"I’d say you’re nothing but a failure. You lost your career, and in love—you’re even worse. The childhood sweetheart who should have stood by your side? He betrayed you for me. And the man you married? He’s nothing more than my obedient slave."
Her words cut like a blade, but she wasn’t finished.
"Do you know who gave you to that old man?" She leaned in, lowering her voice as if savoring the moment. "It was my brother. He planned it all—to make sure you could never ruin my happiness. And your family's bankruptcy? That was his doing too. Every creditor who hunted you down, every moment you spent struggling to survive—it was all part of his design."
I already knew the truth.
But hearing it from her lips still made my chest tighten, made something inside me twist and ache.
She waited for my reaction, expecting to see me crumble.
Instead, I met her gaze and let out a soft laugh.
"Faye," I said, tilting my head, "you can steal a trophy, a career, even a man—but no matter how high you climb, you know the truth better than anyone, don’t you?"
I leaned in slightly, my voice dropping to a whisper.
"You didn’t earn this. You never could. And you should worry less about flaunting your stolen achievements…" I let my gaze drift to the trophy in her hands before meeting her eyes again.
"…and more about how hard the fall will be when the truth finally catches up to you."
Faye's smug expression twisted in irritation, but she quickly recovered, her lips curling into a chilling smile. Her gaze dropped to my stomach, dark and venomous.
"You still don’t know, do you?" she whispered, her voice sickly sweet. "My brother wants to use your umbilical cord blood to save me. I told him it was the only way."
I stiffened.
Faye tilted her head, eyes gleaming with cruelty. "But here’s the fun part… I don’t have a heart disease at all." She let out a soft laugh, each word laced with malice. "I just didn’t want you to have an easy life. So just sit back and watch as your child is taken from you and used for me."
My heart clenched with dread. A chill ran down my spine.
Before I could react, she did something unthinkable.
With one swift motion, Faye raised the heavy trophy—and stabbed herself in the chest.
Blood splattered. Warm droplets hit my face.
I froze.
Tristan had just driven out of the garage. He slammed the brakes, his face turning pale as he leaped out of the car.