A major fire broke out in one of the shopping centers managed by the company I work for. Coincidentally, my stepsister Shirley was conducting a survey at the scene.

Unfortunately, Shirley and I were trapped in the fire. Thick black smoke filled the 5th floor where we were, I coughed several times, and my vision had begun to blur.

"Shirley, we have to get out of here right away!"

I tried to think clearly in this precarious situation. I couldn't let my stepsister get hurt, so I racked my brains to find a way to escape from the fire.

"I can't walk anymore, Eleanore." Shirley's voice sounded weak and her body began to droop with weakness accompanied by a non-stop coughing sound.

The sound of the explosion startled me, so I pulled Shirley and hugged her, trying to protect her from the flames that were spreading towards us.

I tried to help Shirley, who kept whining in pain. As we were trying to go downstairs, I heard a commotion from above us.

My breath almost stopped when I saw a burning wooden beam about to fall on us.

Shirley also realized it, but I was too fixated in my position because of the panic. As a result, I couldn't do anything to save us both.

It's just that the shock that hit me didn't stop there because suddenly Shirley pushed me, releasing my hand from her.

Shirley ran away from me, screaming in fear, leaving me exposed to the burning wooden beams.

"No, Shirley-"

My words stopped when the wooden beam hit my back, and my scream of pain could be heard echoing throughout the building that had been engulfed in flames.

"Eleanore, forgive me, but I can't die here!" Shirley looked at me with a look of disgust.

It was the first time I saw her looking at me like that. I really couldn't react now because of the pain that was starting to spread throughout my body.

I also felt a sense of shock when I heard Shirley's words. All this time, in my eyes, Shirley was my sweet and gentle stepsister.

I never thought Shirley would curse me like this. My eyes stared at Shirley with teary eyes.

"Don't look at me like that, I won't help you! You'd better die for the good of us all." Shirley grinned at me as if telling me to disappear in this blaze.

Until finally, a familiar voice was heard in the distance. I could feel a glimmer of hope when I heard the voice of Melvin, my husband.

Melvin must have come to save me. I was about to call his name so he would know where I was.

It's just that my voice hung in the air when I heard Melvin call Shirley's name with concern.

I was stunned in my position when I heard that. Even the pain I was feeling at that moment was no longer felt because of it.

Shirley, who also seemed to realize that Melvin had come to save them, began to fall to the floor and put on a pitiful face.

It didn't take long for Melvin to find us. I immediately screamed for Melvin to help me get out of the wooden beam that was currently falling on me.

"Melvin! Help me!" I called out to Melvin with all my remaining strength.

On the other hand, I felt panicked when I saw Melvin's gaze locked on Shirley, who was now crying bitterly while holding her leg.

Melvin knelt before Shirley with an anxious face, as if Shirley could die right then if he didn't save her.

"Oh my God, Shirley! What happened to your foot?" Melvin's hands trembled as he tried to reach out to Shirley's foot, unable to bear to see Shirley in pain.

Shirley hugged Melvin's neck and wrapped her arms around his neck while whimpering in fear.

"Melvin, let's get out of here quickly. I'm scared, my feet hurt too." Shirley continued to whine while hiding her face on Melvin's chest.

Realizing that Melvin could have left without even looking at me, I called out to him again, pleading.

"Don't forget me, Melvin. I need your help more than ever!" I restrained myself from getting angry at this moment, even though deep down, I was really hurt.

"I can't, Eleanore. Shirley is hurt, I have to take her with me right away, "Melvin replied, glancing at me briefly.

"But-"

"Another rescue team will be here soon, so just wait for them!" Melvin cut me off and hurried to carry Shirley in his arms.

"Melvin! Don't leave me!" I didn't expect Melvin to prefer to go with Shirley rather than save me in this kind of emergency.

“Don't be so childish, Eleanore! Shirley needs my help more than you right now!” Melvin refused to look at me again, just leaving me behind.

Shirley, who was being carried by Melvin, looked at me triumphantly, a smirk that mocked me etched on her lips.

My feelings were really hurt at the moment, the tears I shed were burned to ashes by the fire that surrounded me, as was my love for Melvin.

The last memory I remember was the blaze of fire trying to devour my body, the heat I could feel on my skin, and Shirley's satisfied gaze at me.

I woke up with a gasp, and a feeling of panic immediately filled my mind. Reflexively, I immediately checked my body, and my heart was utterly relieved when I saw that my body was still okay.

For a moment, I thought that I had been roasted to death in the blazing fire. Fortunately, I was still alive, even though I could see that I had many wounds on my body.

"Eleanore? Finally, you've come to your senses."

I jumped with surprise when I heard a voice from my side. Because I was so shocked by my own dream, I didn't even notice my surroundings.

Melvin sat next to me with his eyes focused on the cell phone in his hand, without the slightest concern for my current situation.

"I thought you'd be fine," Melvin continued, glancing at me briefly, then returning his gaze to his cellphone screen.

Silently, I rolled my eyes lazily; how could Melvin not be worried about my current condition?

Even though I could have lost my life after what Melvin and Shirley did to me during the fire.

"How many days have I been here?"

My body was really weak at the moment, so I decided to lean my back back because I could feel my breath was still short.

"I don't know, it seems like you've been asleep for three days." Melvin shrugged his shoulders indifferently, but this time he looked up from his precious cell phone screen.

"What?!" I was stunned to hear Melvin's remark. How could I have been unconscious for three days, and Melvin not seem the least bit worried about me?

"Why so surprised? After all, you survived in the end; don't overreact like that," Melvin replied, clearly uncomfortable with my reaction.

I blinked in confusion after hearing his words, but I didn't say anything, not wanting to upset Melvin even more.

At least I should be grateful that Melvin was still willing to accompany me here all this time.

Shortly afterward, there was a knock on the door, and Melvin let the person in. I could see that it was Melvin's assistant who had come.

The young man's face was pale as he entered my room. I frowned in curiosity. Something must have gone wrong.

"Sir, Miss Shirley is threatening to end her life if you don't come and be with her immediately!" Melvin's assistant looked cold and sweaty as he reported it to Melvin.

Even I, who was just listening to him, was surprised, and I immediately glanced at Melvin, who was standing there with a panicked look on his face.

"Shit! I have to go see Shirley right away." Melvin hurried to leave without even looking at me.

As if he no longer cared about me. Fear began to creep back into my heart, I didn't want to lose Melvin again.

I pulled Melvin's arm, preventing him from leaving me. This time, I wouldn't let Melvin go as quickly as before.

"Melvin, I need you here." I humbled my ego and told him how much I needed him to stay by my side at the moment.

It's just that Melvin was silent, didn't say anything. I thought Melvin had changed his mind and decided to stay here with me.

But my thoughts were just wishful thinking because a second later, Melvin shook off my grip on his arm.

"Stop acting stupid, Eleanore. Didn't you hear that your sister wants to end her life?" Melvin turned to me with an angry face.

I can guarantee that Melvin was really angry at this moment, his face was red and his fists were clenched tightly, holding himself back from hitting me.

This time, I was the one who was stunned, I didn't expect Melvin to react this extreme to me.

"But I'm your wife, Melvin! I need you here more than her. I'm sure there's someone taking care of Shirley there." Because my feelings were hurt and afraid at the same time, I unconsciously raised my voice when talking to Melvin.

Unexpectedly, a slap landed smoothly on my still-pale cheek. I could feel my cheek heat up and the corner of my lip sting.

My face dropped in response to Melvin's slap. I was so shocked that I couldn't react at all at the moment.

Melvin's hand trembled after he slapped me so hard for a moment that the atmosphere between us became silent.

"Sir, you have to hurry!" I could hear Melvin's assistant's voice again, chasing Melvin to quickly go check on Shirley.

Melvin withdrew his hand and snorted softly, "Don't blame me for slapping you. It was you who had the nerve to talk like that to me," said Melvin without the slightest sense of guilt.

Slowly I could hear the sound of Melvin's footsteps walking away, until finally the door to my room closed with Melvin's departure.

As Melvin left, what little hope I had for him disappeared as well. It made me think it was better to leave him.

I grabbed my cell phone on the nightstand next to my bed.

"Tell my mom that I'm coming home. And don't forget to tell her that I accepted her offer to return to the company." I hope my choice is the right one.

With a shaky step, I walked toward Shirley's room, which was only one hallway away from mine.

Steven had tried to persuade me to change my mind, but this feeling of annoyance in my heart made me uncomfortable.

Fortunately, the hallway where Shirley's room was located was not too crowded, making it easier for me to walk down the long corridor along this hallway.

When I got to Shirley's room, I realized that the door wasn't closed properly, and the small gap between the doors allowed me to see a little of what was going on in the room.

At first, I intended to knock on the door and walk in. However, I saw something that shocked me.

Melvin was making out with Shirley on the hospital bed. The two of them were openly and shamelessly sharing their love there.

I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the sight. How could they betray me like this?

"Honey, be gentle, you don't want to hurt our child, do you? "Shirley said coquettishly to Melvin, gripping his hair and enjoying the pleasure she felt.

"I can't hold myself when I'm with you, Shirley." Melvin leaned down to kiss Shirley's neck while hissing softly.

"You still remember your promise to give half of your company shares to our child, right? "Shirley glanced at Melvin, making sure he heard her words.

"Whatever you want, Shirley." Melvin closed Shirley's lips by kissing her.

My eyes bulged when I heard their voices while they were making love. I didn't expect Shirley to be pregnant with Melvin's child at this time.

Even though he had been married to me for five years, Melvin had never once touched me. The reason was because I was often sick, so Melvin didn't want to hurt me.

But it turned out that it was all fake, that all Melvin wanted all this time was Shirley, not me. My knees were really weak at the moment, and I fell down in front of Shirley's bedroom door.

My movement made a sound, and Melvin realized the sound I had made.

"Who is it?!" Melvin, who seemed surprised after hearing the sound, immediately panicked.

Realizing that I could have been caught here, without thinking, I immediately dragged my feet to leave the hallway where Shirley's room was.

I returned to my own room after that. My knees felt weak and I fell to my knees when I got to my own room.

Tears slowly flowed down my cheeks. I closed my mouth so that no one would hear my tears.

I had been married to Melvin for five years, and I thought we were living this marriage with love and affection.

Even though Melvin did seem cold towards me, he was the only person who understood me.

I had liked Melvin for a long time, considering our family was very close, but I never knew that Melvin had been in love with Shirley all this time.

"No! It's impossible! How could they betray me!" I roared angrily, pulling my hair out in frustration.

"So this is why he never touched me all this time." My voice slowly faded as I realized Melvin's behavior towards me all this time.

My mind was really shaken at the moment; I never thought I would be betrayed by the two people I trusted the most all this time.

. .

I was sleeping in my bed while playing with my cell phone when Melvin rushed into my room.

Melvin was in such a hurry that he broke the door to my room. At a glance, I could see the lines of panic on his face.

I secretly smirked. I would make sure to repay what they had done to me all this time.

Not only stabbing me in the back, they even thought of taking my life in the previous fire.

"Eleanore?" Melvin's voice calling me sounded hesitant and awkward for a moment.

"What's wrong? Are you satisfied with entertaining Shirley?" I only glanced at him, then got busy with my cell phone.

Realizing something was wrong with my behavior, Melvin walked closer to me and finally sat down next to my bed.

"Don't frown like that, I'm sorry I left you before. This time I will accompany you," said Melvin as he held my hand.

I looked up to look at him, "Do you promise you will accompany me tonight?" I looked him straight in the eye.

For a moment, I could see Melvin's eyes trembling, hesitating to answer my question. But the hesitation quickly disappeared, replaced by a bright, calming smile.

"Of course, you are the wife I love the most," he replied, then pulled me in for a tight hug.

My gaze turned cynical when I heard Melvin's remark. I wanted to see how long they intended to keep deceiving me like this.