She had to be crazy. That was my first thought as I stared at the old woman. The hospital air smelled of antiseptic and coffee, and her eyes were wild with something I couldn’t understand.
“You’re a Johansen,” she whispered, voice trembling with certainty.
I took a step back. “You’ve got the wrong person.”
But she wasn’t listening. Her hands reached for my hair, plucking out a strand.
“I’ll send this for DNA testing,” she said. “Don’t go anywhere.”
I didn’t have time for this. My life was already falling apart—Nathan, Amelia, the baby I had just lost. Now some stranger was telling me I belonged to a family I had never even heard of?
I turned and walked away. Let her run her test. It didn’t matter. Right now, I had more important things to do.
The lawyer’s office smelled like old books and expensive wood polish.
I slid the papers across the desk. “I want a divorce.”
The lawyer barely blinked. “Understood. Do you have grounds?”
My fingers tightened around the pen. Grounds? I had a thousand. But I wasn’t going to drag this out.
“Just file it,” I said. “I don’t want anything from him. Just my freedom.”
The lawyer nodded, preparing the documents. By the time I walked out, I felt lighter. The weight of five years, of silence and lies, was finally beginning to lift.
I was done. I wasn’t expecting to see her when I got home. Amelia. She was sitting on my couch, her legs crossed, her red dress hugging her body like she owned the place.
She smiled sweetly. “Entice.”
Her voice was soft. But I could hear the venom underneath.
“Useless. You should be gone. Nathan never loved you. I’m back.”
Nathan stood beside her, his expression unreadable. He lifted his hands, signing. “Amelia is so happy to see you. She’ll be staying with us for now.”
Lies.
Amelia tilted her head, watching me closely. “I want you to come to my party,” she said, her tone playful, mocking.
Nathan translated again. “She’s inviting you to her party. It would mean a lot.”
I swallowed back my disgust. I didn’t want to argue. I didn’t want to fight. So I nodded.
“Perfect,” Amelia purred, her lips curling into a satisfied smirk.
That night, I packed my bags. I booked a flight. Three days from now, when Nathan and Amelia were on their little getaway, I would be gone. For good.
Then, while I was packing, I heard them. Through the thin walls of our house—the place that was once mine, once sacred. Moans. Gasps. The sound of skin against skin.
I sat frozen, my fingers clenched around my phone. I didn’t cry. I didn’t break down.
Instead, I stepped into the hallway. Their door was slightly open. I didn’t even need to push it. I raised my phone, recording every second.
Nathan’s hands gripping her hips. Amelia’s fingers tangled in his hair. Their whispered promises, their laughter.
“I will do everything for you.”
“I love you.”
I pressed stop. Then I turned and walked away.
The day of her party, I didn’t want to come. I had spent the whole day debating, staring at my packed bags, my one-way ticket waiting for me in my email. But skipping the party would raise suspicions. Nathan would demand answers. Amelia would gloat.
So I came. The estate was grand, overflowing with flashing cameras, murmuring guests, and clinking champagne glasses. Celebrities, models, and businessmen filled the space, their laughter blending with the upbeat music.
I kept to the edges, watching as reporters whispered among themselves.
“Nathan bought Amelia a gold necklace.”
“It’s beautiful—pure gold, custom-made.”
“They’re definitely back together. It’s obvious.”
My stomach twisted as I caught sight of Amelia. She was radiant, her laughter bright as she clung to Nathan’s arm, showing off the necklace like a prize.
Then I felt it—the weight of the chain around my own neck. The necklace Nathan had given me yesterday. I had thought it was special. A gift, maybe an apology. It had felt expensive, important. But now? Now I knew better.
It was meaningless. A distraction. A lie. My fingers curled around the pendant. Without a second thought, I unclasped it and let it fall. The delicate chain slipped through my fingers, vanishing into the grass.
The night dragged on. Nathan never left Amelia’s side. He smiled at her, touched her, whispered into her ear like she was the only woman in the world.
Like I wasn’t even there.
I stood alone, nursing a glass of untouched champagne. I just needed to survive this night. Once it was over, I’d be gone.
And then Amelia approached.
She was all elegance, her red dress hugging her figure, her golden necklace catching the light.
She smiled at me, dazzling under the golden chandeliers. But her eyes? Cold. She leaned in, her lips brushing against my ear.
“Since you’re useless… maybe you should just die.”
Then she shoved me. The world tilted.
I stumbled back, my feet slipping on the wet tile. The icy water swallowed me whole. Panic surged through my chest. I kicked, thrashed, but my dress dragged me down like dead weight.
I couldn’t breathe. Water filled my lungs, burning, choking. Above me, the lights blurred, the music a distant hum. The surface felt impossibly far away.
I reached out. Someone shouted for help. A splash. Through the water, through the blur of lights and muffled voices, I saw him.
Nathan. He was standing by the edge of the pool, his suit pristine, his expression unreadable.
For a second, I thought he would help me. That instinct, that flicker of hope, still clung to my chest despite everything.
But then he turned to Amelia, his voice calm, careless.
“Oh, don’t mind her. Someone will save her.”
Then he walked away. The last of my air slipped from my lips.
And then—darkness.
