I woke up drenched in heat, my skin burning—not with anger this time, but with fever. My body ached all over, every joint stiff, every breath rough and shallow. The agony in my toes from that savage punishment hadn’t faded; it throbbed constantly, making it nearly impossible to stand, let alone walk properly.
The days blurred together after that. I drifted in and out of consciousness, half‑awake, half‑lost in fever dreams. And through it all, one thing never changed.
Aldrin never came.
Not once did he open my door. Not once did he ask if I was alive.
Through the fog of illness, sounds from outside my room crept in. Bianca’s sharp, delighted laughter. Aldrin’s deep, amused voice. Sometimes the laughter twisted into something worse—soft moans in the dead of night, sounds that clawed at my chest and left me shaking. I pressed my face into the pillow, biting back sobs, forcing myself to sleep. I told myself my body needed rest. My heart needed numbness. I couldn’t afford to feel anymore.
But peace never lasted long in that house.
One afternoon, I jolted awake to a harsh, choking smell. Smoke.
My heart slammed violently against my ribs. I dragged myself out of bed, clutching the wall to stay upright, my legs trembling beneath me. Step by step, I made my way down the hallway and out toward the back garden.
What I saw stole the air from my lungs.
Fire.
Tall flames devoured heaps of fabric—my dresses, my books, boxes of memories. Sienna’s toys. Her stuffed animals. Everything reduced to ash.
“What are you doing?!” I screamed, stumbling forward as heat scorched my skin. “Stop! Those are my things!”
The maid wouldn’t meet my eyes. Her hands shook as she dropped another box into the fire.
“Miss… I’m sorry,” she murmured. “It wasn’t my choice. Miss Bianca ordered it. She said she didn’t want to see your belongings around anymore.”
I went still.
Of course. Bianca. Taking my husband wasn’t enough—she wanted to erase me completely.
I turned away, ready to let it all burn. None of it mattered anymore… until something caught my eye.
A thin silver chain shimmered briefly in the flames.
My breath hitched.
My mother’s necklace.
The one thing she gave me before she died. The last thing she pressed into my palm, whispering, This will keep you safe.
“No!” I cried out, rushing forward. The heat seared my hands as I reached into the fire, yanking the necklace free just before it vanished. Smoke stung my eyes, but it wasn’t smoke that made them burn.
It was fury.
I stormed back inside, clutching the necklace tightly, and found Bianca lounging in the living room like she owned it. One hand rested on her rounded belly, her posture relaxed, victorious.
“Why?” My voice shook as I faced her. “Why did you burn my things? That necklace was my mother’s.”
She looked up slowly, blinking in false surprise. “Oh, that old thing? I thought it was worthless. Honestly, Amara, you left so much junk lying around. How was I supposed to know what was important? I was just cleaning up.”
“Cleaning?” I snapped. “This is my house. You had no right—”
“Enough.”
Aldrin’s voice cut through the room like a blade. He stepped in, eyes cold, uninterested. “Stop arguing over trivial things. Amara, clean up this mess. I’m hosting guests tomorrow. I want everything perfect.”
I stared at him, disbelief rushing through me. “You want me to clean? After what she did? After everything you’ve allowed—”
“I wasn’t asking,” he interrupted flatly. “I’m giving you an order.”
Something finally broke.
“No,” I said, my voice low but firm. “I won’t. I’m not your servant, Aldrin. Not anymore. If you want this place spotless, do it yourself.”
Before he could respond, the butler hurried in, pale and visibly shaken, holding a small parcel wrapped in plain paper.
“S‑Sir… this just arrived.”
Aldrin grabbed it and ripped it open.
What fell out made my world tilt.
A small, blood‑soaked bundle hit the floor. Tiny arms.
My scream tore out of me. “Sienna!”
My knees gave way as tears flooded my vision. Somewhere deep inside, I knew—it wasn’t her. It couldn’t be. She was safe. But I let myself fall apart anyway. I let the hysteria consume me. I wanted him to see it. I wanted guilt to pierce that stone heart of his.
Aldrin swore under his breath and unfolded the note attached to the package. His jaw tightened as he read aloud:
One hundred million. Final warning. Or the child dies.
His phone chimed. A video began to play.
Sienna’s face filled the screen. Bound. Crying. Calling for me in her small, broken voice. A masked man growled, “Pay—or we cut more.”
My legs shook as I reached for the phone, but Aldrin yanked it away.
Then—he sighed.
“As expected,” he muttered. “Another trick of yours. Just admit it, Amara. You’re behind this. These men are working for you.”
I stared at him, stunned. “Are you out of your mind? You think I’d harm my own child?”
Bianca’s voice slipped in sweetly, poisoned. “Well… didn’t you say once that your family needed money? Maybe your father planned this. And you’re helping him.”
My body went cold.
My father. The name they always used to stab me.
Aldrin’s eyes narrowed. “That makes sense. Like father, like daughter. Both con artists.”
The room spun. I couldn’t breathe. They were accusing me—again—while my child was suffering. While the man they hated had already saved her.
“Fine,” I said at last, my voice empty. “Believe whatever you want. If you’re willing to let Sienna die, then do it. At least I won’t be chained to a man like you anymore. You’ve done nothing but fail me, Aldrin.”
I turned away before my legs collapsed beneath me.
Back in my room, I fell onto the bed, clutching my mother’s necklace as silent tears soaked the sheets. My choice was already clear.
I reached for my phone and dialed a number I’d kept for years.
When the call connected, my voice was calm for the first time in days.
“Hello, counselor. This is Amara. I want to file for divorce.”
