The first thing that reached me was the sound.

A steady, rhythmic beeping. Too slow to be comforting. Too constant to ignore.

My eyelids fluttered open against a wash of blinding white light. My mouth felt dry, my throat burning, and my body was so heavy it was as if my strength had been siphoned out bone by bone. I couldn’t move. I could barely breathe.

Voices filtered through the haze.

“…there was no alternative,” a man said calmly—measured, detached, the way doctors always sounded. “The woman survived. The fetus did not.”

My chest seized.

Fetus?

Woman?

A baby?

“What did you say?” Victor’s voice exploded nearby, loud enough to make my heart jolt painfully. For one fragile, foolish second, warmth bloomed in my chest. Was he upset because I was hurt? Was he scared for me?

Then he spoke again.

“You should’ve let her die instead!” His words came sharp, furious. “What good is she without the child? I needed that baby! Not her! Why didn’t you ask me who mattered more?”

Everything inside me froze.

Did he really just say that?

The doctor’s tone hardened. “Mr. Victor, it was medically impossible to save both patients. The mother’s survival was the only feasible outcome. The pregnancy was only at six months. The fetus could not have lived outside the womb.”

There was the rustle of paperwork, followed by a weary sigh. “It’s also likely she had no idea she was pregnant. Given her condition—a retroverted uterus combined with polycystic ovary syndrome—successful pregnancies are uncommon. Irregular cycles are typical with PCOS. Symptoms are often mistaken for other issues. Minimal weight gain, delayed physical changes… it wouldn’t have been obvious.”

Six months.

I had carried a child inside me for half a year—unknowing, unaware—and now that life was gone.

And Victor… Victor wished I had died with it.

Another presence entered the room. I recognized Adrian immediately.

“So she lived,” he said flatly. “And the baby didn’t. Typical.”

Leo scoffed under his breath. “She messes everything up. If she weren’t so careless, none of this would’ve happened. And honestly—why was she even wandering around in a wedding dress?”

Their voices pressed down on me, suffocating. I wanted to scream. To open my eyes. To tell them to stop.

But my body betrayed me.

Darkness dragged me under again.

Maybe it wasn’t real. Maybe it was just a nightmare stitched together by pain and trauma.

I woke again later, the room eerily quiet. A nurse stood beside me, adjusting the drip attached to my arm.

“Oh,” she said gently when she noticed my eyes open. “You’re awake.”

My lips barely moved. “What… happened?”

“You were in a vehicular accident,” she explained softly. “A truck hit you. You’ve been unconscious for two days.” She hesitated, then lowered her voice. “I’m very sorry. You lost the pregnancy.”

Tears slipped down the sides of my face before I could stop them.

A baby.

My baby.

Gone.

My hand trembled as it moved to my stomach. It felt empty. Hollow. Like something vital had been carved out of me.

“My husband…” I whispered, clinging to the thinnest shred of hope. “Has Victor been here?”

The nurse didn’t answer right away.

Then she shook her head slowly. “No. No one has visited since you were admitted.”

That silence hurt more than the crash ever could.

When she left, my gaze drifted to the small table beside the bed. My phone lay there, dark and untouched. My fingers shook as I reached for it, hope fluttering weakly in my chest.

Nothing.

No missed calls.

No messages.

Not from Victor.

Not from Adrian.

Not from Leo.

Swallowing hard, I dialed Victor’s number myself.

It rang. Then connected.

At first, there was only faint noise. Movement. Breathing.

Then—

A woman’s voice. Soft. Breathless.

“Victor… don’t stop…”

My heart slammed painfully against my ribs.

Then laughter followed. Familiar. Cruel.

Marcella.

I ended the call with trembling fingers, my chest heaving as tears spilled freely onto the sheets.

Seconds later, my phone vibrated again.

A message.

I opened it—and nausea rose instantly.

Photos filled the screen.

Victor holding Marcella’s hand. Victor kissing her. Victor smiling at her like he never once smiled at me. One photo showed him sliding a ring onto her finger as champagne glasses clinked in celebration.

Below it was a message, sharp and deliberate.

Sorry, sis. We’re on our honeymoon. Don’t worry—I’ll take good care of Victor. I’m back for good.

The cruelty was unmistakable. As if she were right there beside my bed, whispering it into my ear.

My phone slipped from my hand and hit the floor with a dull sound. I covered my face and cried until my chest ached, until no sound came out anymore.

This wasn’t just betrayal.

It was annihilation.

My husband.

My brothers.

My sister.

All standing on the same side—against me.

I lay there for hours, staring blankly at the ceiling, feeling stripped of everything. But somewhere between the grief and the emptiness, something hardened.

Resolve.

If Victor believed he could throw me away like I never mattered… if Marcella thought she could return and steal what little was left of my life—

They were wrong.

I wouldn’t beg anymore.

I picked up my phone again and scrolled through my contacts. My thumb stopped over a name I hadn’t allowed myself to think about in years.

Dominic.

The man who once loved me honestly.

The man I rejected for empty promises and false devotion.

The man I should have chosen.

My breath shook as I pressed call.

One ring.

Two.

“Hello?” His voice came through, steady and warm, laced with surprise.

My throat tightened. “Dominic… it’s Valeria.”

Silence followed. Then a sharp inhale. “Valeria? After all this time… why are you calling now?”

I closed my eyes, letting the last of my pride fall away. “Tell me something,” I said quietly. “If I asked you today… would you still want to marry me?”

When Dominic finally answered, his tone was relaxed—almost amused, as though he’d been expecting my call all along.

“Well, this is unexpected,” he said lightly. “Last time we talked, you said marrying me would be worse than death. What happened?”

A sharp, humorless laugh escaped my lips. “Victor already made it clear he’d rather see me dead,” I replied. “So tell me, Dominic—doesn’t that automatically put you ahead of him?”

There was a pause on the line, just long enough for my chest to tighten. Then he laughed, low and edged with something dark. “So now I’m the backup plan? The consolation prize because your perfect man turned out to be trash?”

My fingers curled around the phone. “If you’re not interested, then forget this conversation ever happened,” I snapped. “I’ll deal with my life on my own.”

“Valeria,” he said quietly, the teasing gone, replaced by a tired exhale. “I never said I didn’t want you. I always have. But if we’re going to do this, there’s something you need to agree to.”

My heart skipped. “What is it?”

“You don’t get to leave me again,” Dominic said, his voice steady and unyielding. “No matter what happens. No matter who interferes. If you choose me, you stay. I won’t chase you a second time.”

Something heavy settled in my chest—part fear, part strange comfort. My lips trembled, but I answered anyway. “Then start preparing for the wedding.”

He let out a sharp breath. “Just like that?”

“Not quite,” I replied, forcing calm into my voice. “There’s one more thing I need. I want them to feel what it’s like to lose me. Every single one of them. Can you make it look like I died—in five days?”

The silence stretched, then broke with a quiet, dangerous laugh. “Leave it to me.”

My hand slipped, the phone nearly falling as my body shook. I never imagined my life would spiral into this—but anything was better than staying with people who had been betraying me for years without remorse.

The hours passed slowly after that. I waited. For a call. A message. Any sign that someone noticed I was gone. That someone cared.

No one did.

Not Victor.

Not Adrian.

Not Leo.

By nightfall, the emptiness was unbearable. Against medical advice, I forced myself out of the hospital and went back to the house I once called home.

The moment I stepped inside, my stomach twisted. The air was thick with alcohol and cigarette smoke. The remnants of a celebration were everywhere—empty bottles, overturned glasses, confetti crushed into the floor. It looked like a place where joy had thrived without a single thought of me.

I climbed the stairs slowly, my bag dragging behind me—until I saw her.

Marcella.

Her face drained of color when she spotted me. She staggered backward, clutching her chest in panic. “She’s here—she’s alive! She’s going to hurt me!”

Her voice brought Adrian and Leo rushing out immediately.

“And why would she do that?” Adrian snapped, glaring straight at me.

Their eyes pinned me in place—cold, accusing.

“Where have you been?” Leo demanded. “You vanished for days. You missed the party welcoming Marcella back. Do you know how disrespectful that is?”

My chest tightened. “A welcome party?” I whispered. “For her? After everything she did? You both said you’d never forgive her. You said she destroyed this family—said she was responsible for Father’s death!”

The blow came before I could react.

Adrian’s palm struck my face, the sound echoing through the hall. Pain exploded across my cheek as tears sprang to my eyes.

“Don’t say that again!” he growled. “Marcella told us the truth. You were the one who introduced her to that man. You set her up. You let her take the fall so you could walk away clean.”

My heart dropped. “That’s a lie!” I cried. “Yes, I knew him—but only because Marcella begged me to introduce them. She liked him! She chased him! I warned her, Adrian. I told her it was dangerous. Everything that happened after that was her decision, not mine!”

But his expression only hardened.

“You really expect us to believe you?” Leo snapped. “After deceiving us for years?”

I shook my head desperately. “I never touched his money. I never worked with him. I stayed away. You’re blaming the wrong person!”

Marcella lowered her head, her shoulders trembling as she played her part perfectly. “Please… stop fighting. This is why I stayed away for so long. I didn’t want to tear the family apart.”

Leo silenced me with a glare. “Enough, Valeria. We’re done listening to your excuses.”

Marcella sniffed softly, whispering, “I shouldn’t have come back if it only causes pain. I just wanted us to be a family again.”

“Family?” Victor’s voice cut through the tension as he descended the stairs. His arms crossed over his chest, his eyes emotionless. “This isn’t a fight. We’re just fixing things. Valeria should apologize—and hand over her inheritance. It was never meant for her. Marcella deserves it.”

I shook my head violently. “No! Father gave it to me because he trusted me. He knew I was the only one who wouldn’t destroy this family!”

Leo struck me again, this time harder. “Enough! You don’t deserve anything—not after everything you’ve done.”

My body trembled, fury burning through me. Tears blurred my vision, but I refused to cry in front of them. “I’m ashamed of all of you,” I said hoarsely. “I don’t have a family anymore.”

I ran upstairs and slammed my bedroom door shut. My hands shook as I stuffed clothes into a bag, anger and heartbreak fueling every movement.

The door opened behind me.

Victor.

He stepped closer, his voice suddenly gentle, arms wrapping around me like nothing had happened. “I’m sorry. Just calm down, okay? Let’s talk. I only wanted to—”

I shoved him away with all the strength I had left. My fingers closed around the cheap plastic ring on my hand—the five-dollar promise he once called forever. With a hollow laugh, I tore it off and threw it at his chest.

“Stay away from me,” I said coldly. “Keep your lies. I don’t need them anymore.”

Victor closed the door behind him, his expression painted with guilt, yet those familiar, cutting eyes never softened.

“Valeria,” he murmured, rubbing his temples as if I were the source of his pain. “I only said those things because Marcella’s been struggling. She needed support. Maybe you could try to see it from her side.”

I let out a bitter laugh, broken and hollow. “See it from her side? After everything she’s done, after everything I’ve lost, you expect me to sympathize with her?”

He stepped closer, lowering his voice into a faux gentleness. “About the inheritance… don’t you think you should just hand it to her? The papers will be signed soon, and honestly, Valeria, you’ve never been good with business. At least she might make something of it.”

A dull ache spread through me. Not surprise—just the sting of old wounds ripped open again.

I had grown accustomed to this—his words, his manipulation, the way he always turned the story so I looked unreasonable. I remembered the nights he swore he’d whisk me away for our anniversary, the days he promised to introduce me proudly as his wife, the whispered promises of “next time” that never came. I had believed him. I thought it was loyalty. I thought it was love. But now I realized it had been nothing but blindness.

Victor dug into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box. “I was planning our wedding in five days,” he said softly, almost pleading. “It was meant to be a surprise, but maybe knowing will calm you. The ring is real this time, Valeria—not fake. We’ll make this official. Merge the families. Please.”

His words hung in the air, insubstantial, like smoke slipping through my fingers. A part of me—weak, foolish, still aching—remembered the man I once thought loved me. But it was an illusion. He never wanted me. He wanted my inheritance. My father’s favor.

Even my brothers—Adrian and Leo—I had believed they loved me. Protected me. Cherished me. But now I could see clearly: they smiled because Father had favored me, because I held everything in my hands. It was envy, disguised as familial loyalty.

And Marcella… I had trusted her, shared secrets, defended her, covered for her when Father was angry. I thought sisters were meant to protect each other. But maybe she stayed close because I was useful. Because I shielded her. Because she could laugh in Victor’s arms when I wasn’t looking. How long had it been happening? How many “busy nights” were really spent with her?

I had believed he was building a future with me. I cooked meals that went cold, celebrated birthdays alone, lit candles on anniversaries by myself, thinking he was just working hard. But he wasn’t busy—he was lying. Cheating. Building a life without me.

He added softly, almost pleading, “Marcella is unwell. She needs us. We need her back in the family.”

I shook my head, tears stinging. “Unwell? You blamed me for everything I never did. I didn’t scam anyone. I lost our baby, and you—”

Before I could finish, Marcella’s scream shattered the air.

“Help me! Victor!”

He spun instantly, sprinting toward her cry, leaving me frozen. Always her. Never me.

I clenched my fists and swallowed the sob that rose in my throat. Fine. Let him run to her. Let them all. I didn’t care anymore.

I returned to my room, wiped my face, and struck a match. A candle flickered, soft and trembling. I set it before me and whispered a prayer for the child I never knew, the one stolen before I could even hold it. My lips quivered.

“My baby… I’m sorry. I should’ve protected you.”

The flame blurred as fresh tears burned my eyes.

Then, heavy footsteps pounded the floor. The door burst open.

Adrian stormed in, his face dark, his hand gripping my wrist. “Come with me.”

I struggled. “What are you doing?”

“You share her blood,” he said flatly. “She needs it. You’re going to give it.”

“No! I won’t—”

Before I could finish, a fist struck me. Leo’s fist. My head snapped to the side, spinning. Pain shot through my skull. Before I could scream, darkness swallowed me whole.

When I came to, the world was a blur. Bright lights above stabbed at my eyes. My arms felt heavy, my veins screaming with every pulse.

I tilted my head weakly and realized… tubes were attached to me. They were drawing my blood.

“No…” My voice barely rose above a whisper.

Nearby, a doctor’s voice rang in alarm. “We can’t take any more! She’s already too weak from the accident. If we push further, she won’t survive!”

“Drain it all!” Victor’s voice thundered, cold and merciless. “I don’t care if she dies!”

My lips trembled. He wanted this.

Adrian’s voice followed, harsh and bitter. “Make her weak. Sick enough she can’t resist. Enough so she suffers.”

Leo’s low, cruel laugh added, “Yes. Then we take everything.”

The words cut deeper than the needles piercing my veins. My chest heaved. My vision darkened. I wanted to scream, to fight, to curse them—but my body betrayed me. I was weak, helpless, trapped.

Edges of light bled into black. The voices faded, distant and hollow.

And then… nothing.