On my sixtieth birthday, I was kidnapped and the kidnappers threatened me, forcing me to sign an inheritance transfer agreement.
Because I refused to sign, the kidnappers beat and kicked me viciously. My marriage certificate fell to the ground, soaking in a pool of my own blood that was coloring the ground red …. And under relentless torture, I finally blacked out.
When I came to consciousness again, I was in the hospital. It just so happened I overheard a conversation outside the hospital room between my best friend, Sofia Miller and my husband, Isaac Braun.
“Darling, our son is about to get married. Why did you bring her back now? Did Riley Harper hand over the inheritance to our son yet? Also, did you buy accidental death insurance for Riley and her son? After tricking her for forty years with a fake marriage certificate, she and her cheap son should at least serve one final purpose.”
Sofia's shrill laughter pierced through the hospital door like a knife.
Isaac, my husband, responded, his voice low and indulgent, “Don’t worry, Sofia. I only brought her back because I had no other choice. It didn’t work this time, but I’ve already made new arrangements. Her sixtieth birthday trip will be the perfect opportunity to set things right … It's just ... Yosef Braun is still my son, after all…”
Outside the door, I bit my lower lip in shock, unable to believe what I was hearing. Then I received the news that my son had died in a car accident.
For forty years, I had always believed I was happy, with a successful husband and an obedient, understanding son. Even when I had given up my rising career to focus on our family, I still felt it was all worth it.
Yet, on the day I turned sixty, everything shattered. My husband wasn’t truly my husband. My son was gone. And even my own life was now hanging by a thread.
Fighting through the grief, I dialed my lawyer with trembling fingers. “Please… help me uncover the truth. I want to conduct a full audit of my dowry and all assets. And… book me a ticket… seven days from now. I’m going home.”
I must uncover all the truths … for myself, for my son and for the years to come. Half of my lifetime had passed like a dream
***
After discussing everything with the lawyer, I set the phone aside and let the physical and emotional pain consume me.
A fake marriage certificate? Accident insurance? Value?
I bit my lip hard, letting the metallic taste of blood spread through my mouth.
After forty years of sleeping beside the same man, sharing mornings and nights, hearing Isaac's gentleness and his sweet promises … it turned out all of it was just a cruel joke. Even our child had died as part of their scheme.
The mere thought of my beloved child caused my body to tremble uncontrollably.
At that moment, the door creaked open gently. The familiar sound of high heels and leather shoes sent a wave of nausea through me. These were the last people I wanted to see.
I struggled to control myself, fearing that with my overwhelming hatred, I would tear them apart.
“Riley, you’re finally awake. You scared us to death.” Sofia rushed to my side. Her eyes filled with concern. The strong scent of perfume instantly filled the entire ward. Though it was a familiar fragrance, it now only made me feel nauseous.
“How did your sixtieth birthday end up like this? When Isaac and I received a call from the police saying you’d been kidnapped, we were terrified! Thankfully, it turned out to be a false alarm. How are you feeling now? Does your body still hurt?” Sofia’s tone was filled with exaggerated concern.
Isaac's figure also loomed over the bed. I could feel the concern in his eyes as he looked upon me.
"Riley." The way he called out my name seemed to carry a crashing weight of worry and heartache. "It's good you're finally awake. How do you feel? Don't be afraid, I'm here."
His hand, the one that had once held mine through countless storms, now trembled slightly as it gently rested on my arm.
Sofia kept babbling on. “Isaac is so good to you. He has been by your side the whole time and didn’t even close his eyes. The doctors said you only suffered superficial injuries, so you’ll recover well after some rest. Let’s just treat this as some cruel joke from fate. Once you get through this, good fortune will come. The three of you are still the family everyone envies the most.”
Sofia’s words were light as a feather, as if she were treating this deliberate kidnapping and the disaster that had shattered my life as a trivial “joke.”
Future blessings? My son is dead, my husband and best friend are still scheming at the door to squeeze every last drop of value out of me … is that my “future blessings”?
“Yosef, he died in a car accident ...” I spoke softly. My eyes locked with Isaac’s as I delivered the news of my son's death.
“What? What?” Isaac's hand on my arm froze suddenly, his tall body shook violently, his face drained of color in a flash and he stumbled as his hand holding the end of the be, his shoulders trembling uncontrollably. At that moment, I was willing to believe that he was truly heartbroken over the loss of his son.
Sofia rushed forward to support Isaac, but her eyes darted quickly and meaningfully over to me, lying on the bed like a lifeless shell. Her lips could not help but curl into a smile, which was then covered by a layer of deliberately feigned grief.
“Oh my God, how could this happen! Riley, my dear sister.”
I just lay there in silence, watching them both quietly. There was no need to rush this. After all, there were still seven days left.
