Both nurses froze.

Their faces turned pale with embarrassment as they finally looked at me properly.

"O-Oh... sorry, ma'am."

Then they quickly left the room.

The silence afterward felt unbearable. Only the sound of the IV drip remained.

Drip.

Drip.

I slowly turned my face away and tears slipped quietly into my hair.

Funny.

Even strangers thought Kelsey was Dimitri's wife now. Maybe everybody already forgot I existed.

After a while, I tried sitting up because I needed the bathroom. My body still felt numb and weak, but I didn't want to call the nurses again.

I carefully pushed the blanket aside and stood up.

The second my feet touched the floor, my legs gave out completely.

I crashed hard against the edge of the bed, and pain exploded through my body so suddenly that my vision turned black for a second.

A broken gasp escaped my throat.

The door outside opened slightly. Through blurry eyes, I saw Dimitri standing there.

He froze.

For one second, he actually stepped forward instinctively. His hand even lifted slightly toward me.

My heart stopped.

But then his expression hardened again.

He slowly lowered his hand and stepped back.

Like he regretted caring.

I watched him turn around and walk away.

Outside the room, I heard his assistant speak carefully.

"Mr. Romanov... if you're worried about her, why don't you just go inside?”

Dimitri answered coldly and immediately.

"She deserves this."

The assistant hesitated before speaking again.

"But sir... none of this was really Miss Annika's fault. Her parents already died paying for what happened. You've punished her for seven years already."

Silence.

Long silence.

Then Dimitri finally spoke again, quieter this time.

"If I forgive her, then who'll forgive me for losing my family?"

My breathing shook violently.

By the time their footsteps disappeared, I was already crying silently on the floor.

...

The next few days passed quietly.

Nobody visited me. I slept most of the time because staying awake hurt too much. Honestly, I’m glad Vivienne didn’t come to my room either. It makes me sad what happened between us. We used to be so close. Our age gap is only four years, and we treated each other like real sisters. But ever since that accident, Vivienne has hated me so much. So when Kelsey came, Vivienne doted on her and even kept asking her brother to marry Kelsey as soon as possible.

One night, my phone suddenly vibrated beside me and woke me up. I reached for it weakly.

Unknown Number.

A message appeared.

【Your blood saved me really well~ From now on, everything that belonged to you will slowly become mine too. Including Dimitri.】

Below the message was a picture.

The moment I saw it, my entire body went cold.

Around Kelsey's neck hung a silver locket necklace.

My necklace.

Inside the small heart-shaped locket were tiny pictures of my parents. That was the last thing they ever gave me before they died.

My hands started shaking violently.

No.

No, no...

I ripped the IV needle out of my hand so fast blood splattered onto the bedsheets. I didn't even stop to clean it.

I stumbled out of the room and ran down the hallway as fast as my weak body could manage.

Every step hurt.

But I didn't care.

When I reached Kelsey's private ward, I shoved the door open hard.

Kelsey sat comfortably against the bed pillows while eating fruit casually.

The moment she saw me, she smiled slowly.

"Oh?" she said sweetly. "Look who came visiting. You really care about me that much?"

My eyes locked onto the necklace around her neck immediately. My voice shook badly.

"Give it back."

Kelsey touched the locket gently and blinked innocently.

"This?" she asked softly. "But Dimitri gave it to me himself."

Pain hit my chest so hard I almost couldn't breathe.

"No..." I whispered.

She smiled wider. "He said it suited me better. Then he told me it reminded him of the old you. The version before everything got ruined."

I felt sick.

Actually sick.

I stepped closer instinctively and reached toward the necklace, but stopped halfway because I was scared of damaging it.

That necklace still carried my parents' pictures inside. It was all I had left.

I lowered my hand slowly and swallowed my pride completely.

"Please..." My voice cracked. "Kelsey, please give it back to me. That necklace is all I have from my parents now."

She watched me quietly.

I forced myself to continue.

"You can take anything else. Money, jewelry, my room, my position... anything I still have left. I'll give it to you willingly. Just please don't take that too."

Kelsey tilted her head thoughtfully for a moment.

Then she laughed softly. "But I don't want those things." She slowly touched the necklace again while staring directly into my eyes. "The only thing I still don't have is your place beside Dimitri."

My chest tightened painfully.

"So why don't you give me that too? Give me the title of Mrs. Romanov. Divorce him and disappear properly."

I closed my eyes.

For a few seconds, I couldn't even speak.

Maybe this was how losing everything felt.

Empty.

Cold.

Hopeless.

When I finally opened my eyes again, they were full of tears.

"F-fine," I whispered hoarsely. "I'll do it."

Kelsey looked surprised for a second.

I kept staring at the necklace.

"As long as you return that necklace to me," I said weakly, "I'll give you the position of Mrs. Romanov myself. You can have Dimitri too."

The moment the words left my mouth, the ward door suddenly opened behind me.

Dimitri stood at the doorway of Kelsey's hospital room, his face terrifyingly dark. His eyes landed on me first. Then on the silver locket in Kelsey's hands.

His jaw tightened instantly. "So in your eyes, being Mrs. Romanov means less than some necklace?"

My throat tightened painfully. I looked at him for a long moment before answering weakly.

"That isn't just a necklace," I whispered. "It's the last thing my parents left me. Their pictures are inside it. Once it's gone... I really won't have anything left anymore."

The moment I mentioned my parents, Dimitri's entire expression changed. Hatred flooded his eyes immediately.

"Parents?" he repeated with a sharp laugh. "You still dare talk about them in front of me?"

Before I could react, he suddenly snatched the locket from Kelsey's hands.

I froze.

Dimitri stared at the necklace coldly while gripping it tightly in his palm.

"You know what?" he said quietly. "Maybe I've been too soft on you lately. I should've destroyed every single thing connected to your parents years ago."

Fear shot through my chest instantly.

"Dimitri... don't."

But he already turned toward the hospital window.

"No!" I screamed.

He raised his hand, destroyed the chain and threw the necklace.

Everything inside me broke apart at that moment. I rushed toward him without thinking. I just wanted to catch it. Just this one thing.

The second I collided into Dimitri, the necklace flew through the air toward the open window.

Then suddenly...

My body lost balance too.

"ANNIKA!"

His voice sounded panicked for the first time in years. I felt his hand reach for me desperately.

But he missed. The world spun violently.

Then came the impact.

Pain exploded through my body as I crashed onto the lawn below the hospital building. Something sharp pierced my palm.

The silver locket had shattered beside me. Tiny metal pieces and broken glass scattered across the grass, stained red with my blood.

But somehow...

That wasn't what hurt most.

My vision blurred badly. Far away, I heard screaming. Then footsteps. Fast. Desperate.

The next thing I knew, Dimitri dropped to his knees beside me so hard it looked painful.

"Annika!" His hands trembled while lifting me carefully into his arms. "Look at me. Open your eyes. Fuck... Annika!"

I stared at him weakly. His face looked pale. Terrified. The same expression he used to make years ago whenever I got hurt.

For a second, my chest tightened painfully. Was he... worried about me? Did he still care? Even a little?

"DON'T JUST STAND THERE!" Dimitri roared at the hospital staff around us. "CALL THE DOCTORS NOW!"

Then darkness swallowed me again.

...

When I woke up, pain hit me everywhere at once. It felt like every bone inside my body had been shattered and rebuilt wrong. I could barely breathe without hurting.

Voices came from nearby.

"Mrs. Romanov suffered multiple fractures and internal injuries," the doctor said quietly. "She needs complete rest after this. If she doesn't recover properly, there could be permanent complications later."

Dimitri answered immediately. "Use the best medicine available. I don't care about the cost."

My heart trembled weakly.

The doctor nodded before leaving the room.

A few seconds later, Dimitri turned around and noticed I was awake. Our eyes met. For one brief second, I saw worry there. Real worry. But it disappeared so fast I almost thought I imagined it.

His expression turned cold again instantly.

"Don't misunderstand," he said flatly while walking closer to the bed. "I'm not doing this because I care about you."

I stared at him silently.

Dimitri looked down at me with those familiar cruel eyes again.

"I just don't want you dying too soon," he continued coldly. "If you die now, then all this suffering would've been pointless."

My chest hurts. Not physically this time. Something worse.

"From the moment your parents killed my family, our ending was already decided."

His eyes darkened completely.

"One of us was always going to destroy the other."

Tears slipped silently down my face.

I felt stupid. So stupid. For believing his panic downstairs meant something. For hoping there was still love hidden somewhere inside him.

It wasn't love. It was guilt. Or habit. Or maybe nothing at all.

I slowly closed my eyes. Then whispered softly, "Fine." My voice cracked badly. "Then I'll die.”

The room fell silent.

A few seconds later, Dimitri frowned slightly.

"What did you just say?"

He leaned closer to hear me properly.

I opened my mouth slowly. But before I could answer, the hospital room door suddenly burst open.

A nurse rushed inside nervously.

"Mr. Romanov, Ms. Velasquez is supposed to go for another check-up, but she refuses to cooperate unless you go with her."

Dimitri's expression changed immediately. He straightened up without hesitation. Then turned and walked toward the door. Not even one more glance at me. Not one.

The second the door closed behind him, I stared blankly at the ceiling for a long time. Then I laughed quietly to myself.

Of course. What was I even expecting?

I slowly reached up and pulled the IV needle from my arm despite the sharp pain. Blood immediately slid down my skin. But it didn't matter anymore.

My time was almost over anyway. If I was really going to die... then I should prepare everything myself. Because Dimitri definitely wouldn't.

An hour later, I finished the discharge papers alone despite the doctor's protests. I left the hospital quietly wearing loose clothes over my bandages.

First, I went to a small photo studio.

The photographer smiled politely at me.

"What kind of photo would you like, miss?"

I stayed quiet for a moment before answering softly.

"A funeral portrait."

The man's smile disappeared instantly. But he still nodded gently and helped me sit down under the studio lights.

I forced myself to smile for the camera. Even though my eyes already looked dead.

After that, I went to the cemetery. The air smelled cold and empty there.

I walked slowly between rows of graves until I found a small quiet spot. Then I bought a burial plot. Not too large. Just enough for one person.

Lastly, I chose a small urn with trembling hands. Simple. White. Easy to carry.

I stared at it silently for a long time before whispering bitterly to myself, "At least this way... nobody will have to prepare it after I'm gone."

….

When I got back to the villa, I heard footsteps in the living room. Before I even stepped in fully, something small and white rushed toward me. My Persian cat. It rubbed against my leg instantly, purring like nothing bad ever happened here.

My breath broke. I dropped to my knees and held it tightly. "Mimi..." my voice shook as I buried my face in her fur. "You're still here..."

This was the cat Dimitri and I raised when we were eighteen. Back when he still smiled at me. Back when the world still felt like it could hold us together. I remembered him sitting on the floor with me, laughing while holding Mimi. "If we ever end up like this," he had said back then, "then we'll already be a family. No matter what happens outside."

Family.

That word hurt now. Because nothing here felt like family anymore.

Mimi brought a toy mouse and dropped it in front of me, waiting. I forced a small smile and patted her head. "Good girl," I whispered. "Mommy will make you something nice."

I cooked meat porridge with shaking hands even though my body still ached from everything. Mimi ate happily while I watched in silence, my chest tightening more with every bite she took. Three days left. That was all I had. What would happen to her when I was gone?

I couldn't let her stay here.

So I searched the whole day and finally found a retired couple of teachers. Kind faces, quiet home, a yard, and experience with cats. Safe. That was enough.

I packed Mimi's things slowly, her food, her toys, her bed. My hands shook the entire time. Then I crouched in front of her.

"I'm taking you somewhere safe," I whispered. "You'll be okay there... right? You'll forget me, won't you?"

She just purred and rubbed against my hand. I smiled even though my eyes burned.

Before I could leave, the villa door opened. Footsteps. Cold air followed. Kelsey walked in like she owned the place now.

Her eyes landed on Mimi. A slow smile curved her lips. "So this is what's left," she said. "Annika, Dimitri really did a good job breaking you. Everything you loved is already gone... and yet this little thing is still here."

I stepped back and held Mimi behind me. "What do you want?" my voice shook.

Kelsey tilted her head. "I don't want anything," she said softly, then laughed under her breath. "I'm just surprised he forgot this one."

My chest tightened. "Dimitri never said you could touch her," I said quickly. "This cat is ours. He raised her too. He wouldn't allow this."

Kelsey's smile turned colder. "You're still defending him? That's pathetic. He hates you, Annika. He hates everything tied to you. Why are you still pretending otherwise?"

She snapped her fingers.

Two bodyguards stepped inside immediately.

My body went cold. "No," I said, pulling Mimi closer. "Don't come near her."

But they didn't stop. One of them grabbed Mimi by the collar. Mimi screamed and struggled in my arms. "No, please!" I cried out, trying to pull her back. "Don't touch her!"

They shoved me hard. My head hit a huge decorative vase beside the wall. Pain exploded through me and blood instantly ran down my forehead. But I didn't care. All I saw was Mimi. Struggling. Terrified.

"Mimi!" I crawled forward. "Let her go!"

Then everything happened too fast. I pushed forward again and accidentally bumped into Kelsey. The giant vase wobbled. Then it tipped. And fell straight onto her.

A loud crash. Shattering porcelain. Kelsey screamed.

Silence followed instantly. She collapsed under the broken pieces. Blood spread beneath her. My breathing stopped.

Then Dimitri's voice tore through the villa.

"What the hell is going on?!"

He rushed in and saw Kelsey on the floor. His expression changed instantly. He ran to her, lifting her into his arms like she was the only thing that mattered.

"Kelsey," his voice softened immediately. "Look at me. Stay awake. I told you to be careful after everything."

Then his eyes snapped to me. Cold again.

"You fucking pushed her? She just had surgery. Are you trying to kill her?"

I was still holding Mimi's limp body. My whole body was shaking. "My cat..." I whispered, voice breaking. "She killed Mimi first. She didn't do anything wrong. She was just sitting there! She's just a cat, Dimitri..."

For a second, his eyes flicked to Mimi. Something passed through his face then it disappeared.

"It's better this way," he said flatly.

My breath stopped. "What?"

He adjusted Kelsey in his arms without looking at me. "Anything that proves we ever had something good, shouldn't exist anymore."

My vision blurred completely.

So that was it. Even Mimi. Even the last soft thing I had. Everything had to be erased.

Kelsey weakly spoke in his arms. "Dimitri, my head hurts... I'm dying."

He immediately softened again. He kissed her forehead gently. "It's okay, I'll take you to the hospital. Just stay with me."

Then he turned to the guards. "Lock her in the basement."

He didn't look at me again. Not even once.

They dragged me away while I still held Mimi. The basement door slammed shut. Darkness swallowed everything.

The basement door opened after I didn't know how long. My body was already half gone by then.

Kelsey walked in like she owned the place, holding a small pot in her hands. "Are you hungry?" she asked casually. "Did you miss that little cat of yours?"

My stomach dropped. Something inside me already knew. No. No, please!

She slowly lifted the lid. Steam rose up. Inside was a thick, grayish soup. My breath stopped completely.

Before I could even move, she stepped closer and grabbed my chin tightly. "Come on, bitch! Let’s fix your loneliness."

And then she shoved it into my mouth.

I choked instantly. "No... no... stop—!" I tried to push her away, but my body didn’t listen. I was too weak, too broken to fight properly.

She held me tighter. "Swallow it! Don’t be rude. It’s your precious Mimi."

My vision blurred instantly. Mimi. My Persian cat. My baby. My last warmth in this house.

I tried to spit it out, but more of it went down my throat anyway. I gagged hard, tears spilling uncontrollably as my whole body shook.

"Kelsey—!" I choked. "Why would you... why would you do this..."

She finally pulled away and looked at me with a bright smile, like she had just done something normal. "Because you needed closure. And Dimitri would’ve done it anyway. You should thank me."

I collapsed on the floor immediately, coughing violently, but nothing came out. Nothing. Only burning pain and emptiness.

When the pot was finally empty, she clapped her hands once like she was satisfied. "There," she said softly. "Now you’ve really let go of your precious mimi. Too bad she becomes soup. Yummy, right?"

Then she left laughing.

"M-mimi..." my voice cracked as I curled up on the ground. "Mimi... I’m sorry..."

But there was no answer. Only silence.

I don’t know how long I stayed there. Maybe hours. Maybe longer.

My body started burning after that. Fever rising fast. My wounds from before got worse, infected, aching with every breath I took. I couldn’t even sit up properly anymore. Everything blurred in and out.

At some point, I felt arms lifting me. Warm, careful and familiar in a way that hurt. Someone wiped my face gently with a damp towel. Cleaned the dirt off my skin like I still mattered.

Then something cold touched my forehead wound. Medicine. Soft hands bandaging me slowly.

A voice came. "Anni..."

My heart stopped. That voice, I had heard it before. So many years ago. When I was sick. When I was crying. When I still believed he loved me.

Dimitri.

I forced my eyes open slightly. Everything was blurry, but I could see him. He was sitting beside me, his eyes red, his face tense like he was holding something back. He carefully fed me medicine, his hand steady even though his expression wasn’t.

For a moment, I almost thought I imagined it. Why was he here? Why now? Did I even deserve this?

My eyes trembled as I stared at him, afraid to blink. Afraid he would disappear again.

He looked at me for a second like he wanted to say something. But then his phone rang. The sound cut through everything.

He let go of my hand immediately and stood up, walking a few steps away to answer it. "Kelsey."

"Dimitri! I just came from the hospital. They said I missed my period for over a month. I think... I might be pregnant."

My breath caught.

He didn’t answer immediately.

Kelsey continued quickly, "I already thought of names. If it’s a boy, Skyler. If it’s a girl, Danica. Do you like them? I want you to choose too."

Silence.

Then Dimitri’s fingers tightened around the phone. Skyler. Danica.

Those names hit something deep inside him. I saw it even from where I lay. His expression changed slightly. Like he had been stabbed without warning.

I remembered those names too. Years ago. When I was still Annika. When I still smiled without fear.

"Dimitri," I had told him once while sitting in his lap, "if we ever have kids, I want a boy named Skyler and a girl named Danica. So even when we’re old, we’ll still remember how we started."

I remembered how he laughed back then. How he kissed my forehead. How he said, "Then I’ll give you both of them, Anni. A whole future just for us."

Now that memory felt like someone else’s life.

Kelsey’s voice came again through the phone. "Dimitri? Are you there?"

He exhaled slowly. "Yeah," he said quietly. "Those names are fine."

My chest cracked open. Fine. Just fine. That was all it took now.

Then he added, "I’m coming to the hospital now."

He hung up.

For a moment, he didn’t move. Then he turned back toward me. Our eyes met.

He looked conflicted for half a second but then it disappeared again.

He walked closer slowly, staring at me like I was something already fading. I wanted to ask him something. Anything. Do you still remember me? Was any of it real?

But my voice wouldn’t come out.

He stayed there for a second longer, then finally turned away.

The door closed behind him.

And the world went silent again.

I stared at the ceiling for a long time. Then I slowly closed my eyes.

So that’s it. He had someone else now. Someone who could give him a future. Someone who wasn’t me.

A bitter thought slipped through my mind.

Was I finally free to disappear now?

Because for the first time… it didn’t feel like I had anything left worth holding on to.

….

Dimitri never came back after that.

One day, I left the mansion for the first time alone.

I ended up at my favorite coffee shop near the river. The same little café Dimitri used to bring me to during winter nights when we were younger. Back then, he would pull my frozen hands into his lap beneath the table and warm them while laughing softly.

Now I sat there alone.

A cup of untouched coffee rested between my hands. My body still felt weak from the fever. Then suddenly, a familiar voice echoed from the table behind me.

Vivienne.

I froze instantly.

She sat with two wealthy-looking women near the back corner of the café, laughing casually while stirring her coffee.

"Vivienne, it's already been seven years. Annika's family took all the blame for the accident. Don't you feel even a little guilty?"