Juliet clung tightly to Stellan’s neck, her delicate fingers pressing into his shoulder. As they walked away, she glanced back at Elara, who lay motionless on the ground, her breath faint, her body barely holding on.
Stellan didn’t pause. If anything, his steps quickened, his grip on Juliet tightening.
"If she dies, she dies," his voice was cold, devoid of emotion. "You and the child are all that matter to me."
The words sliced through Elara like a blade, severing the last fragile thread of love she still held for him. The warmth in her eyes dimmed, and as darkness swallowed her, she let her lids fall shut.
---
When she woke again, she was in a hospital ward, the sterile scent filling her lungs.
"Doctor Whitmore, you’re finally awake!" A nurse’s relieved voice broke through the haze. "Any later, and we might’ve lost you."
The city was already buzzing with news—Captain Pierce’s car had burst into flames on a busy street.
"Luckily, a group of migrant workers was passing by. They risked their lives to pull you out. If not for them, you’d have burned to ashes."
Elara’s throat felt dry. She licked her lips, the bitterness in her chest heavier than before.
"Where’s Stellan?"
The nurse hesitated, her expression softening into pity.
"Captain Pierce hasn’t left your sister’s side since the accident. Juliet was so shaken she almost miscarried. He called in the best gynecologist, turned the entire hospital upside down for her."
Elara reached up, pressing her fingers against her forehead, a wry chuckle escaping her lips.
---
By afternoon, she forced herself out of bed, her steps unsteady but determined. As she reached the corridor, hushed whispers drifted from a group of nurses nearby.
"Captain Pierce truly spoils his fiancée. Her ward is overflowing with flowers and gifts."
"I heard the wedding date is set for the fifteenth. He even handed out wedding candy today."
"And Elara? She nearly died, yet Captain Pierce hasn’t even visited her."
"She deserves it. She abandoned him for another man, and now she has the audacity to try and win him back? Shameless! And let’s not forget—he’s her brother-in-law now."
Elara’s fingers tightened around the railing, her nails digging into her palm.
A presence loomed behind her.
She turned, meeting the familiar gaze of Juliet.
"You heard everything, didn’t you?" Juliet’s voice had lost its usual softness, now sharp and edged with triumph. "Stellan and I are getting married soon. If you have any sense, you’ll move out of the Pierce Family mansion before then."
Elara held her gaze, her own voice turning cold.
"Don’t worry. I’ll leave."
Juliet let out a light chuckle, her eyes glinting with amusement.
"I know you’re bitter. After all, you were the one who met Stellan first. But what can you do? You just weren’t good enough to keep him."
Elara’s expression darkened. "If Stellan knew the truth about what happened back then… do you think he’d still love you?"
Juliet’s smirk wavered—just for a second—before twisting into something even crueler.
"Go ahead. Tell him," she sneered. "Do you really think he’d believe you?"
Then, without warning, she staggered backward, her body tilting precariously.
And she fell.
Before Elara could react, Juliet had already collapsed onto the ground, tears streaking down her delicate face.
"Elara, I know you're angry with me because of Stellan," she choked out, her voice trembling. "But you were the one who looked down on him and left him. How can you blame me for stepping in?"
Then, as if struck by a sudden realization, she gasped softly, her fingers gently resting on her stomach. "If you love Stellan that much… I can get rid of the baby and give him back to you, okay?"
The words had barely left her lips when a sudden force slammed into Elara. She staggered backward, crashing onto the cold hospital floor. The IV needle ripped from her hand, sending blood splattering across her hospital gown in thin crimson trails.
"Elara, you dare lay a hand on Juliet?!"
Stellan’s voice was laced with fury. His sharp gaze bore into her like a blade, his whole body seething with rage. He loomed over her, his expression dark and menacing, as if he wanted to crush her beneath his heel.
"I… I didn’t push her," Elara gasped, her breath shaky. Pain radiated through her limbs as she forced herself to meet his gaze, her bloodshot eyes filled with disbelief. "She did it herself."
"You’re still lying?" Stellan’s voice dropped to a dangerous low, his disgust palpable.
