He Spent Millions to Bring Me Back, Only to Kill Our Child

On the eve of my wedding, I received an invitation. A funeral and my name was on it.

Date: tomorrow.

Dariuss mother smiled and said, If you dont exist, he cant marry you.

So I disappeared.

Two years later, Darius found me.

The man whos now the President of Davenport Group and the mafia king of La Serpiente cried when he saw me again. He held me so tightly I could barely breathe. His hands trembled against my back while he kept whispering my name, as if terrified I would vanish the moment he let go.

After that, he spent years proving how much he loved me. He cut ties with his family. He bought me diamonds, estates, and private islands. He gave me everything money could buy. Whenever people talked about Darius Davenport, they spoke about a ruthless mafia boss who ruled half the country's underground world. But when he was with me, he seemed like a completely different man.

And I believed him.

I believed every promise. I believed every late-night confession. I believed every time he looked at me like I was the most important person in his world.

Five years into our marriage, we had a beautiful three-year-old daughter, Lara. She was Darius's entire world. At least, that was what I thought.

He spoiled her endlessly. He carried her on his shoulders during family gatherings. He canceled meetings just to take her to the aquarium. Every time she wrapped her tiny arms around his neck and called him Daddy, his entire face softened.

Sometimes I would watch them together and think how lucky I was.

How stupid.

How unbelievably stupid.

Everything changed when our daughter got sick.

It started with a fever that wouldn't go away. Then came the hospital visits, the tests, and the endless waiting.

The diagnosis nearly destroyed me: A rare kidney disease. The doctors said she needed a transplant as soon as possible.

For months, Darius used every resource available to him. He practically turned the entire country upside down searching for a donor but no match was found.

Then one day, the doctors discovered something.

I was compatible.

Perfectly compatible.

The moment they told us, I didn't hesitate. Not even for a second. She was my daughter. I'd gladly give up my kidney if it meant she could live.

Darius looked devastated when I signed the consent forms. He sat beside my hospital bed that night and held my hand for hours.

"Marianne, thank you," he whispered, pressing his forehead against my fingers. "I don't know how I'll ever repay you for this."

"She's our daughter. There was never a choice to make. I'd do anything for her."

His eyes turned red. "I know That's exactly why I don't deserve you."

Back then, I thought he was overwhelmed because he loved her, now I knew better.

The surgery happened three days later. When I woke up, the first thing I saw was Darius sitting beside my bed. His suit was wrinkled. His eyes were bloodshot. His face looked pale.

For one brief moment, I thought everything was fine then I noticed the tears.

My heart immediately dropped. "D-darius? W-what happened" I whispered.

He looked at me and completely broke down. The most feared man in the country buried his face in my hand and cried so hard his shoulders shook.

Something inside me started shattering.

"Where's our daughter?" Panic clawed up my throat as I searched his face. "Darius, where is she?"

He couldn't look at me. "I'm sorry," he choked out. "I'm so sorry, Marianne. The surgery failed. The doctors tried everything they could, but they couldn't save her."

"No." My entire body started shaking violently. "No, no, no!"

Tears flooded my eyes as I tried to sit up despite the pain tearing through my side.

"Let me see her," I begged. My voice cracked so badly I barely recognized it. "Please let me see my baby."

Darius lowered his head and that silence told me everything.

I screamed. I screamed until my throat felt like it was bleeding. I screamed until doctors rushed into the room and had no choice but to sedate me.

...

When I woke up again, I wished I hadn't.

The pain was still there. My daughter was still gone. I kept my eyes closed because I didn't want to see anyone. Then I heard voices outside my room.

One belonged to Darius. The other belonged to our family doctor, Jared, who happened to be his cousin. At first, I wasn't listening until I heard the doctor say my name and everything changed.

"Darius, I honestly don't know how you're living with yourself." Jared's voice sounded strained with anger. "I've been a doctor for 10 years, and I've never seen anything this cruel."

"It was necessary." His tone remained calm and emotionless. "The decision had already been made."

Necessary? What is he talking about?

Jared let out a bitter laugh. "You gave Marianne's kidney to Verona Stuart's child and let your own daughter die! Tell me, how exactly is that necessary?"

The world stopped. For a moment, I thought I was hallucinating.

Verona Stuart?

The woman Darius once claimed meant nothing to him. Darius fling. The woman he said he'd cut ties with years ago.

"That little girl was your daughter. She was innocent in all of this. She trusted you completely."

Darius lit a cigarette. I heard the familiar click of his lighter. Then his cold voice filled the hallway.

"I made a promised to Verona that I'd protect her and my child with her." Darius sounded completely unbothered. "That promise comes first."

I stopped breathing.

What?

Darius had a child with Verona?

"Verona's son is four years old. Your daughter was only three. For God's sake, she called you Daddy and worshiped the ground you walked on."

"I'll make it up to Marianne. She'll eventually understand why I did this. I'll make sure she never lacks anything."

"You think that's possible?" he asked. "You think money can replace a child? You think gifts can erase what you've done?"

"I'll give her another child." Darius's response came instantly. "Once enough time passes, she'll move on. While she's recovering, arrange the sterilization procedure. I don't want any delays."

Jared froze. Darius, your daughter is dead. Why would you do that to Marianne now?"

A long silence followed.

Then Darius answered calmly. "I can't allow any future complications. If Marianne has another biological child, that child could threaten Verona's son's position in the Davenport family. I won't allow that to happen. Verona's son must become the Davenport heir." Darius's voice was cold and final. "Nothing and no one is more important than that."

The hallway fell silent.

A few moments later, Jared walked away. Suddenly, Darius's phone rang. He answered immediately.

His assistant's voice came through the speaker.

"Mr. Davenport, Ms. Stuart's son is recovering very well. When would you like us to begin the adoption process? The paperwork is already prepared."

My vision blurred.

My chest hurt so much I thought I might die right there. Tears streamed down my face.

The truth finally became clear. My daughter had never been his first choice. Verona's son was. Darius had lied to me, used me, taken my kidney, allowed our little girl to die, and now he was about to take away my ability to ever become a mother again.

The anesthesia slowly entered my IV and everything started fading.

When I woke up, Darius was sitting beside my hospital bed.

The moment he noticed I was awake, he leaned forward immediately. "Baby, you're awake. How are you feeling? Are you hurting anywhere?" His voice was soft and careful. "Do you want me to call the doctor?"

I looked at him quietly.

The same face. The same voice. The same man who had carried Lara on his shoulders and called her his little princess. How could he sit here and lie so naturally? How could he look me in the eye after killing our daughter?

I wanted to scream. I wanted to ask him why. Why Lara? Why our little girl? Why me? But the words never came out.

I just stared at him.

My silence seemed to make him uneasy. He reached for my hand and held it between both of his. "Marianne, I know you're hurting. I know this is unbearable." His voice cracked slightly as he lowered his head. "Believe me, if I could've taken Lara's place, I would've done it without hesitation."

The lie was so perfect it almost sounded real.

"The doctors tried everything," he continued quietly. "We tried everything. I would give anything to bring her back."

I nearly laughed.

Tried everything?

No.

He had made sure Lara never had a chance.

Before I could say anything, a sudden burning pain exploded through my lower abdomen. I gasped as it ripped through me like a blade. The pain came so suddenly that my entire body curled up.

"D-darius..." My voice trembled.

The burning sensation grew worse. Hot. Sharp. Unbearable.

I felt wetness beneath me.

Blood.

My heart dropped. The pain became unbearable.

He slammed the emergency button. "Doctor! Get in here right now!" His voice echoed through the room. "She's bleeding. Hurry!"

Footsteps rushed toward the room.

The last thing I saw was Darius gripping my hand tightly as if he couldn't bear to lose me.

Then darkness swallowed me whole.

---

When I opened my eyes again, the room was quiet.

Darius was still there. He sat beside the bed holding a medical report. His shoulders were slumped and his eyes looked red and swollen. Anyone walking into the room would've thought he'd spent the entire day crying.

The moment he saw me awake, he stood up. "Marianne, the doctor just spoke to me. The bleeding was worse than anyone expected. The surgeons did everything they could to save you." He looked down at the report before meeting my eyes again. "But the damage was too severe."

My fingers tightened around the blanket.

Darius swallowed hard. "They couldn't stop all the complications." He reached for my hand and held it carefully. "Marianne, you won't be able to have children anymore."

The room fell silent.

I felt strangely calm. Maybe because he'd already broken me. Maybe because there was nothing left to break.

Darius lowered his head. "I'm sorry. I know how much you loved Lara." His thumb rubbed gently across my knuckles. "I know how much you wanted a family."

"Once you're discharged, maybe we can adopt. We'll find a child who needs a home." His eyes softened. "You've always had such a big heart. Maybe having a little one around will help us heal."

The performance was flawless. I wondered how many times he'd practiced those expressions.

After a long silence, I glanced at the report and nodded. Seeing how cooperative I was, relief flashed across his face. He pulled me into his arms and held me tightly.

"Thank you," he whispered. "So many people would've fallen apart after this. You're stronger than anyone I know."

I nearly laughed. Fallen apart? I already had. He just didn't know it yet.

Later that evening, a nurse came in to help clean me up.

Darius refused immediately. "I'll do it. You can leave. I'll take care of my wife."

The nurse looked hesitant. "Mr. Davenport, are you sure?"

"I said I'll do it."

She quietly left. Darius rolled up his sleeves and filled a basin with warm water. Then he carefully wiped away the dried blood from my skin.

His movements were gentle. Patient. Almost tender. The same hands that had signed away Lara's life were now cleaning my body.

The irony was almost unbearable.

By the time he finished, it was already late. The city lights glowed through the hospital windows. Outside, the Davenport Group continued ruling the business world. La Serpienten continued ruling the shadows. And their king sat beside me pretending to be a devoted husband.

"Are you still hurting?" he asked quietly. "Do you need anything? I can call the doctor back."

I shook my head. "You haven't slept at all, have you? You look exhausted."

"I wasn't leaving you. Not now."

I forced a small smile. "I'm okay. Get some sleep."

For a moment, he hesitated, then he kissed my forehead. "If you need anything, wake me up. I'll be right here."

I nodded. A few minutes later, he fell asleep beside the bed. Only then did I reach for his phone, opened it and went to Whatsapp.

And the first thing I saw was a photo of Verona holding Carson, their son. The picture had been taken inside this very hospital. Both of them looked healthy, happy and alive.

My kidney had saved him.

The more I scrolled through their messages, the colder I felt.

Back when I was pregnant with Lara, Darius was constantly traveling. Meetings. Business negotiations. Mafia affairs. At least, that was what he'd told me.

I never questioned him.

So I went to prenatal appointments alone. I sat in the waiting room alone. I listened to our daughter's heartbeat alone. Even after Lara was born, Darius was rarely home. I used to tell myself he was working hard for our future.

Now I finally knew where he'd been.

Verona.

He had been with Verona.

Photo after photo filled the screen and there were thousands of them. Her pregnancy. Her doctor visits. Her birthday celebrations. Family dinners. Holiday trips.

Every important moment was carefully documented and Darius was in every single picture.

There were videos too.

In one, Verona was leaving a prenatal checkup. Darius wrapped an arm around her shoulders and kissed her forehead.

"You did great today," he said warmly. "Now tell me what reward you want."

Verona laughed. "Anything I want?"

"Anything, baby."

They both laughed.

I stared at the screen. Back then, I'd been sitting alone in another hospital. Waiting for him to call. Waiting for him to remember I existed.

After every one of my appointments, I'd received the same message.

Marianne, thank you for understanding. I have an important meeting today.

Then I found an entire album dedicated to Carson.

His first smile, his first birthday Every memory, every precious moment.

And Lara? My little girl was lying cold in a morgue.

Forgotten by the man who was supposed to love her most.

I slowly put the phone down. The difference between being loved and not being loved had never been clearer.

And for the first time in years, I finally understood something.

Darius Davenport had never chosen me.

The next morning, while he was out handling business, I moved without thinking too much. I called a lawyer and told them to prepare a divorce agreement.

After that, I called her.

Mrs. Davenport answered on the second ring, her voice sharp and unimpressed. What now, bitch?

I swallowed hard and forced myself to speak. I agree to divorce your son, Darius. I dont want your money or his money. I just want a favor.

There was a pause, then a cold little laugh. So even you finally got tired of pretending. Poor woman. Okay, fine. Speak. What do you want?

My fingers tightened around the phone. If you dont want your son chasing me again, if you dont want him losing his mind looking for me I took a breath, Then help me disappear. Make it look like Im dead. End it completely.

Silence stretched on the other end.

Fine. But if youre playing games with me, Ill make sure you regret it.

Im not, I said quietly. And I meant it more than anything I had ever said in my life. Im done.

Over the next few days, I discharged myself from the hospital. I claimed my daughters body from the morgue, placed her ashes in a small pink urn, and brought her home.

Darius wasn't with me when I laid her to rest. He said he was busy, but I knew exactly where he was. He was with Verona and Carson.

When Darius finally returned to the mansion days later, he acted as if nothing was wrong. He even had the nerve to try and be gentle.

He noticed I had been quiet, so he cleared his schedule and took me out himself. He booked an entire restaurant, filled it with roses, like flowers could fix what was already rotting between us.

For a while, I just sat there and watched him try.

Halfway there, his phone started ringing nonstop.

His jaw tightened when he saw the name, and something in his expression changed instantly. Fuck! he muttered under his breath, already pulling the car over.

He answered fast, and I heard the panic before I even understood the words.

Darius, please help me, a womans voice cried through the speaker. President Dunnington is drunk, hes trying to take me away, I cantah!

The line cut off.

Darius didnt even hesitate. He turned to me immediately, already unbuckling my seatbelt. Marianne, something came up! Get a taxi. Go to the restaurant first. Wait for me there, Ill handle this shit and come right back.

I didnt move.

I just looked at him.

Darius, I said quietly, its raining.

He blinked like he had just remembered I was even there. Then annoyance flashed across his face. He shrugged off his coat and shoved it toward me. Take it. Dont argue, just listen for once.

His hand brushed my head like I was a child he didnt have time to fully deal with. Be good, okay? Ill handle the board shit later, just go.

Before I could respond, he pushed the door open and pushed me out. My forehead slammed hard against the pavement and dirty rainwater rushed into my mouth. I coughed, choking on it, and for a second I just lay there, stunned, like my body forgot how to move.

My suit jacket was completely soaked, heavy against my skin.

I stayed there for a moment longer before pushing myself up. My hands were shaking slightly, but I didnt reach for the coat Darius had thrown at me. It lay there on the wet ground, getting ruined, and I just looked at it.

Tears started to fall but I stopped them.

Getting a taxi in the rain was almost impossible. Cars passed without stopping, lights blurring through the downpour like I didnt even exist so I just walked. By the time I finally reached the restaurant, I was soaked through.

But the restaurant was empty.

Completely empty.

No Darius.

I stood there for a long time, just listening to the silence of a place that used to mean something to me.

How many times had I come here believing things would be different this time?

The rain outside slowed, then came back heavier again, like it couldnt decide whether to stop or keep punishing me. I stayed anyway, waiting, because some stupid part of me still thought he might walk through that door.

He said he would come. He always said he would come.

I dont know how long I waited before I finally called a waiter over.

Serve the food, I said quietly.

The waiter hesitated, glancing toward the empty entrance. Mrs. Davenport Mr. Davenport hasnt arrived yet. The dishes are already cooled down. We can reheat them, but it wont taste the same.

Hes not coming, I said.

The waiter didnt know what to say after that, so he just left.

I sat there and watched the plates get served anyway. The food used to be my favorite. Now it tasted like salt and nothing else. I kept thinking, how did something so warm become so empty?

By the time I finally left, my body was already burning up. The fever hit fast, like my body had been waiting for permission to break down. The world blurred around me, and every step home felt heavier than the last.

I remember thinking, is this what it feels like to disappear slowly while still being alive?

Somewhere between waking and sleep, I felt a hand on my forehead.

Mommy are you sick? Im here I wont go away

My breath caught. Lara, my baby

My body reacted before my mind did.

I reached out and grabbed it tightly, clinging like I was drowning. I dont remember falling asleep after that.

...

When I opened my eyes again, morning light was spilling through the room.

I flinched and pulled away immediately, my hand pushing against whoever was sitting beside me.

Miss Marianne did I wake you?

I blinked, confused for a second, before I saw her. One of the household maids.

My chest tightened instantly.

Were you here all night?

Yes, madam, she said quickly. I tried calling the master, but he didnt answer. I couldnt leave you alone like that. You were holding my hand the whole time.

I stared at her for a moment.

Darius hadnt come, not even once.

The maid hesitated again. Should I try calling him again?

Before I could answer, my phone lit up with notifications. My fingers moved on their own. And the moment I opened it, I already knew.

The messages werent from Darius.

They were from Verona Stuart.

And inside were hundreds of photos and videos.

Darius.

Verona.

A night that didnt end.

From what I could see, it started at the entrance of some high-end place, then a private room, then a balcony. Laughter, bodies too close, his hand on her waist like it belonged there. The kind of closeness that didnt need explanation.

Isn't it romantic? Verona texted.

I stared at the screen for a long time. Strangely, I didnt cry right away.

I just felt tired.

I turned the phone off and placed it face down.

No need, I said quietly when the maid looked at me again. Just get my package ready.

The divorce agreement.

My lawyer had already prepared everything. All that was left was my signature, and maybe my last mistake finally turning into something permanent.

Later, I signed it without hesitation.

My name looked unfamiliar on the paper, like it belonged to someone who still believed in love.

I took the folder and went to Davenport Group.

That was when I saw Verona, standing at the front desk like she owned the place.

I tried to walk past her without stopping, but her voice cut through the air immediately.

Hey! Do you have an appointment? You cant go in without one. Her expression changed the moment I stepped closer, turning cold and sharp.

Verona, everyone in this company already knows who I am."

She tilted her head and smiled, like she had been waiting for this moment for a long time. So what if youre the presidents wife? That title doesnt change a single thing for me. I still wont let you go upstairs, and I still wont let you have anything you came here for. I gave you five years, Marianne, and you still failed as a mother of Lara. Pff! What a loser."

For a moment, everything inside me went completely silent, then something inside me snapped forward without permission.

SLAP!

My hand hit her face.

The sound echoed through the lobby.

Maybe if your mouth wasnt so filthy, you wouldnt need to cling to this job just to feel like you exist in the same world as me.

She slowly touched her cheek, then let out a short laugh. You really think that changes anything, Bitch? That little slap doesnt erase the fact that youre standing here desperate and exposed in front of everyone, she said, stepping closer with her voice dropping. We both know how this works. I build my future while you protect a marriage thats already cracked beyond repair. You are not getting past me today.

She snapped her fingers at security and gave a simple order. Take her out. I dont want her lingering here like a mistake someone forgot to clean up.

I didnt move right away. I just stood there, unsure if I still had the energy to fight or even care what happened next. But before anyone could reach me, the elevator doors slid open behind them.

The entire lobby seemed to change temperature.

Darius stepped out.

What the fuck is going on here? he said, his voice cutting through the space so sharply it made even the air feel heavier.

Verona straightened instantly, shifting into something softer, almost careful. Darius, she assaulted me without reason! I was just doing my job, trying to stop her from causing a scene in your building

Shut your mouth, he snapped without even glancing at her properly.

His eyes found me immediately, and the entire intensity of him changed in a way that was almost disorienting.

Marianne, he said, stepping closer, "Tell me what happened. Did she touch you, did she say anything to you, are you hurt anywhere at all?

His hand lifted slightly like he wanted to check for injuries, but I didnt move toward him. My eyes had already locked into the faint red mark on his neck.

His brow tightened when he noticed my stare. What are you looking at like that? Talk to me, Marianne. Why do you look like I just became someone you dont recognize?

I almost laughed.

Im fine. You should go handle your meeting. Dont worry about me, just do what you came here to do.

For a moment, he looked caught off guard, like I had stepped out of a version of myself he had gotten used to controlling.

Marianne, he said again, softer now, I have a partner meeting upstairs. Go ahead first, wait in my office like usual. I will join you after Im done, alright?

Wait again.

That word landed heavier than it should have.

How many times had I been told to wait, to understand, to stay patient while he disappeared into rooms I was never invited into?

I swallowed the bitterness rising in my throat and gave a small nod. Alright. Ill wait.

Something in him relaxed immediately. He even gave me a faint smile before turning away.

Good girl.

The elevator doors closed between us, and the sound felt final in a way I wasnt ready to name.

I stood there for a moment, then pressed the elevator button, realizing I didnt even have access anymore. Of course I didnt. I let out a slow breath and pulled out my phone to ask the secretary to escort me upstairs instead.

My hands didnt shake.

That was the part that unsettled me most.

As I turned to leave, voices drifted from the emergency exit hallway. Dariuss voice first, low and irritated, followed by Veronas softer tone, and almost amused.

What were you thinking pulling something like that in front of her? he said sharply. I told you not to make things messy when shes around. Lara just died because of our son, Carson. Stop messing around with her!

Relax, Verona replied, her voice carrying a teasing edge. She hit me first, so I just returned the favor in my own way. Besides, youre not really going to act like this is a big deal, are you? So tell me, how exactly are you going to make it up to me?

There was a pause before he answered, voice dropping into something looser, less controlled. Make it up to you? Fine. Ill give you what you want, my time, my attention, even my name if thats what youre after. Just stop making this more complicated than it needs to be.

Verona gave a soft laugh. That still doesnt sound like enough.

His voice turned rougher at the edges. Damn fine! Ill give you everything if thats what it takes. My entire life if you really want it. We can even build whatever future youre imagining, I dont care anymore.

A soft giggle followed, and I heard the faint shift of movement between them, too close, too familiar.

I stood frozen in the hallway shadow, unable to step forward or back, like my body had forgotten how to belong anywhere.

Because I had heard those words before.

I remembered him once kneeling in front of me, blood on his hands, his voice breaking as he held a ring.

I dont make promises I cant keep, he had said back then, staring at me like I was the only thing holding him together. Marianne, I swear on everything I am, I will give you my whole life. Just stay with me, dont walk away from me.

I had believed him.

I had thought that kind of devotion only broke or built empires.

Now I wasnt sure what I had actually married.

Because the same man who once spoke like I was his entire universe was now laughing softly in a stairwell, offering the same life to someone else like it had no weight at all.

I stepped back slowly, one step at a time, until the sound of them faded.

My chest felt tight, like something inside me had finally reached its limit but didnt know how to collapse yet.

So this is what I am now?

A place he returns to when nothing else is interesting enough?

...

The secretary led me up without much conversation, like I was just another file being moved through his world. By the time I reached Dariuss office, my hands had gone cold and my chest felt strangely empty.

He looked up the second I entered.

His face softened instantly, that switch in him I used to mistake for tenderness.

Whats that? he asked, nodding toward the folder in my hands. He stepped closer, took it from me without waiting, already opening it.

For whatever you need, just take it to my study, get it stamped, he said, flipping the pages without real focus. Dont come to me for small things. You know Ive got enough shit to deal with.

My throat tightened, but I forced my voice out anyway. Its not something you can just stamp and forget.

That made him pause for half a second. Before he could respond, the door behind him opened.

A secretary stepped in, Mr. Davenport, the rooftop setup is ready. Verona said everythings prepared. We can go up now.

Darius didnt even turn fully.

Yeah, he muttered, already distracted by the papers. Give me a minute.

He signed the last page without reading it properly, a quick scratch of ink that meant nothing to him in that moment.

My words got stuck in my throat again.

I tried anyway. Darius, this is a di

Later, he cut in, already putting the folder down. Whatever it is, just leave it. Ill handle it after this.

After.

Always after.

I stopped fighting for the sentence and just held the folder tighter. Go ahead, I said quietly. Im leaving too.

I turned toward the door but his hand caught my wrist.

Dont go yet, he said, pulling me slightly back. Come upstairs with me. Just for a bit.

There was no room in his tone for refusal, only expectation.

And I followed because that was what I always did.

The rooftop was already waiting when we arrived.

The cold wind hit first, sharp enough to burn my lungs. Below, the city stretched out in dull lights and distance, but above us, something new had been set up.

Drones.

Dozens of them hovering in formation against the night sky, blinking red and white in perfect lines, waiting for a signal.

Darius stood behind me, his arm resting around my shoulders.

Verona organized this. Some bullshit apology thing. She called in favors, and used company resources. I cant just fire her for that. Then he added, softer. She knows she crossed a line earlier. This is her way of fixing it.

My stomach twisted.

Fixing it.

You said once you wanted something different, he said. Something you could remember. I remember shit like that, Marianne.

Then the drones above us shifted slightly, lights flickering out of sync for a heartbeat.

Veronas voice came from the control station nearby. Mr. Davenport, Im starting the sequence now.

Darius nodded. Do it.

The sky lit up.

At first it was controlled, precise patterns forming shapes above the city. Letters, hearts, shifting designs that were meant to look beautiful.

Then one of the drones sparked. A sharp crack cut through the air.

Another followed and within seconds, the formation broke.

Lights scattered out of rhythm, drones losing control, dipping too low, veering sideways. Metal started falling from the sky in sudden violent drops.

Something brushed past my arm.

Hot.

Too hot!

I flinched back instinctively.

Fuck, Darius muttered, stepping forward. What the hell is happening?

Another drone slammed into the rooftop structure, exploding in a burst of heat and light. The shockwave threw me off balance.

I hit the ground hard.

Pain shot through my arm immediately, sharp enough to steal my breath. I tried to move, but something else burned past my shoulder, tearing heat across my skin. Not a small burn but a real fire contact!

My clothes caught for a second before I managed to roll, smothering it with my hands, my skin screaming under the pressure.

Darius! I shouted, voice breaking. I'm burning! Help me!"

Smoke filled the air now, thick and suffocating.

Footsteps came closer.

I thought he was coming for me. I reached out blindly, fingers shaking, grabbing the only thing I could feel.

Is that you? I whispered, clinging to it. Darius, please I cant move. Dont leave me here.

For a second, he stopped, then he pulled his leg free.

Marianne, Verona got hit. Shes down, he said. Im taking her out first. Find your way down. Ill come back for you, okay? Crawl if you have to.

No! Darius, I cant fully see anything. Im burned, I dont know where to go

But he was already moving away.

The heat around me grew stronger.

Fire somewhere nearby had spread across part of the rooftop structure, crawling closer in waves of orange and white. My skin felt like it was being pulled apart by the air itself.

I forced myself to move anyway, dragging my body toward what I thought was the exit. One step then another. My foot slipped on debris I couldnt see and the world tilted without warning.

I fell.

The first thing I felt when I opened my eyes was pain.

A deep, relentless burn stretched from my shoulder down my arm and across the side of my neck. Even breathing tugged at damaged skin. The faint smell of scorched hair lingered around me, and every small movement dragged me back to that rooftop.

A thick bandage covered part of my shoulder and collarbone.

Instinctively, I raised a hand toward it.

Someone caught my wrist before I could touch it.

"Marianne, you're awake. How are you feeling? Does it still hurt?" Darius immediately leaned forward. "Do you need me to call the doctor? Your fever was high all night and you wouldn't wake up. You scared the hell out of me."

The concern in his voice came too quickly.

A few weeks ago, hearing him sound like that might have broken me. Now? It only exhausted me.

I pulled my hand from his grasp.

"GET OUT."

He exhaled slowly and rubbed his jaw.

"You're angry because I didn't save you first, aren't you?" His voice lowered as he watched me carefully. "That's what this is about, right?"

I stared at the white hospital ceiling. I didn't answer.

"Marianne, listen to me." He leaned forward again, urgency creeping into his voice. "Verona had already passed out. The drones were falling everywhere and pieces of them were crashing down around us. She wasn't moving, and if I left her there, she could've died."

His fingers tightened around the edge of the bed.

"I got her downstairs and handed her over to the emergency team. After that I came back immediately." He paused, and for the first time his voice cracked. "But when I found you... fuck, Marianne. You were already unconscious."

I closed my eyes.

Such a perfect explanation.

The only problem was that I knew it wasn't true.

He hadn't come back.

Not when I begged him, not when I couldn't move, not when my skin was burning and I thought I was going to die.

I swallowed the bitterness rising in my throat and nodded once.

"Okay. I understand."

For some reason, that seemed to bother him more than any argument ever could.

His hand closed around mine again. "Marianne." His voice dropped lower. "Don't do this. Don't sit there acting like everything's fine when it obviously isn't."

I almost laughed. Do what? Believe my own eyes?

"Don't be angry, baby." He squeezed my fingers harder. "I already handled the people responsible for what happened. The idiots who supplied those drones are finished. They'll never work in this city again, and I made sure of it personally."

Of course he did. A man like Darius Davenport could ruin lives with a single phone call. Yet somehow Verona always remained untouched.

"I swear nobody's ever going to hurt you again," he continued quietly. "Not them. Not anyone. I'll make sure of that."

A bitter smile touched my lips. What a ridiculous promise.

Slowly, I pulled my hand away.

"Darius, I'm tired."

His expression darkened immediately.

I had rejected him again and Darius Davenport was not a man accustomed to rejection.

"For fuck's sake, Marianne!" Impatience slipped into his voice as he stood. "I already explained everything. What else do you want me to say?! Fuck, fucking fuck! I dealt with the people responsible. I fixed the problem. If you're still unhappy, then tell the fuck exactly what you want from me."

Something inside me finally snapped.

Ignoring the pain tearing through my shoulder, I forced myself upright.

"Darius." My voice trembled, not from fear but from rage. "You really want to know what I want?"

The room became completely still.

I looked directly at him.

"Verona caused it! She's the reason all of this happened." My chest rose and fell heavily. "So send her to prison too. Destroy her life the same way you destroy everyone else's whenever they cross you."

A bitter laugh escaped me.

"Can you do that? Can you punish her the way you'd punish anyone else?"

Darius rubbed the back of his neck, genuine confusion written across his face.

"So that's what this is about?" His brows drew together. "Marianne, as far as I know, anyone could've gotten hurt in that situation. It was an accident. What exactly does that have to do with Verona?"

I stared at him.

And suddenly, I felt tired beyond words.

How could I explain something to someone who didn't want to understand? How could I compete with a woman he kept choosing over and over again?

I didn't have the strength anymore.

"You're right." I nodded slowly. "I was being petty. That's obviously the problem here." The words tasted like poison. "Happy now?"

Darius opened his mouth but nothing came out.

For the first time since I'd known him, he looked completely lost.

He kept staring at me as though something important was slipping through his fingers, something he couldn't identify no matter how hard he tried.

But he was too late. I pulled the blanket higher and turned onto my side. The movement pulled painfully at the burns beneath the bandages, but I barely reacted.

Behind me, Darius remained standing there for a long time.

Finally, he spoke.

"Marianne, that's not what I meant. You know that's not what I meant."

I didn't answer.

A moment later, he stepped closer and adjusted the blanket where it had slipped from my shoulder. Once, that small gesture would've meant everything to me. Now it felt hollow.

"Get some rest." His voice softened again. "I've got work to deal with, but I'll come back as soon as I'm done. We'll talk when you're feeling better." Then he left, and almost immediately, my phone began to ring.

"The arrangements are set for next week."

Mrs. Davenport's cold voice came through the phone.

"When the time comes, leave immediately. Don't play games with me, Marianne. If I find out you're trying anything clever, I won't be as patient as I was two years ago."

A quiet laugh escaped me.

"You don't have to worry. I'll leave exactly as promised.

"Good."

"Frankly, this is the smartest decision you've made in years."

My grip tightened around the phone.

"You couldn't even save your own child. Lara died right under your nose, and there was nothing you could do about it. Do you know how pathetic that is?"

The words hit like a knife driven straight into an old wound.

I closed my eyes.

Even now, hearing Lara's name felt like having my heart torn open all over again.

"Mrs. Davenport"

"No. Listen to me." Her voice hardened further. "You and Darius should've divorced a long time ago. Faking your death and disappearing is the right thing to do. At least this way, my son can finally move on and marry the woman he actually belongs with. I like Verona far more than I ever liked you."

"Then congratulations, Mrs. Davenport." My voice came out surprisingly calm. "You'll finally get the daughter-in-law you've always wanted."

She fell silent.

Once I'm gone, neither you nor Darius will ever see me again.

And before she could respond, I ended the call.

"What do you mean nobody's ever going to see you again?"

The voice behind me made my heart nearly stop.

I looked up and found Darius standing in the doorway. His dark eyes were fixed on me, and from the expression on his face, it was obvious he had heard enough. I immediately ended the call, but the damage was already done.

"It's nothing," I said. "Just a friend."

Darius stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. "A friend? That's a pretty strange conversation to have with a friend. Usually when people start talking about never seeing each other again, something a lot bigger is going on."

"They were ending the friendship. Apparently we had a disagreement and now we're supposed to pretend the other person doesn't exist anymore. It was dramatic, but that's all it was."

He stared at me for several long seconds, clearly unconvinced. For a moment, I thought he would keep questioning me, but instead he shook his head and dropped the subject.

"Whatever. Just stay away from people who make you upset. You already have enough to deal with right now."

He tossed his phone onto the bedside table and sat beside me. His hand brushed against mine naturally, almost absentmindedly, but I quietly moved my fingers away before he could hold on.

The movement was small, yet I still saw the change in his expression. Something dark flashed through his eyes before disappearing so quickly that someone else might have missed it.

...

The next five days felt suffocating.

Darius barely left the hospital room. He handled company meetings through video calls, barked orders at executives, threatened people from La Serpienten over the phone, and somehow still found time to keep track of every medication the nurses gave me. Sometimes I would wake up during the night and find him sitting beside the bed, watching me with an intensity that made my chest feel heavy.

Five years ago, I would have mistaken that look for devotion.

Now I wasn't sure what it meant anymore.

Every conversation between us ended in silence. Every touch felt forced. The colder I became, the more restless Darius seemed. I noticed it in the way he paced around the room, the way his eyes kept drifting toward me, and the way his patience grew thinner every day. Something was bothering him, but he couldn't seem to figure out what it was.

The day I was discharged, he never showed up.

There were no calls, no messages, and no explanation.

I wasn't surprised.

After completing the paperwork myself, I left the hospital and went straight to my lawyer's office. There, I handed over the divorce agreement and signed the authorization documents that would allow him to proceed even if I wasn't present. Once that was finished, I returned to the villa and began packing.

There wasn't much I wanted to take with me. Most of what filled the villa belonged to a life I no longer wanted. In the end, I packed only a few clothes, my parents' belongings, several albums of Lara, and her precious urn.

The villa felt strangely empty as I moved from room to room.

Maybe because I already knew I was never coming back.

I had just finished sealing the final box when the bedroom door slammed open hard enough to crash against the wall.

I turned sharply.

Darius stormed into the room.

His face was terrifying. Without saying a word, he crossed the room and grabbed my wrist.

"What the fuck is wrong with you? Have you completely lost your mind?"

I stared at him in confusion. "What are you talking about? What happened?"

His grip tightened. "You're still pretending you don't know? Even now you're going to stand there and act innocent?"

Before I could react, he threw a stack of photographs against my chest. They scattered across the floor between us.

"Tell me something, Marianne. When exactly did you become this fucking vicious?"

I looked down and immediately understood.

The photographs were all of Verona.

Some showed her being dragged into a vehicle. Others appeared to have been taken during the week she spent in captivity. The later photographs were worse. Bruises covered her skin, a brand had been burned into her shoulder, and the fear in her eyes was impossible to miss. The entire story was laid out in front of me without anyone needing to explain it.

A cold feeling settled inside my chest.

Not because of what had happened to Verona.

Because I already knew where this conversation was heading.

"Darius... Are you accusing me?"

His jaw tightened immediately. "Who else would I accuse? Give me one reason to suspect somebody else."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

Verona left that life five years ago. She's stayed clean ever since, and nobody has dared touch her, especially not after she had her son, Carson. But suddenly, someone grabs her in broad daylight and does all this to her? Tell me, Marianne, who else could have a motive besides you?

For a moment, I simply stared at him.

Trying to understand how we had ended up here.

Trying to understand how the same man who once crossed continents looking for me could stand in front of me now and look at me like a criminal.

"Darius..." A quiet laugh escaped me. "You really believe I did this? After everything that's happened between us, that's honestly what you think of me?"

"Don't fucking play games with me! I know you're angry our daughter died during surgery! And I know how much you hate Verona. Stop pretending otherwise."

My eyes burned.

Before I could stop myself, my hand flew across his face.

SLAP!

The crack echoed through the bedroom.

For several seconds, neither of us moved.

My palm stung from the impact, and the pain traveled all the way up my arm. I slowly curled my fingers into a fist and forced myself to breathe through the tightness in my chest before finally finding my voice.

"Darius, do you have any idea how shameless you're being right now? You can believe whatever story makes you feel better, but this has absolutely nothing to do with me. Not a single part of it."

A bitter laugh escaped me as I wiped at my eyes.

The moment the words left my mouth, I crouched down and began gathering my daughter's belongings from the floor.

A pink hair clip.

A stuffed rabbit.

A tiny sweater she would never wear again.

The sight nearly shattered me.

I didn't want to stay in the same room as him anymore. I didn't want to look at him, and I certainly didn't want to hear another accusation.

Before I could stand, his hand clamped around my wrist.

Pain shot through my injured arm instantly.

"Fine," Darius said through clenched teeth. "Let's forget feelings for a second and talk about facts. You got discharged from the hospital today, so explain something to me. Why didn't you come straight home?"

I frowned.

"What are you talking about? I went exactly where I needed to go."

His expression darkened.

"Then why were you at an apartment complex in Brooklyn? You've never been there before, Marianne. Never. Yet somehow you show up there on the same day Verona gets taken."

For a moment, I didn't understand.

Then it clicked.

The lawyer's office.

He was talking about the lawyer's office.

Unfortunately, my silence only convinced him further.

"Verona was unconscious when they brought her in," Darius continued, his voice rough with anger. "Do you know what she kept saying? Even after everything she'd been through, she was still begging you to let her go."

He stepped closer.

"Marianne, you know what kind of life she came from. Even if you hate her, how could you do something like this? How could you be this cruel? You're a mother too. Verona has a son. What would her son think of you for hurting her?"

For a second, I couldn't speak.

My daughter was dead.

Dead.

Yet somehow everyone kept asking me to think about Verona's child.

Nobody seemed to remember that I had just buried my own.

I almost laughed.

"Darius, listen to yourself. Just listen to what you're saying right now."

He either couldn't hear it or refused to.

His fingers dug deeper into my wrist.

"You owe her an apology. You owe her an explanation for what happened."

Something inside me cracked completely.

I yanked against his grip.

"Darius, I didn't do it. I didn't touch her, I didn't hire anybody, and I didn't even know where she was. Did it ever occur to you that somebody else could be responsible?" The words came out before I could stop them. "Did it ever occur to you that she might have arranged this herself?"

"Fuck, Marianne! Do you hear yourself right now? You're actually suggesting she'd destroy herself for attention? You're seriously standing here trying to convince me that's what happened?"

Darius dragged a hand through his hair and looked away before turning back to me.

"When did you become this person? When did you get so bitter that you'd say something like that about another woman?"

I stared at him in disbelief.

"You grew up with nothing, Marianne. You know what it's like to be looked down on. You know what it's like to be powerless and have people judge you without giving you a chance."

His voice rose with every sentence.

"And now you've spent five years living as Mrs. Davenport and somehow you've forgotten all of that. You've forgotten exactly what it feels like to be the person nobody believes."

I felt something cold settle in my chest.

"Forgotten what?"

"Forgotten where you came from. You're still just a fucking orphan, Marianne."

The room went silent.

For a second, I couldn't breathe.

Darius looked away first, as if part of him already regretted saying it.

But the damage was done.

"Maybe my mom was right," he said quietly. "Maybe you really are cursed. Maybe everyone around you gets hurt eventually, including our daughter Lara."

The world seemed to tilt beneath my feet.

Those words followed me throughout my entire childhood.

After my parents died, relatives abandoned me. I spent years believing I destroyed everything I touched.

The night I almost gave up on my life, it was Darius who found me.

I still remembered him sitting beside me in the rain.

I still remembered him wiping away my tears.

I still remembered his voice.

"People die because life is unfair, Marianne. Not because you're cursed."

Back then, he had saved me.

Now he was the one pushing me back into that darkness.

Tears streamed down my face.

This time I couldn't stop them.

I looked at him and saw a stranger wearing the face of the man I used to love.

"So that's who I am to you now."

My voice trembled.

"A jealous woman who would ruin someone's life for revenge. A vicious woman capable of anything as long as she's angry enough."

Darius opened his mouth.

I didn't let him speak.

"No. I won't apologize for something I didn't do. Whether Verona lives or dies has nothing to do with me."

My throat tightened painfully.

"And from today forward..."

My voice broke despite my efforts.

"...the same goes for you."

For the first time since entering the room, Darius looked genuinely stunned.

I used all my strength to rip my wrist from his grasp.

Then I wiped the tears from my face, picked up my bag, and walked toward the front door.

I grabbed the handle.

"Since you're so damn stubborn, Marianne, don't blame me for what happens next."

The moment I tried to leave, Darius's men stopped me.

I barely made it through the side exit before two bodyguards caught up to me.

One grabbed each arm and dragged me back despite my struggles.

"Darius, let me go!" I shouted. "Stop this before it goes too far."

Neither bodyguard responded.

They pulled me through the private floors of La Serpienten's headquarters and into one of the underground meeting rooms.

I had only heard stories about this place before.

It was where major deals were negotiated, punishments were decided, and people disappeared without anyone daring to ask questions afterward.

The room was crowded with capos, enforcers, business partners, and other men who held power simply because everyone else feared them.

Conversations died the moment I was dragged inside.

My eyes immediately searched the room for Darius.

I found him sitting at the head of the table.

Verona sat beside him with one hand resting comfortably on his arm, as if that position belonged to her.

The sight made my stomach turn.

My daughter's funeral flowers had not even wilted yet.

Yet here they were.

Looking more like a family than Darius and I had in months.

"Darius, please listen to me," I said, trying to pull free from the guards. "You know me better than anyone. You know I wouldn't do something like this."

For a moment, I thought he might actually look at me.

Instead, he lit a cigarette and leaned back in his chair.

"This woman still refuses to admit what she did," Darius said calmly as he looked around the room. "I've given her multiple opportunities to tell the truth, but she insists on pretending she's innocent."

Several men exchanged looks.

A few laughed quietly.

Verona lowered her gaze.

"Darius, maybe we should let it go," she said softly. "I'm worried this will only make Marianne hate me more. To be honest, I'm already scared enough as it is."

The reaction was immediate.

One man snorted.

Another shook his head.

"Scared of her? Boss has protected her for years."

"She's had a better life than most people in this city."

"She doesn't know how lucky she is."

Laughter spread through the room.

I looked directly at Veronica.

For a brief moment, she met my eyes, and I saw the satisfaction she was trying so hard to hide. She was enjoying every second of this.

"Darius, you can't seriously believe this," I said. "You know exactly what kind of person I am. After everything we've been through, how can you still sit there and listen to this?"

His jaw tightened.

"What I know is that Veronica ended up in the hospital while you keep insisting you had nothing to do with it. At some point, Marianne, repeating the same lie doesn't make it true."

"I didn't do anything," I shouted. "I've told you the truth from the beginning. I never touched her, I never hired anyone, and I never even knew where she was."

Darius let out a short laugh.

"You've been saying that for days, and I'm getting tired of hearing it. Every time I give you a chance to take responsibility, you find another excuse."

The room fell silent. Everyone seemed to recognize the warning in his voice. Fear crawled up my spine. Not because of the men surrounding me but because the man I had loved for ten years was looking at me like I was a stranger.

Darius rose from his chair and walked toward me.

Break her pride, he said. Not her body yet. Just enough so she understands what happens when she keeps lying.

The first blow came without warning. A fist slammed into my ribs and forced the air out of my lungs. I staggered into the edge of the table, pain exploding through my burned shoulder as my body folded. Before I could recover, someone grabbed my arm and yanked me up only to throw me down onto my knees again.

Laughter spread around the room as if nothing serious was happening.

She still thinks she can stand? one of them said. She wont last long like this.

I didnt do anything, I choked out, forcing myself to look toward Darius even as my voice broke.

A kick hit my side before I could finish. Agony exploded through my abdomen. That side had barely healed after losing a kidney. My body was still weak from the surgery.

My vision blurred. Lara's smile flashed through my mind. Her laughter. Her tiny hand in mine.

Tears slipped down my face.For a moment, I genuinely thought I was going to die.

Then someone grabbed my shoulder where the bandage was still attached and twisted me around. The dressing tore open completely.

I screamed, and warm blood immediately soaked through the fabric.

Veronica sat beside Darius with her hand pressed lightly against her chest, as if she was disturbed by what she was seeing. But her eyes stayed steady, calm, and focused on me in a way that didnt match her expression at all.

I looked at Darius again, still holding onto something inside me that refused to die, still waiting for him to recognize me.

He was leaning back in his chair, watching everything without a flicker of emotion, like I was nothing more than noise he no longer cared to silence.

Another hit followed. Then another. They stopped treating me like someone who could speak and started treating me like something that only reacted. Every time I collapsed, they dragged me back up. Every time I tried to breathe, something else interrupted it.

My body stopped responding properly. My vision blurred at the edges. The floor became harder to distinguish from the room itself. Blood dripped down and gathered beneath me.

Eventually I couldnt stand anymore. My legs gave out completely and I fell forward, shaking, curling slightly in on myself because there was nothing else left I could do.

Darius I whispered, barely able to form the word. Please stop this.

He stood up.

The entire room went silent at once.

Even the men stopped moving.

For a brief moment, something inside me reacted to that silence. Not hope exactly. Something worse. Habit.

He walked forward slowly and picked up a heavy wooden chair.

This is the price... For touching Veronica.

I shook my head weakly, trying to speak through the pain. I didnt

But he had already lifted the chair higher.

And in that moment, I understood there was nothing left to argue, nothing left to reach for. Whatever I had been to him before was gone, replaced by something he could erase without hesitation.

The chair came down.

And everything went dark.

When I finally opened my eyes again, Verona was already there. She stood at the edge of the room like she belonged to it, like she had always been part of my pain instead of the reason behind it.

My body still ached from everything before, but the moment my gaze landed on what she was holding, everything else disappeared.

It was Lara's music box!

My breath caught painfully.

I had given it to Lara on her third birthday.

She had loved it so much that she slept with it beside her pillow every night.

After she died, it became the only thing that still carried traces of her.

I pushed myself upright despite the pain tearing through my body.

"Who gave you permission to touch that?" I demanded, my voice shaking.

Verona turned the music box slowly in her hands. The soft melody drifted through the room. A melody I hadn't been able to listen to since Lara died.

"This?" Verona asked softly. "Carson saw it and immediately fell in love with it. He wouldn't stop talking about it."

My stomach dropped.

"Give it back." I reached for it instinctively.

Verona stepped back. "Darius gave it to me," she said casually. "He said Carson could have it."

For a moment, I couldn't process the words.

"No." My voice came out barely above a whisper. "No. That's impossible."

Verona's smile deepened.

"Carson likes it very much," she said. "I suppose children know how to appreciate gifts."

The cruelty beneath her words was impossible to miss.

"Give it back," I repeated.

"Why?" she asked. "Lara isn't using it anymore and my son, Carson treasures it already. You wouldn't want to upset a child, would you?"

Before I could speak, the door suddenly opened.

Darius walked in.

The moment his eyes landed on Verona, something shifted across his face, quick and controlled, before it settled into something unreadable.

Get out, he said simply.

Verona looked at him, then at me, as if memorizing the moment. Then she smiled gently and lowered her gaze.

Of course, she said. Ill leave, baby.

As she passed me, she leaned in just enough for me to hear her clearly.

"Good luck, she whispered. He always chooses me when it matters.

Then she was gone.

The silence she left behind felt heavier than her presence.

I turned to Darius immediately.

Why did you give her that? I said, my voice breaking as I forced myself to speak through the pain. That music box belonged to Lara. You know exactly what it means to me.

I could barely sit up straight, but I still looked at him, waiting for something that felt like truth.

Darius exhaled slowly.

Its just a thing, he said as he stepped closer and brushed my hair back. Youre making this bigger than it needs to be.

Its not just a thing, I snapped. I gave that to Lara. She loved it. She carried it everywhere. It's one of the only things I have left of her.

He didnt react to the words the way I needed him to.

Instead, he kept his hand there like I was something fragile that needed managing.

I know what it is, he said more calmly. But youve been difficult lately, and I needed to handle things in a way that made sense.

Difficult?

So you took something that belonged to our daughter and gave it to her son? I whispered.

Ill replace it, he said. I can buy you a hundred music boxes. Just stop reacting like this.

I stared at him.

No..." My voice shook. You don't get to replace Lara.

For the first time, he looked slightly uncomfortable.

But it lasted only a second.

Darius's expression shifted, impatience creeping in.

Youre overreacting again, he said. This isn't something worth breaking down over.

I let out a short, empty laugh.

Not worth it? I repeated. Is that what I am to you now? Is that what Lara is? Everything we loved is just not worth it?

Before he could answer, the door burst open.

His assistant rushed in, out of breath and pale.

Mr. Davenport, he said urgently. Theres a situation on the rooftop. Miss Stuart is there, and shes threatening to jump.

Darius froze.

What? he muttered under his breath.

The assistant lowered his voice slightly.

Shes saying Miss Marianne pushed her.

The room went still.

Darius turned his head slowly toward me.

What did you do?! he asked.

I blinked. What are you talking about?

But he was already moving before I could finish.

Bring her up, he ordered sharply. Now.

I was pulled out of the room again before I could even process what was happening.

The rooftop was already crowded when we arrived.

Doctors. Security. Voices shouting over each other.

And at the center of it all stood Verona.

She was near the edge, crying in perfect timing, holding Laras music box like it was something precious she was barely keeping together.

Darius, she cried the moment she saw him. She forced me to take it. She said if I didnt, shed destroy me. I didnt know what to do. I was scared.

Her voice broke exactly where it needed to.

Darius moved toward her immediately.

Hey, he said softly. Its okay. Im here. His entire tone changed in a second. Nothing is going to happen to you, he added. Ive got you.

Something inside me went completely still.

I watched him.

Watched the way he looked at her.

Then my eyes dropped to the music box again.

Laras music box.

In her hand.

I pushed forward despite the pain tearing through me.

Give it back, I said hoarsely.

Verona flinched on cue, then stepped back and it slipped.

The music box fell from her hand, hit the edge, and dropped out of sight.

The sound it made was almost nothing.

But inside me, something shattered completely.

No My voice broke as I leaned forward instinctively. No, no, no!

I tried to move, tried to run, tried to reach anything that might undo it, but a hand grabbed me hard.

Marianne, Veronica was literally about to jump off a building and you still pushed her like that. Do you even care if someone dies?

Dariuss voice cut through the rooftop like something final, something already decided before I could even speak.

I turned slowly. My body was shaking, but not from fear. It felt worse than that, like something inside me had already been worn down past breaking.

Let me go!

For half a second, his grip loosened. Just enough for me to feel it, just enough to think he might actually hear me. But then Veronicas crying pulled his attention back like a string tied around him.

Darius Veronica sobbed, stepping closer while wiping her face. I didnt do anything wrong. I told you I wouldnt touch her, and I didnt. So why is she still doing this to me?

She shook her head like she could barely stand. I just want a normal life. I just want an apology. Is that really too much to ask? Or is it just because I came from nothing that I dont deserve basic respect?

Her voice trembled exactly where it needed to, every pause placed too perfectly to feel real.

I stared at her through blurred vision, trying to understand if she was truly like this or if I was the only one seeing it clearly.

Dariuss expression changed immediately. It always did when she cried.

Dont move, he said to her first, voice sharp but controlled. Ive got this. Then his attention snapped to me, colder now, harder. You hear that? This is exactly what Im talking about.

My chest tightened.

What are you talking about? I asked, barely able to breathe properly.

Veronica stepped back slightly, still crying, still performing like every reaction had been rehearsed.

Darius she whispered again. I dont feel safe. She hates me. I can feel it.

Darius cursed under his breath, frustration flashing across his face as he looked at me like I had become a problem he needed to contain.

Marianne! Youre not going to let this go, are you?

My voice came out low. Let what go? The truth or whatever youve already decided to believe?

Veronica moved again, closer to the edge this time, just enough to make everyone tense.

Dont, Darius snapped instantly, his tone breaking for the first time. Veronica, stop. Ive got you. I said Ive got you.

He turned back to me, fully changed now, completely focused.

Apologize, he ordered.

I blinked once. What?

Apologize, he repeated, louder this time. Right now.

The air around us tightened. Everyone was watching now, waiting for me to bend. I gave a short laugh, more disbelief than anything else.

I didnt do anything, I said slowly.

Darius stepped forward and kicked the back of my leg. Pain exploded through me and I dropped instantly, my injured body hitting the ground hard enough to steal my breath.

Fuck I gasped, trying to steady myself.

Before I could move, he forced me down again, pressing me into the ground like my resistance meant nothing.

Apologize, he said again.

My vision blurred, not just from pain but from shock.

Are you serious right now? I whispered. Have you forgotten Im your wife?

For a second, something flickered in his eyes. Not softness, not warmth, just hesitation. It was brief.

Then Veronica screamed again.

She stepped closer to the edge, crying harder.

Darius, Im scared

That was all it took. Everything in him shifted back.

Marianne, he said coldly, this is a human life. Are you really going to be this stubborn right now?

Then he turned to his men.

Make her apologize.

Two bodyguards grabbed me immediately. I struggled, but my body was already too weak, too damaged.

His attention stayed on Veronica, his tone completely different now.

Its okay, he kept saying to her. Come down. Ive got you. I wont let anything happen.

She kept crying, shaking her head, playing fragile while I was being forced down into the ground.

They pushed my shoulders, forcing me lower until my knees hit the concrete and my head was dragged down after.

Say it, one of the men said.

No, I whispered. I didnt do anything

They shoved me again.

Say it.

My breath shook as I fought to stay upright.

Darius finally looked at me again, but there was nothing left in his expression.

No more games, he said. Just apologize.

I stared at him. At the man I had once trusted completely. At the man I had loved until there was nothing left of me. And I understood there was no version of this where I was believed.

I wont, I said quietly.

Silence.

Veronica gasped again, stumbling slightly, and that was enough.

Enough! Darius snapped.

He moved instantly toward her. He caught her before she even reached the edge properly, holding her like she was something fragile and irreplaceable.

Hold her, he ordered without looking back. Dont let her fall.

I stayed on my knees as they released me slowly, like I was no longer important enough to restrain.

Someone grabbed my arm and pulled me up.

Take her back to the ward, Darius said coldly, still focused entirely on Veronica.

His voice didnt change when he said it. It didnt soften. It didnt hesitate.

It sounded like I was something to be removed.

I looked back once as they dragged me away.

Veronica in his arms, still crying softly.

And Darius not looking at me at all.

...

In the ward, I lay still for a long time, staring at nothing. The silence felt heavier than pain, heavier than anything that had happened before.

Then I stood up.

Every movement hurt, but I kept going until I reached the rooftop again. My daughters music box lay shattered below.

I stared at it for a long time without moving.

Then I pulled out my phone.

Mrs. Davenport, I said when she answered.

I want the fake death plan now. Move it up.

Finally, she said.

Ten minutes later, a black car stopped outside the hospital.

Twenty minutes after that, the world behind me was gone in fire and smoke on a road no one would trace back to me.

And I didnt look back.