SOPHIA’S POV

Someone wanted me dead.

I weakly murmured, “This can’t be happening.” I nervously reached out for the SOS button. Nothing. It was dead, just as my expectations of being saved were. Panic surged through me, the bitter realization settling in: this wasn’t an accident.

But who?

I struggled to understand the current situation. Who would want to hurt me? I had always been cautious and free from trouble. I believed there were no opponents in my life—or that’s how it seemed. It can’t be… The mere idea seemed unbelievable.

The noise of footsteps on the gravel outside the car caught my attention. I had to lift my head up, squinting past the pain-induced haze and as blood oozed into my eyes. I had a sharp intake of breath when I laid eyes on her.

“Emma?” I spoke in a nearly mute manner, disbelief taking me over.

Her arms were folded, and a bent smile filled her face. “You are a surprise to find me here, sister?”

My heart sank. No… it can’t be. The sting of her mean voice was more painful than the harm affecting my body. Emma and I lacked closeness, but I never ever would have foreseen her doing something so significant. "Emma, why are you here?" I was able to gasp, pain dissecting my ribs.

Closer, Emma strolled, crouching beside the shattered window. “Watching you die, of course. It’s what I’ve been struggling for a really long time.” Her voice sounded unbearably sweet as if this was all her twisted game.

“What...?” My voice cracked with disbelief. “Why?”

Why, Emma? We’re sisters. We grew up together. What did I ever do to deserve this?

"Why?" she sneered. "Because you’ve always had everything—fame, fortune, and Alex. Now, it's my turn."

Everything? The word echoed in my mind like a hollow drum. I never felt like I had everything. Sure, I was famous, but I worked hard for that. My life was never perfect. I had my struggles, just like anyone else. But to her, I was the enemy. I never knew you hated me this much.

My vision blurred as tears mixed with the blood on my face. Alex… He’d be here soon. He would save me. He always did. At least, I thought he would.

At that moment, another figure appeared behind Emma. Relief flooded through me. "Alex!" I called, my voice raw with desperation. He’d come to save me. My fiancé would never let this happen to me.

But his face was cold, emotionless. He walked to Emma's side and slipped his arm around her waist. A chill ran down my spine.

“Alex... what’s going on?” My voice shook as fear gripped me tighter. “Help me.”

He looked down at me, and his next words shattered my world.

"I’m not here to save you, Sophia," he said calmly. "I’m here to make sure you die."

What? My brain couldn’t process the words. My thoughts spun wildly, trying to grasp some reality where this wasn’t true. No, this can’t be real. He’s just confused. Alex loves me. He has to love me.

“I don’t understand…” I whispered, my throat dry. “Alex, you saved me once. You gave me your kidney when I was dying. You… you loved me.”

He chuckled darkly, shaking his head. “You really think I saved you?” He glanced at Emma, who smiled approvingly. “That wasn’t me, Sophia. That was my uncle, Henry.”

Henry? The name twisted in my gut. The cold, distant man who’d never shown me an ounce of warmth. He’d been the one who saved me? It made no sense.

"But... why didn’t you tell me?" My voice was weak, the betrayal sinking deep. "Why didn’t you say anything?"

His eyes hardened, and I could see the contempt he’d been hiding. “Because you were convenient, Sophia. And now? Now, you’re just in the way.”

I felt as if those words were a knife right in my chest, sharper than any physical pain I had experienced from the crash. Convenient? I held such love for him, and trusted him completely.

“I love Emma,” Alex carried on, apparently unhindered by the breaking point I had just experienced. "She is expecting my child."

A long sob came from me, grotesque and ragged. This is a nightmare. It has to be. “How could you... how could you do this to me?”

Emma nobody her voice became a spitting, cynical hiss. "I am going to have everything you have ever had, Sophia. And you? You’re going to disintegrate at the bottom of this cliff.”

“I can’t believe you’re actually saying this,” I sputtered, trying to silence my tears as a feeling of tightness expanded in my chest. “We’re family, Emma. We grew up together… How can you hate me so much?”

With a sly pleasure in her eyes, Emma leaned in even further, her face just inches from mine. “Family?” she spat, the word laced with venom. “You’ve never been my family. You were consistently the flawless person, the golden child, the one that everyone admired. Mom, Dad... even Alex. But not anymore. Now, it’s my turn.”

Her words felt like I was punched. “I never tried to take anything from you,” I whispered, the confusion and hurt bubbling to the surface. “I never wanted to compete with you, Emma. Why do this?”

“Because you don’t deserve what you have!” she snapped, her voice suddenly sharp with anger. “You waltzed through life with everything handed to you on a silver platter—your career, your fame, Alex!” She shot a glance at him, standing smugly by her side. “You never even appreciated what you had. But I did. And now it’s mine.”

Did she really believe that? I had spent my entire life working tirelessly, sacrificing my happiness for success, for family. And now, the person I had always thought of as my sister stood before me, gleefully watching me suffer.

I was paralyzed, not just from my injuries but from the overwhelming realization that everything I knew—everything I believed—was a lie. How could I have been so blind?

SOPHIA’S POV

Alex's vocal tone sliced through the buzzing in my ears just like a harsh knife. “Listen, your father won’t even miss you. He’s happy to see you gone. Healing loathes how you acquired your grandfather’s wealth instead of him.”

I blinked away the discomfort, attempting to recognise his words. My father? Happy to see me gone? It was too much. My mind was slow, obscured by pain, but the deception struck me in a very powerful way. My own father... How could that be true?

Alex looked down, and his cold eyes met mine. You always considered he was proud of you, right? What he saw was just your wealth, money he thought should have been his. You got in the way.”

“Stop lying,” I croaked, my voice barely audible, but even I could hear the desperation in it. “He wouldn’t… He wouldn’t do that to me.”

Alex smirked proudly once again, his voice filled with disdain. Regardless of your position, this doesn’t matter. You’re eventually going to pass on; and then the cash? Emma and I will relish every last cent.”

Emma came closer, her expression exuding satisfaction. ‘Concerning lies, it's necessary for you to be aware of something before you pass away.’ Your mother? ‘She didn’t die from any sickness that you were told,' she said.

"I felt my heart drop. “What are you talking about?” My voice wavered, barely stronger than a whisper. No. Not this. Please, not this.

“Oh, sweet sister,” Emma taunted, her voice like poison. “Your mother was taken care of. By us.”

My stomach churned violently. “You’re lying. She died of an illness. I—” My throat closed up, refusing to let me finish.

“Why would I lie to you now?” Emma said with a sneer. “She was in our way, just like you are now. You were too young to know what was really going on. But we took care of it. Took care of her.”

Tears burned down my face, mixing with the blood as I stared at the sister I had once trusted, at the man I had loved. “You killed her,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “You killed my mother.”

Emma’s smile widened, her eyes gleaming with twisted satisfaction. “Yes. And now, we’re going to kill you too.”

To make them suffer for every lie, every betrayal. But I was trapped, helpless, and they knew it.

“And we’re not done yet,” Alex said, his voice calm, as if they were simply discussing business. “Your precious Henry will come to save you. We know he will. And when he does, we’ll take care of him too.”

Henry. My breath hitched at the mention of his name. Henry was coming? My heart twisted painfully. The man I had always resented, the one who had never shown me warmth, was the one person I had misjudged the most. He had saved my life, given me his kidney, while I had turned my back on him. And now, he was coming to save me again.

“I can’t believe you,” I spat, my voice filled with rage. “You think you’ll get away with this? You think you can just kill Henry and walk away with my life, my fortune? You’re more pathetic than I thought.”

She grabbed my hair bunched in her hand, lifting my head up sharply and causing me pain. “You continue talking even right before you die, don’t you?” To what extent can you be delusional, Sophia? Henry is as good as dead as soon as he leaves that helicopter, according to the prognosis."

The sound of helicopter blades thrumming.

My body was largely paralysed, entrapped and broken inside this deeply damaged car.

As Alex straightened, he looked up towards the arriving helicopter, wearing a smug expression. “Well, right on time. You were always easy to understand, Uncle Henry.”

Emma cruelly released my hair, pushing my head back against the seat with force. “Say your goodbyes, sister. This is the final time you’ll spot the individual who put forth an effort to help you.”

I had a difficult time finding my voice, as my thoughts whirled around as the helicopter drew near. “You two, you’re both terrifying,” I panted. Henry will ensure that you won’t be able to get away with it.

Emma's laughter was a cold, empty noise. “You are not in a situation to make threats, Sophia. Once you’re away, no one will bother.”

The sound of the helicopter grew louder. I had one chance. One last chance to stop them before they killed Henry and left me for dead.

There has to be something... My thoughts raced, and then it hit me. The car. If I could just—

My fingers fumbled, slippery with blood, as I searched for the emergency release for the seatbelt. It was my only hope—if I could free myself, maybe I could reach Henry, warn him. Come on, come on!

Just as my fingers found the release, Emma glanced back at me, her eyes narrowing. “What are you doing, Sophia?”

Panic surged through me. I had to move fast. My thumb jammed down on the release button, and the seatbelt gave way.

My vision blurred, but I forced myself to move, crawling toward the edge of the cliff, toward the sound of the helicopter.

“Alex! She’s trying to get away!” Emma’s voice was sharp with anger.

I heard footsteps approaching, but I didn’t stop. I dragged myself forward, every inch closer to the edge feeling like a mile. Henry, please...

The helicopter was landing, its blades kicking up dust and debris. I could see the outline of a figure inside, and I knew it had to be him. He was here. He had come for me.

Suddenly, a hand grabbed my ankle, yanking me back.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Alex hissed, his grip tightening painfully. “It’s over, Sophia.”

But it wasn’t. Not yet.

With all the strength I could muster, I kicked out. He cursed and released me, and I took the opportunity to crawl forward again, desperate to reach Henry, to warn him.

“Stop her!” Emma shouted, her footsteps approaching quickly.

I reached the edge, my fingers grasping at the dirt as I pulled myself up. The helicopter had landed, and through the haze of pain, I saw Henry step out.

“Henry!” I screamed, my voice raw and desperate. “It’s a trap! They’re going to kill you!”

But before I could say another word, a sharp pain exploded in the back of my head, and darkness swallowed me whole.

BOOM!!

SOPHIA’S POV

Where am I? I opened my eyelids gradually, slowly, reluctantly, to find myself in a sterile-looking white and mounted hospital bed.

“Thank God, you are awake,” the voice of a man I knew said the words as if he was saying them to me for the first time. I twisted my head and winced at the pain that was radiating down to my neck. Beside me, I saw Elizabeth, who has been working for my family for years.

“Elizabeth?” my throat felt as if it were lined with sandpaper. “What... what happened?”

Relief shone in Elizabeth’s eyes as she leaned forward. ‘You’ve been through so much; all this I have noticed,’ She said. You had your worst accident ever.” She never took time to answer, her voice was shaking. “You were operated on, and you have been unconscious for a rather long time.”

An accident? The memories started clouding infront of my eyes. The car. Emma’s cold smile. Alex’s betrayal.I had died. I had felt dying inside as Alex and Emma stood nearby and watched for my next action. But now, I was here, alive. How?

It took me sometime to understand it and my mind was racing the entire time. I had been at the edge of death. The last thing that I clearly recall was shouting that Henry was in danger and there was a trap set for him by Alex and Emma. And now I was back. But… what exactly?

"How long?" I whispered. "How long was I...?"

“Not long,” she said softly. “Just a week. You’ve been unconscious since the surgery. But you’re back now, and that’s what matters.”

Only a week? The timeline didn’t make sense. My body felt too different, too... refreshed. Slowly, I realized it wasn’t just the recovery. Everything around me seemed familiar but wrong, like an old memory coming to life. My eyes widened as a horrifying possibility crept into my mind.

I hadn’t survived the accident. I had been given a second chance. I was back—before the accident. Before everything went wrong. I was back at the moment I could have changed my destiny.

My mind was racing, replaying every conversation, every warning sign I had ignored in my past life. The way Alex had lied, manipulated me. The way I had trusted him completely.

And the kidney. My chest tightened as I remembered Alex’s smug confession right before he had tried to kill me. Henry was the one who saved me, not Alex. All those years, I had believed Alex had donated his kidney to save my life. I had been so grateful, so trusting. And it had all been a lie. This time, I wouldn’t let them use me.

“Elizabeth,” I said firmly, cutting through her worried chatter, “I need to go home. I have to prepare.”

Elizabeth blinked in confusion. “Prepare? For what, dear? You need to rest, you’ve been through so much.”

I shook my head, my thoughts sharpening with determination. “No, I’ve rested long enough. I’ve wasted too much time already.” I swung my legs over the side of the bed, ignoring the protests from my still-weakened body. I wouldn’t let anything stop me. I had a week to change my life, and I wasn’t going to waste it.

A week afterwards, I found myself in the grand hall of the estate, surrounded by the usual faces, all of whom considered this to be among the happiest nights of my life. My engagement party. There was a buzz of conversation and laughter all around, but it seemed I could only hear the pounding rhythm of my heart beating in my chest, as I got ready for what I was about to start on.

I found Alex over in the other area, with his satisfied smile on his face, as if he knew what would happen. I was anticipating that I would select him, that I would inform everyone that he was my fiancé and future husband. He considered that I was still the gullible woman who would trust him without question.

But he was wrong. So, so wrong.

As I stepped forward, a fire started inside me, causing the room to fall silent. All eyes were on me now. I could observe Emma waiting in the corner, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. She thought she had won.

Tonight, I began my statement, thanking everyone for their attendance, despite the fact that my heart was pounding. This evening has been long in the making, and many of you have been eagerly waiting for me to make an announcement regarding my future.

I turned to Alex, whose confident nod made it seem as if he was already enjoying his winning position. I felt queasy, but I kept my head lifted high.

This evening, I told myself, “I will make a choice that will affect the direction of my life. Many of you probably guess I will be revealing my impending marriage to Alex Thompson.” I stopped to allow the full impact of my statement to sink in in the space around me. Alex’s grin widened. “But that is not the case.”

A ripple of shock spread through the crowd, whispers erupting. I watched as Alex’s grin faltered, confusion flashing in his eyes.

“I have come to realize that I was wrong about many things,” I said, my gaze locking on his. “And I won’t let myself be manipulated again.” I took a deep breath, feeling the power of my words. “Instead, I have chosen someone else.”

The silence was deafening as I looked at Henry, who was standing near the back, his face unreadable. I took a step forward.

“I choose Henry Thompson,” I announced, my voice strong and clear. “He is the man I want to marry.”

The entire hall froze. Gasps of disbelief echoed through the room. I saw the shock on Henry’s face, the widening of his eyes as he processed my words. But it was Alex’s reaction that gave me the most satisfaction. His face drained of color, his eyes narrowing in fury.

“What are you doing, Sophia?” Alex growled, stepping toward me, his voice low and dangerous. “This isn’t funny.”

I turned to face him, my chin tilted up defiantly. “I’m not joking, Alex. I’m done playing your games. I won’t be fooled by you or Emma ever again.”

His jaw clenched, his anger barely restrained. “You’ll regret this.”

I smiled, a cold, determined smile. “No, Alex. The only one who will regret this... is you.”