I remember the sun that day.
It poured down over the garden like melted gold, casting a soft glow over the blush-pink roses my mother had insisted on including—even though she'd barely smiled through the entire wedding planning. My father stood stiff beside her, his lips a hard line, trying to be happy for me. Trying to pretend that giving me away to Ethan Cole wasn't killing him inside.
There were only a few guests—close friends, a few extended family members, and a handful of people I barely knew. It wasn't the grand society wedding the Beaumont name was known for. No journalists, no flashbulbs, no headlines. Just me, Ethan, and the decision I was so sure of.
He looked at me like I was his whole world.
Back then, I believed it.
"Ariana," he said, taking my hands in his. "I promise to love you not for your name, not for your wealth, but for your heart. I will stand by you when the world turns cold, and lift you when you can't lift yourself."
I smiled through tears. My heart was bursting.
"Ethan," I said, "I vow to love you through every storm, to believe in your dreams even when they seem impossible. I choose you, always."
The officiant beamed. "By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."
He kissed me like I was his salvation.
And I believed I was.
---
Now, I lie here, staring blankly at the white ceiling of the hospital, unable to move. Paralyzed from the neck down. Tubes feeding me, machines breathing for me. My limbs are heavy with betrayal. My body is still, but my mind screams.
Ethan's voice echoes in the room sometimes—warm, sympathetic. A rehearsed concern for the nurses and visitors. And then, sometimes, Delilah's laugh follows. Soft, smug, victorious.
I can't move. I can't speak. But I feel everything.
If I could go back…
If I had listened to my parents...
If I had walked away when they first warned me.
But I didn't.
I chose love.
And now, love has chosen to bury me alive.
*************
A Year Earlier
Location: Shanghai, China
"Birth control?"
I blinked in confusion, staring at the doctor like he'd just spoken in another language.
"Yes, Miss Beaumont," he replied gently, glancing down at the test results in his hand. "Your hormone levels indicate you've been taking contraceptives for quite some time."
"That's… impossible." I shook my head slowly. "I've never taken a single pill in my life. I've been trying to get pregnant."
The doctor gave me a tight, concerned smile. "I'm sorry, but I'm certain. Someone has been giving you birth control. Is it possible… you've been drugged?"
My stomach twisted. My mind immediately darted to the morning smoothies Ethan prepared for me every single day with a smile and a kiss.
No… it couldn't be. Could it?
"I—I don't know," I whispered.
He nodded sympathetically. "Just… be cautious, Miss Beaumont. Don't drink or eat anything unless you're sure of what's in it."
I forced a smile, but my mind was already spiraling. "Thank you, Doctor. I have a few ideas about who might be responsible."
---
The Next Day
Back in the city, after a long business meeting, I stepped out of the airport and into my black Jeep. My driver greeted me with a respectful nod before silently pulling away from the curb. I stared out the window, my reflection blurring in the glass as my mind raced.
The doctor's words still echoed in my ears.
Could Ethan...?
No. No, he loved me. He had to love me.
Right?
---
Back at the Apartment
When we pulled up to Ethan's penthouse, I stepped out, hands trembling, heart heavy. I hadn't told him I was back early. I wanted to surprise him. I wanted—no, needed—to see his face and find answers.
But the moment I entered the apartment, the warmth drained from me.
A woman's giggle floated down the hall from our bedroom.
I froze.
I moved quietly, each step crushing the illusion of my happy marriage. I pressed my back to the wall, inching closer to the slightly open door. My breath caught in my throat as voices drifted out.
"Babe, I'm scared…" the woman whispered.
"Scared of what?" Ethan's voice. Familiar. Casual. Careless.
"That bitch you call a wife," she said, venom in her tone. "What if she changes her will?"
Ethan chuckled. "She won't. Ariana trusts me blindly. The only thing that could stop me is if she had a kid—and that's never happening."
"You're sure?"
"Positive. She drinks everything I give her. She's been on the pill for months and doesn't even know it."
My vision blurred with tears.
"And once she dies…" Ethan continued, "That inheritance is mine. Ours. Our child will seal it all."
"And then you'll marry me?"
"Of course. You'll be the next Mrs. Cole, Delilah."
My knees buckled. My entire world collapsed in one breath. My heart screamed as I stepped into the doorway.
And there he was.
My husband. Naked. In bed. With her.
Time stopped.
"Ariana? You—you're home early…" Ethan stammered, grabbing for the sheets.
"How could you?" My voice cracked, choked with betrayal. "I gave up everything for you!"
"Ariana, wait—just listen—"
"You were going to kill me?!" I shouted. "You drugged me. You've been feeding me pills like a lab rat!"
Delilah scrambled to cover herself, but I only saw red.
"All those mornings. All those lies. You've been planning this since day one!"
"Ariana, please, just let me explain—"
"We're done. You hear me? We're getting a divorce. And you? You're not getting a single cent. Not from me. Not from the fortune. Every damn dollar I gave you will be paid back with interest."
I turned and stormed out, leaving them stunned, exposed, and silent.
---
Outside, Ethan followed, panic carved into his face.
"Ariana, wait! You're not thinking straight!"
I didn't look back.
He stood on the curb, breathing heavily, staring as I got into my car. Then he pulled out his phone.
"Hello?" a gruff voice answered on the other end.
"Scar… It's time. Do it. Now."
"What? We agreed on waiting a year—"
"No!" Ethan snapped. "She knows everything. I want it done. Immediately."
"Alright… Send me the plate
number."
The line went dead.
Ethan stared into the distance, his jaw clenched.
"You're not leaving me, Ariana."
His voice was low. Cold. Deadly.
"Not alive."