At the banquet, Harry’s eyes lit up when he saw me. He rushed forward, his voice tender. “Dear, I’ve missed you so much.”
His arms wrapped around me in front of the crowd, the picture of a devoted husband. The room erupted in applause and I played along, nodding politely as he guided me through the night.
To the onlookers, we were the perfect couple. But I knew better. Each step, each smile, felt like an act, a final bow before the curtain fell.
Hours into the evening, I slipped away, seeking solitude by the pool. The moonlight reflected off the water, serene and indifferent to the chaos in my heart.
Evelyn approached, her gown shimmering as she swayed confidently. She twirled the hem of her dress, her lips curving into a mocking smile.
“Doesn’t it look stunning?” she purred. “Your husband bought it for me, along with every high-fashion gown in the city.”
She leaned in, her voice a venomous whisper. “He told me himself—you’re nothing but an old, fat woman now. Someone like you could never be worthy of such luxury.”
Her words sliced through the air, but I stood firm, my expression unchanging.
The countdown had begun. Ten hours remained. And then, I would vanish. Forever.
Evelyn’s voice was a steady drip of venom, each word designed to wound.
“Hehehe, you don’t know yet, do you? The dress you’re wearing—it was actually left by my nanny. She didn’t want it, so now it's yours. A leftover, inferior remnant.”
Her words were sharp, mocking. But I wasn’t interested in the petty games she played. I turned away, my heart pounding with a growing sense of frustration.
But she wouldn’t stop. She grabbed my arm, her fingers digging into my skin.
“I know you despise me,” she sneered. “In your heart, you probably think I’m nothing but a broken shoe, don’t you? But guess what? In your husband’s heart, you’re not even worth as much as a broken shoe.”
She leaned in, her breath hot on my ear. “Do you really think he and I are just having a fling? That you’re the ‘true love’? Pfft. Let me tell you something. Your husband would rather pretend to be impotent than have a child with you.”
Her eyes glinted with malice.
“Because you’re psychotic.”
The words hit like a slap to the face. I recoiled, my body stiff with shock, but she wasn’t finished.
“Just like your mother. Your crazy murderer mother.”
I froze. The world around me seemed to fade.