"You're framing me! How can you say something so horrible about me?"

Sophia screamed the words while kicking wildly at the chair, deliberately creating as much commotion as possible. Her wrists bled where the rope had bitten into skin from all her thrashing.

But when she looked up, there wasn't a trace of panic in her eyes. Only calculation.

Her gaze slid toward Kurt, and a perfectly timed whimper escaped her throat.

"What would you even gain from killing me? Do you really hate me that much? Is this still about the time I slipped something into your drink? I told you it was an accident! Why are you doing this to me?"

Kurt caught the signal instantly.

He swung the metal rod hard across Sophia's back. A dull thud echoed through the warehouse.

She let out a strangled gasp, slumping against the chair, her voice shaking so violently it barely held together.

"What did I ever do to you... to make you want to hurt me like this..."

The performance was flawless. My grip tightened around the voice recorder, and I kept my voice flat and cold.

"Sophia, drop the act. You and Kurt have been working together. How long did you think you could keep it hidden?"

She acted like she hadn't heard a word. Her tearful cries were aimed past me, toward the warehouse entrance.

"Luke... Luke, help me... I'm so scared..."

As she stumbled to her feet in a show of desperate struggle, she knocked the recorder from my hand and crushed it underfoot.

The next second, the warehouse's iron door slammed open and Luke burst inside.

The first thing he saw was Sophia, battered and sobbing, a mess of tears and bruises.

His face went white with fury.

In three strides he was at her side, tearing the ropes free, pulling her into his arms.

When he turned to look at me, his eyes were glacial. Nothing but disgust and rage.

"Marlene, you've gone too far! Look at her! And you're still trying to smear her name?"

Sophia buried her face in his chest, shoulders trembling, crying harder now.

"I know she's never liked me. But I never imagined she'd have someone beat me to death..." Her voice cracked with manufactured terror. "That recorder... she brought it on purpose, didn't she? To set me up? She was trying to force the kidnapper to say I was behind everything..."

Kurt jumped in on cue, playing his part without missing a beat.

"Mr. Simmons, your wife pressured me into giving a false confession! She said she wanted to frame Miss Simmons. She offered me money. She told me to hit her. I just needed the cash. I had no choice!"

The two of them fed off each other seamlessly, piling every ounce of filth onto me.

Luke's gaze carved into me like a blade. He didn't let me get a single word out. He just held Sophia tighter and said, low and final:

"Marlene, I have never been more disappointed in you."

The police took Kurt into custody on the spot. As they led him away, he shot Sophia one last reassuring glance.

Sophia stayed curled against Luke's chest, coughing weakly.

"I'm fine, Luke. Don't blame her. Maybe she just... lost her head for a moment."

The perfect martyr. Every last detail polished to a shine.

The officers took brief statements. Luke shielded Sophia through every question.

I stood to the side, and the cold that had settled in my chest spread through my entire body.

He had been exactly like this in my last life. And in this one, nothing had changed. He still refused to see what was right in front of him.

After we got home from the police station, Sophia's eyes rimmed red again, tears spilling freely.

"Am I just causing trouble for everyone? Maybe I should leave."

She turned as if to go, and Luke caught her arm immediately. Then he rounded on me, his voice hard.

"Marlene, enough! What happened back then was an accident. And you carried the baby to term safely. Why can't you just forgive her?"

Eleanor ran at me, small fists swinging blindly.

"Bad woman! I don't want you as my mommy! You're a bad person!"

I stood there, numb, watching the daughter I'd nearly died bringing into this world. My heart didn't just break. It crumbled to dust.

"Ellie, stop it! That's your mother!" Luke yanked Eleanor back and turned to me, his expression strained. "Go stay at your parents' place for a while. Cool off, then come back."

The house went so quiet it was suffocating.

There was no room for argument in his voice. Every word landed cold as ice.

My mind lurched back to our wedding day.

He'd held my hand so tightly, his eyes burning with sincerity, every syllable deliberate.

"Marlene, I'm going to spend my life protecting you and this little family of ours. I will never let anyone hurt you."

Back then, he'd said this home was our foundation. That nothing could tear us apart. That he'd keep me safe, give me stability.

Ten years. That was all it took for promises to rot into nothing.

For the sake of Sophia Simmons, without asking a single question, he was throwing me out of the home I'd poured my heart into for a decade.

How wonderful.

Sophia lingered behind Luke, and when she lifted her gaze to meet mine, the mask of fragility dissolved in an instant.

Her eyes glittered with undisguised mockery. Triumph.

Her lips curled at the corners, and she mouthed something without a sound.

I read every syllable clearly.

Marlene Barnes, you lost.

The meaning behind that expression was unmistakable.

Even my daughter, the one I'd nearly bled out on the operating table to deliver, had chosen her side.

I was nothing.

I glanced at the security camera tucked in the corner of the living room, picked up my car keys, and walked out.

Sitting in my car, I swiped through the security feed on my phone.

On the screen, Sophia trailed behind Luke, playing up her helplessness. Then she stumbled, letting out a soft gasp.

"Luke, I feel so dizzy, and my back hurts so bad. Could you carry me upstairs? Please?"

Luke's brow furrowed deeply. "I'll have Agatha Chavez help you up. Get some rest."

The amusement in Sophia's eyes dimmed, but she swapped it out instantly for a wounded look, her eyes rimming red.

"Did I do something to upset you? Did you actually believe what Marlene said? Are you blaming me too?"

"No." Luke's tone softened. "Just rest. Don't overthink it."

Sophia lowered her head, fingers twisting at the hem of her shirt. "I know I'll never be anything more than a little sister to you. But I worry about you. I worry that because of me, you and Marlene will keep fighting, and this family will fall apart..."

"That's not for you to worry about."

He turned away.

Behind him, Sophia's expression went ice-cold in an instant. Then she spotted Eleanor in the corner, and her smile melted into something so tender it could drip honey.

"Ellie, look what I brought you. Strawberry candy, your favorite."

Eleanor threw her arms around Sophia's neck and whined sweetly, "Auntie, you're the best! A hundred times better than Mommy! Mommy was mean to you. I'm never talking to her again."

"You're such a good girl, Ellie."

Sophia reached up and stroked Eleanor's hair, her touch gentle. But something calculating flickered behind her eyes.

"Mommy didn't mean it. She was just confused for a moment. I don't blame her, and you shouldn't be too hard on her either, okay?"

"No!" Eleanor shook her head furiously, pouting. "Mommy is a bad person! She wanted the kidnappers to hurt you! I hate her! Auntie, will you stay with me forever? I want to sleep with you and eat with you every day."

"Of course, sweetheart."

Sophia agreed with a warm smile, brushing the stray hairs from Eleanor's forehead. "As long as Ellie wants me, I'll always be right here."

Luke stood a short distance away. He said nothing, just turned and disappeared into the study.

He didn't see the way Sophia's gaze followed him toward the study door, or the flash of desperate hunger beneath that tender mask.

Over the next few days, I stayed at my parents' house. The security camera feed on my phone became something I checked every single day. Sophia had perfected the art of winning people over.

She fussed over Luke constantly.

And she spoiled Ellie rotten.

In the mornings, before Luke left for school, Sophia would already have oatmeal ready, a warm glass of milk waiting, and his tie neatly straightened.

"Luke, the temperature's dropping today. Bundle up, okay? I'll bring you lunch later. All your favorites."

Luke took the milk, his tone flat. "You don't need to do that. The cafeteria's fine. Just stay home and take care of Ellie."

"But I want to." Sophia tugged at his sleeve, her voice turning coy. "There's nothing for me to do here anyway. I just want to see you at work. Please?"

"Sophia." Luke pulled her hand away, his voice firmer now. "You're still recovering. Stay home and rest. Be good."

Her hand froze in midair. A flicker of hurt crossed her eyes, but she buried it quickly, lowering her head. "Okay. I just wanted to do something nice for you. After all, with Mom and Dad gone, you're the only family I have left."

That hit exactly where she'd aimed. His tone softened. "I'm not blaming you. I just worry I can't take proper care of you."

Sophia nodded and didn't push further.

That evening at dinner, Ellie suddenly spoke up between bites.

"Daddy, can Auntie Sophia live with us forever? I don't want her to leave."

Luke glanced at Sophia. She immediately put on a hopeful expression, then pretended to look embarrassed.

"Ellie, don't be silly. If Auntie stays too long, I'll be in you and Daddy and Mommy's way."

"No, you won't!" Ellie shot back instantly. "Mommy isn't even here. It's just me and Daddy, and it's so boring. It's way more fun with Auntie around." She paused, then added, "Besides, Mommy's mean. I don't want her to come back!"

Luke's face darkened. He set down his fork. "Ellie. Don't say things like that. She's your mother."

"I'm not making it up!" Ellie's lip jutted out, her eyes already rimming red. "Mommy bullied Auntie Sophia! I hate her! I only want Auntie. I don't want Mommy!"

Sophia immediately pulled Ellie into her arms, her voice gentle and soothing. "Don't cry, sweetie. Daddy didn't mean to be harsh. Mommy just went away for a little break. Once she feels better, she'll come home."

"I don't want her to come home!" Ellie wailed. "Auntie, don't go! Stay with me forever, okay?"

"Okay. Auntie's not going anywhere. I'll stay with you forever."

Luke looked at his sobbing daughter, then at Sophia, warm and tender and attentive.

In the end, he just sighed and said nothing.