For the insignificant pearl I had accidentally swallowed, my husband, Sylus, made an unthinkable request: he asked his older brother, Xavier, to cut me open and retrieve it.
That small, inconsequential thing meant more to him than I ever did.
On the cold operating table, I hovered between life and death. My body trembled as I fought to hold on, my soul almost slipping away.
In the midst of this agony, Sylus called, his voice cold and indifferent.
"How is it? Have you found it yet?" His words pierced the sterile air, devoid of any concern for me.
"Charlotte cried herself to sleep," he added, as if that was the only thing that truly mattered.
Xavier, standing over me with blood on his hands, smirked with pride. "Found it. I will bring it to you right away."
No apology. No tenderness. Just business.
He hurriedly stitched the incision on my stomach, neglecting any care or disinfection.
His eyes glanced at my pale face, a mixture of disgust and impatience flashing in them, as though I was nothing more than a task to be completed.
Xavier did not care for the pain I was in, the shivering of my weakened body, or the silent tears that rolled down my cheeks.
In that moment, I started to realize if I had never been more than a shadow in Sylus’s life, a mere substitute for Charlotte, the one he truly loved.
I was never her. I could never be her.
On that icy table, I made my decision. I would leave them to be the happy couple they deserved to be. A pale imitation could never replace the real thing, after all.
But as I left him, Sylus came after me, his eyes burning with a possessiveness that made my heart stutter.
"Who told you that you could leave of your own accord, baby girl?"
***
The incision made by Xavier Fuentez, despite him being an internal organ specialist, made me grit my teeth in unbearable pain.
Even though he had administered anesthesia, it had not worked completely, and the procedure he performed alone, without a nurse or anesthetist, was anything but standard.
The cold, sterile air filled with the sound of surgical instruments clinking as he tore through each layer of my flesh, one after another.
“How dare you, Xavier!” I snapped, tied helplessly to the freezing metal table, forced to endure whatever he decided to do. My voice trembled, not just from pain, but from fear.
He did not even glance my way. With a sneer and cold, calculated precision, he replied, “Say that to your husband, Lily. I am just doing my duty in this family.”
His tone was devoid of any sympathy, his movements detached as he continued cutting through my body as if I were no more than a slab of meat.
That was when it hit me if everything was an order from Sylus Fuentez, my husband. The man who, as head of the powerful Fuentez Mafia family, commanded the obedience of even his own brother.
I had always known the Fuentez family, a powerful mafia family, held power over many, but I never thought I would find myself crushed beneath that power.
“So, what crime did I commit this time? What terrible offense led to my immediate execution the moment you returned from abroad?” I asked bitterly, my voice growing numb as the anesthetic finally began to take effect.
Xavier’s hands paused for a moment, and a twisted smirk appeared on his face. He glanced at me with disdain before replying, “You still don’t understand, do you? Your very existence is your mistake.”
Before I could process his words, Sylus called, his voice coming through the speakerphone that Xavier deliberately turned on, making sure I could hear every single word.
“Have you found the pearl? Charlotte cried herself to exhaustion and finally fell asleep. Make sure you find it before she wakes.”
My stomach dropped. Not because of the pain, but because I realized the full depth of my insignificance.
Charlotte Hooper, Sylus’ childhood sweetheart, the woman I could never be. The woman for whom I was nothing but a placeholder.
With a quick, confident motion, Xavier plucked the pearl from inside my body, holding it up triumphantly. “Brother, I found it.”
At that very moment, blood began to pour from the wound, soaking the table beneath me.
I gasped, struggling for breath as waves of dizziness swept over me. It felt as if my life were slipping away, as if the blood loss would claim me before I had a chance to make sense of the nightmare.
Sylus’s voice remained cold, indifferent. “Good. Now, hurry back and make sure she does not die.”
Xavier’s casual demeanor shifted ever so slightly. At Sylus’s command, he snapped back to attention, moving quickly to staunch the bleeding with gauze.
“Fine. I will bring her back to apologize to Charlotte.”
Could it be that he would let me die if Sylus did not order him to keep me alive?
But the phone call ended before I could make sure of everything, leaving only the distant echo of Sylus’s words.
What was more, I should apologize to the woman for whose sake I was gutted?
The absurdity of it all struck me like a cruel joke. But my body was too weak to react. My limbs grew heavier with each second and my mind dulled under the weight of exhaustion.
“Lily,” Xavier muttered as he stitched me back together with little care. “Consider today your lucky day. You have managed to survive once again.
“But if you are smart, you will get away from this family as soon as possible. Now that Charlotte’s back, your days are numbered.”
His voice faded in and out as consciousness slipped further from my grasp. I wanted to reply, to scream, to tell him I already knew my place, but my body refused to cooperate.
Xavier’s cold sneer was the last thing I saw before I lost the battle with darkness.
When I woke, a sharp slap across my cheek yanked me back to reality. My breath came in ragged gasps and my forehead drenched in sweat.
“Wake up!” The voice, sharp and impatient, belonged to Xavier. He stood in front of me, his eyes filled with disdain. “Stop wasting my time.”
I blinked, disoriented. I was no longer on the operating table but in the backseat of a car parked in front of the Fuentez family manor.
My stomach throbbed with the dull, relentless ache of fresh stitches pulling at my skin.
As I gathered my bearings, I noticed Julius Forbes, the butler, stepping out of the manor’s grand doors.
I forced a weak, sarcastic smile. So, that was it, the moment when I had to bow out and make way for Sylus’s true love.
“Get out,” Xavier growled, slamming his hand against the car. “I know you can still walk.”
Seeing I struggled to stand, even my legs trembling as I nearly collapsed upon stepping out of the car, Julius rushed to my side, gently grabbing my arm to support me.
“Are you all right, Madam?” Julius asked softly, concern etched on his face.
I nodded, though the effort to keep myself upright made the pain in my stomach intensify. Sweat soaked my skin, and I fought to stay conscious.
Behind us, Xavier sneered.
“Tch, pretending to be weak,” he muttered, his voice dripping with contempt.
Without waiting for us, Xavier strode toward the manor.
With Julius’s help, I took small, agonizing steps, each one a monumental effort.
But even as I struggled, Sylus could not wait. His voice barked through Julius’s phone, impatient and irritated. “Hurry up, Julius. Charlotte will fall asleep again soon, and I don’t want to waste time.”
Julius hesitated, his gaze flickering with something he wanted to say, but held back.
I bit my lip, too drained to speak, and instead focused on keeping pace with the quickening steps. Each painful step forward felt like one step closer to the end of my life with Sylus.
As I stepped into the bedroom, I froze at the sight before me.
There, on the bed I used to share with Sylus, sat someone similar to me named Charlotte. Her eyes sparkling with joy as she played with the very pearl Xavier had so callously dug out of my stomach.
She twirled it between her fingers, the delicate pendant that had once adorned her childhood necklace.
That pearl was not just any trinket; it was Charlotte’s family heirloom, a pendant she had worn as a charm for as long as anyone could remember.
Years ago, she lost it just before leaving for abroad, and Sylus had found it and kept it.
With her return, he had eagerly planned to surprise her by hiding it inside a muffin.
However, the plan had gone awry when the maid, used to baking only for me, had mistakenly served the muffin to me instead. And I, unaware of its significance, had eaten it.
When Sylus realized the muffin was missing, panic must have gripped him. His search for me was frantic, not out of concern, but driven by the hope that I had not yet consumed the precious pearl.
But when he found me, it was too late. His only solution was to strike the nape of my neck, rendering me unconscious and sending me straight to Xavier’s cold, merciless operating table.
Seeing Charlotte comfortably seated on what had once been our bed, clutching the pearl that had caused me so much suffering, made a wave of nausea rise within me.
My stomach, still raw from Xavier’s rough handling, clenched with a sickening mix of pain and betrayal.
I covered my mouth to stifle the sickness, only to meet Sylus’s gaze, his eyes reflecting the all-too-familiar look of displeasure.
“I thought you got lost on your way here,” he said, his voice cold and indifferent, as if my suffering had been nothing more than a minor inconvenience.
From the corner of the room, Xavier lounged on the couch, clearly enjoying the drama unfolding before him. His cynical smile grew as he added fuel to the fire.
“That is what I have been saying, brother. You need to stop pampering her. She cannot even handle a little wound without dragging her feet. Imagine what she would do if she actually had to sacrifice something for you.”
His words stung, each one slicing through me like a fresh incision.
Charlotte, still sitting on the bed, chuckled softly, rolling the pearl along Sylus’s bare chest with deliberate playfulness.
Sylus, to my horror, gasped lightly and gave her a teasing smile. “That is tickles, Lotty,” he said, his voice soft and warm, far different from the way he spoke to me.
He pinched her cheek affectionately, and I was forced to witness the love and adoration in his eyes, love that had never been mine to begin with.
No, it was not that Charlotte’s face resembled mine. It was mine that resembled hers.
I had been chosen not because of who I was, but because of how I looked like her. Even from the start, when Sylus first laid eyes on me, he had called me ‘Lotty’ by mistake.
It had happened again and again in the early days of our marriage, as though I were merely a stand-in for the real woman he loved.
“I am just so happy my pearl was safe with you,” Charlotte cooed, her tone sweet and light, before it shifted to something more somber.
She glanced at me, her gaze fleeting but sharp. “I just never expected when I could see it again after so long, I almost lost it… twice.”
Her words hung in the air, thinly veiled in accusation.
Sylus’s brow furrowed, and his expression darkened. With a gentle hand, he stroked Charlotte’s hair, his touch filled with affection.
Then his gaze turned to me, hard and unforgiving.
“Lily, apologize to Lotty. Now.” His command was ice-cold, brimming with the weight of authority I could not defy.
I clenched my jaw, biting my lip to keep from crying out from the physical pain that still coursed through me.
My body screamed in protest, but I knew that if I did not obey, Sylus would not hesitate to inflict more harm.
He had already proven what he was capable of. Who knew what he would do if I continued to defy him?
“Sorry,” I whispered, barely loud enough to be heard. It was a hollow apology, but it was all I had left to give.
Sylus smirked, clearly satisfied by my submission. “Good girl,” he said, his tone patronizing. “Now, go rest. I want to spend some time alone with Lotty.”
He glanced at Julius, who had been quietly standing by. “Take her to the guest room,” Sylus ordered without sparing me a second look.
The words were like daggers to my heart.
I was no longer a wife. I was just a mere guest, an unwelcome shadow cast by the return of Sylus’s true love.
Chapter 2With Julius’s help, I staggered out of the room, each step drawing me further away from a life I once thought was mine.
At least, after my apology, Sylus had not pushed matters further. He let me leave in peace, his interest entirely absorbed by Charlotte at that moment.
Obediently, I followed Julius to the guest room.
Each step was a painful reminder of the toll that day had taken on my body, my stomach bloated and sore.
Julius, seeing my discomfort, gently suggested, "I will call the nurse to come here and tend to your wound."
I shook my head. "No, thank you. I can take care of it myself."
I had no intention of causing a stir or drawing attention to my fragile position in the house. I was nothing more than a shadow, so I intended to stay that way.
Julius nodded but added cautiously, “You should avoid touching anything that made for Mr. Fuentez from now on. So, I will bring your meals myself to make sure this never happens again. How does that sound?”
His thoughtfulness stung, not because of him, but because of how far I had fallen.
Not long ago, everything in this manor had been mine. But then I was reduced to being grateful for even a meal that would not harm me.
I nodded, though the bitterness in my heart welled up again.
Before Julius turned to leave, I mustered enough strength to say, “Thank you, Julius. I do not say it enough, but I appreciate everything you have done for me.”
He gave me a kind smile. “Anything for you, Madam. Call me if you need help.”
And with that, I was left alone in the guest room, a room that only deepened the feeling of isolation.
The once grand manor I had shared with Sylus for three years felt foreign, as though the life I had lived there had been nothing but a cruel illusion.
The moment Charlotte came back, it all crumbled.
I was not a queen that was dethroned, I had never been on the throne. I had merely been a substitute, filling a void until Sylus’s true love returned.
How pathetic I felt, holding onto something that was never mine to begin with.
But then, the painful truth struck me: none of that would have happened if Sylus had not found me that day at the hospital.
Our first meeting had been nothing more than a case of mistaken identity.
I was a resident doctor, working night shifts in the emergency room at a hospital run by the Fuentez family.
My life was simple then, it was to save enough money to retire and travel the world. That was all I wanted.
It was after one of those grueling night shifts that he appeared. I was resting at the canteen, sipping my coffee and nibbling on a sandwich, when a tall, imposing man came to me.
His eyes locked on me, and I remember the odd look in them, half surprise and half recognition.
“Lotty?” he had murmured, his voice filled with a strange mix of longing and disbelief.
I had no idea who he was or why he called me by that name. But after being with him for three years, I learned Lotty was his fiancée, the woman who had left his life, leaving a hole I was unknowingly about to fill.
“I’m sorry,” he apologized after glancing at my name tag. “I mistook you for someone else.”
I shrugged it off, not paying much attention, and continued eating my sandwich.
Before he left, he offered to pay for my meal as an apology. I had not even had the chance to refuse before he was gone.
Later, I used that as a small treat for my coworkers, thinking nothing more of the encounter.
But that would not be the last time I saw him.
That same night, an emergency call came in about a tragic accident. I was on shift and rushed to the ambulance bay, prepared to do whatever I could to help.
As the patient arrived, I saw a middle-aged woman bleeding profusely from a wound that reminded me of the accident that had claimed my own parents' lives.
My heart raced. I knew I had to save her.
With every ounce of skill and determination I had, I worked to stop the bleeding and stabilize her condition.
It was a miracle that I managed to get her out of critical condition before handing her over to the specialist surgeon.
I had saved her life, or at least delayed death long enough for the surgeons to finish the job.
The next day, I was called into the patient’s room.
The chief doctor told me the woman’s identity, and I could barely suppress the trembling in my hands.
She was Mrs. Fuentez, the wife of the head of the most powerful mafia family in the region. The owner of the very hospital where I worked.
I entered her room nervously, unsure of what to expect, but to my surprise, she greeted me warmly. She was sitting up in bed, smiling as though nothing had happened.
“So, you are the doctor who saved me?” Mrs. Fuentez asked, her eyes bright and full of life despite the guards stationed outside her door.
Trying to maintain professionalism, I replied humbly, “It was not just me, Madam. There were many people involved in saving you, the emergency personnel, nurses, and the specialist who operated on you.”
She laughed, clearly amused by my modesty. “Yes, but I heard it was you who kept me alive long enough for them to do their part. That was what I mean, Doctor....” She paused, waiting for my name.
“I am Dr. Lily Hale. You can call me Lily.”
Since then, Mrs. Fuentez and I have exchanged many words. The more we talked, the more I realized she was not the intimidating woman I had assumed.
In fact, she was incredibly warm and kind, with a sharp wit that often caught me off guard.
One afternoon, as we spoke about everything from hospital gossip to her plans after recovery, I suddenly noticed the time on the wall clock ticking away.
“Oh my God, it is already time for my ER shift,” I said, slightly panicked as I rose from my seat.
She laughed softly. “Don’t let me keep you, dear. I am sorry for taking up your time.”
“No, no, Mrs. Fuentez. I am happy to talk with you. Truly.”
I meant it. Despite the pressure of her family’s reputation, she made me feel at ease. It was strange, given who she was.
I smiled, gathering my things. “I will come back when it is time to check on your condition.”
“I look forward to it, Doctor Lily,” she said with a fondness that warmed me, her smile lingering long after I had left the room.
Later that night, after finishing my shift, I returned to her room for her routine check-up. But when I opened the door, I saw him, the man from the cafeteria who had mistaken me for someone else.
“So, you are the doctor who saved my mother?” The man's deep voice caught me off guard. I froze for a moment, taken aback by his presence.
"Mother?" I repeated, glancing at Mrs. Fuentez, who beamed as though she had just discovered a hidden gem.
“Oh, you two know each other?” she asked, eyes sparkling as though she had found a missing piece to a puzzle.
Sylus shrugged casually. “We have only met once. In the hospital cafeteria.”
Mrs. Fuentez’s gaze darted between the two of us, something mischievous twinkling in her eyes.
“Well, what do you think of my son, Doctor Lily?” she asked, a smile pulling at her lips.
“He is handsome, isn't he? I keep telling him he needs a good woman in his life, but he is as stubborn as ever. I can’t even get him to react to beautiful women like you. Is there something wrong with him?”
Her teasing left me speechless, and I felt the heat rising to my cheeks. It was entirely too personal for me to comment on.
Flustered, I tried to keep things light. “I think… I’m just not his style.”
Before I could say more, Sylus interrupted with a sharp, “Who said that?”
His words stunned me. I had not expected him to say anything.
At that moment, I could not help but wonder, had he deliberately called me ‘Lotty’ back then to find out my real name? Could it be that Sylus had taken an interest in me all along?
I dismissed the thought quickly, not wanting to overthink it. “It was just my opinion,” I said, keeping my tone neutral.
Mrs. Fuentez chuckled, enjoying the exchange.
“So, Sylus, do you like her?” she asked playfully, but before he could respond, she continued, “Because I like her. It would be wonderful to have a daughter-in-law as reliable and kind as Doctor Lily.”
I was left speechless, unsure of how to respond.
The conversation twisted and turned in ways I had not anticipated, and soon after, I found myself entangled with the Fuentez family more deeply than I ever thought possible.
As time passed, the Fuentez family began inviting me into their lives more often.
I was hesitant at first, aware of their reputation, but Mrs. Fuentez’s kindness made it difficult to refuse.
I found myself accepting their invitations, spending more time with Sylus.
At first, it felt like a dream. Sylus showered me with attention, picking me up for dates, buying me gifts, and giving me anything I want.
The love and affection he showed seemed genuine, and I started to open my heart to him. It felt like he was healing the wounds of my past, compensating for the loneliness I had carried for so long.
After all, his family treated me so well. They had accepted me, and his mother spoke of our future as if it was set in stone.
Then, there was his older brother, Xavier. From the moment we met, I sensed his disdain.
He never bothered to hide it, his cold glances and snide comments aimed at me whenever Sylus was not around.
But Xavier was away most of the time, studying abroad for his medical degree, and I did not see him as a threat.
In the end, Sylus and I were getting married and enjoying our married life.
However, one day, my beloved cat, which I had raised with care, was found dead because Xavier kicked it viciously.
I confronted Xavier, furious and heartbroken. But instead of apologizing, he sneered at me.
“Do you really think Sylus loves you?” he spat, his voice dripping with contempt.
His words rattled me. Confused and hurt, I demanded to know what he meant.
Without warning, Xavier grabbed me by the collar and dragged me into a room Sylus had always forbidden me to enter.
I had never questioned it, thinking it was related to their dangerous mafia business. But nothing could have prepared me for what I found inside.
The room was filled with photos, hundreds of them, plastered across the walls. Every single one of them was of a girl who looked exactly like me.
From her childhood to adulthood, the images chronicled the life of Charlotte, the real woman Sylus loved.
Xavier’s voice was cold and cruel as he stood beside me, watching my reaction. “Take a good look. This is the woman my brother has always loved. You are nothing but a replacement, a poor substitute for his fiancée.”
The truth was a dagger to my heart. I had been living in a lie, playing a role that was never meant for me.
From that moment on, I distanced myself from Sylus and searched for the news online.
It was said that before Charlotte left for abroad, she and Sylus were the kind of couple everyone admired. They seemed perfect together.
They attended events hand-in-hand, their connection so strong that those around them whispered about how lucky they were to have found each other so young.
But then, tragedy struck the Hooper family. A devastating accident changed everything, and Charlotte, burdened by her grief, made the difficult decision to leave.
She went abroad, disappearing from the public eye, letting time and distance ease her pain.
Sylus, meanwhile, never involved himself in any scandals or rumors. He kept to himself, stoic and composed.
Those close to the family murmured that he was waiting for her, that he had not given up hope that one day, Charlotte would return.
But when my marriage to Sylus was announced, the past seemed to be forgotten by everyone. The media’s focus shifted to us.
It was as though Charlotte had never existed, and I, naive and blinded by the life I thought we were building, remained blissfully unaware of their history.
My changed attitude was noticed by him, of course, but he never asked why. Maybe he knew, but chose to not care.
I also did not expect that someday, Charlotte would completely come back to Sylus’ side and made an uproar by the day she returned to the country.
Her arrival was nothing short of dramatic. The media captured Sylus personally picking her up from the airport, the pictures flooding every news outlet.
Headlines screamed, "Your Crush Is Back, Who Would You Choose?"
The internet exploded with speculation, and my heart sank as I realized the inevitable. Everyone knew the answer.
The public’s infatuation with Charlotte had never died, and neither had Sylus's feelings, it seemed.
Deep down, I knew what I had to do.
Once my wounds healed, I would leave the manor, leave Sylus, and leave behind the life I had mistakenly believed was mine.
Chapter 3That night, fever burned through me like fire, the ache in my body spreading until it became unbearable.
My vision blurred, and in my dazed state, I instinctively reached for my phone and dialed Sylus.
After all, I had been his wife for three years, how could I suddenly stop depending on him? Surely, he would care, wouldn't he?
When the call connected, I expected concern, but instead, his voice came through, sharp and impatient. "Stop calling me all the time. You are an adult. Can't you solve your own problems?"
His words struck me like a punch to the gut, my breath catching as though I were drowning. I tried to speak, each word feeling like a struggle. "Sylus, I... I feel really uncomfortable. Can you…."
Before I could finish, a soft voice interrupted from the background.
"Lily, do not bother him anymore," the woman’s voice, unmistakably Charlotte's, chimed in. "He has been taking care of me all day, and he is already tired. As his current wife, you should understand him, okay?"
The call ended with a click, cutting off the last shred of hope I had clung to. It felt like a bucket of ice water had been poured over me, freezing me in place.
Of course, how could I have forgotten? Sylus had never loved me from the beginning. I had been a substitute for Charlotte all along, a mere shadow in their story.
With trembling hands, I called Julius, the one person in the manor I could still rely on.
I never knew when it started, but I had always been independent, ever since my parents died.
It seemed three years of being Sylus’s wife had changed me. I had grown accustomed to the idea of having someone to lean on, even if that person never truly cared.
Julius arrived in my room quickly, his eyes widening in alarm when he saw me drenched in sweat, as if I had just been pulled from the ocean.
Without a word, he moved to call Sylus, but I shook my head weakly, stopping him. "I already called," I whispered.
Understanding washed over Julius’s face.
He did not push further, knowing Sylus would not come. Instead, he offered a simple solution, "I will call a doctor to the house."
But I shook my head again, desperate. "No, Julius. I need to go to the hospital."
With that, he scooped me up and rushed me to the car.
Looking at the road, I felt like they were going to take me to a hospital funded by Fuentez, so I begged him again to go to another hospital.
He hesitated, torn between his concern and my request. "But the other hospital is farther away, and I am afraid you will not make it in time."
"I will hold on. Just take me to the one I mentioned. Please," I pleaded, barely able to keep my eyes open.
The reason why I did not want to go to Fuentez was my fear of the surgery I did not want that day.
I was just an ordinary commoner with no power or influence. If I went to their hospital again, I did not know what crazy actions Sylus would take to me.
Reluctantly, Julius agreed. "Okay, but you must hold on. I will drive as fast as I can."
By the time we arrived at the hospital, my vision was fading, and I was barely conscious. The last thing I remembered was the concerned face of the doctor I knew well, someone I trusted.
The relief of knowing I was in safe hands was the only thing that kept me from spiraling into complete darkness.
When I woke up, I was in a hospital bed, an IV in my arm, and Julius sitting dutifully beside me. His face, usually so calm, was etched with worry.
Seeing me awake, Julius immediately called the doctor, and they hurried in to examine me. After ensuring I was stable, the doctor let out a long sigh of relief.
"You’re lucky, Lily," he said softly. "The wound was not completely sterile, and it became infected. If you had come any later, it could have led to severe organ damage."
His words hit me like a blow. I had been so close to losing everything just for the pearl owned by my man’s fiancée.
The doctor, sensing my distress, tried to reassure me. "But everything is under control now. You just need to rest for a few days. And please, don’t go home too soon. It is better for you to stay here where we can take care of you."
I nodded weakly, managing a small smile. "Thank you. Of course, I will enjoy my time here as long as possible."
The doctor left, and Julius approached, his worry easing slightly.
“Thank you, Julius," I said quietly, my voice still weak. "Thank you for listening to me and for bringing me here."
"It’s my pleasure, Madam," he replied with a bow. "It is my duty to serve you."
I smiled, though it did not reach my eyes. "You can go home now, Julius."
But Julius shook his head. "No, Madam. I will stay and take care of you. Mr. and Mrs. Fuentez’s last request was for me to look after you, and I intend to keep that promise."
His loyalty touched me, but I knew how difficult his position was.
Sylus, as the head of the Fuentez family, held power over him. I had seen Julius scolded many times by Sylus and his brother Xavier, just for being kind to me.
Yet, he remained steadfast, caring for me when no one else would.
"Julius," I murmured, "I will be fine here, I know some doctor here, so you can rest easy. You still have some work on the Manor, right?”
As a result, Julius could only give up and return to the Manor, after promising to visit me every day.
In the days that followed, Sylus did not come to see me. It was as though I had faded from his world entirely, replaced by the warmth and comfort he found in Charlotte.
Julius, however, fulfilled his promise by visiting me every day, his loyalty unwavering, making sure I had everything I needed.
Each time he returned from the manor, Julius would gently mention that he had tried to speak with Sylus about my condition, only to be dismissed with cold indifference.
Sylus’s disgust was clear; he did not want to hear anything about me.
But a week later, something stirred in Sylus, and he remembered my existence. Maybe it was guilt, or maybe it was simply the looming need to sever ties.
It turned out, he came to the hospital to discuss our divorce. He brought Charlotte with him, her presence like a cruel punctuation to our shattered relationship.
I was still packing my belongings, preparing for my discharge, when they arrived.
The moment Sylus entered the room, a rare flicker of guilt crossed his usually stoic face. His voice, though still distant, held a trace of something softer.
“Why didn't you tell me you were in the hospital?”
Before I could respond, Charlotte cut in smoothly, slipping her arm around his and pulling him closer.
“Oh, Sylus has been with me these past few days. He did not have time to check on you,” she smiled sweetly, through her eyes dancing with triumph. “You know how it is. We have been together since childhood. Our bond is unbreakable.”
She tightened her grip on his arm, her chest pressed provocatively against him, as if daring me to object.
But I did not give her the satisfaction. Instead, I forced a smile, even if my heart was aching even as I feigned indifference.
“It is fine. I am okay now. I was just about to go home,” I said, my voice steady even though my insides felt hollow.
“So, what business brings you here today? Oh, right. Julius mentioned the divorce. Is that what you wanted to talk about?”
The words came out calmly, but inside, I was breaking. The pain I had buried deep within me swelled, but I would not let it show. I could not let either of them see how much it still hurt.
Sylus’s eyes flickered briefly with something. Was it regret? Maybe, but it was fleeting, quickly replaced by the familiar, unreadable coldness.
“This is not the right place to discuss it,” Sylus said after a pause, his tone more commanding. “Come home with us. We will talk at the manor.”
Charlotte’s smile faltered for a split second, surprise flickering in her eyes. She had not expected Sylus to care about me at all, not even enough to bring me back to the manor.
But she quickly recovered, her smile widening as she clung tighter to him. “Yes, Lily. We do have dinner plans, but we can take you home first.”
I shook my head, the weariness of the last few weeks weighing heavily on me. “No need. We are getting divorced anyway. You don’t have to change your plans for me.”
Sylus’s jaw tightened at my casual tone, and with an annoyed sigh, he pulled away from Charlotte, taking a step toward me. “No. I have canceled the plans. I am taking you home, and we are discussing this now.”
Charlotte’s smile vanished completely, replaced by a tight-lipped expression. Her eyes narrowed as she crossed her arms, clearly displeased by the change in their evening.
She remained silent, though, her frustration visible in every stiff movement as she climbed into the car behind us.
The ride back to the manor was tense. But I just stared out the window, my thoughts spinning.
Even though I had spent the entire week in the hospital thinking about life after Sylus, after the Fuentez family, but the truth was, I still did not know what that life would look like.
Would I be safe, free from their grasp? Or would the shadow of Sylus and his powerful family linger over me forever?
When we finally arrived at the manor, Sylus wasted no time. In the living room, he laid everything out with the precision of a business transaction.
“Charlotte and I are getting married soon,” he said bluntly, not even pausing to see how those words might affect me.
"I will make sure you are well-compensated," he continued, his tone matter-of-fact. "You will not have to worry about anything after the divorce."
Charlotte, sitting beside him with her arms crossed, watched me with a smug smile.
For a moment, the room fell silent. Sylus stared at me, and I could see something flicker behind his eyes.
Charlotte was the first to break the tension, leaning forward with a smile that did not reach her eyes.
"Well, you will get a villa too, Lily.” Then she looked to Sylus before continuing, “Right, Sylus?”
Sylus cleared his throat, standing up from the couch and straightening his suit. "Yeah. The divorce agreement is in your room. Once everything is signed, you will be free to go."
"Sure," I replied, though the words tasted bitter on my tongue.
He turned to leave with Charlotte at his side, and for a moment, it felt as if I was not important anymore in his life.
Chapter 4After gathering my few belongings, I packed them into a small suitcase.
I did not take much, just the things I had brought with me at the start of my marriage.
I left behind the clothes, jewelry, and gifts Sylus had given me over the years. I did not want any reminders of a life that no longer belonged to me.
As I stood before the divorce papers, my hands trembled. I had made up my mind, but my heart felt heavy with the weight of what was to come.
I took a deep breath and forced myself to open the document. The pen was already there, waiting for my signature.
But as my eyes scanned the paper, I noticed that Sylus had yet to sign. It felt as though he was waiting for my decision, but I quickly brushed that thought away.
"He must be busy planning his wedding," I muttered to myself, trying to push down any lingering feelings.
With a final, steadying breath, I signed my name. Just as I finished, there was a knock at the door. Sylus stood there, holding a set of keys in his hand.
"This is the key to your villa," he said in that same indifferent tone I had grown used to. "As for money, I have transferred it to your account. Let me know if it is not enough."
I glanced at him, forcing a faint smile. "Okay. I have signed the divorce papers. Please find some time to sign them too." Without waiting for a response, I grabbed my suitcase and walked past him.
Once I was outside, I took out my phone to check the address of the villa. But my heart skipped a beat when I saw the balance in my account, ten million dollars.
He had kept his promise, ensuring that I could live comfortably for the rest of my life.
But the thought only deepened the ache in my chest. They had prepared everything so neatly, so meticulously, to build a future that had no place for me.
As I made my way downstairs, Charlotte was waiting for me, her face twisted in a sullen expression. Even on the day I was leaving, she could not resist stirring up trouble.
"Lily," she cried, her voice loud and trembling. "Please, give me back my ring. It is the engagement ring Sylus bought for me five years ago. It was custom-made. You can’t just take it for revenge."
I stared at her, taking in her frail figure. Her face might have resembled mine, but that was where the similarities ended. She was smaller, weaker, like a fragile doll that would break at the slightest touch.
I could not help but smirk. "Move aside, Charlotte," I said coldly. "I did not take your ring."
I pushed past her, but she fell to the floor, crying as though I had shoved her with all my might. "Ow, it hurts! Are you really doing this to punish me? Taking my ring?"
My anger flared, and I spun around to face her. "Charlotte, have you lost your mind? I said I didn’t take it!"
Her tearful expression shifted into something more sinister, her voice a venomous whisper. "Or did you swallow it again? Are you waiting for someone to cut your stomach open like last time?"
My blood ran cold. Memories of the last time they had forced me into submission rushed back, and my body began to tremble.
I was terrified that history would repeat itself, that they would hurt me again.
Soon, the commotion drew Sylus and Xavier to the scene.
Xavier immediately rushed to Charlotte’s side, demanding to know what had happened.
She wasted no time in accusing me of stealing her engagement ring, claiming I had taken it out of spite.
As a result, Xavier’s eyes burned with fury, and he moved toward me, ready to force me to hand over the ring. But Sylus, ever composed, simply ordered the guards to search my belongings.
They ripped open my suitcase, scattering the few things I had packed across the floor.
My heart broke at the sight of it. My life was reduced to that humiliating scene and my privacy violated once again.
Tears welled up in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I would not give them the satisfaction of seeing me cry.
A few minutes later, one of the guards whispered something to Sylus. They had not found anything, of course.
"Can I pack my things now?" I asked, my voice trembling but defiant.
Sylus did not even look at me as he spoke. "No. You don’t need to take anything from here. Leave the manor and go on your own."
His words felt like a final blow, cold and heartless. I watched as he turned and walked back upstairs without another word.
Charlotte looked momentarily stunned, but she quickly recovered, sneering as Xavier helped her to her feet.
I stood there for a moment, staring at the mess they had made of my things, before finally turning toward the door.
My hands still shook, but with each step, I felt a strange sense of freedom growing inside me.
That place had been my prison for far too long, so I would never come back there.
*
A few days later, Sylus appeared at my villa without knocking, without ringing the bell. It turned out he had a spare key.
I was in the living room when he strolled in, holding a small envelope in his hand. His face was unreadable as he looked at me. Then, with unnerving casualness, he extended the invitation towards me.
“Will you come to our wedding? I want to have your blessing.”
Chapter 5My answer was immediate, my tone as sharp as glass. “Of course not.”
Silence settled between us like a heavy fog. The only sound in the room was the ticking of the clock, each second stretching longer than the last.
Sylus let out a long sigh, lowering the invitation, his gaze clouded with regret that I could neither comprehend nor care about.
“Do you really not care about me anymore?” he asked, his voice soft, almost pleading.
I looked at him, the man who had torn apart my world, and found it all so absurd. “And if I did still care, would you call off your wedding?”
My question seemed to strike him, and for a second, he was lost for words. His mouth opened, but no reply came.
Then he moved closer, his hands reaching out to mine, holding them as if trying to anchor me to him.
“Hey, listen," he began, his voice low, almost tender. "It is okay if you don’t want to come. But, for your information, I still have not signed our divorce papers. I just… I just want you to get along with her, peacefully. We can still live together.”
I felt my heart turn cold, colder than it had ever been. I pulled my hands free from his grip, sneering. "Are you suggesting I become your mistress? Or that she does? Which one of us is supposed to play that role?"
It was laughable, really. How little he understood me, or maybe how little he cared.
Also, the fact that he had not even signed the divorce papers, as if toying with my life was some casual game for him, was just the final insult.
Anger flashed across Sylus’ face. He cornered me, grabbing both of my arms with a force that stung. “I’m not asking you to be a mistress!
“I want you to remain the hostess of our family. But I need you to tolerate her. She is an orphan. She has no one but me.”
I stared into his eyes, unflinching. “I am also an orphan, if that is your excuse for keeping her around. But forget it, I certainly will never be your hostess anymore.”
His desperation showed as he leaned his head on my shoulder, his voice lowering. “What do you want from me, Lily? Do you really want me to cancel the wedding?”
His words slithered into my ears like poison, but I would never be fooled by his mind games again. I steeled myself and leaned close, my breath cold against his ear.
“You don’t need to cancel anything for me. In fact, I wish you both a long, happy life together. May you have children soon and live in your perfect little world.”
He recoiled, his jaw tight with frustration. He gritted his teeth, letting go of me abruptly. “Fine. Just don’t regret it. I gave you a chance.”
I watched as he stormed out, his frustration barely masked. It was clear he had not gotten the answer he wanted, but I was done being a part of his twisted games.
*
The next morning, as if fate had another cruel joke to play, Charlotte appeared at my door.
She smiled as she approached, her steps deliberate, a glint of mischief in her eyes.
“Lily, guess what this is?” she purred, her voice sickly sweet.
Charlotte’s smile stretched wide as she flaunted the engagement ring, the very one she had accused me of stealing on the day I left Fuentez manor.
"Oh, you found it," I said flatly, keeping my tone even.
My lack of reaction seemed to drive her mad. She stormed toward me, her face twisted with rage, and grabbed the collar of my shirt, her fingers trembling with anger.
“Does this seem fine to you?” she hissed; her voice barely contained. “Don’t think I don’t know that you asked Sylus to come here yesterday. Divorced, but still flirting with him, how shameless!”
I could not help but smile, a cold and cunning smile. “You are right that Sylus came here. But if you think I invited him, you are wrong.”
“Then why was he not happy after you left? He looked reluctant, almost sad. Do you know what he said to me when he came back? He asked me to postpone the wedding! Isn’t that strange, Lily?”
I tilted my head, meeting her gaze with amusement. “So, you doubt your fiancé now?”
“Of course not! Between the two of us, Sylus will always choose me.” She sneered, her voice dripping with venom. “Do you remember the pearl, Lily? I was the one who told Sylus to take it from your stomach.”
Hearing those words ignited a fire within me, a rage I could no longer suppress. My hands shot out, grabbing her by the neck.
Charlotte had been the one behind the very ordeal that had nearly taken my life, the one who convinced Sylus to tear the pearl from me. She even had the audacity to wear it around her neck.
“Listen to me, Lotty,” I growled through clenched teeth, tightening my grip. “You will never beat me. So, you should learn your place and live peacefully in the manor.”
But Charlotte was not one to back down. With a swift movement, she yanked at my hair, pulling me down to the floor.
She straddled me, her weight pressing onto the exact spot of my surgical wound, making me gasp in pain.
“Who said I can’t beat you?” she said triumphantly, her hands wrapping around my throat, squeezing as I struggled to breathe.
The pain shot through me, but I managed to slip my hand into my pocket, grasping my phone. With trembling fingers, I dialed for the police.
*
At the police station, I gave my statement, detailing everything that had happened.
Charlotte, of course, tried to spin the situation in her favor. She apologized sweetly, calling it all a misunderstanding. According to her, the ring had simply been misplaced in her room.
As we waited, Sylus arrived, his face pale with worry. He took in the sight of me and Charlotte and looked utterly bewildered.
His words stammered out, “I’m… I'm sorry for everything, for making you suffer.”
I sneered, my voice colder than ever. “No need to apologize, but I will never forgive you.”
As we stepped out of the police station, Charlotte approached me, her voice dripping with false humility.
“Lily, I really didn't mean it,” she said, her eyes wide, as if she were the one wronged. “I thought you would take the ring to ruin my marriage with Sylus. I was wrong. Can you forgive me?”
It was almost laughable, the switch from venom to this pitiful act. But what truly surprised me was Sylus falling for it so easily.
Before I could even form a response, he pulled her protectively into his arms, his concern all for her.
"Okay, okay, she did not mean it," Sylus said, looking at me with mild exasperation. "Don’t be so stubborn. I will transfer a million dollars to your account as compensation."
I smiled politely, accepting his offer without hesitation. Then, I watched as the two of them walked away, hand in hand.
Charlotte shot me a smug, victorious smile over her shoulder. But that smile only strengthened my resolve. The villa Sylus had given me was no longer safe, it never had been.
*
The day of Sylus’s wedding arrived, and the internet exploded with coverage of their lavish ceremony. Videos of the event flooded social media, and netizens swooned over the couple's ‘perfect love story.’
“It’s so sweet,” people wrote. “After waiting for so many years, they finally got what they wished for.”
It was as if I had never existed, completely erased from their fairytale narrative.
But then, a new video emerged, one that sent shockwaves through the public. As the wedding reached its peak, just as they were about to exchange rings, Sylus ran.
Chaos ensued, and Charlotte, overwhelmed with shock and humiliation, fainted at the altar. The guests were left in a state of confusion, and the wedding descended into complete disorder.
Meanwhile, I was quietly finishing my own preparations. The villa had successfully sold, and I was ready to leave the city behind for good, away from Sylus, from Charlotte, from everything tied to the nightmare they had dragged me into.
But as I sat in the back of the taxi on my way to the airport, my phone rang. When I saw Sylus’ name, with a heavy sigh, I answered.
“Where are you?” Sylus’s voice came through, breathless and panicked. “Why did you sell the villa and disappear? Is this some kind of game to you?”