Arthur stepped out first, his arm draped loosely around Kylie’s waist. Their eyes widened when they saw me standing there, pale and unmoving.

“Diana—” Kylie immediately slipped from his embrace, her face soft with feigned worry. “Don’t misunderstand. I was running a fever last night, and Arthur just... took care of me.”

Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, her voice trembling at just the right pitch to sound sincere.

I stared at her blankly, the air thick in my lungs. “Taking care of you,” I echoed in a whisper, my lips curling bitterly.

Kylie lowered her gaze, feigning guilt. “I know how this must look. But please don’t think badly of Arthur. He was only being kind.”

I let out a harsh, humorless laugh. “Kylie, do you take me for a three-year-old child? Do you really expect me to believe such nonsense?”

Her smile faltered. Before she could reply, I stepped closer, my voice sharp with anger. “You’ve stolen everything from me—my family, my place, my husband. Was this what you wanted all along?”

Her silence was answer enough. Fury surged in my chest. My hand rose before I could stop myself, and the sharp crack of my palm striking her cheek echoed down the hallway.

Kylie gasped, clutching her face.

“Diana!” Arthur’s roar shook me to my core. He shoved me hard, and I stumbled back, nearly falling. My hands flew instinctively to my stomach, terror flashing through me.

The baby…

“Arthur...” My voice trembled as I steadied myself. “If Kylie wants everything, then she can have it. I won’t fight anymore.”

For a fleeting moment, his eyes softened, guilt flickering there. He opened his mouth as if to speak—but Kylie leaned weakly against him, her voice soft and pitiful. “Arthur… my stomach hurts. I haven’t eaten anything since yesterday.”

His guilt vanished instantly. His jaw hardened, and his voice turned cold. “Diana, go make her something to eat. That’s the least you can do after humiliating me yesterday.”

I froze, my hand still pressed protectively against my belly. His order was like a final slap across the face, a reminder of just how little I mattered.

—

Back in my room, I collapsed onto the bed. My chest rose and fell rapidly, my body trembling as the weight of everything crushed me. I reached for my phone with unsteady fingers and dialed the one person I could still lean on.

“Hello?” My best friend’s calm voice came through the line.

“Can you…” I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Can you draft a divorce agreement for me?”

There was silence on the other end, then a soft sigh. “Diana… are you sure?”

“Yes,” I whispered, tears sliding down my temples as I lay staring at the ceiling. “I can’t keep doing this. They all want me gone. I’ll give them what they want.”

“Alright,” she said gently. “I’ll prepare it right away. But Diana… don’t lose yourself in their cruelty. You deserve more than this.”

Her words barely reached me. My heart was already numb.

…

The night dragged on endlessly. I wandered the house, my footsteps echoing through the empty halls. Every corner carried memories of the woman I had once been—hopeful, foolishly in love.

The dining table where I had waited hours for Arthur to come home.

The study where I had stayed up late, sorting his documents while he was “on business trips.”

The sofa where I once believed his embrace was my safe place.

How naïve I had been.

…

The next morning, I moved on autopilot. I cooked breakfast, set the table, and placed each dish carefully, though my hands trembled.

Kylie was the first to arrive, radiant in a pale pink dress. “I have some business to attend to today,” she said sweetly, sliding her hand into Arthur’s when he appeared moments later. “Since I just got back, Arthur will accompany me.”

Her tone was light, but her eyes flicked to me, daring me to object.

I only hummed softly, lowering my gaze to my plate.

Arthur didn’t even look at me as he pulled out a chair for Kylie. They laughed quietly between themselves, their voices carrying across the table. It was as if I were no longer there.

The moment the door closed behind them, silence swallowed the house whole.

I cleaned the dishes with mechanical motions, then went upstairs to pack my belongings. My friend had already emailed me the divorce agreement. I printed it out, signed it with shaking hands, and placed it neatly in the drawer of Arthur’s study.

My gaze lingered on the document for a long time. That single sheet of paper was heavier than any stone.

This was it.

They wanted me gone. I would grant their wish.

I no longer had a home here.

The airport was crowded, yet I felt utterly alone.

I pulled the hood of my coat lower, clutching the small suitcase that contained all I was taking with me. Years of marriage, of pretending I belonged in that family, and this was all I had left—barely enough to fill a single bag.

As I sat near the gate, I scrolled through my phone. No calls. No messages. Not from Arthur, not from the family. It was as though I had already ceased to exist in their lives.

Perhaps that was for the best.

Still, I found myself whispering under my breath, “Aunt Melanie… I’m leaving now. Please watch over me.”

…

That same evening, the grand hall of a luxury hotel glittered with chandeliers and laughter. Arthur arrived with Kylie at his side, her hand delicately resting on his arm as though she had always belonged there.

“Everyone,” Arthur announced smoothly, his voice carrying across the room, “allow me to introduce the true heiress of the Jennings family—Kylie.”

Glasses clinked as congratulations poured in. Kylie accepted each one with a graceful smile, her eyes shining with triumph.

Soon, their friends gathered around, drinks in hand. One of them smirked. “By the way, Arthur, wasn’t it your wedding anniversary the day before yesterday? Where was Diana? Don’t tell me she’s finally tired of you.”

The group erupted in laughter.

“Maybe she ran off with someone else,” another teased. “Didn’t your brother just return? Who knows, maybe she’s with him now.”

Arthur’s face darkened, his grip tightening on his glass. “Diana wouldn’t dare,” he snapped. “She’s always been head over heels for me. Anytime I call, she picks up immediately. She wouldn’t have the courage to betray me.”

But before the laughter could resume, someone interjected casually, “That’s strange… a friend of mine swears they saw Diana at the airport earlier today. Looked like she was leaving for good.”

The air around the table shifted.

Arthur froze, the confident smile slipping from his face. “What?”

The friend shrugged. “Maybe it wasn’t her. But she looked a lot like your wife, carrying luggage. You should check.”

Kylie leaned in quickly, her hand tightening on Arthur’s sleeve. “Don’t listen to gossip, Arthur. Diana wouldn’t leave. She doesn’t have the courage, and she has nowhere to go.”

But Arthur wasn’t listening. For the first time that night, unease coiled in his chest.

…

Back at the airport, the announcement for boarding echoed through the speakers.

I rose slowly, gripping my suitcase handle tightly. For the first time in years, there was no one to stop me, no one to scold or belittle me, no one to remind me that I didn’t belong.

It was terrifying. But it was also… freeing.

As I stepped onto the jet bridge, I placed a hand against my abdomen unconsciously, steadying myself against the sudden wave of nerves. My lips trembled as I whispered, “From now on, it’s just me.”

…

In the gala hall, Arthur pulled out his phone and dialed my number. He expected it to connect immediately, as it always had.

The line rang once. Twice. Then again.

No answer.

He tried again. Still nothing.

A faint chill ran down his spine. For the first time, Arthur wondered if he had underestimated me.