When I opened my eyes, the world was white. The steady beep of the monitor beside me echoed faintly in my ears. My whole body ached, as though I’d been crushed and stitched back together. The ceiling light blurred, the smell of antiseptic sharp in the air.

“Emerald.”

My mother’s voice broke softly through the fog. She was sitting beside me, her eyes swollen and tired. “Don’t move yet. Just rest for now.”

I tried to speak, but my throat burned. “Mom… what happened?”

She reached for my hand, holding it gently. I felt her tremble before I even saw the tears. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice cracking. “The baby… you lost it.”

The words sank in slowly, like stones in water. My breath caught; my heart clenched, but no sound came out. I stared at her, hoping she’d take it back, that maybe she meant something else.

But her eyes said everything. The baby—my last small hope—was gone.

I felt the tears slide down my face before I even realized I was crying. The pain spread through me, sharp and hollow, until it was too much to breathe. I wanted to scream, to curse the world, to ask why it kept taking everything from me—but no words would come.

My mother leaned forward, pressing my hand to her cheek. “I’m sorry, my daughter. You’ve been through too much. The trauma, the stress—it was too much for your body.”

I swallowed hard, staring at the ceiling. “So… it’s gone?”

She nodded.

Something inside me cracked, but at the same time, I felt lighter—emptier, yes, but free in a strange, cruel way. The weight that had chained me to that house, to that man, to that lie, was gone. At least now, I wouldn’t have to raise another piece of Nathan.

I wiped my tears, voice trembling. “Maybe it’s better this way.”

My mother’s eyes widened. “Emerald—”

“No, Mom,” I said softly. “It hurts, but… I can’t cry for it anymore. I have nothing left to lose.” I met her eyes, steady now. “But I will make them pay. All of them.”

She brushed my hair from my face, her touch trembling. “I talked to your brother,” she said after a moment. “He’s waiting. He’ll help us.”

“Us?”

She smiled faintly through her tears. “Yes. I’m coming with you. I’m leaving your father.”

For a moment, I didn’t believe her. My mother—who had endured years of silence and humiliation—finally choosing herself.

“He’s been with that woman for years,” she continued quietly. “I told him I won’t live like that anymore. Let him have her. I’m done pretending.”

The words hit me harder than I expected. I felt the tears return, but this time, they were warm—not from pain, but relief. “Thank you, Mom,” I whispered, clutching her hand. “For finally choosing yourself.”

She smiled sadly. “No, Emerald. For once, I’m choosing you.”

For a while, we sat in silence, just holding hands. The hum of the machines and the faint rhythm of my heartbeat were the only sounds in the room.

But peace never lasted long in our family.

The door opened, and my father stepped in—his suit perfect, his expression sharp. “You’re awake,” he said curtly.

“Honey,” my mother said, standing up quickly.

He ignored her, his gaze fixed on me. “I want you to address the media tomorrow. You’ll deny any connection to your brother and also the affair between Amber and Nathan saying it is just a misunderstanding and you have a happy family. Do you understand?”

I hesitated. “Dad, I—”

“You will do it,” he said firmly. “Our name is already being dragged through every headline. Fix this mess, Emerald. Tomorrow morning. And while you’re at it—apologize to your stepsister and to your husband. Publicly.”

I clenched my fists under the blanket but nodded. “Alright,” I said quietly. I didn’t want to argue anymore.

Satisfied, he straightened his coat. “Good. Nathan and Amber will come by later. You’ll apologize in person before the press conference.”

When he left, my mother exhaled shakily. “Don’t let him see you break,” she murmured. “We’ll be gone soon.”

And so I waited.

When Nathan and Amber arrived, their faces wore the same masks I’d seen for years—smooth, practiced, false.

Amber approached first, her arm in a sling, crocodile tears ready in her eyes. “Emerald,” she said softly, “I’m glad you’re feeling better. I never wanted things to get this bad between us.”

I looked at her, forcing a small smile. “Me too. I’m sorry… for everything.”

Nathan placed a hand on her shoulder, feigning concern. “We’re family, Emerald,” he said, his tone almost tender. “Let’s not make this worse than it already is.”

They played their part well—two perfect victims, all sympathy and sweetness. I mirrored their act, smiling faintly, nodding in all the right places.

When they finally left, I exhaled, the smile falling off my face like a mask I no longer needed.

That night, the hospital felt too quiet. The clock on the wall ticked endlessly as I stared at the dark window. My mother sat by the edge of the bed, her coat folded over her arm.

Then, just past midnight, the door opened again—softly this time.

“Ms. Emerald?” a man whispered. “It’s time.”

My mother stood, glancing at me. “Are you ready?”

I nodded.

We followed him through the back corridor, where the lights were dim and the halls were empty. The air outside was cool against my skin as we stepped into the night. A black car waited for us, its windows tinted.

The drive was silent. My mother held my hand tightly, and for once, neither of us looked back.

When the car stopped, I looked up to see the faint outline of a private helicopter waiting at the edge of an empty airfield. As the helicopter lifted off, the lights of the city below blurred into gold and white.

The noise, the lies, the pain—it all began to fade with every meter we climbed.

I leaned back against the seat, closing my eyes. My body was still weak, my heart still raw, but for the first time in years, I could breathe.

Nathan’s POV

Amber stood beside me in front of the full-length mirror—her lips painted a soft rose, her curls falling over her shoulders, her sling neatly wrapped so it looked more like an accessory than an injury. She adjusted her earrings while beaming, eyes sparkling with a kind of triumph she no longer bothered to hide.

I watched her reflection.

The way she leaned close to me.

The way she smiled as if today was her coronation.

Because in her mind—it was.

“Today’s the day,” Amber whispered, resting her hand on my chest. “After this press conference… she’s done.” Her lips curved into a satisfied smile. “Finally.”

She didn’t need to say who. Emerald.

I nodded slightly, brushing lint off my suit jacket. “There won’t be a comeback for her this time.”

The press conference at eleven would be the final blow—public humiliation, forced apology, denial of the affair she claimed existed. All recorded, televised, and sent straight to both families’ boards to restore our reputation. After that, Emerald’s life would crumble so completely she’d never find her way out again.

Amber giggled softly, then traced the line of my tie with her good hand. “After today… we can finally talk to your father again.” She looked up, eyes sparkling with the kind of hope she only showed me. “Can you imagine, Nat? Our wedding? Me walking down the aisle, your mother welcoming me like a daughter?”

I smiled faintly. “They’ll approve it. Once Emerald is gone, there’ll be nothing to stop us.”

“Mm-hm.” She leaned closer, whispering against my ear. “I can’t wait. It’s been years, Nathan. We deserve this.”

Years.

Years of hiding.

Years of pretending.

Years of being with the wrong woman because it was easier politically.

Amber and I were tired of waiting.

She turned in the mirror, checking her dress from every angle. “Do you think the press will believe her apology today?”

“Yes,” I answered, tightening my cufflinks. “What choice does she have? She’ll say exactly what Father wants her to say. And then after the conference…” I shrugged. “Well. She won’t be our problem anymore.”

Amber’s smile widened.

She liked the idea of finality.

Of erasing Emerald completely.

She stepped beside me again and said lightly, “Let’s go now. We should greet Dad before she gets escorted in. I want to see his face when Emerald breaks down. I want him to see I was worth choosing.”

I took her hand. “Come on.”

We reached the elevator. Amber held her phone, scrolling through articles with a grin. “After this, we can go public. You and me. Finally.”

The doors opened. We stepped inside.

Halfway down, Amber’s phone rang.

She frowned at the number. “Who is—?” She answered anyway. “Yes? Hello?”

Her smile froze. I watched her expression shift—curiosity, confusion, then sharp, sudden fear.

“What do you mean there’s a problem?” she demanded. “What problem?”

I straightened. “Amber?”

She held up a hand, listening hard. “What do you mean the woman inside the car isn’t her? That’s impossible—she’s supposed to be in the SUV that brings her to the press conference,” she snapped.

More silence. Amber’s mouth fell open slowly.

“N–No. That can’t be right,” she whispered.

My jaw tightened. “Amber, what is it?”

She hung up, staring at me like she couldn’t understand her own breath.

“The hospital,” she said shakily. “They said—Emerald is not there.”

My brows knitted. “What do you mean she’s not there? She was discharged today. She should be in her room waiting for the car.”

Amber shook her head harder. “They said she left. She left hours ago before they even discharged her.”

“That’s not possible.” I felt my voice sharpen. “She can’t leave. She was supposed to be escorted. What about the guards and all? She’s—”

“She’s gone,” Amber whispered. “Nathan… the nurse said she left with someone.”

“Who?”

Amber looked sick. “Her mother.”

My stomach tightened. “Her mother? She hasn’t left her husband in years.”

“I know!” Amber cried, stepping back. “But they left together. After she learned…” She swallowed. “…after she learned she lost the baby.”

The world stopped.

I blinked slowly. “Baby? What baby?”

Amber stared at me. “You didn’t know?”

My mouth went dry.

“She was pregnant, Nat,” Amber whispered. “She was pregnant with your child.”

For a moment, I forgot how to breathe. My child?

“She—” I started, but my voice cracked. “She was pregnant?”

Amber nodded weakly. “She lost it last night.”

“That… that doesn’t make sense.” My voice was unsteady, almost foreign to my own ears. “She couldn’t have been. She would’ve said something. She—she can’t hide something like that from me.”

But she had.

A sharp pressure pressed into my chest—confusion first, then disbelief, then something sour and burning that I couldn’t name.

“How?” I demanded hoarsely, more to myself than to Amber. “How could she be pregnant and I didn’t see it? I lived with her. I slept beside her. I—”

The words tangled in my throat. “How is that possible?”

My hand unconsciously pressed to my forehead. “Why didn’t the doctors tell me? Why didn’t anyone—”

Amber’s voice softened. “You weren’t at the hospital, Nat… you never stayed. You always left before the doctors could update you.”

Her words struck deeper than I expected, twisting something inside me.

I didn’t know. Because I wasn’t there.

My mind reeled—images clashing together:

Emerald clutching her stomach the night I hit her.

Her pale face in the hospital bed.

Her trembling hands.

Her silence.

And then—

The baby she lost. A baby I never knew existed.

My throat tightened painfully. “She… she lost it?” I whispered. “She lost… my child?”

I didn’t know what to do until the elevator dinged open. But neither of us moved. I felt something cold settle into my bones—something heavy and choking and wrong.

My pulse hammered in my ears.

Before I could speak, footsteps rushed toward us. Mr. Santos appeared—pale, sweating, out of breath.

“Sir! Miss Amber!” he gasped. “There’s another problem!”

Amber snapped, “What now?!”

The butler looked ready to faint.

“It’s… it’s young Lorenzo.”

Amber froze.

My stomach dropped.

“What about my son?” she whispered.

“Lorenzo is missing,” Mr. Santos said, voice trembling. “He’s not in his hospital room. The nurses said—someone took him.”