My mother was dying. I begged my fiancé, Ryan, to advance part of our wedding fund for her surgery. He turned around and got engaged to Serena. In my deepest despair, my childhood friend, Richard Blackwood, knelt before me in the hospital, proposed, and handed me a check for a million dollars. I accepted without hesitation, rushing to schedule my mother's operation. But in the end, she never made it off the operating table. Drowned in grief, I let Richard handle all the funeral arrangements. Our wedding went on as planned. Five years later, I overheard a conversation that shattered my world. “Richard, you never thought about what would happen if Brittney found out? That you sacrificed her mother just to save Serena’s? You were willing to risk everything for her?” “If I have to pay, I’ll pay. For her, I’d do anything. It was just one life. I’ve given Brittney the rest of mine to repay the debt. That should be enough.” Tears fell, hot and uncontrollable. I finally understood. The marriage I had so carefully nurtured was a lie from the very beginning. His heart had only ever belonged to Serena. Fine. If that’s what he wanted, I would get out of their way. 1 Through the thin wall of his study, I heard Richard’s voice, thick with a sorrow that was not for me. “Since she didn’t choose me,” he said, “saving her mother was the only thing I could do for her, to ensure she had no regrets. As for Brittney… I’m giving her my entire life as compensation. That has to be enough.” His best friend, Mark, sounded uneasy. “It’s a shame Serena still has no idea what you did for her. That was a life, Richard! If anyone finds out, you’ll spend the rest of yours in prison. Is a woman who doesn’t even love you worth all that?” “My heart decides if it’s worth it. As long as she’s happy, I’d do anything. Forget Brittney’s mother—I’d give her my own organs without blinking.” His voice hardened. “Don’t bring this up again. It’s in the past. All that matters is that she’s happy now.” “And Brittney? I think she’s really fallen in love with you. What happens if she finds out you murdered her mom?” A moment of silence, then the soft click of a lighter. Through the haze of smoke, Richard’s voice was laced with self-mockery. “Then I’ll pay with my life. The money I’ve made these past few years… it’s enough for her to live on forever.” “Man… I don’t get you,” Mark sighed. “Brittney’s a good woman. Why are you still so hung up on… never mind. It’s your life. If this is what you want.” The sound of footsteps approaching sent me scrambling back to my room. The hot tea I was holding spilled onto my hand, but all I felt was a profound, bone-deep cold. My mother hadn’t died in a life-saving surgery. She had died in a conspiracy he orchestrated for Serena. When Ryan had broken off our engagement, leaving me a laughingstock, Richard’s proposal wasn’t meant to give me happiness. It was meant to deliver the final, killing blow. Our entire marriage had been his guilt-ridden compensation. And I had proudly paraded his pity around like a trophy, thinking it was love. How utterly absurd. The front door clicked shut. Mark was gone. A moment later, Richard stumbled into our bedroom, reeking of alcohol. He cupped my face, his drunken eyes filled with a tenderness that now felt like poison as he planted a soft kiss on my forehead. “Why were you standing by the door?” “It’s nothing,” I lied smoothly. “I just spilled some tea and was about to clean it up.” “Leave it for the housekeeper. You’re not well, you should be resting. It breaks my heart to see you tired.” He leaned in and kissed me again, his touch as gentle and loving as it had always been. But this time, I felt no warmth. To think a person could go to such lengths for someone else. I closed my eyes, and a single tear escaped, tracing a cold path down my cheek. I helped him into bed and pulled the covers over him. He was asleep in moments. Sitting beside him, I picked up his phone. I only had to try one password. Serena’s birthday. I navigated to his files, pulling up the business contracts he’d signed over the past five years. Without exception, every major deal was a partnership with Ryan’s company. I’d never set foot in Richard’s office, but I didn’t need to be a businesswoman to see the profits he’d sacrificed just to work with her. The company’s brand ambassador was Serena’s favorite celebrity. The real estate projects were in neighborhoods Serena loved. Even the final payment amounts on the invoices were coded with numbers significant to her: her birthday, her wedding anniversary, the date she and Richard first met. My hand trembled as I opened his private photo album. It was filled with picture after picture of Serena smiling. Serena at charity galas as Ryan’s wife. Serena celebrating a successful project with Ryan. In every photo, Ryan’s face was neatly cropped out, leaving only her. A thousand photos, a perfect chronicle of her life over the last five years. Beyond that, there were records of countless jewelry purchases from high-end auctions. He’d had them all sent to Serena, officially billed as corporate gifts to a valued partner. His hidden love was a roaring, secret flame, tucked into every corner of his life. The details burned, leaving a sour ache in my chest. I recognized some of the jewelry brands. He had given me pieces from them, too—the cheap complimentary trinkets the auction houses threw in with major purchases—and told me they were special gifts he’d picked out just for me. A bitter laugh escaped my lips. I couldn't look anymore. Instead, I booked a one-way ticket to a foreign country, departing in three days. Then I filed an application to have all of my official identification documents canceled and reissued under a new name. Three days. It was more than enough time to erase five years of lies. I didn’t sleep at all. The next morning, as I was getting ready, my phone buzzed with an official notification. Moments later, Richard’s voice called out from the bedroom. “Brittney? What’s this about canceling your documents?” I quickly walked back in and took the phone, my voice even. “It’s nothing. My driver’s license expired, so I scheduled an appointment to get it renewed.” I changed the subject. “Don’t you have a big meeting today? You should get going.” He didn’t question it. He just pulled me into his arms, his lips brushing against my ear. “Thank you, my love. Marrying such a thoughtful wife is the best thing that ever happened to me.” I smiled but said nothing. “As a reward, how about I get you a huge present today?” “Okay,” I said. “I’ll be waiting at home.” The moment Richard left, his assistant delivered a gourmet breakfast from my favorite hotel. For five years, he had done this every single day. I used to think it was a symbol of his love. Now I saw it for what it was: a convenient, thoughtless gesture. If he really loved me, wouldn't he have learned to cook a single one of my favorite dishes in five years? He had put so much effort into keeping me placated, keeping me away from Serena. I dumped the breakfast into the trash and walked out the door. It was time to end this five-year charade. The government office wasn’t busy. I filled out my final forms and then went to a lawyer's office. A divorce agreement where one party leaves with nothing was a standard template. I had two copies in my hand within the hour. I took the papers to Richard's company. As I walked in, I could hear the employees whispering. “Is that Mrs. Blackwood? She’s stunning! No wonder the boss keeps her hidden away like a treasure.” “That’s definitely her! I personally delivered that necklace she’s wearing last week! I heard it went for five million at auction! I could work since the Stone Age and never afford that. I’m so jealous!” “I heard they were childhood sweethearts, and she was his first love! He built an empire and still only has eyes for one woman. It’s like a real-life fairy tale, isn't it?” I reached the top floor and stood outside his office. I could hear a familiar voice from within. “Is he treating you well?” It was Richard. “Yes, he’s wonderful,” Serena replied. “He just bought me a small island a few days ago, said he wanted to give me a proper honeymoon. Honestly, married for five years and he’s still such a romantic…” Richard’s voice was heavy with a pained, suppressed longing. “That’s good. As long as you’re happy, I can rest easy.” “You too,” Serena said, her tone shifting. “Why did you send such an expensive gift again? Brittney will be upset if she finds out.” That was Serena’s way. Take everything she could get, then turn around and mock me with feigned concern. She was the one who had rushed to the hospital after Ryan broke our engagement, gleefully announcing the news at my mother’s bedside. The shock sent my mother into a seizure, and she was rushed into surgery that very night. When I confronted Serena, both Ryan and Richard had shown up, and both of them had sided with her, scolding me for being unreasonable. That was the day I cut ties with Ryan and Serena for good. And Richard became my only savior. Now I knew he was the one who had pushed me into the abyss. His secretary, in a hurry to deliver some contracts, rushed toward the door and threw it open before I could move. Richard’s eyes widened in surprise. “Brittney? What are you doing here? Don’t get the wrong idea, Serena just stopped by to chat… and to discuss the new project collaboration. She’s the lead on it for her company…” “Brittney, long time no see,” Serena said, rising from her chair. She was dressed in the latest haute couture, making me feel like a frumpy country mouse. I forced a smile, swallowing my bitterness. “It’s nothing. I was just shopping nearby and thought I’d stop by. Since you’re busy, I’ll head home.” Richard, thinking I was angry, chased after me, tripping over his words to explain. Seeing him so flustered for my sake, I almost wanted to laugh. He had deliberately taken a loss on the deal with Ryan’s company just for a chance to be near Serena. Now that she was here, who was this performance for? “Don’t worry,” I said, my voice gentle. “I’m not that unreasonable. You focus on your work. I’ll be a good girl and wait for you at home.” He let out a visible sigh of relief and had his secretary escort me downstairs. The moment I stepped out of the elevator, the employees' gazes turned sharp with ridicule. They pointed and whispered, just loud enough for me to hear. I ignored them and left. After we married, he told me he didn’t want me to tire myself out with work, that he wanted me to live a life free of worries. I believed him, and I became a housewife, tethered to our home. Meanwhile, Serena, my former classmate, had become a project director at a major corporation. The gap between us was now a chasm—in perspective, in ability. I could no longer compete with her. This is what you wanted, isn’t it, Richard? Your precious Serena is safe from me now. I am no longer a threat. Back home, I gathered everything he had given me over the past five years into a large box. I took it outside and set it on fire. Just as the flames began to lick at the contents, Serena appeared out of nowhere. She kicked the box over. Burning photographs scattered across the pavement, some embers landing on her clothes, but she just smiled. “Brittney, after all these years, you’re still just as pathetic.” “You couldn’t protect your own mother then, and you can’t protect yourself now. You’re a joke!” She knew? She knew about the surgery? A white-hot rage flared inside me. I slapped her across the face. I didn’t use much force, but she stumbled backward dramatically, falling right into the fire. I froze, stunned. Before I could react, a figure shot past me, shoving me hard to the ground. Richard scooped Serena into his arms, his eyes blazing with a fury I had never seen before. “Brittney! What are you doing? Are you insane?” he roared. “Serena came here out of the goodness of her heart to see you, to clear up the misunderstandings from the past, and you attack her?” His face was a mask of rage. All traces of love were gone. I smirked. “She mentioned my mother, Richard.” I met his furious gaze. “Speaking of past misunderstandings, don’t you two owe me an explanation?” His brow furrowed, and a flicker of panic crossed his eyes. “What explanation? Your mother was critically ill, the surgery failed. You know this.” He shook his head, his voice hardening again. “Whatever happened back then is no excuse for you to hurt Serena! Apologize to her. Now!” Before I could speak, Serena wrapped her arms around his neck. “Don’t… don’t be hard on Brittney,” she whimpered. “It was our fault for what happened with Ryan. Just let this be my way of making it up to her…” She looked at me with tear-filled eyes. “Since she hates me so much, maybe we shouldn't see each other anymore. I don't want to make things difficult for you.” My nails dug into my palms, drawing blood. Watching them walk away, clinging to each other, I knew. We were finished. I calmly picked up the scattered contents of the box and threw them back into the flames. Five years of love turned to ash. An hour later, a text from Richard arrived. “Serena is the project lead, after all. Hurting her is bad for business. Making you apologize was just a tactic, a show for her. Don’t overthink it.” “I’ll make it up to you tonight when I get home, okay? I told you I have a gift for you. Don’t be sad.” But I knew the show wasn’t for Serena. It was for me. He had been acting out this deep love for five years. Now, it was time for the curtain to fall. I waited at home with the divorce papers until after midnight. He never came. Instead, news broke online: The CEO of Blackwood Enterprises had caused a scene at the hospital, all for a woman. Serena had a few minor burns, but he had summoned the entire hospital's team of specialists to treat her, sparing no expense and reportedly spending over a million dollars. In the photos, he held her protectively in his arms. The look in his eyes was a mixture of tenderness and passion I had never seen directed at me. The hospital was lit up all night, all for one woman’s minor scrapes. The next morning, I called him. He answered but was busy giving instructions to his secretary. “Mr. Blackwood, are you sure you want to amend the contract?” the secretary asked, aghast. “Our company will lose over a hundred million on this project!” “Please, reconsider, sir!” “No need,” Richard said firmly. “Just do it. It’s the compensation I promised her. Also, draw up another contract. Transfer half of my shares in the company to Serena.” The secretary left, and only then did Richard seem to remember he was on the phone. “Brittney? Sorry to keep you waiting. I’m on my way home now. Did you need something?” I looked down at the angry red burn on my hand from the day before. “No, it’s nothing. Go on, I won’t disturb you.” “Okay. You be good and wait for me. I’ll be right there.” I didn’t wait. I signed my name on the divorce papers, packed a small suitcase, and left the house for the last time. I went to the hospital where my mother had died and requested the records for her organ transplant agreement. At the bottom of the page, where the signature should have been mine, was a masterful forgery of my handwriting, signed by Richard. I made a copy of the agreement and mailed it to his office. By my calculations, he would receive it just as my plane was taking off. I was gone for a day and a night. He never came home. Just as I was boarding the plane, a message from him finally came through. “Brittney, I had the assistant deliver your gift. Why aren’t you opening the door?” “Are you still mad at me?” “Don’t be difficult. Be a good girl. I’m on my way home now.” Another lie. Thirty minutes earlier, a social media influencer had posted a live video of him shopping with Serena, gushing about the chance encounter. As I boarded, the video was still streaming. He was busy helping Serena pick out a dress for the press conference that would announce her as a major shareholder. I didn’t reply. I received a text confirming my old identity had been successfully voided. I deleted his number and all our conversations. In the live video, his secretary suddenly rushed into the boutique, holding a document, his face pale with panic. “Mr. Blackwood, it’s bad! Your wife… she knows about the surgery from five years ago! I can’t reach her!” Richard looked at him, confused. “What surgery? What are you talking about?” The secretary, frantic, held up the forged agreement I had mailed. “This! Your wife sent this to the office! This is the consent form you signed for her on the day of the surgery! She knows!” He was almost shouting. “I tried calling her the moment the package arrived, but her number is disconnected! I think something’s happened to her!”
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