Ruby gave him this soft, sugary smile.

"Sleeping with Mommy and Daddy makes you that happy?"

Alex nodded hard, voice all small and pitiful.

"Of course! Mommy, Daddy, when are you gonna get married and take me to Montedra?"

Brian's face went dark.

Ruby jumped in fast.

"Alex, how many times has Mommy told you? If Mommy and Daddy were together, your aunt would be hurt. Don't ask that—it puts Daddy in a tough spot."

Then my dad chimed in, voice low.

"Kid just wants his parents together. Honestly? You two should just come clean to Shiloh."

My head buzzed. Every word echoed—sharp, clear, cruel.

But strung together? It felt unreal. Too twisted to process.

I looked at his face—Brian's face, just younger. Back then, I used to smile at the resemblance.

Once, I brought it up. My mom got weirdly defensive.

"What nonsense! Are you accusing your husband? Brian treats you so well. How could you doubt him?"

I panicked.

"I didn't mean it like that. I just thought... maybe he was meant to be part of our family."

Mom let out this big, fake sigh.

"Then it's fate. He was always meant to be ours."

And I believed it. I looked at that kid—with Brian's eyes, Brian's brows—and thought it was destiny.

But now? Now I see exactly how deep the lie went.

My husband had a kid with my sister—behind my back.

My parents knew. Covered for them. Helped raise him like it was normal.

They built this picture-perfect little family, all smiles and secrets.

And me? I treated that kid like he was my own.

But to him, I was just the "bad woman" who kept his parents apart.

Those shoes I stood in line for on Christmas Eve?

They were a setup—an excuse to keep me away.

What a sick, twisted joke.

Then Brian stood to grab something, glanced outside—and froze.

The cutlery hit the floor with a loud clang. A second later, he ran out, panic written all over him.

He stopped in front of me, voice shaking.

"Shiloh... when did you get back?"

Ruby clung to his side like she wanted me to choke on the sight.

But Brian didn't play her game. He shoved her off and grabbed my hand.

The second he felt how cold I was, he yanked me into his arms.

"Shiloh, why are your hands so cold?"

The faint gardenia scent on him hit me—Ruby's scent.

My eyes locked on the lipstick smudge on his neck.

"You're disgusting."

His face froze, like he'd never seen me look at him this way. For a second, I swear it actually hurt him.

I shoved him back and slapped him hard.

"Why her? Why my sister?"

Brian went pale. "You heard everything?"

Behind him, my parents and Alex slipped out the door.

I kept my voice cold. "That love child looks just like you."

Color rose in Brian's cheeks, but he still tried to spin it.

"I know I let you down. But the kid's innocent. He's not a love child—he's the child Ruby had for us."

I let out a sharp laugh. "For us?"

He nodded, dead serious.

"Yes. She was only eighteen. When she found out you couldn't get pregnant, she was scared I'd leave you. She offered to carry the baby for you. I refused at first, but I kept dreaming of Zara. I missed her so much, and I..."

The second he said 'Zara', my head filled with the baby girl I'd already been carrying.

If Brian hadn't been messing around behind the wheel that day, there wouldn't have been a crash.

No steel pipe ripping through me.

No stillborn Zara.

No hysterectomy.

Because of him, I lost my child. I lost every chance at another.

And now he stood there acting like cheating on me was some kind of sacrifice—like another woman giving birth made it my baby?

What kind of brain-dead logic even was that?

I glared straight through him.

"Enough. We're getting a divorce."

The second I said "divorce," Ruby lit up.

Alex clapped. "Finally! The bad lady's giving Dad back to Mom!"

Dad sneered. "She's always been a curse. Kept Brian tied up too long. Divorce him, let him marry your sister, and they can finally be a real family."

Mom stayed quiet, eyes dodging mine.

And yeah—I got the message loud and clear.

I'd been numb to their favoritism for years, but it still burned.

Ruby's eyes went watery. "Shiloh, I'm sorry. I messed up. But Alex needs his dad—"

Brian cut her off, snapping, "Shut up! When did I ever say I'd marry you?"

Ruby froze, face twisting in humiliation.

Brian ignored her, clutching my hand. "Babe, she drugged me. That's the only reason it happened. I begged her to end it, but she wouldn't. Then she vanished.

"When I found out Alex was already here, I freaked—I thought you'd leave me. So when your parents offered to take him in, I said yes.

"I owe Alex, but Ruby and I? There was nothing. I swear."

Ruby broke down, sobbing. "Brian, how could you—"

He cut her off with a vicious kick, knocking her into the snow. "Shut up! Apologize to Shiloh!"

Shaking, Ruby collapsed in the snow. "Shiloh, I'm sorry. I was selfish. I just wanted to help. You can't have kids, and Brian's amazing... I thought one day he'd get sick of you."

Dad jumped in fast.

"She's right. You should be thanking Ruby. If Brian won't leave you, then fine—stay the wife and let Ruby be the other. You're sisters, that way everyone wins."

He gave Brian a grin, then looked at Ruby with concern. "Brian, it's freezing. Don't leave Ruby like that. Help her up."

Alex's voice wavered. "Daddy..."

The ache in my chest cut deep.

So I asked the question that had haunted me forever. "Dad... am I even your daughter?"

His face snapped hard. "Watch your mouth, brat. Everything I do is for you, but you never see it. With that attitude, no wonder your life's a mess."

Mom sighed. "Shiloh, do you have to ruin Christmas Eve for everyone? Say sorry to your dad."

Sorry?

My eyes burned. "What did I even do wrong?"

She started to answer, but Brian jumped in. "Shiloh's right! What did she do wrong? She's the victim. We're the ones who should be apologizing!"

The room went dead quiet.

Brian squeezed my hands, voice shaking. "Baby, please. Believe me. I've only ever loved you."

I stared at him.

I should've screamed, cursed, hated him.

But what was the point?

Once I was gone, they'd still live it up, burning through the money I bled myself dry to make.

That thought alone fed the hatred inside me—like a seed cracking open into something sharp and poisonous.

And with it, a plan began to form.

I pulled one hand free, brushed his face.

He looked at me the way he used to—eyes soft, like he actually loved me.

My tears hit his skin. He cried too, like a dog scared of being left behind.

I gave him a faint smile. "I believe you."

Brian broke down, hugging me tight, mumbling thank-yous over and over.

I shot a glance at Ruby. She glared daggers, jaw tight—but she couldn't do a thing.

Brian promised to take me back to Montedra.

But Alex tugged at his sleeve, voice small. "Daddy... didn't you say you'd spend Christmas Eve with me?"

Guilt flickered across Brian's face. He turned to me. "Alex... he's innocent. What if we stay and celebrate with him first?"

I nodded, calm. "Alright."

He didn't expect me to give in that easily.

"Thank you," he said, relief all over his face. "Thank you for understanding."

But I wasn't being kind. I just didn't care anymore.

Standing outside that window, watching them play happy family, it hit me—

They were already rotting from the inside out.

So I stayed through Christmas week.

Ruby drifted in and out like a stranger.

Dad took Mom and Alex away, claiming they were off visiting relatives.

This was supposed to be my home.

Now they treated me like I was toxic.

Six days flew by.

Brian dragged me back to our old high school, the food street where we used to sneak off for dates—every memory he could dig up, trying to make me forgive him.

Sometimes, when he looked so broken, I almost cracked.

Then Ruby would send me another piece of proof. Every text was like a slap, and it kept me steady.

That morning, I told him I wanted to go back to Montedra.

I'd already gathered enough dirt on him, sent it to a friend last night.

Now I just wanted to go home—the one I built myself—and say goodbye.

Brian hesitated.

"I can't go with you. I've got a flight to Ferovia for a deal. You should head back first."

He held up his phone, all apologetic. "See? Booked this ticket before Christmas. I'm not making it up."

I just nodded. "Fine. I'll go back after breakfast."

Once we ate, he rushed to get me in the car, way too eager.

What he didn't know—I ditched the plan halfway and went straight to the airport.

Didn't take long before I spotted him, arm around Ruby, both of them laughing like nothing mattered.

Guess a few days apart was too much, because they started kissing right there on the stairs. No shame at all.

I recorded everything, pulled on sunglasses and a mask, and slipped onto the same flight.

Four hours later, we landed.

The second we stepped outside, gunfire erupted.

People screamed, bolting back inside. I froze, my brain only locking onto one thought—Brian.

Then someone slammed me down. A boot pressed into my back, then another. Pain shot through me and I cried out.

"Brian! Brian, it hurts..."

Through the chaos, I spotted him. He had Ruby clutched against him, almost at safety.

Our eyes locked. He hesitated. For a heartbeat, I thought he'd come.

Then he turned—dragging her back inside.

The heart I swore had already gone cold twisted hard.

Even facing death, I still loved him.

But his love? All fake.

He didn't stay in our marriage because of me—he stayed because of the prenup. Divorce meant losing everything.

If I died, though... contract gone.

No wonder he left me there, crushed under strangers' feet, and didn't even try.

Love, at the end of the day, is about conscience.

And someone who never loved me—how could he have one?

Brian Ashton, I hate you.

Maybe that hatred burned too strong, because the next second, everything went black.

When I woke up, I was back in Montedra City.

My body started to fade. I knew I was about to disappear for good.

So I did everything I could before I vanished.

***

Right then in Ferovia—

After dropping Ruby off, Brian bolted.

Before, he'd only thought about the woman beside him. Now all he could think about was Shiloh.

But the crowd shoved in from every direction, boxing him in. No way out.

The attack didn't last long, though.

Two hours later, Brian finally made it back to the hotel with the others.

He kept dialing Shiloh's number the whole time, but it never connected.

Panic ate at him like something vital was slipping out of his chest.

He even asked around for help searching. That's when his phone lit up—Carmoria calling.

"Hello, is this Brian Ashton?"

His chest seized up. He grabbed at it. "Yeah... who's this?"

The voice on the other end cracked with sorrow. "Your wife, Shiloh Quinn, died in an accident seven days ago. We just found her body. Please come back right away."