Troy’s face contorted into something ugly. He stepped closer, the smoke swirling between us. “What did you just say?” he hissed. “You want to forget us? Are you insulting me? Insulting Trevor? After everything we’ve done for you—since your parents died—”

I kept my arms at my sides, nails digging crescents into my palms. “I didn’t say anything you didn’t already know.”

He laughed. A sharp, humorless bark that made my stomach twist. “We took you in! We made sure you had everything! We run your precious business for you! And this is how you repay us—burning your past like it’s trash?”

I met his eyes, unflinching. “It is trash, Troy. That’s what it’s become.”

His nostrils flared. He lunged forward, fingers digging into my arm so tight I knew it’d bruise. “Say that again. Go on. Say it again, Camille.”

Silence. That was my weapon now. I swallowed every retort and let it sit heavy behind my ribs. I refused to give him my tears. Not this time.

“Why aren’t you saying something?” Troy snarled, shaking me once, twice. The smell of the fire clung to his shirt, the smoke clung to my hair. “Do you want me to call off the engagement? Is that what you want?”

Once, that threat would’ve made my knees buckle. Once, I would have begged him to stay. Once, I’d have folded myself into an apology I didn’t owe, just for a chance to keep him beside me. Once.

But not today.

“Do whatever you want, Troy.” My voice didn’t even crack. “You truly disappoint me.”

I saw the shock flicker across his eyes—just for a split second—before it curdled into rage. His mouth opened, ready to spit something cruel and familiar.

But Jasmine’s scream sliced through the dawn like a blade. “Help! Troy! Trevor! Help me!”

I heard footsteps pounding down the stairs. Trevor’s voice echoed in the hallway, frantic. “Jasmine? What happened?”

Troy released me like I was poison. Without another word, he ran to her—like he always did. My arm throbbed where his fingers had dug in, but I barely felt it. I stood there, listening to the two of them fawn over Jasmine’s fake cries, remembering how many times I’d screamed and no one had come.

She always knew how to play them, I thought bitterly. Jasmine was good at being helpless. Good at being adored. And I had been stupid enough to think she was my family.

I turned on my heel, stepping back into the cold emptiness of the apartment I paid for. I let their voices fade behind me. The moment my door clicked shut, the last bit of restraint I’d been holding in my chest finally loosened.

I crossed the room and picked up my phone with trembling fingers. I found the number—my lawyer’s private line. He answered on the second ring.

“Ms. Navarro? Are you alright?”

“No,” I said flatly, staring at the scorched edges of my memories still clinging to my skin. “But I will be. I want you to put the apartment up for sale. Find a bidder. Cash deal, no questions asked.”

There was a pause. “Ma’am, this is your primary residence—”

“I don’t care,” I snapped. “I want it gone. And there’s more.” I sank onto the edge of the bed, my pulse hammering in my ears. “Draft the paperwork to terminate Troy and Trevor’s contracts from Navarro Trading. Effective immediately.”

Another pause, sharper this time. “You want to fire them both? But they’re your co-managers—”

“Not for long,” I cut him off, a sick sort of relief pooling in my stomach. “I want them out of my business, out of my life. I’ll sign whatever I need to sign today.”

“Understood. I’ll start the process. Are you… certain?”

I looked around my room—once my sanctuary, now just a prison cell with white walls and broken promises. I thought about the day Troy had slipped the ring on my finger, the way Trevor used to laugh and swear he’d always protect me. I thought about my mother’s ring hidden in my dresser—my mother, who always said family is the people who never let you go.

They had let me go a long time ago. I was just the last to see it.

“I’m certain,” I breathed. “No more running in circles. I want my life back.”

“Okay, but the company, who will handle it for you?”

I responded with a smile. “Once I’m married, I’ll transfer the company to Martin’s name. He’s more than capable of running it. Better him than Troy, who only wants it for himself.”

There was nothing left to say after that. I ended the call before the lawyer could try to talk me out of it. I needed to believe I could still save something for myself. If Martin was willing to stand by my side—even if I’d spent half my life hating him—I’d let him.

I didn’t even realize I’d dozed off until the bedroom door creaked open. I flinched awake to find Troy standing there with a tray. The smell of my favorite soup—creamy chicken and wild rice—wafted across the room.

He held up the tray with that fake boyish grin that used to make my heart ache. Pathetic, I thought. The same old routine.

“Cam, you should eat something. You look so tired. All this stress about the company paperwork and the wedding… I don’t like seeing you like this.”

I forced my face to stay blank. What do you want? I wanted to scream it in his face.

Because I knew this game. It was his favorite scheme—like clockwork. Whenever he needed me to bend, whenever he wanted me pliable and sweet, he’d show up like this. A tray of warm soup. That soft, sorry look in his eyes.

I used to think it meant he loved me. I used to fall for it every single time.

Don’t be mad, Cam, I heard his voice echo from years ago—back when we were just twenty, back when I still believed he’d never betray me. Don’t be mad. Look, I brought you your favorite—come on, baby, eat. Smile for me.

And I would. Like a fool, I’d smile through my tears, swallow my hurt, forgive his betrayal—his flirty glances with Jasmine, his forgotten promises. Every bowl of soup tasted like my own stupidity.

But not anymore.

He sat beside me on the bed, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. “Hey, don’t look at me like that. We’re almost there, right? After the wedding, it’ll all be done. The merger will go through, and we can finally start our real life.”

The words made bile rise in my throat. “The paperwork will be ready after the wedding,” I said flatly.

He grinned. “Good. I can’t wait to make you mine forever.”

I swallowed my disgust. He didn’t want me—he wanted my name, my father’s legacy. My stomach twisted when I imagined him and Jasmine laughing about how they’d finally secured their golden ticket.

Later that afternoon, we went to the boutique to fit my wedding dress. Jasmine tagged along, of course, breezing around the silk-lined showroom like she owned it. The moment my gown was brought out, her eyes glittered with something cold and possessive.

“Let me try it on,” she said sweetly. “Just for fun. I’ve always wanted to see what I’d look like in a wedding gown.”

I gaped at her. “Are you serious? That’s my dress—”

“Oh, come on, Cam. Let her,” Troy drawled from the velvet couch, not even glancing at me. “If she wants to see how it looks, what’s the harm? You can buy another one if you want.”

I looked at him like he’d grown two heads. “It’s my dress, Troy. I’m the bride.”

Trevor, lounging beside him, shrugged. “So what? It’s just a color. Don’t be dramatic.”

I clenched my fists so tightly my nails bit into my palms. Jasmine’s eyes glittered with victory as she twirled in my gown in front of the mirrors. When she finally stepped out, leaving the fabric crumpled and reeking of her perfume, I told myself it didn’t matter. I’d never wear it anyway.

I picked another simple gown and slipped into the fitting room. The satin was soft against my skin, almost mocking in its promise of a fairytale that wasn’t real. From the other side of the door, Jasmine’s voice drifted through—sharp and low.

“When will you be gone, Camille? Are you sure you’re marrying him? You know he doesn’t want you. He’ll come back to me in the end.”

I pressed my palm to the cold wall, forcing my voice not to crack. “Don’t worry. I’ll be gone soon. You’ll get what you want.”

She laughed, a brittle, empty sound. “Good. I’m tired of pretending. You’re just in the way.”

I closed my eyes, trying to breathe through the sick twist in my chest. Then I smelled it. Smoke. Faint at first, then thicker. I pushed the door open a crack—and flames flickered along the floor-length curtain.

“Help!” I screamed. “Someone—there’s a fire—help me!”

Through the haze, I saw them. Troy, Trevor, Jasmine—standing together by the boutique door. Jasmine pressed her hand to her mouth, eyes wide. “Oh no! Camille—save her!”

But Troy just looked bored. “She’s fine. Let’s go out before you get hurt. We don’t want you to get bruises, you know how precious you are to us..”

Trevor scoffed. “And she can handle herself.”

Their shapes blurred as the smoke thickened. My throat burned. I stumbled backward, reaching for the wall, but the satin tangled around my feet. The last thing I saw before the darkness claimed me was Jasmine’s cold smile behind her perfect mask of concern.

When I woke up, everything smelled faintly of smoke and antiseptic. The ceiling above me was a bland hospital white, and for a moment I felt like I might suffocate under it. A nurse hovered at my side, checking the bandage on my wrist.

“You’re lucky,” she said softly, like it was some grand blessing. “The fire didn’t cause any permanent damage. You were saved in time.”

Saved? Lucky? If only she knew.

The flames didn’t really burn me. The betrayal did. Over and over, scorching deeper than any fire could reach.

I pressed my eyes shut, fighting the stinging behind my lids. I wanted to scream. But I didn’t. Not now, Camille. Hold it in.

Just then, the door swung open and Troy strolled in like he owned the place—like he still owned me. A pitying frown curved his lips as he reached out to touch my hair, like he could pretend he cared. His fingers brushed my cheek. I wanted to slap them away.

“Baby, how are you feeling?” he murmured. “You’re okay, right? You can’t be hurt, not now… you know our wedding is tomorrow.”

I stared at him, numb.

“Our wedding,” he repeated, like I hadn’t heard him the first time. “And the contract signing with the board. You know we can’t postpone that, Cam. It’s too important. You wouldn’t do that to me, right?”

I forced my lips to move. “Yes. I know.”

He gave me that smug, triumphant smile—like a victor securing his prize.

“Good girl.” He bent down, kissing my forehead like it meant something. “Rest up. We need you at your best tomorrow.” Then he left without another word, his shoes clicking down the corridor.

I drifted in and out of sleep, the hospital monitor beeping steadily. I should’ve felt something—fear, anger, grief. But all I felt was empty. Until my phone lit up on the side table.

A video. Troy and Trevor laughing in the limo, Jasmine draped across Troy’s lap in a dress I bought her, kissing him like I’d never existed. Like the wedding tomorrow was just another excuse for them to finish what they’d started years ago.

The next morning, the nurses fussed over me as they discharged me—bandages fresh, hair combed, makeup just enough to cover the bruises of sleepless nights. I stared at my reflection in the mirror. A ghost in white silk.

At the apartment, everything was chaos. Troy was already half-dressed in his suit, tie loose around his neck, Trevor helping him with his cufflinks. Jasmine floated around them like some pretty parasite, clinging to Trevor’s arm, dropping kisses on Troy’s cheek. I wanted to vomit.

“Oh!” Jasmine gasped suddenly, eyes sparkling at the tiny velvet box on my dresser. “Camille, this necklace… it’s beautiful. Can I borrow it?”

I froze. “It’s mine. It’s from my mother. I’m wearing it today.”

Troy clicked his tongue, snatching it up like it belonged to him. “Stop being selfish. She just wants to wear it for the photos. You know how Jasmine is. Be nice to her, yeah? It suits her.”

“It’s my wedding day—” I started, my voice cracking.

“Our wedding,” Troy snapped. He turned, pressing the necklace into Jasmine’s hands. “We will go ahead, so fix yourself.” He shot me a dark look. “Just don’t screw things up today, Cam. After the ceremony, we sign the papers, I get the company, and we’re all done, right? Meet us at the church. Don’t be late.”

He leaned in, lips brushing my ear. “And don’t embarrass me.”

Then they were gone—him, Trevor, Jasmine—like my life was a dirty coat they could toss aside when it didn’t fit anymore.

I stood there, alone, staring at the apartment. This place that my father built for me. For my future. Our future, once upon a time.

But now? There was nothing left here for me.

I didn’t waste a second. I went to my room. I packed my passport, the last of my clothes, the only jewelry that was truly mine.

A knock came at the door. My lawyer’s agent, just as promised. He’d brought the movers to clear the rest. The apartment was sold. The deal was done.

I took one last look around, then set a tiny cake on the table. I stabbed a candle into it, lit it, and watched the flame flicker. My goodbye gift. Beside it, I left the engagement ring—cold, metal, empty—and a note in bold marker:

I’m done with you. I’m marrying someone else. Be happy without me. Goodbye, my ex-fiancé.

When I stepped outside, the sun was warm on my face. A black car idled at the curb. Martin leaned against it, arms folded, that infuriating smirk playing at the edge of his lips. My sworn enemy since high school. My accidental savior.

“Ready, runaway bride?” he called.

“More than,” I smiled.

I slipped into the car, slammed the door shut, and watched my past blur in the rearview mirror as we drove to the airport.