Steve Carter and I had only been married for three months, but that was long enough for me to realize how much control he had over my life. Today was the breaking point. He wanted me to donate bone marrow to his half-sister, Amy.
A week ago, Amy had been out drinking. She got behind the wheel of her car and knocked down my brother, Lucas and he died on the spot. Ever since, I had been doing everything I could to make sure she faced justice, but nothing worked. Steve was too powerful. He was one of the biggest names in business, and no one dared to stand up to him. Every time I thought I had a chance to bring Amy to justice, Steve’s influence made it like throwing pebbles at a mountain.
My family was falling apart. My mother was shattered by grief, and when she heard about Lucas, she had a heart attack and ended up in the ICU. My father, got into a car accident while tearing through traffic, and was now in surgery, fighting for his life.
And now, Steve had the audacity to ask me to save Amy.
Steve’s expression hardened as he stood with his arms crossed, blocking the path to the door of in our living room, a space that once felt warm and inviting but now cold and suffocating. "She’s family, Claire," he said coldly. “You know how serious her condition is. You need to understand that sometimes we have to make sacrifice for the ones we love”
“Love?” I scoffed. “Is this love? Forcing me to do something against my will?’
Steve stepped closer, invading my personal space. Lower his voice his voice to a whisper. “You have to help me Claire, she’s my Sister.”
But I wasn’t going to do it. Not for her. Not for him.
It didn’t matter what I wanted, though. Steve always got his way. His men grabbed me and took me to the hospital, ignoring my protests. The smell of disinfectant stung my nose as I struggled against the restraints. We were in a sterile hospital room, bright florescent lights casting harsh shadows on the white walls. Steve himself inserted an IV into my arm. Every muscle in my body tensed, but it was useless to fight.
"Stop being so difficult, Claire," he said without any warmth. He leaned in close, his face just inches from mine. "You’re going to do this for Amy. That’s final."
“I’m not doing this,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “You can’t keep controlling me like this.”
Steve ignored me, wiping a tear from my cheek, as if he cared.“You need to understand that I’m only trying to help my Sister. She needs this.”
That’s when I knew what I had to do. My hand slipped under the blanket, fingers wrapping around the utility knife I had hidden there. With all the strength I had left, I lunged forward and plunged the blade into Steve’s chest.
He gasped, eyes wide with shock. He stumbled back, clutching his chest as blood soaked through his shirt.
“Claire…” he whispered, barely able to speak.
“You deserve this,” I said through gritted teeth, “Don’t you know that I’m resistant to anesthesia?” I stabbed him again. And again. Each stab was filled with all the pain, anger, and grief that had been building since Lucas’s death.
Amy screamed, her voice loud and piercing. “Oh my God, she killed him!”
I pushed Steve’s limp body off me and turned toward Amy, blood dripping from my hands. Her face was pale, and for the first time, she wasn’t smiling. I stepped toward her gripping the knife tightly in my hand. “Do you even have leukemia?”
“Claire, wait! Please, don’t kill me!” she pleaded, backing away in fear. “I’m sorry! I never had leukemia. I faked it. I’m so sorry! Please, don’t hurt me.”
Her begging only made me angrier. Her words were desperate, and I could see the panic written all over her face.
Amy dropped to her knees, tears streaming down her face. “I was the one who drove drunk and killed your brother. I didn’t call for help. I just left him there. It was me! ” She cried, looking for any trace of mercy in my eyes. “And it was me who provoked your mum into having heart attack. I was the one who arrange for your dad’s accident. It was all my fault. I’ll confessto everything. I’ll turn myself in. Just don’t kill me!”
“You’re a monster Amy! There’s nothing you can say to make this right!” I snapped. “You deserve to die!”
I raised the knife and slashed her throat. Amy’s eyes widened in shock as she gasped for air, clutching at her neck. Blood poured from the wound as she collapsed.
The room was silent except for my heavy breathing. The smell of blood filled the air, thick and overwhelming. I stared down at their bodies, my heart pounding. It was over.
But even as I stood there, I knew it wasn’t the end. I had crossed a line, and there would be no turning back. The police would come, and I would face the consequences. But for the first time in months, I didn’t care.
The door burst open, and a nurse screamed when she saw the scene. "Call the police!" someone shouted behind her.
I turned to the window, the cool breeze hitting my face as I stared out at the city. There was no place for me here anymore. Nothing left but pain and loss.
With one last glance at the mess I had made, I stepped onto the windowsill. A familiar male’s voice echoed in my mind one last time, but it felt far away, like a distant memory.
And then, I jumped.
Tick-tock.
I opened my eyes, feeling hot and uncomfortable.
"Brother, I’m so sorry! I didn’t know she was allergic to mangoes..." Amy’s voice came through, her tone fake and whiny.
"It’s okay, you didn’t mean it. Claire won’t mind," Steve said softly, as if I was the one who did something wrong.
I turned my head and saw Amy, pretending to be sweet and innocent, clinging to Steve’s sleeve. But her eyes betrayed her; filled with jealousy.
I glanced at the IV bag above me and then back at her. Anger rose inside me. Why was I reliving this horrible moment?
“Claire, you’re awake,” Steve said, rushing over. “How do you feel? Are you okay?”
Amy stood nearby, looking pitiful, but I could see the jealousy burning in her eyes. I had been so blind before, not seeing who she really was.
“Claire, it wasn’t on purpose. Amy didn’t know you were allergic to mangoes,” Steve said, trying to help me sit up. He was being gentle, but it made me mad that he always defended her.
Suddenly, everything came rushing back. I realized I had been sent back six months before the wedding. I had been given another chance.
Amy moved closer, fake tears in her eyes. “Claire, I’m really sorry. I didn’t know…”
Oh, you knew. You always knew.
I must have been blind to believe Steve and fall for his lies. Today had been my birthday in my past life, and Amy insisted on cooking for me. I didn’t want to let her, but she was Steve’s family, so I agreed. Then, after a couple of bites, I had an allergic reaction to the mango juice she secretly added, and I ended up in the hospital.
Worst of all, Steve convinced me to forgive her.
But not this time.
I pulled the IV out of my arm and got out of bed.
“Claire, what are you doing?” Steve asked, his voice sharp now.“I told Amy that it wasn’t intentional, don’t be difficult.”
I shot Steve a cold glance from the side.
“Your hand is still bleeding. I’ll get the nurse,” he said, hurrying out of the room.
The moment he was gone, I sprang out of bed, swiftly shut the door, and lock it.
Amy’s face twisted with fear, but then she smirked. “What are you going to do, Claire?”
I walked up to her and slapped her across the face.
“Ah!” she screamed. Before she could react, I grabbed her hair and slammed her against the wall.
“Help! Steve, help!” she cried.
Steve pounded on the door from the other side. “Claire, don’t be crazy!”
I didn’t stop. Memories of my brother and the pain she caused my family fueled me. If this was my second chance, I was going to make it count.
Bang! The door burst open...
Chapter 2Steve pushed me away with force. I was already weak and couldn’t keep my balance, so I fell backward uncontrollably.
"Claire!" Steve shouted running back to help me.
But then…
"Brother, it hurts," Amy whined, her voice full of sobs.
Her words seemed to pull him in. Steve hesitated for a second. I could see the conflict in his eyes. By the time I hit the ground, my head smacked against the wall, a sharp pain shot through me and blood dripped down my forehead.
"Brother, Claire’s just really upset. You guys don’t have to fight because of me," Amy said in a soft, sweet tone, looking pitiful.
Steve hesitated, and his heart was clearly torn. After a brief pause, he finally stepped toward Amy and held her close.
"She did this on purpose. We can’t let it slide. Call the cops, Josh," Steve ordered his assistant, then walked out, leaving everything in Josh's hands.
Josh froze, unsure of what to do.
I knew Josh was hesitant. He was well aware that Steve had deep feelings for Amy, who’d been by his side since they were kids. But Steve also cared for me, he’d done so much for me over the years. He had given me so many good things, so much happiness, that in my previous life I couldn’t bring myself to let go of him.
But now, that was over.
Is a man really worth more than your own life and safety?
I smirked. "Call the cops."
Josh’s hands shook. "Miss Claire, Steve’s just angry right now. Maybe we should wait until he cools down..."
"Call the cops!" I cut him off, my voice firm.
Josh met my cold gaze. Eventually, he had no choice but to call the police.
A nurse came in and bandaged my head wound, and before long, the police arrived.
I didn’t say a word as I got into the police car, riding silently to the station with Josh.
In the stark, dimly lit interrogation room, the air was thick with tension. I sat across from the officer. Breaking the silence, I spoke up first.
"I want to report Amy for premeditated murder."
The officers looked confused. They thought they were dealing with a simple fight between two women, but now it was turning into something much darker.
I took a deep breath, I was determined to stay composed even though I felt nervous inside. The room was quiet, except for the faint buzzing of the fluorescent lights. I spoke calmly and clearly. "Amy knew I’m severely allergic to mangoes. Shelooked into my medical history, there’s evidence in her email. Today, she deliberately put mango in the dish."
"This is premeditated murder." I said it with absolute certainty.
Josh finally realized something wasn’t right and slowly stood up, his movement careful.
"Don’t even think about warning anyone, Josh," I said, my voice cold and unforgiving.
Josh froze, unable to make a move. There was no way I was going to let him ruin everything by tipping off Steve.
"Ms. Claire, can you give us Amy’s email address?" the officer asked.
"Josh, write it down," I said, handing him a pen and paper, my voice steady despite the growing tension in the room.
Reluctantly, Josh scribbled down Amy’s email.
The police station’s cyber team got to work quickly, and gathering the evidence didn’t take long. In Amy’s inbox, they found an email about me, dated a week ago. It had been read, and the browsing history showed she’d spent two hours reviewing it.
After the interrogation, I, as the victim, was free to go.
Josh offered to drive me home, but I declined, I wanted some time alone to think things through.
“I’ll be fine,” I said, forcing a smile. ‘I need to clear my head.”
‘Alright Miss Claire” he said as I got into my car.
I started to drive, my mind was racing, and the weight of my day began to sink in. Somewhere along the way, I lost track of my thoughts and ended up at the back door of my parents’ house instead of my apartment.
Nobody really uses this door. I hesitated for a moment, taking a deep breath, trying to gather my thoughts.
My head throbbed from the wound, and my face was swollen from the allergic reaction. I couldn’t just walk in and make my parents and brother worry. But standing there, staring at the familiar house, I wanted so badly to see them. I needed to know they were okay.
Tears streamed down my face as the guilt overwhelmed me. If I hadn’t insisted on being with Steve, none of them would’ve been in danger. I thought I was strong enough to fight for my love, but all I did was hurt the people I cared about most.
I don’t know how long I stood there crying before my phone rang.
“Claire, are you out of your mind? Go to the police station and drop this case now!” Steve’s voice came through, sounding both panicked and commanding.
I let out a dry laugh.
“Are you crying?” Steve paused. “Claire, this is all a misunderstanding. Amy grew up with me. She’s sweet and innocent. There’s no way she’d ever try to hurt you on purpose. She’s being framed.”
“If you keep pushing this, it’s going to spiral out of control, and her reputation will be ruined,” he added, the concern in his voice making it clear that his priority was Amy.
I knew Steve was trying to use his influence to make everything go away, but for that to happen, I had to let it go. If I didn’t, even if Amy wasn’t formally charged, the scandal would stain her reputation. And if people found out she poisoned her future sister-in-law, her chances of marrying into another wealthy family would be ruined.
“Steve,” I cut him off, “you’re so hypocritical. You’re the one who called the cops. You were scared this would affect your reputation if Amy was involved. But what about me? My own fiancé sent me to the police station. Does that look good for my reputation?”
Steve went silent. I’d never spoken to him like this before. His voice rose again, this time laced with anger. “Claire, I admit I didn’t handle this well. I’m sorry, but…”
“For your sister, you’ll bend over backward. I have solid proof, Steve. If you want to save her, you better show me you’re serious,” I interrupted again. I didn’t need to hear more excuses.
“Claire, I get that you’re upset. Whatever you want, I’ll get it for you,” he said, his tone softening like I was some naive girl throwing a tantrum.
He was surprised that there was something incriminating about me in Amy’s email, but even now, he didn’t believe she would deliberately try to kill me. In his eyes, Amy was still that perfect, innocent girl, and if she did something wrong, it had to be someone else’s fault.
“First, we break up. Second, I want the south city project,” I stated calmly.
The project in the south of the city wasn’t huge, and my family could handle it. In the past, because of that project, Steve had made connections with an international group that helped his family business soar. It gave him the leverage to crush me when our relationship eventually fell apart.
Now, with the advantage of my memories from my previous life, I was going to take that opportunity away from him. He owed me that much.
“Claire, what the hell are you talking about? If you want the project, I’ll give it to you, but we’re not breaking up,” Steve said, his voice dropping.
“Steve, you can’t have it all. You want to keep playing happy families with your stepsister and drag me along too? It’s not going to work. We’re done. Call me when you’ve made your decision. You have one night to think it over.”
“If I don’t hear what I want by tomorrow morning, I can’t guarantee what happens next.”
I hung up the phone before he could respond.
Steve tried calling several more times, but I ignored every single one of them, refusing to answer. After sitting in the car for a while, I finally started the engine and drove back to my apartment in the city center.
Just as I reached for the fingerprint lock, the door across the hall opened...
Chapter 3I instinctively looked over my shoulder. Across the hall, a man stood tall and confident in his suit. His appearance was striking, and when our eyes met, he paused, a bit taken aback, before flashing a slight smile. He gave me a small nod, a polite gesture.
I barely acknowledged him, he was just a neighbor. Ignore.
The next morning, I woke up to the sun shining through the window, its brightness making me squint my eyes. It was already seven. I stayed in bed for a few moments, grumpy as heck. I finally slid out of bed. I had a very quick shower, put on pretty some track pants and tee to go for a walk. And then grab breakfast.
Today was going to be difficult, and I needed all the energy I could muster.
I stepped outside, but as soon as I reached the building’s entrance, I froze. Steve was already there, leaning against his car, waiting for me. His face was tense, and he walked over when he saw me, his hand reaching out for mine.
I yanked my wrist away before he could touch me.
"Claire, we need to talk," he said, his voice strained.
"We’ve already talked," I shot back, my tone cold. "We’re done, Steve. There’s nothing left to discuss. Have you agreed to my terms, or not?"
Steve looked like he hadn’t slept all night. There were dark circles under his eyes, and he was frowning, his frustration clearly visible. "Claire, I never agreed to break up."
I folded my arms, unimpressed. "Then you’re delusional. We’re over, Steve. You made your choice when you ran to Amy."
He sighed heavily, as if he were dealing with a child throwing a tantrum. "Claire, Amy almost got disfigured. I stayed up all night with her in the hospital. This morning, she told me she hasn't used that email in ages, there's no way she sent those messages. You have to believe me."
I stared at him, my disbelief quickly turning into bitter amusement. "Did you even bother checking the login details? You didn’t, did you?"
He blinked, taken aback by my sudden change in tone. "I… I didn’t think I needed to. Amy wouldn’t… "
"Of course, you didn’t," I interrupted, my voice filled with sarcasm. "Because when it comes to Amy, you believe whatever she says without question. You haven’t changed at all, Steve."
His expression wavered. "Claire, it’s not like that. You don’t understand..."
"No," I cut him off again, my eyes narrowing. "You don’t understand. I don’t care what Amy told you, and I don’t even care if you want to believe her. But I want what’s mine. You give me the project, and we part ways for good, or we drag this out, and trust me, you won’t like where that leads."
Steve’s shoulders drooped in defeat, but he still tried to reach out for me again, as if somehow his touch could convince me to stay.
"Claire, do we really have to make this such a big deal? I mean, can't we just move past this?"
I took a step back, glaring at him. "Steve, you literally had me arrested. You chose her over me. Now, you have to live with that choice."
He opened his mouth to protest, but I raised a hand, cutting him off for the third time. My patience was running out.
“I’ve already told you. Give me the project, and we break up. That’s it. We’ll both move on. You and Amy can live your little happy life, and I’ll be out of it.”
Steve’s face twisted in frustration. “I’ll give you the project, Claire, but I won’t break up with you. I still care about you. I still want to..."
I let out a sharp laugh, cutting him off once again. "You want me to stick around, while Amy’s still in the picture? Do you honestly think I’m that gullible?"
He winced. "Claire, I swear. I am aware I made a mistake, but I can fix it. Let’s work this out."
I stared at him for a long moment, then smiled, but it wasn’t a friendly smile. It was the smile of someone who’d already made up their mind.
“Okay, if you really choose me, then that means Amy’s out of the picture. Completely. No contact, no interference. Can you honestly do that?”
He hesitated, and in that hesitation, I saw the answer. He couldn’t do it. He’d never put me before Amy.
“You can’t, can you?” I whispered, the realization settling in. “Even now, you’re still choosing her over me.”
Steve’s lips pressed together tightly, but he said nothing.
“You know what? Let me save you the trouble, Steve. We’re done.” My voice was firm, unwavering. “Dragging this out is only going to make things worse for both of us. Let’s let each other go.”
His phone rang, momentarily easing the tension. He glanced at the screen, and I saw his mom’s name pop up.
Steve answered with a sigh. “Mom?”
I could hear his mother’s voice, frantic and emotional on the other end. “Steve, Amy’s fainted again! You need to come home now. That Claire girl is making a scene over nothing. You’ve got to fix this.”
Steve’s face hardened. "I'll be right there."
He hung up, his expression conflicted. He looked at me, his eyes pleading, but I had no sympathy left to give him.
“Claire,” he said quietly, “I’ll give you the project. But I won’t stop fighting for us. I’ll win you back.”
I rolled my eyes. “Good luck with that. Who’s overseeing the project?”
“I’ll have Josh handle it,” Steve said, his voice tight.
“Great. Thanks.”
Without another word, I turned on my heel and walked away, heading for the cafe down the street. I didn’t bother looking back. I didn’t need to.
By nine, Josh came by to finalize the project handover. We reviewed all the paperwork meticulously “Once this is signed, the project management officially transfers to your family’s firm,” Josh confirmed.
I took a deep breath, I can’t believe this is finally happening. I left with everything I needed. As I walked to my car, my heart raced with the thrill of being officially in charge.
I returned to the office, I called the police. “Hello Officer, I’d like to drop the charges for the allergy incident.”
‘Are you sure about that?’ the officer asked, sounding surprised.
“Yes, I thought it through, it’s probably an accident, and I don’t want to pursue this any further.” I hung up, a sense of relief washing over me.
After that, I texted Steve, I’ve dropped the charges against Amy, you can relax now. I hit send. A knot formed in my stomach. I needed to let him know I was moving on.
After that, I blocked his number, along with Amy’s and everyone connected to Steve. It was time to cut them all out of my life for good!