I Booked My Own Sea Burial, But You Came Too Late

I was released after ten years in prison, and I didnt even go home. Instead, I went straight to book my sea burial.

Miss Amberlight, this is your arranged sea burial service. After death, your body will be released into the ocean. A deposit is required first, and the remaining balance must be paid within half a month.

I just nodded. My hands started shaking as I pulled a plastic bag out from my worn jeans. Inside was everything I had saved over the years, crumpled bills and loose coins, all earned from scraps and labor inside prison. It wasnt much, but it was enough for the deposit, barely.

I handed it over like I was handing away the last piece of myself.

They told me I had a month left.

Stage late stomach cancer, no treatment left, no second chance.

Funny how life doesnt wait for you to be ready to die and all I could think about was him.

Arkin Wattson.

We had once promised each other something stupidly beautiful, a wedding in a seaside chapel where the waves would be our witness and the whole world would finally believe in us. He said even the ocean would bless us, and I believed him back then, I really did.

Now I was just arranging to return to that same ocean alone.

Isnt it ironic. Or maybe its just cruel.

After I left the burial office, I needed money. The remaining balance wasnt small, and no one hires someone with a record and a body already halfway gone. So I ended up at a seaside resort perched on a cliff, the kind of place where the ocean looks endless and expensive, where dreams are sold in white and gold.

They gave me a uniform, simple, clean, and forgettable. No real instructions, just a quick rundown before pushing me to start that same day. After a short training, I was assigned to housekeeping and room service, moving through corridors that smelled like fresh linen and sea salt, carrying trays, cleaning spaces that didnt belong to people like me.

I kept my head low. I didnt want to be seen. Didnt want to exist more than necessary.

That was when everything broke open again.

The suite sat on the highest floor, a private cliffside room soaked in golden sunset light. Beyond the glass walls, the ocean stretched endlessly, beautiful in a way that felt almost cruel.

I pushed the service cart inside, slow and quiet.

'Just do your job. In and out. Dont look up.'

Laughter filled the room, light and effortless.

Then I heard it.

That voice.

Make sure everything is exactly how I want it, Arkin said, The chapel by the sea. White and pink roses everywhere. Not a single detail off.

I froze. My fingers tightened around the tray.

No... That couldnt be.

Slowly, I lifted my head and there he was.

Arkin.

Sitting by the glass, the ocean behind him like it belonged to him. Surrounded by people who laughed too easily. Ten years had passed, yet nothing about him felt different. Still sharp. Still untouchable. Still far beyond anything I could reach.

But what made my stomach drop wasnt him alone. It was who he was holding.

Trixie.

My so-called sister.

She rested in his arms as if she had always been meant to be there, smiling softly while he spoke about their wedding.

If the designer messes up your dress again, Ill throw it out, he said. You dont even need to see it. Ill have them redo everything until its perfect. I just want you happy.

Trixie laughed, You always say that. What if I change my mind again?

Then Ill change everything with you.

My throat tightened.

A wedding.

His wedding.

With her...

My mind slipped back ten years without permission, dragging me with it.

I was so close back then. So close to becoming his wife.

We grew up together. He walked me home in the rain. I patched his bruises when he came back from fights he never explained. We survived everything side by side, like it meant something permanent.

When my parents died, he stayed. He stayed when I couldnt even breathe. So how did it end like this?

Because I killed his father.

The memory hit like a wave that never stopped.

That night carved itself into my bones. He cornered me, eyes red, voice shaking as if he was barely holding himself together.

Dahlia, he cried. Tell me why... Please, just tell me the truth. There has to be a reason. You wouldnt do this for nothing.

I remember laughing or maybe it was something breaking inside me.

Theres no deeper reason, I said. Your father saw me with someone else. He said hed tell you. I lost control. Thats it.

Silence.

Then his face changed, slowly and completely.

He didnt shout. He didnt beg. He just looked at me like I had already died.

I still see that look when I close my eyes. Like Im trapped behind glass, watching myself decay while he walks away.

After that sent me to prison and I let him.

What was I supposed to say? That I was protecting someone else? That the truth would destroy more than just him? Or maybe I just didnt think I deserved to be believed anymore.

Ten years inside.

Ten years asking the same question.

What if I told him the truth?

Would it have changed anything?

The memory tightened.

That night destroyed everything.

Arkins father had long struggled with severe depression and paranid disoder. The kind that didnt sit quietly but rotted everything from the inside out. On the night before my wedding, he had a breakdown inside one of the private estate rooms. He mistook a bodyguard for his wifes lover, someone he believed had ruined his marriage. In that broken state, he crossed a line he could never come back from. He killed the man and buried the body in the backyard.

I was there to discuss last-minute wedding details with Arkin. I remember standing in the hallway, frozen, seeing everything I was never meant to see.

I couldnt move.

When it ended and reality came crashing back, his father broke. He fell to his knees, shaking, begging me not to tell anyone.

Please, he kept saying, voice cracking. You dont understand what this would do to him. To the family. Just please. I didnt mean for any of this.

I shouldve walked away.

I shouldve told the truth.

But I didnt.

All I could think about was Arkin. What this would do to him. What it would destroy.

So I said yes.

I agreed to stay quiet.

I left the estate in a state I couldnt describe, hands cold, chest hollow. Somewhere along the road, everything got worse.

His father drove after me in a panic, maybe guilt, maybe fear. His car crashed into mine.

That became the story.

A tragic accident. Wrong place, wrong time.

And I stood there and let it become truth.

The silence that followed wasnt peace... It was punishment.

Arkins world stayed perfect on the outside. Polished. Untouchable. Built on legacy and power. If the truth ever came out, it wouldnt just break him. It would destroy everything his name stood on.

So I took it.

All of it.

I let him hate me so he could keep living without being shattered by something he never shouldve carried.

That was the choice I made.

That was my so-called love.

Now my body is already failing, so theres no point undoing anything. If he hates me, fine. Let him. At least I can disappear without dragging him into it again.

The waves crashed harder against the cliffs, like they were trying to tear the world apart.

I turned slightly, gripping the edge of the service cart, ready to leave the suite quietly. The way I learned to exist here. Unseen. Unnoticed. Temporary.

But before I could take another step, a voice cut through the air behind me.

Dahlia? Wait is that really you?

My entire body went still.

Youre out?

My body locked up.

Then someone shoved my shoulder from behind, careless, laughing. I lost my balance and slammed into the low glass coffee table in the center of the suite.

Bang!

Glass shattered across the marble floor.

The tray slipped from my hands. Bottles crashed. Expensive wine bled into the carpet like something wasted on purpose. Pain shot through my palms as shards cut into my skin, and I hit the floor hard enough to knock the air out of me.

For a second, all I could hear was the ocean outside.

Then the room burst.

Laughter filled the suite instantly, sharp and loud, echoing against the glass walls overlooking the cliffs. Familiar in the worst way.

People stood up around me like I was part of the entertainment. Something unexpected that made their night better.

Oh wow, it really is Dahlia! Trixie's older sister, one of them said, dragging my name out like it tasted wrong. You got out and your first job is here? At a resort like this? He laughed. Damn, life really humbles people, huh?

I didnt answer.

I pressed my hand harder against my bleeding palm and tried to breathe through the sting.

Another voice joined in, lighter but just as cruel. Look at her. Still acting all quiet. Youd think ten years in prison wouldve fixed that attitude. Wait, how come this criminal even has a job here? She should just be sweeping the streets!

They laughed again while I stayed on the floor.

Getting up felt pointless.

Then a colder voice cut through the noise. It's Arkin.

What are you doing just lying there? You broke expensive liquor. Do you even know what those bottles cost?

I swallowed, forcing my voice to work.

Im s-sorry,, Mr. Wattson, I said quietly. I didnt mean to knock it over. I cant afford it, but Ill figure something out. Just give me time.

A scoff.

Time? Arkin's friend chime in, You think this is a charity? Dahlia, you really havent changed. You still dont understand your place.

More laughter followed, louder now, feeding off each other.

Alright, he said slowly, a smile forming that didnt reach his eyes. Since you work here now, entertain us a little. Dance.

The word hung in the air.

Dance for us.

Yeah, come on.

You broke the drinks. Make up for it.

Dont be shy, Dahlia. Show us what ten years taught you.

My face burned.

Not just from humiliation. From something heavier. Deeper. Like my body was too tired to even hold onto anger anymore.

I could feel eyes on me from every direction. Weighing. Judging. Enjoying.

And then I felt it. A gaze that didnt laugh.

Arkin.

I didnt have money. Not even close. I could already see how this would end. The man in front of me wasnt just angry about broken bottles. He was using me. Turning me into something small for everyone else to step on.

People like him never stopped. They just found new ways to make it worse.

Ten years in prison had already stripped away whatever dignity I once had. So when my vision blurred and I bit my lip hard enough to taste blood, I pushed myself up slowly. My knees shook. My hands were still bleeding.

The music shifted. Someone turned it up for fun.

And I moved.

Not gracefully. Not beautifully. Just enough to follow the command. My body stiff, hollow, like I wasnt even inside it anymore.

Laughter rose again.

Look at her! Fuck, she dance like a slugs.

This is just sad.

Guess prison didnt fix anything. You know what Dahlia, ask your sister Trixie to teach you. She's a great danc

BANG!

The coffee table flipped violently.

Glass scraped across marble, sharp and sudden, and a voice cut through everything.

ENOUGH.

The room went silent.

Before I could react, a hand closed around my arm, strong and unyielding. I was dragged out of the suite, my feet barely keeping up as the noise behind me faded, replaced by the distant crash of waves.

The hallway was dim, quiet and colder.

Then I was shoved back against the marble wall.

The impact knocked the breath out of me again.

Arkin stood in front of me.

Close.

Too close.

Close enough that I could feel the weight of everything he never said.

Dahlia, he said, voice cold and controlled, are you seriously degrading yourself like that in front of everyone?

My back pressed into the wall. A shiver ran through me. Slowly, I turned my head to look at him.

You shouldnt have stepped in, I said quietly. How is your father supposed to rest after this?

Something in his expression shifted.

He shoved me harder.

You think I did that for you? he snapped. I pulled you out because Im making a deal. Not because I care what happens to you.

He stepped closer. His voice dropped, quieter but cutting deeper.

You need money, right?

The words hit exactly where they were meant to.

Then listen carefully. Youll stand outside my room tonight. You dont leave. You dont speak. Ill pay you. More than whatever job you think you can survive on here.

Before I could respond, he pulled out a stack of cash and threw it straight at my face, hard.

The bills hit my cheek and scattered to the floor.

My skin stung as I stood frozen, warmth rising where it struck.

Arkin didnt wait. He turned away like I wasnt worth another second.

....

That night, I stood outside his room without moving.

Inside, I heard them.

Trixies voice first, soft and amused. Then Arkins, lower, blending with hers until it filled the hallway like I didnt exist at all.

I stayed there until morning.

When the door finally opened, Arkin stepped out, adjusting his sleeves like nothing had happened.

Trixie followed, smirking when she saw me still there.

Clean the room, Arkin said flatly.

I went in.

The place looked like a battlefield of luxury and carelessness. Sheets twisted. Glasses scattered. The air heavy with something I refused to name.

I knelt anyway. Hands shaking as I wiped the floor in silence.

Trixie leaned against the doorway, watching me.

Wow, sister! Youre still alive, she said lightly. Thats kind of surprising.

I didnt answer.

She smiled faintly and glanced at Arkin.

Are you really keeping her around?

Shes useful, Arkin said without hesitation. And she wont be here long anyway.

Trixie laughed softly. Good. Before the wedding, make sure she disappears. I hate looking at her.

For the next few days, wherever Arkin and Trixie went, I followed.

Dinner. Private gatherings. Cliffside parties filled with people who wouldnt even look at someone like me twice. I was always there, standing behind them. Quiet. Invisible. Unless they needed something.

Or unless Arkin wanted something.

Every time someone raised a glass, hed glance at me like it meant nothing.

Shell drink it.

And I did.

Glass after glass. No pause. No refusal.

At first, people laughed it off.

Then it kept going.

Arkin, thats enough, someone would say, Shes already had a lot.

Hed smile faintly, eyes cold. What? You think she cant handle it? Dahlia, tell them. You can, right?

Id nod. Yeah. I can.

Even when my stomach twisted. Even when my throat burned raw.

By the end of it, Id be in the bathroom, gripping the sink, throwing up everything until there was nothing left. Just dry heaving. Shaking.

Then Id go back out.

Because if I didnt, it would only get worse.

At dinners, it wasnt any better.

Hed sit beside Trixie, relaxed, untouchable, while I stood behind her chair like I belonged there.

Dahlia, hed say casually, peel the shrimp for her. She doesnt like getting her hands dirty.

Id do it.

And the fish, Trixie would add, take the bones out properly this time. Last time you missed one.

Okay, Id answer quietly.

Then Arkin again, almost bored, Wipe her hands after. Shes not used to this kind of inconvenience.

Trixie would laugh softly.

Arkin baby, youre spoiling me too much, shed say but she never stopped me.

Not once.

Sometimes shed look at me, eyes sharp, satisfied.

Careful, sister. Dont mess up. You know how clumsy you can be.

I didnt respond. I just kept doing everything they asked.

Even following her to the restroom. Standing outside like something no one hired but everyone used. And in front of everyone, Arkin treated her like she was everything.

Holding her hand. Brushing her hair back. Leaning close when he spoke.

Things he used to do with me.

After every event, when it was all over, hed walk to his car, pull out a thick stack of cash, and toss it at me without looking.

Your pay for today, hed say flatly. Count it if you want. I dont short people.

The money would hit the ground more often than not. Dirty. Wrinkled. Sometimes stepped on.

Id still bend down and pick it up. One by one. Carefully. Like it mattered more than anything.

Because it did.

I needed it.

Just a little more.

Once I had enough, I could pay off the sea burial. Then I could disappear completely. No body. No trace. No Dahlia.

Isnt that better for everyone?

On Trixies birthday, Arkin went all out.

A massive banquet, the kind people talk about for years.

The entire venue was covered in roses, endless rows of them, soft and overwhelming, like something out of a dream I didnt belong in.

I heard someone say it cost millions just for the flowers.

Of course it did.

This was Arkin.

He didnt do anything halfway.

Trixie walked in beside him, holding his arm, smiling like she owned the world.

She wore a custom outfit, something elegant and expensive, and I heard whispers that it was designed by Arkins mother herself.

For her future daughter-in-law.

They looked perfect together.

Too perfect.

And I stood somewhere in the background, holding a tray, pretending I didnt exist.

For a second, my mind slipped back to our engagement.

It had been just as grand. Just as beautiful.

Everyone smiling, everyone watching us like we were the ending of a perfect story.

Arkin had held my hand the same way and looked at me the same way.

Like I was everything.

Hed taken out a ring, something passed down in his family, and slipped it onto my finger.

Youre mine now, he said back then, voice softer than I had ever heard it. And Im yours. No matter what happens, we dont walk away from each other. Okay?

I had nodded like I believed it would last forever.

I really did.

The noise around me snapped me out of it.

People talking, not even bothering to lower their voices.

Can you believe Dahlia had the nerve to show up here? She's a criminal!

Seriously, she and Arkin grew up together. He treated her like a princess, gave her everything, and she still destroyed his family.

I still dont get it, another one said, shaking their head. He loved her so much. Everyone knew it. Why would she do something that stupid?

Because shes heartless, someone else cut in. People like her dont think. They just ruin everything.

If that never happened theyd probably have a kid by now. Maybe even in school already.

Another scoff.

Dont even try to make sense of her. She doesnt deserve that kind of understanding.

Yeah, someone added, harsher, someone like her should just disappear.

Honestly? She should just die.

I heard all of it. Every word. And I didnt react and didnt defend myself. Because what was the point? They werent wrong about one thing.

I was going to die soon anyway. And this time, Id make sure when I left there wouldnt be anything left behind.

After the banquet, Arkin stayed behind to send off his guests, still smiling, still perfect in front of everyone.

Trixie and I waited by the lake near the entrance, the cold air settling into my bones while everything finally went quiet.

It was the first time we were alone since I got out.

For a while, she didnt say anything, just stood there, staring at the water like she owned even the silence.

Then she spoke.

Sister do you know something? her voice was soft, almost sweet, the kind that pretended to be kind while hiding something rotten. Ive always loved Arkin. Not recently, not after you disappeared. I mean before. Even before you got together with him. Funny, right? You just got him anyway.

I didnt answer.

She let out a small laugh, tilting her head.

Back then, you two looked so happy, she continued, and I told myself to let it go. I thought maybe if I stepped back, I could still be your sister, still be part of your life. I even told myself Id bless you both. God, I was so stupid.

She finally turned to look at me, and this time there was no softness left, only something sharp and ugly behind her eyes.

But then you ruined everything! her tone tightening. You destroyed him! Do you even know what he went through after that? Or were you too busy playing the victim somewhere? Do you have any idea how broken he was?

Her lips curled slightly.

I was the one who stayed with him. Me. I was the one who helped him calm down, who stayed up with him when he couldnt sleep, who picked up every piece you left behind.

Her voice dropped lower, almost mocking.

And now youre back. Why? she asked. Why show up again when things finally started to settle? Why cant you just stay gone for once? Or is ruining things the only thing youre actually good at?

I looked at her, really looked at her, and it felt strange.

All those years, she was beside me, smiling, calling me sister, and I never knew she had been looking at him like that the whole time.

Or maybe I just didnt want to know.

What was the point now anyway?

I wasnt here to take anything back. I wasnt here to fight for anything. I was already leaving.

Trixie, I said quietly, Im leaving soon.

She scoffed, rolling her eyes like Id just said something embarrassing.

Leaving? she repeated. You expect me to believe that? Please. You always say things like that, Dahlia. Always acting like youre some tragic heroine about to disappear. But you never actually do, do you? You always come back and make everything worse.

Before I could respond, she suddenly slipped the ring off her finger.

The ring.

The one Arkin gave her.

Then she threw it straight into the lake.

The sound was small, barely anything, but it echoed loudly in my head.

Opps! You dropped my ring, sister. Shouldnt you go get it? Or is that too much effort for you now?

I frowned slightly.

I didnt throw it, I said.

But she just smiled wider, Does it matter? Youre the one standing here with me, arent you? And we both know how this looks. Her eyes flicked toward the path. If Arkin sees its gone, who do you think hell believe? Me or you?

Before I could say anything else, footsteps approached.

Arkin! My sister pulled off my fing and threw it on the lake.

Arkin came into view fast, eyes already dark with anger. The moment he saw me, he grabbed my wrist hard.

Dahlia, are you fucking crazy! What does Trixies ring have to do with you? Why would you throw it away? Are you that desperate to cause trouble?

I looked straight at him.

His anger burned, but beneath it, there was something else, something I didnt want to understand. Was he expecting something from me? Jealousy? Regret?

Did he really think I still had the right to feel those things?

A bitter feeling rose in my chest, but I forced a small smile.

Why would I care about a ring like that? I said quietly. To me, its not even worth as much as the cash you throw at me.

Something in his eyes went cold instantly and before I could react, he shoved me hard.

SPLASH!

The water swallowed me in seconds. I gasped, but my breath got stuck as the freezing water closed around me. By the time I surfaced, Arkin had already turned away.

I dont care how you do it, he said without looking back. Get the ring.

Then he grabbed Trixies hand and walked off.

Just like that.

No hesitation and no second glance.

The wind cut through the wet fabric clinging to my body, and the lake was half frozen, thin sheets of ice floating around me.

Even looking at it from above wouldve made anyone step back but I was already in it.

The mud at the bottom was sharp, broken pieces hidden under the surface, cutting into my feet every time I moved. I bit my lip and dove down.

Again.

And again.

And again.

The water blurred everything, and my body started to go numb, but I kept searching, hands moving through the dark, through the cold, through the pain that didnt even feel sharp anymore.

Just empty.

Time passed, but I couldnt tell how much.

Hours, maybe.

The sky shifted slowly toward morning at some point, my blood had spread into the water, faint red swirling around me every time I moved.

But I kept going, because I knew if I didnt find it, it wouldnt end here.

Finally, my fingers brushed against something small.

Cold metal.

The ring.

I held onto it like it was the only thing keeping me from sinking completely.

When I got out of the lake, I could barely feel my body anymore.

Everything hurt, but also didnt.

I walked back, dripping, shaking, and found Arkin again.

I held the ring out to him. He glanced at me, frowning slightly, like my state was inconvenient.

Then he reached into his pocket, pulled out cash, and threw it at me.

Same as always.

No words that mattered.

No questions.

Just money. I picked it up quietly, one bill at a time, my hands still trembling.

Then I left.

Because that was all I was supposed to do.

For the next few days, Arkin didnt make things harder for me. No orders, no humiliation, nothing, and it felt strange, too quiet, like something was waiting. I almost thought maybe he was done with me, maybe I could just save enough, finish the sea burial, and disappear. Was it really going to be that easy? I shouldve known better.

That day, when I got back and stepped out of the car, I saw it immediately. Thick smoke wrapping around the villa. My heart dropped. Arkin. The thought hit before anything else and I ran without thinking. He hated noise, hated people, so the staff only came when he wasnt home, and these past few days he stayed inside. Which meant he was alone.

Arkin! I shouted, rushing in as the heat hit me. The fire had spread fast, but I knew the place well and pushed forward, coughing, until I reached his bedroom. He was there, collapsed on the bed, completely unconscious. The air was heavy with smoke, and the pills on the table told me enough.

Arkin, wake up, I said, shaking him, but he didnt move. Dont do this you can hate me all you want, just dont die like this, okay?

I dragged him up, forced him onto my back, and moved toward the door. Every step got heavier, the fire growing, the way out almost blocked. Heat pressed in, my breathing uneven, and then something cracked above me. A burning beam fell. I didnt think, I just turned and covered him. Pain exploded through my back, my vision went white, and I almost collapsed.

But I didnt.

I looked at him, still breathing, still alive, and something in me refused to give up.

Just hold on, I whispered. You dont get to leave like this. Not before me.

I forced myself forward, step by step, through heat and smoke and pain, until somehow we made it out. We collapsed onto the lawn, cold air hitting my lungs as I coughed, my body shaking, everything hurting at once. I barely had strength, but I still pushed him away from me.

Trixie ran toward us. Of course she did. Always there when it mattered. I used the last of my strength and shoved Arkin toward her.

Take him, I said weakly. When he wakes up tell him you saved him. Just say it was you. Dont tell him I was there.

She froze, staring at me.

What are you doing? she asked, confused. Why would you say that? Dahlia, what are you trying to prove now?

I shook my head.

Nothing, I said. Im not trying to prove anything. I just dont need him to know.

She grabbed my arm, her eyes narrowing.

Then answer me, she said. Did you kill his father on purpose? Was it really you, just like everyone says?

My body went still. For a second, everything came back, the truth, the lie, everything I carried. Would it even matter now? Would he believe me? Or just hate me more? Whats the point?

After a long pause, I gave the only answer that kept things simple.

Yes.

Her grip loosened. I walked away without looking back.

In the days after that, Trixie stayed by his side, taking care of him, never leaving. When he learned she saved him, everything shifted. He treated her better, softer, closer, like she mattered more than anyone. Maybe she always did.

At night, standing outside his door, I could hear them. Her laughter. His voice, low and gentle, the way it used to be with me. Words that werent mine anymore. I leaned against the wall, eyes closed, pretending I couldnt hear it, pretending it didnt matter.

Maybe he really did fall for her. Maybe this was how it was supposed to be.

Good. He shouldve had this life from the start.

I looked at my hands and let out a quiet breath. So this is it, huh? You really dont belong anywhere anymore.

The wound on my back still burned from the fire, sharp with every movement, but I didnt tell anyone. When no one was around, Id quietly put medicine on it, teeth clenched, trying not to make a sound.

Because it didnt matter.

I was already halfway gone anyway.

That day, as always, I stayed in the small room they gave me. It wasnt really a room, just a space I didnt belong in. I took off my coat, sat down, and was about to apply medicine on my back when the door suddenly slammed open.

Arkins mother.

Of course it was her.

Her eyes dropped straight to my back, to the burns Id been hiding, and her expression shifted instantly, anger and fear colliding at once.

What happened to your back? Those burns Dahlia, what did you do?

She stepped closer, unable to accept what she was seeing, then stopped right in front of me.

Was it you? she asked. Did you save Arkin that day?

I froze.

My first instinct was to stand, to cover it, to make it disappear. I quickly pulled my clothes back on, hands unsteady.

I didnt know why she was here. I didnt understand why she looked like that, as if she was holding herself together by force.

For a second, I almost told her the truth. Almost.

But then everything came back.

The money, the hate, the sea burial I was still chasing, the way Arkin looked at me like I was a mistake that never ended.

So I forced a smile instead. A wrong one.

What do you mean save him? I said lightly, brushing it off. Youre overthinking it.

Her eyes narrowed.

I shrugged.

This? I added, touching my back like it meant nothing. Its nothing. I got it in prison. Fights happen there. Men dont really like sharing space, especially when there are women involved.

I let out a short laugh, hollow and controlled.

Some of them got strange, fighting over attention, over nothing. I was just caught in the middle.

Her face changed instantly.

Anger. Disgust. And disappointment sharper than both.

Her hand shot forward and grabbed my wrist.

Dahlia, she said through clenched teeth, do you even hear yourself? After everything Arkin went through for you, this is what you say? Youre still like this? Still filthy, still shameless?

Her grip tightened.

Do you have no heart at all?

I couldnt breathe properly, but I still managed a small, strained laugh.

What do you expect from me? I said. You already decided who I am a long time ago.

She shook me slightly, voice rising.

So what, you just sleep around? After everything between you and Arkin, after everything he gave you, this is what you became?

My throat tightened.

I shouldnt have spoken.

But I did.

Arkin was never just one thing, I said slowly. Hes not the only one who mattered in my life.

Her expression snapped completely.

That was it.

She shoved me away hard, as if I was something she couldnt stand touching anymore.

Disgusting, she said coldly. Youre absolutely disgusting. Loving you was the biggest mistake of his life, and honestly, mine too for ever tolerating you.

She turned sharply.

And dont ever stand in front of him again.

Then she left.

The door slammed.

Silence rushed back in, heavier than before.

I stayed where I was, slowly sliding down until I sat on the floor.

So this was what I wanted, right?

For her to hate me.

For everyone to stop looking at me like I still existed.

Then why did it feel like something inside my chest was being pressed down, slowly breaking?

Like something was still bleeding even though nothing should have been left.

I exhaled.

Itll pass, I told myself quietly.

It had to.

....

Later, Trixie showed up.

She always did things like that, acting like she belonged everywhere, especially where I didnt.

Get in, she said, tossing me the car keys. Arkin said you need to run an errand. Im driving.

I didnt ask why.

I just followed.

The car ride started silent, but her energy shifted quickly, restless, too controlled.

She tapped the wheel once, then again, then laughed under her breath.

You know, she said, glancing at me, its funny. You always look so tired. Like youre already halfway gone.

I didnt respond.

Her smile widened. Do you ever think about that? she asked. About just disappearing? Or are you still too stubborn for that?

Before I could answer, she slammed the brakes, hard and fhe car jerked to a stop. She then opened the door and ran out.

Help! she screamed, voice instantly soft, broken. Someone help me!

Then she collapsed right in front of the car.

Footsteps rushed in immediately.

Arkin. Then Arkins mother.

Trixie lifted her head slightly, weak, and perfect.

Arkin she whispered, glassy-eyed. Dont blame Dahlia, please. Don't blame my sister she didnt mean it

Then she coughed blood. Arkins mother dropped beside her instantly.

Trixie! Stay with me! she cried. What happened? What did she do to you?

The bright red blood hit Arkins mothers eyes first, and I saw it immediately, that look, the same one she had the day everything fell apart years ago, cold and sharp like I had already been sentenced without a word.

Her gaze locked on me, then snapped as she stepped forward.

Dahlia, she said, voice rising and trembling with rage, you really never change, do you, who were you messing with this time that youd do something like this to Trixie?

Her hands shook as she pulled Trixie up and held her close, as if protecting something fragile.

Stay still, sweetheart, stay with me, she kept saying, panicked but forcing control. Dont talk, just breathe, okay?

Then she shoved Trixie into the car and got in herself, the engine roaring alive.

Dahlia, he said, what did you do this time, why is she on the ground like that?

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out, and I didnt even know what I was supposed to explain.

Before I could try, Arkins mother snapped, slamming her hand on the steering wheel as she lost control.

I dont care anymore, she hissed. Dahlia, you should die!

The car surged forward, and bang.

My body rose then dropped hard.

For a few seconds I stayed conscious enough to feel it but not enough to understand it. Then everything went white.

---

I dreamed first, and that was the strange part.

I was back in a car, younger, hands gripping the wheel too tightly. My heart race like I might ruin everything just by existing, while Arkin sat beside me, softer then, not like this.

Dahlia, he laughed faintly, relax, youre not gonna crash, okay, Im right here, just drive slowly.

I shook my head.

I dont trust myself, I said.

He leaned closer, calm and steady.

Then trust me, he said. I wont let anything happen to you.

Then the dream shifted. His seat was empty, and suddenly he was outside the car watching me with red eyes.

Dahlia, he said again, but this time it wasnt gentle. Why did you do this, why do you always ruin everything?

The engine roared louder, and he stepped forward as if he was the one coming for me now.

---

I woke up choking on air I couldnt fully take in, staring at a white ceiling that smelled of antiseptic. Pain spread everywhere like it owned my body.

My chest felt crushed inward, and every breath dragged like glass through my ribs, until a nurse came in, checked briefly, and spoke without looking at me.

Youve got multiple broken ribs, she said flatly. Dont move too much.

Then she left, and that was it, no questions, no concern, just another case.

I stayed staring at the ceiling for a long time after that. Arkin didnt come, not once, but I didnt expect him to because he already decided what I was, and I was still here anyway.

---

When I left the hospital, the world outside had already moved on without me. Arkin and Trixie were preparing for the wedding.

Of course they were, and somehow I was still part of it, just not as anything important, only something to be used.

Arkin didnt even look at me when he spoke.

Youre coming with us, he said simply. Every step. Dont disappear, Dahlia, I want you to see it.

Trixie laughed beside him, leaning into his arm like she belonged there completely.

Oh, I like that, she said sweetly, then glanced at me. You should come, sister, dont worry, Ill make sure you get a good view.

Her smile sharpened slightly.

And dont act like you dont deserve it.

I didnt answer, so I followed.

I watched everything, the dress selection, the venue, the photos, Arkin standing beside her like he had always belonged there, while Trixie laughed too loud, touched him too often, and glanced at me like she needed proof I was still standing.

Sometimes she leaned closer and whispered only for me.

You know, she said once, smiling sweetly in public but lowering her voice, I always wondered how it feels to take everything from you, turns out its really easy.

I didnt react, because reacting meant I still mattered, and I wasnt supposed to.

---

On the anniversary of Arkins fathers death, I went alone with flowers in my hand to the same place that held everything I never asked for.

I sat by the tombstone and rested my head lightly against it as the wind moved cold but quiet.

Mr. Wattson, I said softly, are you okay there? Do you get lonely, I added, I think you used to like me before everything, you said I was like family.

A pause.

Im tired, I whispered. I think Ill come soon too, so dont wait too long, okay? Send my regards to my parents up there.

I closed my eyes for a moment, and for once the noise in my head felt distant.

Then footsteps came.

I opened my eyes and saw Arkins mother.

And the closest circle of Arkins father behind her.

Her expression changed instantly when she saw me, as if I didnt belong in the air itself.

You! she said sharply, you still have the nerve to come here?

Before I could stand, she stepped forward and shoved me hard, and my back hit the tombstone as pain exploded through my ribs.

I slid down slightly, hands shaking as I tried to steady myself, blood already warm on my skin, while no one stopped her and no one reacted.

Arkins mother stood over me, voice cold with disgust.

Dont you ever show your face here again, Dahlia, she said. You dont belong here, she snapped. Not near him. Not near anything in this family.

Then it turned sharper.

Murderer! Thats what you are. Youre the one who shouldve died, not him.

Her hand shook as she pointed at me.

What did the Wattson family ever do to you? Arkin loved you. My son loved you like you were part of us. And I treated you like my own daughter. So why? Why did you destroy us?

By the end, her voice cracked completely, caught between rage and grief.

I stayed kneeling, barely able to breathe from my ribs.

I didnt answer. Because there was nothing left that would make sense to her anyway.

Then Arkin stepped in.

He was quiet at first, just staring at me like he was deciding something he couldnt say out loud. Then he finally spoke, low and controlled.

Mom, stop, he said. Not here.

He turned to me next.

Dahlia, leave. Go to the car. Now.

I forced myself up slowly. Every movement tore through me, but I still walked out without looking back, because looking back never changed anything.

---

Only after I left did Arkins mother finally speak.

She stood by her husbands grave, face pale, voice rough like something buried for years had finally cracked open.

Son, she said to Arkin, answer me honestly. Do you still love her?

Arkin didnt answer right away.

The wind moved through the trees, and the silence stretched too long.

Finally, he said, No. I stopped a long time ago. And now I just hate her.

His mothers expression tightened, something breaking in her face.

Youre my son, she said quietly, how did you hide this from me for so long?

Then it turned heavier.

Dahlia is your fathers killer, she said, voice shaking. How could you ever stand near her, let alone keep her with you? Do you understand what youre doing? Your father cant rest if he sees this.

Arkin looked away. His jaw tightened, hands curling slightly at his sides like he was holding something back.

Dont worry, he said quietly. Im going to marry Trixie as soon as possible. And Dahlia wont be here much longer. Ill make sure she disappears.

---

After that, everything changed.

Arkin stopped hurting me directly. Not because he cared, but because it shifted into something quieter, more deliberate.

He took me back to places we used to go.

First was a private skybridge residence in California, a glass walkway between luxury towers overlooking San Francisco Bay.

We used to come here when everything still felt soft.

I remembered twisting my ankle once, and he carried me across the entire bridge like I weighed nothing, laughing like the world couldnt touch us there.

We even left a lock along the railing.

I still remembered what he said.

Dahlia, he had laughed, if we leave this here, you cant run away from me anymore.

And I had believed him. Now he stood beside me in silence while I searched for it. It took too long.

When I finally found it, my hands shook. Arkin didnt stop me. I opened a cutter, snapped it open, and let the lock fall straight into the bay below.

Then we went to a modern coastal estate chapel in Malibu, a glass-built venue overlooking the cliffs where billionaire families held private ceremonies.

We had tied a ribbon there once during a quiet moment meant only for us.

I still remembered what I wrote.

Arkin love Dahlia

I didnt speak when I saw it again.

We just stood there and then I untied it.The wind caught it, and it slipped through the glass edge, disappearing into the cliffs below.

Gone.

Just like that.

Next was a coastal estate garden where we once promised forever, laughing like the ocean would hold our words.

And then a private park inside his fathers estate where we planted a tree together and called it our future.

Every place felt like something quietly being erased from me.

Arkin didnt speak much and neither did I. Because there was nothing left to argue about anymore.We had already decided.

By the time we finished, the sun was low over the ocean. Arkin leaned against the car door and lit a cigarette.

Then another and another.

He smoked like he was trying to burn something out of himself. Or maybe just trying not to feel anything at all.

After the cigarette burned out, Arkin finally moved. He pulled a check from his pocket and handed it to me, his face completely blank.

This covers the bottles you broke, he said, then paused like he didnt even care if I reacted. Use the rest to buy a plane ticket and leave. Go somewhere far and dont come back. Dont tell me where youre going, and dont let me ever see you again.

My fingers were already dug into my palms, nails cutting into skin, but I still took the check. What else was I supposed to do, refuse? Beg him to stay? I almost laughed at myself.

Okay, I said.

We both looked up at the same time, and for a second everything felt stuck between us. Then we spoke together, like it was the last thing we had left.

Dahlia goodbye.

Arkin goodbye.

He looked away first, then turned and walked off without hesitation. I stood there watching his back disappear until there was nothing left, then I turned in the opposite direction and left too.

...

Three days before the wedding, I paid off my sea burial. Everything was settled, clean, no loose ends. At the same time, news about Arkin and Trixies wedding was everywhere. People couldnt stop talking about it because it was a billionaire wedding by the sea, and the whole city treated it like some kind of spectacle.

Two days before the wedding, I booked a flight. I didnt care where it was going as long as it was far enough.

That same night, Arkin spent millions on fireworks. The sky lit up, bright and loud, and people were cheering, posting, celebrating like it was the perfect love story. I stood far away and watched, wondering if this was what happiness looked like when it no longer had anything to do with me.

Good, I thought. Let it stay with them.

The day before the wedding, I packed everything I had into a box and burned it. I didnt rush, just sat there watching the flames eat through everything. The gifts he gave me, the memories we built, even the things I kept from prison because they were the only things that kept me going back then. None of it meant anything now. I was leaving, and I was dying, so there was no reason to keep any of it.

I stared at the fire and thought about him walking down the aisle with Trixie. Maybe hed smile, maybe theyd have kids, maybe hed forget me completely. Isnt that better? Isnt that what I wanted?

That same night, Arkin sat across from Trixie at dinner, and she kept watching him like she was trying to read something off his face.

Arkin, she said softly, why do you look so distracted? Dont tell me youre still thinking about my sister. That would be disappointing.

Arkin snapped out of it and took her hand,

No. Ive already let her go, he said. Theres nothing left between us, so you dont need to worry about her anymore.

Really? Because it doesnt feel like shes gone, her voice softer but sharper underneath. And I dont like sharing, you know that. If theres even a part of you still thinking about her, you should fix it.

Arkins expression hardened slightly.

She doesnt matter anymore, he said. Youre the one I chose. From now on, youre the most important person in my life.

That satisfied her. She smiled, leaning closer.

Good. Dont make me regret this.

After dinner, they walked out together, but before they could leave, the chandelier above them suddenly broke loose and crashed down, hitting Trixie directly.

She dropped instantly.

Blood spread fast, and Arkins face changed completely.

Trixie! he shouted, catching her. Stay awake. Look at me. Dont close your eyes, you hear me?

He rushed her to the hospital, and everything moved fast until the doctor said she needed a transfusion immediately, but her blood type was rare and the hospital didnt have enough.

Find a match, Arkin said without hesitation. I dont care how, just find one.

The assistant searched and came back with one name.

Sir its

Arkin didnt even pause.

Bring the person here, he said coldly. If that's person blood can save Trixie, then take it.

The assistant hesitated. Even if it kills

I said fucking do it!

At that moment, I was already on my way out, holding my ticket, thinking everything was finally over. Then they stopped me and dragged me to the hospital before I could even understand what was happening.

I struggled at first.

What are you doing? Let go of me!

No one answered properly until the assistant name Mara walked in and looked at me.

Its Arkins order, she said. Trixie is dying. Only your blood matches hers.

I stared at him. And if I refuse?

You dont get to refuse, she replied calmly. You owe him a life, dont you?

That stopped me.

Yeah.

I did. And it didnt matter anymore anyway. I was going to die sooner or later.

So I let go.

Fine, I said quietly.

They pushed me down and inserted the needle. I watched as my blood slowly drained out, and the numbers kept rising while my body grew weaker.

Four hundred.

Six hundred.

Eight hundred.

The machine started beeping, and my vision blurred. Everything felt distant, like I was already fading out.

So this is it...

I closed my eyes slowly.

'Arkin this time, its really goodbye.'

The sound stretched into a flat line, and somewhere nearby, someone started shouting in panic.

Shes gone! Stop it! Stop taking her blood! Shes not breathing, shes dead.