Diana’s POV
“Don’t think that pretending to be pitiful will make me keep you!” Lucan shouted, his small face twisted with hatred far beyond his years.
“If you have the ability to leave, then don’t ever come back!”
The crossbow bolt flew toward me, fast and merciless, carrying all the resentment of the boy I had raised.
I barely reacted in time.
I twisted sideways, but not fast enough.
The arrow grazed my shoulder before piercing into my flesh.
Pain exploded through my body.
A sharp scream tore from my throat as my knees buckled.
Blood seeped through my dress instantly, warm and sticky as it spread down my arm.
“Diana!”
Eduardo was beside me in an instant, his face pale as he grabbed my shoulders.
“I’m so sorry… I’m so sorry, Diana,” he muttered, his voice tight with tension.
For a moment, I thought… maybe this time would be different.
Then—
Cassia suddenly screamed.
“Ah!”
Lucan panicked immediately.
“Papa! Aunty Cassia twisted her ankle! She was running to help that witch!” he cried, tugging Eduardo’s sleeve.
Eduardo froze.
I saw the hesitation in his eyes — the same hesitation I had seen a thousand times before.
His gaze moved between me and Cassia, who was now sitting on the ground, clutching her ankle with tears glistening in her eyes.
Finally, he sighed.
“It’s a clean injury,” he said, glancing briefly at my shoulder. “Go to the hospital, Diana. I’ll meet you there. Cassia can’t walk — I need to take her first.”
He released me.
Just like that.
If my heart broke, I didn’t show it.
I stayed on the ground, watching as he lifted Cassia into his arms like she was something precious.
As he carried her toward the black armored sedan, Cassia looked over his shoulder.
She smiled at me.
A smug, victorious smile.
Lucan climbed into the car beside them, glaring at me as if I were the enemy.
The engine roared.
And they drove away.
I remained on the ground, blood pooling beneath me — shot by the very child I had trained, cared for, and protected for eight years.
Fate really was cruel.
I forced myself to stand, my vision blurring slightly from blood loss.
Then I heard footsteps behind me.
“You wretched girl! Why are you still here? Didn’t you announce to the entire house that you were leaving?”
I didn’t need to turn.
Morana.
Eduardo’s mother.
The matriarch of the Ricci family.
She had never hidden her hatred for me.
I turned slowly to face her.
Her sharp eyes widened when she saw the blood staining my dress.
Instead of concern… her face darkened.
“Are you trying to implicate my son? Planning to die in front of the Ricci estate so outsiders think we mistreated you?” she snapped coldly. “If you want to die, go die outside!”
“I was leaving,” I replied through clenched teeth. “Your grandson shot me.”
She scoffed.
“You hurt yourself and now you're blaming others? Trying to act pitiful so Eduardo will ask you to come back?” she sneered. “You lost your place the moment you decided to leave.”
Anger flared in my chest.
“I want nothing from you or your family, Morana. Your grandson shot me.”
“Then you shouldn’t have a problem leaving.”
Before I could react, she grabbed my suitcases and threw them outside the gates.
“Get out!” she hissed, shoving me forward.
I stumbled, falling hard against the pavement outside the compound, pain exploding through my shoulder.
“Go die outside! Leave my son alone!” she shouted before the heavy iron gates slammed shut behind me.
I sucked in a sharp breath, clutching my bleeding shoulder.
“You’ll regret this…” I muttered, my voice trembling with suppressed rage.
I gathered my boxes just as my Uber pulled up.
The driver stepped out quickly.
“Sorry for the delay, Miss,” he said.
“It’s fine,” I murmured, climbing inside.
He glanced at my shoulder, eyes widening.
“Are you still going to the airport?”
I shook my head weakly.
“Hospital… first.”
The car started moving.
The pain dulled slightly as exhaustion crept in.
Soon… my eyes closed.
---
The next time I opened them, I heard the steady beeping of an EKG machine.
I blinked slowly.
Hospital.
My shoulder throbbed as I tried to sit up. My luggage sat beside the bed.
The door opened and a doctor walked in.
“Miss Diana, how are you feeling?” he asked.
I groaned softly.
“What happened? I was in a taxi…”
“You passed out before arriving,” he explained. “The driver brought you here.”
I nodded and reached for my phone.
I had missed my flight.
A message blinked on the screen.
I quickly replied:
Something came up. Reschedule my flight ASAP.
“Miss Diana?” the doctor called.
“Yes?”
“You lost a lot of blood. But you’ve received treatment. You’ll be discharged soon.”
“That’s perfect. Thank you.”
He smiled and left.
I stood slowly, grabbing my luggage.
No missed calls.
Not even one.
Eduardo’s son shot me… and he didn’t even check if I was alive.
The door opened.
Cassia walked in casually, her high heels clicking softly against the floor.
I rolled my eyes.
“What do you want? Didn’t you twist your ankle?”
She giggled.
“Oh, that?” she waved dismissively. “I just wanted to see what Eduardo would do if we were both in danger.”
Her smile widened.
“And he chose me.”
I scoffed.
“Have fun, Cassia. I’m leaving.”
She stepped in front of me.
“There’s something you should know,” she said, her voice dripping with satisfaction.
“I’m pregnant with Eduardo’s child.”
Everything went silent.
My heart shattered… but I refused to show it.
Eight years.
Eight years of staying beside Eduardo.
Eight years of being nothing more than a shadow.
And every time we were together… he made sure I took birth control.
He always wanted another child.
Just…
Not with me.
