I rudely removed my hand from Evelyn. "I don't want to see your face again, Evelyn!"
Evelyn moved to sit up, straightening her hair. I knew she was fine, just pretending to be dizzy in front of Darius to draw his attention away from treating my wound.
That's so funny.
"You already know everything, right?" Her tone was light, as if this was just a normal conversation. "I don't care how you know. I just want to tell you one thing..."
She leaned in, looking up at me with a smile that was so annoying. "You're pathetic."
I clenched my fists.
"I took everything from you. Your life, your future, even the people who were supposed to be by your side. And look at you now," she continued, her eyes flashing triumphantly. "You tried to be me, but still—just a failed puppet."
Her chuckle sounded like nails hitting my skull.
I clenched my fists, holding back the turmoil in my chest.
Evelyn chuckled. "Look, your hands are shaking. You're scared, aren't you? Scared to see your scarred face?" She leaned closer to my ear. "You almost died from that a long time ago."
"Shut up!" I looked at her sharply.
I turned around, but something happened so fast. Evelyn moved to the table, reaching for the fruit knife that had been there. I reflexively stepped back, my mind instantly on alert.
But Evelyn—
She sliced the knife into her own arm. Although it was slow, it was enough to draw blood from her arm.
I was shocked and froze. Evelyn let out a small groan, then dropped the knife to the floor, right by my feet.
Darius's steps sounded from the kitchen.
While I was still trying to comprehend what happened, Evelyn had already backed away, her face filled with feigned panic. Her eyes were glazed over, her body trembling slightly.
"Audrey..." her voice trembled, full of hurt. "I know I replaced you as Nathaniel's bride, but I just wanted to apologize and visit you, but you attacked me out of the blue.”
Darius appeared. His gaze immediately fell to the wound on Evelyn's arm—and to the knife on the floor.
"What happened?!"
Evelyn bit her lip, trying to look scared. "I... I don't know... I just said I wanted to fix our relationship, but suddenly Audrey got angry..." She looked down, taking a shaky breath. "Then she took the knife."
Shit.
My eyes widened. "Evelyn, you're lying!" I stepped forward because I was annoyed with Audrey's acting, but she immediately stepped back, as if getting scared.
Darius looked at me sharply, none of the usual gentleness radiating from him for me. "Audrey... did you do it?"
My mouth opened, but before I could answer—
The front door opened roughly.
Someone came in.
"What did you do to Evelyn?!"
Nathaniel.
I still felt hurt looking at that face. The way he betrayed me by marrying Evelyn... still burns in my heart.
His eyes bulged with worry when he saw the wound on Evelyn's arm. His gaze then shifted to me, and within seconds, his anger exploded.
Evelyn gave a small gasp, her body trembling. "Nathaniel..." her voice was weak, as if frightened. "I... I'm okay..."
But Nathaniel didn't believe that. He stepped closer to me, his face hardening. Nathaniel pushed my body away. And Darius stayed where he was, not defending me.
"So this is why you kidnapped her! You're mentally ill, Audrey!"
I couldn't say anything.
Evelyn had won this round.
How pathetic. My body shook with the anger of being accused and the memory of their betrayal. The two people I once loved so much were now standing in front of me cursing, cornering me in defense of another woman.
"Audrey, I just want to apologize..." Evelyn spoke softly.
I couldn't take any more of this. It was enough. I chose to turn around and leave along with the tears that fell. My hands were clenched tightly into fists.
***
Evelyn had left with Nathaniel.
And later that night, Darius came to our room to apologize. I knew he was doing this just to keep me in surgery tomorrow. I played along with his game, forgiving him as if nothing bad had ever happened between us.
Darius trusted me, even though I had a plan. Before Darius went to bed, I put sleeping pills in his drink.
As soon as his breathing became regular, I got up.
I sneak out, my steps light. In front of the boudoir, my heart beats fast.
The doorknob turned easily. Darius is too confident. Inside, I head straight for his laptop. The screen is dark, locked. I type in Evelyn's date of birth.
There was a click.
I almost laughed. Darius really couldn't think beyond Evelyn.
But that didn't matter now. I inserted the USB, opening file after file—a trail of illegal transactions, falsified medical records, their intimate messages. Clear evidence of their betrayal and crimes.
My phone vibrates. A message from someone helping me behind the scenes.
[Follow the plan. Do not act outside the instructions. All data has been transferred?]
I checked the copying process. It was almost complete. I typed quickly, [Already. Tomorrow morning, I will have surgery.]
A few seconds later, a reply came.
[Don't worry. I'll make sure everything goes as we planned.]
I closed the laptop, erasing the trace without a trace. Everything was ready.
When I returned to the room, Darius was still asleep. I stood at the edge of the bed, staring at him silently. This man I once loved, I once gave my all to. Now, he was the one who destroyed me the most.
I lay beside him, staring at the ceiling with a smile that wasn't necessarily happy. There was bitterness, pain and contentment.
"I can't wait for tomorrow.”
***
The next morning, Darius and I immediately went to the hospital. I thought Darius was going to take me to the surgery room, but he turned to another room instead. My steps stopped right in front of a room with an open door.
I saw Evelyn lying on the patient's bed and there was my family. My breath caught, I glanced at Darius sharply, asking for an explanation.
"Evelyn is pregnant. Yesterday she begged to bring you together one last time," Darius said casually.
My blood rushed. A trap.
Darius is no longer pretending. He'll probably end all the charades once I'm out of surgery.
My gaze shifted to my family who were staring at me like enemies. The pain piled up, making me no longer recognize the warmth of my own family. I was about to leave, but my stepmother slapped me hard. "How could you hurt Evelyn yesterday! If she dies, what about the baby?"
I looked to my father for a defense, but his gaze was cold. No one believes me here.
"I'm disappointed in you, Audrey. Daddy never taught you to do anything bad to your stepsister!"
I laughed bitterly, holding back the tears that were about to burst. "You trust Evelyn more than me? I am your biological daughter, Dad. Evelyn is not."
"Don't talk as if you're a victim," stepmother said sharply. "In fact, you were just jealous of Evelyn all along. Admit it!"
I tried to control my emotions, but my body was shaking. They had already dumped me. Evelyn had taken all my places-not just in Darius's heart, but in my own family.
I turned and left with long strides, until Darius hugged me from behind.
"Honey, I'm sorry. I didn't know it would end like this." Darius's whisper was so soft, as if he actually felt sorry for me. He turned me around. "Your family doesn't care about you anymore."
I felt a small smile on his faint lips. He was enjoying it—seeing me alone with no one. Because if no one cares for me, I'm only his.
"But you still have me." Darius grabbed my fingers and held them firmly. "We'll be happy. Now you go into the surgery room, while I need to prepare long enough for a perfect result."
When Darius left, someone named Calvin came to help escort me to the surgery room. I remembered him. The name I'd seen in the secret message on Darius' laptop. He was part of this plan.
"Please come in," he said briefly, opening the door with a flat expression, as if this was a normal routine.
As soon as Calvin left me inside, I immediately contacted someone. My voice was low, almost a whisper. "I'm already inside."
Before long, someone jumped in through the window. His movements were quick, practiced. He kept the documents I had collected on the bed—photos of evidence of Darius's crimes and betrayals, and the divorce papers I had signed without hesitation.
Finally, he helped me escape to continue with my next plan.
Twenty minutes later.
Darius strode casually along the hospital corridor. Everything was perfectly organized-so he thought.
He pushed open the surgery room door with confidence, only to greet an empty room. His brow furrowed.
Just as his confusion peaked, Calvin appeared with bated breath.
"Audrey went to the toilet?" asked Darius, trying to contain his anxiety.
Before Calvin could answer, a bodyguard suddenly rushed in: "No! Darius! Audrey already knows the whole truth. She just committed suicide by jumping off the roof of the hospital!"
