," he choked out. "I'm so sorry, Marianne. The surgery failed. The doctors tried everything they could, but they couldn't save her."

"No." My entire body started shaking violently. "No, no, no!"

Tears flooded my eyes as I tried to sit up despite the pain tearing through my side.

"Let me see her," I begged. My voice cracked so badly I barely recognized it. "Please let me see my baby."

Darius lowered his head and that silence told me everything.

I screamed. I screamed until my throat felt like it was bleeding. I screamed until doctors rushed into the room and had no choice but to sedate me.

...

When I woke up again, I wished I hadn't.

The pain was still there. My daughter was still gone. I kept my eyes closed because I didn't want to see anyone. Then I heard voices outside my room.

One belonged to Darius. The other belonged to our family doctor, Jared, who happened to be his cousin. At first, I wasn't listening until I heard the doctor say my name and everything changed.

"Darius, I honestly don't know how you're living with yourself." Jared's voice sounded strained with anger. "I've been a doctor for 10 years, and I've never seen anything this cruel."

"It was necessary." His tone remained calm and emotionless. "The decision had already been made."

Necessary? What is he talking about?

Jared let out a bitter laugh. "You gave Marianne's kidney to Verona Stuart's child and let your own daughter die! Tell me, how exactly is that necessary?"

The world stopped. For a moment, I thought I was hallucinating.

Verona Stuart?

The woman Darius once claimed meant nothing to him. Darius fling. The woman he said he'd cut ties with years ago.

"That little girl was your daughter. She was innocent in all of this. She trusted you completely."

Darius lit a cigarette. I heard the familiar click of his lighter. Then his cold voice filled the hallway.

"I made a promised to Verona that I'd protect her and my child with her." Darius sounded completely unbothered. "That promise comes first."

I stopped breathing.

What?

Darius had a child with Verona?

"Verona's son is four years old. Your daughter was only three. For God's sake, she called you Daddy and worshiped the ground you walked on."

"I'll make it up to Marianne. She'll eventually understand why I did this. I'll make sure she never lacks anything."

"You think that's possible?" he asked. "You think money can replace a child? You think gifts can erase what you've done?"

"I'll give her another child." Darius's response came instantly. "Once enough time passes, she'll move on. While she's recovering, arrange the sterilization procedure. I don't want any delays."

Jared froze. “Darius, your daughter is dead. Why would you do that to Marianne now?"

A long silence followed.

Then Darius answered calmly. "I can't allow any future complications. If Marianne has another biological child, that child could threaten Verona's son's position in the Davenport family. I won't allow that to happen. Verona's son must become the Davenport heir." Darius's voice was cold and final. "Nothing and no one is more important than that."

The hallway fell silent.

A few moments later, Jared walked away. Suddenly, Darius's phone rang. He answered immediately.

His assistant's voice came through the speaker.

"Mr. Davenport, Ms. Stuart's son is recovering very well. When would you like us to begin the adoption process? The paperwork is already prepared."

My vision blurred.

My chest hurt so much I thought I might die right there. Tears streamed down my face.

The truth finally became clear. My daughter had never been his first choice. Verona's son was. Darius had lied to me, used me, taken my kidney, allowed our little girl to die, and now he was about to take away my ability to ever become a mother again.

The anesthesia slowly entered my IV and everything started fading.

….

When I woke up, Darius was sitting beside my hospital bed.

The moment he noticed I was awake, he leaned forward immediately. "Baby, you're awake. How are you feeling? Are you hurting anywhere?" His voice was soft and careful. "Do you want me to call the doctor?"

I looked at him quietly.

The same face. The same voice. The same man who had carried Lara on his shoulders and called her his little princess. How could he sit here and lie so naturally? How could he look me in the eye after killing our daughter?

I wanted to scream. I wanted to ask him why. Why Lara? Why our little girl? Why me? But the words never came out.

I just stared at him.

My silence seemed to make him uneasy. He reached for my hand and held it between both of his. "Marianne, I know you're hurting. I know this is unbearable." His voice cracked slightly as he lowered his head. "Believe me, if I could've taken Lara's place, I would've done it without hesitation."

The lie was so perfect it almost sounded real.

"The doctors tried everything," he continued quietly. "We tried everything. I would give anything to bring her back."

I nearly laughed.

Tried everything?

No.

He had made sure Lara never had a chance.

Before I could say anything, a sudden burning pain exploded through my lower abdomen. I gasped as it ripped through me like a blade. The pain came so suddenly that my entire body curled up.

"D-darius..." My voice trembled.

The burning sensation grew worse. Hot. Sharp. Unbearable.

I felt wetness beneath me.

Blood.

My heart dropped. The pain became unbearable.

He slammed the emergency button. "Doctor! Get in here right now!" His voice echoed through the room. "She's bleeding. Hurry!"

Footsteps rushed toward the room.

The last thing I saw was Darius gripping my hand tightly as if he couldn't bear to lose me.

Then darkness swallowed me whole.

---

When I opened my eyes again, the room was quiet.

Darius was still there. He sat beside the bed holding a medical report. His shoulders were slumped and his eyes looked red and swollen. Anyone walking into the room would've thought he'd spent the entire day crying.

The moment he saw me awake, he stood up. "Marianne, the doctor just spoke to me. The bleeding was worse than anyone expected. The surgeons did everything they could to save you." He looked down at the report before meeting my eyes again. "But the damage was too severe."

My fingers tightened around the blanket.

Darius swallowed hard. "They couldn't stop all the complications." He reached for my hand and held it carefully. "Marianne, you won't be able to have children anymore."

The room fell silent.

I felt strangely calm. Maybe because he'd already broken me. Maybe because there was nothing left to break.

Darius lowered his head. "I'm sorry. I know how much you loved Lara." His thumb rubbed gently across my knuckles. "I know how much you wanted a family."

"Once you're discharged, maybe we can adopt. We'll find a child who needs a home." His eyes softened. "You've always had such a big heart. Maybe having a little one around will help us heal."

The performance was flawless. I wondered how many times he'd practiced those expressions.

After a long silence, I glanced at the report and nodded. Seeing how cooperative I was, relief flashed across his face. He pulled me into his arms and held me tightly.

"Thank you," he whispered. "So many people would've fallen apart after this. You're stronger than anyone I know."

I nearly laughed. Fallen apart? I already had. He just didn't know it yet.

…

Later that evening, a nurse came in to help clean me up.

Darius refused immediately. "I'll do it. You can leave. I'll take care of my wife."

The nurse looked hesitant. "Mr. Davenport, are you sure?"

"I said I'll do it."

She quietly left. Darius rolled up his sleeves and filled a basin with warm water. Then he carefully wiped away the dried blood from my skin.

His movements were gentle. Patient. Almost tender. The same hands that had signed away Lara's life were now cleaning my body.

The irony was almost unbearable.

By the time he finished, it was already late. The city lights glowed through the hospital windows. Outside, the Davenport Group continued ruling the business world. La Serpienten continued ruling the shadows. And their king sat beside me pretending to be a devoted husband.

"Are you still hurting?" he asked quietly. "Do you need anything? I can call the doctor back."

I shook my head. "You haven't slept at all, have you? You look exhausted."

"I wasn't leaving you. Not now."

I forced a small smile. "I'm okay. Get some sleep."

For a moment, he hesitated, then he kissed my forehead. "If you need anything, wake me up. I'll be right here."

I nodded. A few minutes later, he fell asleep beside the bed. Only then did I reach for his phone, opened it and went to Whatsapp.

And the first thing I saw was a photo of Verona holding Carson, their son. The picture had been taken inside this very hospital. Both of them looked healthy, happy and alive.

My kidney had saved him.

The more I scrolled through their messages, the colder I felt.

Back when I was pregnant with Lara, Darius was constantly traveling. Meetings. Business negotiations. Mafia affairs. At least, that was what he'd told me.

I never questioned him.

So I went to prenatal appointments alone. I sat in the waiting room alone. I listened to our daughter's heartbeat alone. Even after Lara was born, Darius was rarely home. I used to tell myself he was working hard for our future.

Now I finally knew where he'd been.

Verona.

He had been with Verona.

Photo after photo filled the screen and there were thousands of them. Her pregnancy. Her doctor visits. Her birthday celebrations. Family dinners. Holiday trips.

Every important moment was carefully documented and Darius was in every single picture.

There were videos too.

In one, Verona was leaving a prenatal checkup. Darius wrapped an arm around her shoulders and kissed her forehead.

"You did great today," he said warmly. "Now tell me what reward you want."

Verona laughed. "Anything I want?"

"Anything, baby."

They both laughed.

I stared at the screen. Back then, I'd been sitting alone in another hospital. Waiting for him to call. Waiting for him to remember I existed.

After every one of my appointments, I'd received the same message.

“Marianne, thank you for understanding. I have an important meeting today.”

Then I found an entire album dedicated to Carson.

His first smile, his first birthday… Every memory, every precious moment.

And Lara? My little girl was lying cold in a morgue.

Forgotten by the man who was supposed to love her most.

I slowly put the phone down. The difference between being loved and not being loved had never been clearer.

And for the first time in years, I finally understood something.

Darius Davenport had never chosen me.

…

The next morning, while he was out handling “business,” I moved without thinking too much. I called a lawyer and told them to prepare a divorce agreement.

After that, I called her.

Mrs. Davenport answered on the second ring, her voice sharp and unimpressed. “What now, bitch?”

I swallowed hard and forced myself to speak. “I agree to divorce your son, Darius. I don’t want your money or his money. I just want a favor.”

There was a pause, then a cold little laugh. “So even you finally got tired of pretending. Poor woman. Okay, fine. Speak. What do you want?”

My fingers tightened around the phone. “If you don’t want your son chasing me again, if you don’t want him losing his mind looking for me…” I took a breath, “Then help me disappear. Make it look like I’m dead. End it completely.”

Silence stretched on the other end.

“Fine. But if you’re playing games with me, I’ll make sure you regret it.”

“I’m not,” I said quietly. And I meant it more than anything I had ever said in my life. “I’m done.”

Over the next few days, I discharged myself from the hospital. I claimed my daughter’s body from the morgue, placed her ashes in a small pink urn, and brought her home.

Darius wasn't with me when I laid her to rest. He said he was busy, but I knew exactly where he was. He was with Verona and Carson.

When Darius finally returned to the mansion days later, he acted as if nothing was wrong. He even had the nerve to try and be gentle.

He noticed I had been quiet, so he cleared his schedule and took me out himself. He booked an entire restaurant, filled it with roses, like flowers could fix what was already rotting between us.

For a while, I just sat there and watched him try.

Halfway there, his phone started ringing nonstop.

His jaw tightened when he saw the name, and something in his expression changed instantly. “Fuck!” he muttered under his breath, already pulling the car over.

He answered fast, and I heard the panic before I even understood the words.

“Darius, please help me,” a woman’s voice cried through the speaker. “President Dunnington is drunk, he’s trying to take me away, I can’t—ah!”

The line cut off.

Darius didn’t even hesitate. He turned to me immediately, already unbuckling my seatbelt. “Marianne, something came up! Get a taxi. Go to the restaurant first. Wait for me there, I’ll handle this shit and come right back.”

I didn’t move.

I just looked at him.

“Darius,” I said quietly, “it’s raining.”

He blinked like he had just remembered I was even there. Then annoyance flashed across his face. He shrugged off his coat and shoved it toward me. “Take it. Don’t argue, just listen for once.”

His hand brushed my head like I was a child he didn’t have time to fully deal with. “Be good, okay? I’ll handle the board shit later, just go.”

Before I could respond, he pushed the door open and pushed me out. My forehead slammed hard against the pavement and dirty rainwater rushed into my mouth. I coughed, choking on it, and for a second I just lay there, stunned, like my body forgot how to move.

My suit jacket was completely soaked, heavy against my skin.

I stayed there for a moment longer before pushing myself up. My hands were shaking slightly, but I didn’t reach for the coat Darius had thrown at me. It lay there on the wet ground, getting ruined, and I just looked at it.

Tears started to fall but I stopped them.

Getting a taxi in the rain was almost impossible. Cars passed without stopping, lights blurring through the downpour like I didn’t even exist so I just walked. By the time I finally reached the restaurant, I was soaked through.

But the restaurant was empty.

Completely empty.

No Darius.

I stood there for a long time, just listening to the silence of a place that used to mean something to me.

How many times had I come here believing things would be different this time?

The rain outside slowed, then came back heavier again, like it couldn’t decide whether to stop or keep punishing me. I stayed anyway, waiting, because some stupid part of me still thought he might walk through that door.

He said he would come. He always said he would come.

I don’t know how long I waited before I finally called a waiter over.

“Serve the food,” I said quietly.

The waiter hesitated, glancing toward the empty entrance. “Mrs. Davenport… Mr. Davenport hasn’t arrived yet. The dishes are already cooled down. We can reheat them, but it won’t taste the same.”

“He’s not coming,” I said.

The waiter didn’t know what to say after that, so he just left.

I sat there and watched the plates get served anyway. The food used to be my favorite. Now it tasted like salt and nothing else. I kept thinking, how did something so warm become so empty?

By the time I finally left, my body was already burning up. The fever hit fast, like my body had been waiting for permission to break down. The world blurred around me, and every step home felt heavier than the last.

I remember thinking, is this what it feels like to disappear slowly while still being alive?

Somewhere between waking and sleep, I felt a hand on my forehead.

“Mommy… are you sick? I’m here… I won’t go away…”

My breath caught. “Lara, my baby…”

My body reacted before my mind did.

I reached out and grabbed it tightly, clinging like I was drowning. I don’t remember falling asleep after that.

...

When I opened my eyes again, morning light was spilling through the room.

I flinched and pulled away immediately, my hand pushing against whoever was sitting beside me.

“Miss Marianne… did I wake you?”

I blinked, confused for a second, before I saw her. One of the household maids.

My chest tightened instantly.

“Were you here all night?”

“Yes, madam,” she said quickly. “I tried calling the master, but he didn’t answer. I couldn’t leave you alone like that. You were holding my hand the whole time.”

I stared at her for a moment.

Darius hadn’t come, not even once.

The maid hesitated again. “Should I try calling him again?”

Before I could answer, my phone lit up with notifications. My fingers moved on their own. And the moment I opened it, I already knew.

The messages weren’t from Darius.

They were from Verona Stuart.

And inside were hundreds of photos and videos.

Darius.

Verona.

A night that didn’t end.

From what I could see, it started at the entrance of some high-end place, then a private room, then a balcony. Laughter, bodies too close, his hand on her waist like it belonged there. The kind of closeness that didn’t need explanation.

“Isn't it romantic?” Verona texted.

I stared at the screen for a long time. Strangely, I didn’t cry right away.

I just felt tired.

I turned the phone off and placed it face down.

“No need,” I said quietly when the maid looked at me again. “Just get my package ready.”

The divorce agreement.

My lawyer had already prepared everything. All that was left was my signature, and maybe my last mistake finally turning into something permanent.

Later, I signed it without hesitation.

My name looked unfamiliar on the paper, like it belonged to someone who still believed in love.

I took the folder and went to Davenport Group.

That was when I saw Verona, standing at the front desk like she owned the place.

I tried to walk past her without stopping, but her voice cut through the air immediately.

“Hey! Do you have an appointment? You can’t go in without one.” Her expression changed the moment I stepped closer, turning cold and sharp.

“Verona, everyone in this company already knows who I am."

She tilted her head and smiled, like she had been waiting for this moment for a long time. “So what if you’re the president’s wife? That title doesn’t change a single thing for me. I still won’t let you go upstairs, and I still won’t let you have anything you came here for. I gave you five years, Marianne, and you still failed as a mother of Lara. Pff! What a loser."

For a moment, everything inside me went completely silent, then something inside me snapped forward without permission.

SLAP!

My hand hit her face.

The sound echoed through the lobby.

“Maybe if your mouth wasn’t so filthy, you wouldn’t need to cling to this job just to feel like you exist in the same world as me.”

She slowly touched her cheek, then let out a short laugh. “You really think that changes anything, Bitch? That little slap doesn’t erase the fact that you’re standing here desperate and exposed in front of everyone,” she said, stepping closer with her voice dropping. “We both know how this works. I build my future while you protect a marriage that’s already cracked beyond repair. You are not getting past me today.”

She snapped her fingers at security and gave a simple order. “Take her out. I don’t want her lingering here like a mistake someone forgot to clean up.”

I didn’t move right away. I just stood there, unsure if I still had the energy to fight or even care what happened next. But before anyone could reach me, the elevator doors slid open behind them.

The entire lobby seemed to change temperature.

Darius stepped out.

“What the fuck is going on here?” he said, his voice cutting through the space so sharply it made even the air feel heavier.