I'm Sabrina Pembrook, Axel Callahan's stepsister, and the lover he's kept hidden for seven years.

At first, I think that he'll keep me hidden for a lifetime… until the night of my birthday when he proposes.

I'm so excited I can't fall asleep, and apparently, neither can Axel.

In the middle of the night, I hear him walk out to the balcony to answer a call.

"She said yes. Everything will proceed as planned."

The voice on the other end hesitates slightly before saying, "Are you sure you can go through with it? She's your darling whom you've doted on for so long."

Axel's voice turns to ice.

"Well, it's her mother's fault for being a homewrecker. If it weren't for Elaine, my mom wouldn't have died. I want Elaine to die in the wedding car, just like how my mom died in a car crash."

The person on the other end falls silent for a few beats before sighing.

"You sure are cold-blooded. You've slept with Sabrina for so many years, and you're still going to kill her mother on the day of her wedding. And if she ever finds out she's not even the bride, she's going to lose her mind."

Axel falls silent. Then, he says something else, but I don't want to listen to another word.

What I thought was seven years of love finally coming to fruition… turns out to be nothing more than a plot to murder my mom.

But Axel Callahan, I'm not going to let you get what you want.

Sabrina's POV

Axel Callahan didn't come straight in, instead making another call.

I lay in bed, pretending to be asleep, listening to his voice that was so gentle it didn't even sound like him.

"Raven, don't be mad. My marriage to her is just for show. The only bride I'll be waiting for at the end of the aisle is you."

A sweet, cloying voice came from the other end of the line. The night was quiet, so every vicious word reached my ears clearly.

"But I get furious just thinking about seeing her in a wedding dress, Axel. You have to act faster. I don't want her to be happy for too long."

Axel chuckled dotingly. "Okay."

Raven Winslow sighed again. "Axel, why don't you put her and that bitch in the same car? Otherwise, if her mother dies… knowing Sabrina, she'll make a huge fuss."

Axel went still for a second, and my heart leaped into my throat.

"Axel, why aren't you saying anything? You're not… hesitant to do so, are you? Don't tell me you've actually developed real feelings for her?"

"Absolutely not!" Axel roared.

He instinctively turned toward the bedroom, and only relaxed when he saw I hadn't stirred.

"How could I develop real feelings for the daughter of a murderer? Every time I see that face of hers—so similar to her mother's—and every time I have to kiss her, I feel disgusted!

"It's just that letting her die would be far too easy. Don't you think it'd be more interesting to let her watch her mother die, then as she's shattered by despair, she sees you walk out in a wedding dress, your arm linked with mine?"

Raven was apparently very pleased with this reply, and she laughed until she was gasping for air.

"As expected of Mr. Callahan. You really know how to torment people. If she goes insane afterward, we can just keep her locked up. If she doesn't obey us, we'll hit her. And if she does, we can let her out to serve as our maid. She can hand us condoms when we're making love and be a literal punching bag for our children. That way, your mom in heaven will be happy too."

Axel chuckled indulgently. "Yes, yes. Anything you say."

After hanging up, he leaned against the window, lighting a cigarette, smoking it slowly, thinking about who knew what.

Only after a long while did he stub out the cigarette and return to the bedroom.

"Bri, what are you doing awake?"

"I'm thirsty," I answered with a bitter smile.

After a brief silence, he asked, "When… did you wake up?"

"Just now," I said, lifting my eyes to look at him. "What's wrong?"

Axel shook his head, smiled, and said, "Nothing."

Then he went to pour me a glass of warm water. "Drink this, then go back to sleep. You still need to try on wedding dresses tomorrow."

I took the glass and tilted my head back. The warm water slid down my throat, yet my whole body felt bone-chillingly cold.

As he took the glass from me, he put his hand behind my head and pressed a kiss on my lips. His kiss still carried the faint, familiar taste of tobacco.

After a while, he finally released me, looking into my eyes meaningfully.

"I can't wait for our wedding day. I'm dying to marry you and make you my wife."

If this were before, I would have thought those were the most beautiful and romantic words in the world. But now, I couldn't think of anything more horrifying.

Axel, the man I had loved for seven years, couldn't wait to see my mother, Elaine Pembrook, die on the way to the wedding, and he couldn't wait to see me spiral into despair over her death.

But I truly didn't understand—what had Mom and I done wrong?

Back then, Mom actually hadn't wanted to marry Axel's father, Dorian Callahan, because she was worried I'd be mistreated. It was Dorian who had forced the marriage.

And what I understood even less was—if Axel hated me so much, why had he been so good to me? Why, on the very first day we met, did he grab my hand and call me "Sabrina" so affectionately?

Why, when others bullied me, did he cut off their fingers?

And why, in places where no one could see, did he kiss my lips, grab my waist, and… make love to me?

I exhaled slowly, lifting my head to look at the man in front of me.

"I'm really looking forward to the day too."

Thankfully, the night was dark, so he couldn't see my red-rimmed eyes or my trembling body.

Once Axel fell fast asleep, I immediately slipped out to the porch to call Mom.

"Bri, it's the middle of the night. Is something wrong?"

"Mom, pack your things. We're leaving for Baylandia in five days. A company there hired me, and I've decided to move there.

"Don't tell anyone about this, especially not Axel, okay?"

Mom was startled by my urgent tone, and she stammered out an "Okay."

After booking the tickets, I finally felt my heart settle back into my chest.

…

The next day, on the way to the bridal shop, Axel casually brought up Mom.

"Bri, maybe you should tell Elaine about the wedding. We might not be able to make the ceremony public, but she's still your mom, and she should be there to witness this special day of yours."

I clutched my skirt tightly. "Then… what about Dad?"

Axel froze for a second, an almost imperceptible shadow crossing his face.

"Let's leave Dad out of it for now. He's old-fashioned. We can tell him when you're pregnant, and everything's set in stone."

I stared silently out the window and nodded. I knew that once Axel made a decision, there was no changing his mind.

The only thing I could do was run.

But… when I was pregnant? I couldn't help but rub my hand across my belly, and the pain in my heart deepened.

The truth was, I had already found out I was pregnant a week ago. I was already three months along.

Sabrina's POV

This unexpected child was initially meant to be a surprise for Axel. But on the very night before I planned to share this news with him, I discovered the truth.

…

During the wedding dress fitting, I was in low spirits the entire time. Thinking I was just nervous, Axel personally fastened the gown for me. He circled behind me, his fingertips brushing along my spine, making my heart shiver.

"Bri, have you put on a little weight? The zipper won't go up all the way."

I froze.

Axel let out a soft chuckle, leaning next to my ear and whispering, "Just kidding."

It was clearly meant as a joke, but I couldn't even manage a smile.

At that moment, a thought suddenly struck me—if everything went to plan, and Axel saw me breaking down from grief over my mother's death, and I lost the baby as a result, would he regret it? Even for a second?

My guess was that he wouldn't.

Because not too long after, I overheard him making another call while I was in the fitting room.

"You didn't want to see her in a wedding dress, right? How about I send you the one she chose—her favorite one—and you can cut it up for fun?

"When the time comes, I'll just make up some excuse, saying the dress is too eye-catching and that any white dress will do.

"Mad? Sabrina wouldn't dare be mad at me. She should be overflowing with gratitude that she even gets to marry me. This whole ceremony is already a charity.

I heard Raven chuckle lightly on the other end. "You're so good to me, Axel."

Axel's gaze softened. "Of course. It's only fair since you told me the truth about my mother's death. If it weren't for you, I might've been kept in the dark by that bitch my whole life."

Through the crack in the door, I watched him hand the wedding dress I had chosen to the shop assistant.

But Axel, you were wrong. That gown wasn't my favorite. I hadn't bothered to choose properly… because I no longer wanted to wear a wedding dress for you.

When I stepped out of the fitting room, Axel reverted to his gentle facade.

"The gown will be delivered to our house. Let's go home first."

I smiled and nodded.

On the way back, neither of us spoke. He was probably plotting how to kill my mom, while my own mind was filled with the words he had said earlier.

Once we were home, I had someone look into Raven immediately. As it turned out, she was the daughter of one of the former maids who had worked at the Callahan residence. I'd never met Raven back then because Dorian had already kicked her mother, Robyn Fallon, out of the house before I came along.

Overwhelmed with thoughts, I called Mom. When I mentioned them, she sighed.

"That maid was always trying to seduce him. Once, she even slipped an aphrodisiac into Dorian's drink. That was why he kicked her out.

"Robyn was relentless. She came to the house several times afterward, screaming that she was the true lady of the house. Once, she even threw boiling water at me. It was terrifying."

I finally grasped what was going on.

While I was deep in thought, Axel opened the door and came in. He was holding a garment bag, but the gorgeous wedding dress inside had been shredded.

Sounding a little regretful, he said, "The person who delivered this accidentally ruined the dress. Bri, maybe you could—"

"No need," I interjected, not even looking up. "I've been thinking—it's still not the best idea to go public with our relationship. Let's just keep the wedding simple."

Axel froze. He hadn't expected me to say the lines he'd prepared for himself. But two seconds later, he snapped back to his senses and gently caressed my face.

"Bri, you're just so understanding. It's my fault that you have to keep living in the shadows. But don't worry, I'll definitely make it up to you with a grand wedding later. I'll let the whole world know that I love you."

He hugged me tightly, and because of that, he missed the humorless expression on my ashen face.

Soon, Axel… Soon, our paths would never cross again.

…

The next day, I headed to the office to hand in my resignation letter. When I came out, I saw a lavishly dressed woman arguing with the receptionist, Betty Lichston.

"I'm sorry, miss. We operate by appointment only. We really can't let you in."

A loud smack echoed as the woman slapped Betty across the face.

"Do you know who I am?"

Betty shook her head, looking wronged.

The woman scoffed coldly. "You've at least heard of Axel Callahan, right? The richest man in Atlusia? Well, let me tell you—he's my husband!

"Just you wait! My husband's on the way here. When he arrives, forget about appointments. Even your boss will have to come crawling on his knees to greet him!"

Gasps of shock rippled through the crowd at her words, and the moment I saw her face—the same one from the reports I received while looking into her—I knew exactly who she was.

Raven Winslow.

"Axel Callahan? That young CEO of Callahan Group? Goodness! He's already married?"

"Look at the bag she's holding. It looks like a global limited edition. Rich men sure are generous."

"Betty is in hot water now. If Mr. Callahan gets angry, he might even shut this whole company down."

Suddenly, Raven waved toward the entrance as she exclaimed, "Oh, darling! I'm over here!"

Axel strode in wearing a sharp suit, his expression icy enough to send shivers down everyone's spines. Yet, the moment our eyes met, his expression faltered.

Panic flickered across his face. "Bri, what are you doing here? Didn't I say you didn't need to come in to work for the next few days?"

Hearing the nickname, Raven—who was still looking very arrogant—immediately froze.

I smiled. "I came to take care of a few things. As for you, Axel… What are you doing here?"

Before Axel could answer, Raven walked over and linked her arm through mine.

"You must be Axel's little sister. You're every bit as pretty as he said."

"And you are?" I asked, feigning ignorance.

Raven replied smoothly, "I'm Axel's good friend, Raven Winslow."

The onlookers exchanged confused glances, but I didn't expose her. Instead, I turned to Axel.

"Axel, I still have some matters to attend to, so I won't keep you and your friend from catching up."

Then I turned and strode off.

Axel instinctively wanted to follow me, but he stopped himself. On my way home, I received a message from him.

"I came to help a friend settle a dispute today. Don't read too much into things. There's nothing going on between us. By the way, I have some stuff to take care of tonight, so you should sleep first. Don't wait up for me."

I almost laughed as I stared at those words. He and I were the only people reading this chat, so who was he putting on a show for?

"Got it."

After sending the reply, I turned off the screen.

Outside, a plane slowly cut across the sunset sky.

The corners of my lips lifted slightly. Just three more days, and Mom and I would be free.

Sabrina's POV

By the time Axel came home, it was already the following evening. Mom and I happened to be having dinner.

Seeing him, Mom waved cheerfully. "Axel, come, have dinner. I cooked your favorite lobster tails."

Axel smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Elaine."

I stayed silent at the table while he chatted away animatedly. "Elaine, there's something I want to tell you. I've decided to hold a wedding ceremony with Bri two days from now…"

He glanced at me. "Consider it my way of thanking her for being by my side these past seven years."

Mom froze, looking at me. "Two days later? But didn't Bri say—"

"Mom!" I cut her off immediately. "Don't ask. Let's just eat. The food's getting cold."

Confused, Mom frowned but chose not to press further. The table fell into a dead silence.

Suddenly, Mom pointed at Axel's neck and teased, "At that rate, I have a feeling I'll be able to hold my grandchild soon, Axel."

He touched the red marks on his neck. "I'll definitely do my best so you can have one soon, Elaine."

"Mom, I'm finished. I'm heading back to my room."

I got up and headed straight into the bedroom. With my back against the door, my eyes reddened.

Mom, those marks on Axel's neck were left by another woman, and the boy you've raised like your own son wants to kill you with his own two hands.

I had so many things to tell my mom, but I didn't even know how to begin.

Right then, a knock sounded at the door.

"What's wrong, Bri? Are you feeling unwell?" Axel's gentle voice came from the other side of the door.

My fists clenched hard, and my voice turned to ice. "I'm fine."

Axel blinked, but he didn't continue to bother me.

Suddenly, a loud crash came from outside. I rushed out to find that the chandelier had fallen, and Mom had shielded Axel with her body.

Shards of glass had sliced into her arm, and there was blood all over the floor.

"Mom!" I screamed, dashing over like a madwoman.

Even Axel was stunned. He turned toward the hall and roared, "Call an ambulance, now!"

…

Outside the operating room, I was so anxious that my whole body was shaking uncontrollably.

Axel stared at the doors, his expression unreadable.

Suddenly, his secretary, Benny Samberg, pulled him aside. I quietly followed.

"Mr. Callahan, are you sure you don't want to investigate this further? I really don't think Elaine is that kind of person. She's always been gentle, always treated the staff well, and never put on airs. She even got injured just now because she was protecting you. Do you really want to kill her?

"And Ms. Pembrook… at the end of the day, she had nothing to do with any of this. Are you really going to make her spend her whole life atoning for it?"

"Enough." Axel cut him off sharply. "I know what I'm doing."

He leaned against the wall and lit a cigarette, looking exhausted.

Suddenly, his phone rang. It was a call from Raven.

When he answered it, he heard her say, "Axel! It's almost time for you to get your revenge! Aren't you excited?"

He didn't respond.

"Axel?"

"Raven… maybe… we should just forget about it."

"Axel!" Raven practically screamed. "Are you going soft? That bitch is the best at pretending to be a good person. How else do you think she fooled your father?

"My mom told me everything. It was that bitch who kept badmouthing your mother to your father every night, and she constantly provoked and taunted your mother. If it weren't for her, Jean wouldn't have suddenly snapped and crashed the car.

"Axel, my mom told me that when Jean died, she kept saying your name. She never forgot you, even on her last breath, so how can you just forget her? If you let that bitch go, how will you be able to face your mother?"

Axel fell silent for a long, long time. Finally, he lifted his head, his voice heavy with fatigue.

"I understand."

Around the corner, I let out a soft, bitter laugh.

I headed to the patient room, where Mom had been wheeled post-surgery. With her arm in a cast, she asked weakly, "Axel… Is Axel alright?"

But before I could answer, Axel walked in and interjected, "Elaine, I'm fine, thanks to you protecting me. The doctor said your injuries aren't serious, so don't worry. You'll still be able to attend the wedding in two days."

"Axel." My expression darkened as I continued, "Mom just got hurt. Now's not the time to bring that up."

Axel stiffened. This was the first time he'd ever seen me angry. But for the sake of his plan, he simply smiled and ruffled my hair.

"You're right. I was out of line."

How disgusting.

After he left, I walked straight to the intake desk at the obstetrics and gynecology department.

"I want an abortion. Immediately. Right this instant."

The procedure was quick. Within 30 minutes, I was wheeled out. As the fetus was still so small, I barely got the sense that my body was losing something.

"Doctor, can I keep the fetus? I'd like to keep it as a memento."

More specifically, the memento was for Axel.

When I returned to Mom's room, she frowned at me. "Bri, why do you look so pale?"

Smiling, I squeezed her hand. "You scared me, that's all. Mom, please don't ever sacrifice anything for Axel again, okay?"

That day, I finally told Mom the truth. To my surprise, she didn't break down. She merely let out a long, long sigh.

"Bri, I'll leave with you. I was forced to marry his father anyway, and I've wanted to leave for years. This flight to Baylandia will set you free, and it'll set me free too."

For the next two days, Axel visited often, and Mom still acted warm toward him just like before. No one could tell the difference.

I was in awe of her because, after I had learned the truth, there wasn't a single second when I didn't have the urge to kill Axel.

Finally, the day of the wedding arrived.

Early that morning, Axel sent me a message.

"You and Mom get ready. I'll pick you both up from the hospital in a bit. Oh, and you're riding in the first car, whereas Mom will be taking the second one. Make sure you don't get in the wrong car."

I laughed. For years, Axel had refused to call my mother "Mom". Now, he finally made the change, and it was just to take her life.

I didn't reply. Instead, I pulled the SIM card out, snapped it in half, and tossed it out the cab window.

Mom and I had left the hospital long ago. The airport was drawing closer and closer, whereas the distance between Axel and us grew bigger and bigger.

We were so far away now that we would never see him again in this lifetime.

Axel, I hoped you would like the gift I left you.