When I opened my eyes, the lights were too white. Too sharp. For a moment, I thought I was dead.

But then the pain hit.

A dull, stabbing ache split through my skull, my back throbbed, and my stomach twisted. I blinked slowly, turning my head just enough to see the IV drip hanging beside me, the wires taped to my arm.

“You’re awake,” the nurse said softly, stepping in with a clipboard. She looked young, maybe my age, but her eyes held that exhausted kindness only nurses had. “You’re in the hospital. Please don’t move too fast. You’ve got stitches on your forehead and bruises along your ribs. Your body needs rest.”

I groaned, every inch of me sore. “My baby…?”

She gave me a faint smile. “Still hanging on. That little one’s a fighter.”

I felt tears sting my eyes. I hadn’t even realized I was holding my breath until then. The nurse patted my arm gently.

“You’ll need to stay for monitoring, especially with your condition,” she added. “We’re giving you medication to keep your vitals stable—for you and the baby.”

I nodded slowly, wiping the corners of my eyes. “Thanks…”

She hesitated at the edge of the bed. “Do you have anyone we should call? Family? Husband?”

I stared at her, my mind flashing back to the last thing I heard before losing consciousness.

“Don’t look at her, you might not want to see the blood. Let’s go and buy some baby clothes.”

Harold’s voice.

“She’s knocked out, someone will help her.”

And Taylor. Crying—maybe. Or pretending. It didn’t matter.

“No,” I whispered, shaking my head. “There’s no one.”

The nurse nodded, scribbled something, and left me alone with my thoughts.

My hands trembled as I reached for the hospital phone.

If they weren’t going to tell the truth, I would.

I took a deep breath, dialed, and waited. “911, what’s your emergency?”

“I… I want to report a vehicular accident,” I said, my voice stronger than I expected. “It happened earlier outside St. Luke’s Medical. I believe it was intentional. I believe it had a motive.”

There was a pause. “Do you have a name for the driver?”

“Yes,” I said. “Taylor Moore.”

I hung up before I could lose my nerve.

For the first time in years, I felt something other than helplessness.

But courage is short-lived when you’re alone.

I must’ve dozed off because the next thing I knew, I was being yanked upward by the arm, my shoulder crying out in pain.

“What the hell did you do?” Harold’s voice snapped me out of my daze.

My eyes fluttered open to see his furious face inches from mine. Taylor stood behind him, weeping, dabbing fake tears with a tissue. My stomach twisted again—not from pain, but disgust.

“Why is the police questioning her?” Harold spat. “Are you trying to ruin everything?”

“She hit me with her car and left me there,” I whispered, pulling away from his grip.

“It was an accident, Valerie!” he shouted. “You know she’s new to driving—”

“Then why didn’t she help me?” I asked.

“She panicked! You’re blowing this out of proportion. You didn’t have to file a report. You could’ve talked to me!”

“Talked?” I scoffed. “Like how you laughed about me dying?”

Taylor sniffled behind him. “I didn’t mean to, I swear—”

“Don’t apologize to her,” Harold snapped, turning to her. “She’s the one who needs to apologize. Look what she’s done. She scared you with the police. You know what kind of scandal this could be? Your mother—our family—will be dragged into this. She’ll choose Taylor over you again. Do you really want that?”

I clenched my fists beneath the blanket. “I don’t care anymore.”

“You should,” he said darkly. “Now apologize.”

“What?” I blinked.

“Stand up. Apologize to Taylor. Now.”

I shook my head slowly, “You want me to apologize for being hit by a car?”

He grabbed my wrist, yanking me halfway up. “You scared her. You threatened her. Now do it.”

Tears burned down my cheeks as my knees hit the cold tile floor.

“I’m sorry,” I choked, my voice breaking.

“Louder.”

“I’m sorry…” I whispered again.

Taylor touched Harold’s arm gently. “It’s okay,” she murmured, eyes glistening like glass. “She’s just upset.”

But I saw it.

The smile tugging at the corner of her lips when she thought I couldn’t see. The same look she had when she blamed me for that broken vase in college—the antique heirloom my biological mother adored. She framed me. Lied straight-faced. My mother locked me in my room for two days.

And now here she was again, stealing my life, my home, my future—and watching me kneel for it.

They walked out without another word.

The door shut softly behind them, but the noise in my chest was deafening.

That was it. I was done.

I grabbed the phone again with shaking hands and dialed the number I had hidden at the back of my mind for so long.

It rang once. Twice.

Then I heard his voice.

“Val?”

“Drake…” My voice wavered.

“Valerie?” he repeated, more alert now. “Are you okay?”

“I’m ready,” I said quietly. “I’m agreeing to marry you now. Just… come and pick me up.”

“Drake, I’m agreeing to marry you now. Come and pick me up.”

There was a pause on the line, and then came his smooth, sarcastic voice. “Oh? What changed your mind? You swore you’d never marry me. Don’t tell me you finally woke up and realized your husband’s a bastard?”

I swallowed, my throat dry, the pain in my chest sharper than ever. “Yes,” I said. “I’m divorcing him.”

Drake chuckled, but there was no humor in it—only triumph. “Good. Settle whatever you have with him, and come back to me. I’m getting what’s mine now.” He paused. “I’ll pick you up in five days.”

And just like that, he hung up.

I stared at the screen for a long moment, hand trembling. A swirl of emotions clashed in my chest—grief, anger, guilt, and something dangerously close to relief. My fingers moved on their own as I dialed the next number: my lawyer.

“I want to file for divorce,” I told her, voice sharp with resolve.

There was a sigh on the other end. “Valerie, you know your family doesn’t allow divorce filings without proof of betrayal. It’s part of the old contract. We’ll need documented evidence of infidelity, abuse—something tangible.”

“I’ll get you the proof,” I said without hesitation. “Just don’t let my family know until everything’s final.”

“Understood. Be safe.”

I hung up. Alone in the hospital room, the silence pressed heavily against me. No one had visited. Not Harold. Not even my mother. They knew I was here… and still, nothing.

The next morning, as I scrolled through my phone, a fresh wound opened when I saw Taylor’s post. Rows of baby clothes. Plush animals. A caption with hearts and nursery emojis.

My heart pounded as I clicked the photo.

It was my room.

They had turned my room into a nursery without even telling me. Without asking me.

The air thickened. My vision blurred. My hands began to shake uncontrollably. The attacks were back—tightness in my chest, breath slipping out in gasps. I slammed the emergency button.

Doctors and nurses rushed in, voices buzzing around me like distant echoes. I heard one of them say I needed immediate treatment—that my body was rejecting the trauma, that it could become fatal. But then the words that dropped into my chest like a lead weight:

“We may need to terminate the baby.”

“No!” I cried, gripping the bed rail. “I don’t want to lose the baby. Please—please try to save us both.”

The doctor frowned. “We understand, but we’ll need your husband’s consent to proceed with high-risk alternatives.”

My heart plummeted. I didn’t want to call him, but I had no choice.

He answered on the third ring. “What?”

I couldn’t stop the desperation from leaking into my voice. “They said they need your decision. I—I don’t want to lose the baby.”

There was a pause. Then his voice turned cold, razor-sharp. “Make sure to save the baby. That’s my heir. I don’t care about Valerie. The baby—or I’ll sue the hospital.”

And then everything went dark.

I woke up to the sterile brightness of the hospital room. But something was different. My body felt… empty.

The nurse’s face was grave.

“No,” I whispered, already knowing. “No, no, no—”

But the baby was gone.

I cried silently, the pain so deep it cracked me open from the inside.

Then I heard shouting from outside.

“You should’ve saved the baby!” It was Harold. “Why is she alive?! That baby was mine!”

A doctor responded, calm but firm. “Someone came in claiming to be her husband and signed the consent to save Valerie. We also made a medical judgment—it was the only viable life to save.”

Harold’s voice grew sharper. “Who’s the guy? I’m her husband! You should’ve called me—”

“He said he was her husband,” the doctor replied. “He had clearance and matching credentials.”

The door slammed open.

Harold stormed in, face red with fury. “Who’s that guy? Are you cheating on me, Valerie?!”

My eyes widened in disbelief. “What? No! I have no idea who he was. Maybe a good Samaritan—someone who cared enough to—”

“If I find out you’re cheating,” he growled, pointing a finger at me, “I’ll kill you. You’re not leaving me.”

My voice cracked. “Why? Why still keep me? The baby’s gone. There’s nothing left.”

He stared at me, voice dropping into a terrifying calm. “I don’t care. You are mine.”

And then he left.

Two days later, I was ready for discharge. My heart was still bleeding, my soul ragged. The nurse wheeled me out—and there he was.

Harold. And Taylor.

They were standing by the car, chatting casually. I paused, just in time to hear Taylor’s venom-laced whisper, “She should’ve died.”

Harold shrugged. “It’s fine. I’ll take care of her during the anniversary party. Maybe throw her off the building. Perfect timing since our company merger’s that day.”

My blood ran cold.

They stopped talking when they saw me.

Taylor rushed over with fake concern, brushing my arm. “Valerie! I was so worried. We missed you so much.”

I said nothing. I climbed into the backseat.

During the ride, they didn’t bother hiding their flirting. Her giggles, his hand on her thigh. I sat in silence, clutching my phone like a lifeline.

I sent a text to Drake: Thank you for saving me. I’ll be ready to leave before our anniversary. Please come.

His reply came almost instantly: I’ll be there. This time, I’m not leaving without you.

Harold noticed the glow of my phone. “Who are you texting?”

I quickly deleted the messages. “No one.”

He snatched the phone from my hand, scrolling furiously before hurling it out the window. “Don’t you dare ignore me when I’m talking!”

I said nothing.

I didn’t care anymore. And in the next days, I was leaving—for good.

The moment I stepped inside the mansion, the scent of roses hit me, mixed with something else—something foul, like deception left too long in the sun. I was exhausted, my body barely recovering from the hospital ordeal, but what greeted me stole what little strength I had left.

A hand cracked across my cheek.

"You killed my grandchild!" Sasha, my biological mother, screamed.

I stumbled back, clutching the side of my face in disbelief. Her eyes blazed with fury—eyes that once looked at me with pride when she finally revealed the truth that I was her real daughter.

"You didn’t take care of your body! You were weak—useless!" she went on, her voice laced with disgust. "You shouldn’t have gotten pregnant if you couldn't protect the baby!"

"I tried—" I choked, my throat too dry to speak louder. "I did everything I could."

"Oh, please," Sasha snapped. "Taylor would've never let that happen."

And right on cue, Taylor emerged from behind her like a snake from the grass, donning a mask of concern. "Mother, please... it's not Valerie's fault. She was just... sick. These things happen sometimes," she said in her usual sugary voice, eyes flickering with mock sympathy.

"Don’t defend her," Sasha barked. "You’ve always been the better daughter, Taylor. So perfect. So obedient. Valerie was a mistake—"

My heart dropped.

"—I regret ever telling the family she was my real daughter. Should’ve let her stay where she belonged—with nothing."

Taylor smiled, just enough for me to see it. "Don’t worry, Mother. I can give you a grandchild soon."

Sasha beamed at her like the proud matriarch she believed she was. “Whoever gives me an heir will have everything. Everything.”

She turned her gaze back to me with ice in her stare. “Tomorrow is the anniversary party. You better behave, Valerie. Don’t embarrass me again.”

As Sasha walked away, Harold entered, the ever-charming devil dressed in loyalty. “Don’t worry,” he said smoothly. “I’ll take care of my wife. She’ll behave. After all… tomorrow is also the merger, isn’t it?”

Sasha gave him a satisfied nod. “Yes. It will be finalized then.”

She left. I was numb.

Later that night, Harold brought me dinner in bed. Chicken soup, just the way I liked it. His voice was soft now, fake-sweet. “I’m sorry for everything, Valerie. About the baby… about how I’ve treated you.”

I didn’t answer. I knew the game. He always did this—fake remorse, temporary kindness—to mask a betrayal.

And right on cue, his phone rang.

“Taylor?” he asked, his face pale.

Then her screeching voice pierced through, even from where I sat. “Harold! I twisted my ankle! I need you! Please!”

Like a trained dog, he dropped everything.

“I’ll be back,” he said. “Stay and rest, okay?”

I didn’t answer.

As soon as the door slammed behind him, I got out of bed. I started packing. Quietly, methodically. I folded the few things I cared about. Letters. A photo of me before the marriage. The scarf my real father gave me.

Then, I pulled out a box.

Inside were memories: old love notes from Harold, tickets to a movie we once laughed through, dried flowers from our fake anniversaries. Lies, all of it.

I dragged it outside to the small pit in the garden.

One by one, I tossed them into the fire.

And as the flames crackled, I remembered the first time I saw him—my eighteenth birthday. The moment our families arranged our marriage, and he took my hand in the dance. I was young. Stupid. Desperate to be loved.

He was polite. Attentive. And I fell fast.

Taylor had smiled and told me it was fine. "You're the real daughter, after all," she said, her voice soft. "You deserve him."

A lie.

I stared at the fire, tears in my eyes—not for Harold, not even for the baby, but for the girl I used to be. So hopeful. So naïve.

And then—I was shoved.

The fire singed my arm as I screamed, staggering back from the sudden sear of pain.

“Oops!” Taylor cried from behind me, her voice sharp and far too cheerful for someone who had just pushed another person into a fire. “I didn’t mean to! I just wanted to help you! You were too close!”

The skin on my arm throbbed—angry, red, and blistering. But what burned more was the cold satisfaction behind her voice, the glint in her eyes.

“I swear, I was just trying to pull her back,” she continued, voice rising in mock panic. “She nearly fell in!”

Harold came rushing out of the house, his phone still in his hand, his face contorting into frustration. “What the hell is going on out here?!”

“She’s still mad at me,” Taylor said quickly, stepping between him and me like some tragic victim. “I was trying to calm her down. She was throwing things into the fire, and I told her to be careful, but she just kept yelling and then pushed the box so close—I tried to stop her, but she pulled away, and now look!”

Harold's gaze locked on me, sharp and judgmental. “Didn’t we talk about this already, Valerie? Why are you acting like this again? Are you trying to cause a scene before tomorrow?!”

I opened my mouth, my throat tight. I wanted to scream, She’s the one who pushed me! But I didn’t.

I stared at him—at the man I once loved, the man who once swore to protect me from everything. And all I could whisper was, “You truly disappoint me.”