005

Rhea

I slowly opened my eyes, my eyelids feeling unbearably heavy.

The first thing I noticed was how soft the mattress beneath me felt.

Warm.

Comfortable.

Safe.

For a brief moment, I simply stared at the ceiling, trying to gather my thoughts.

Where am I?

My mind felt sluggish, as though it had been wrapped in thick fog.

I slowly pushed myself into a sitting position and looked around the room.

My bedroom.

I let out a quiet breath.

I made it home…

The last thing I remembered was desperately searching for my flash drive before everything went black.

The room door opened.

Ivy walked in carrying a steaming cup.

The moment our eyes met, relief washed over her face.

“Thank goodness you’re awake.”

She hurried over and sat beside me on the bed.

“What happened?” I asked, accepting the warm cup of milk from her.

“I should be asking you that.”

She frowned.

“I walked in and found my best friend unconscious on the floor.”

Guilt crept into my chest.

I made her worry again.

I lowered my gaze to the cup in my hands.

“I may never prove my innocence, Ivy.”

Even saying the words aloud made my chest ache.

“I couldn’t find the flash drive.”

The sentence felt like admitting defeat.

“Rhea…”

She immediately pulled me into a hug.

“It’s going to be okay.”

“We’ll figure something out.”

I wished I could believe her.

But hope felt like something meant for other people.

“There isn’t a solution anymore.”

I slowly shook my head.

“If Peter already accepted responsibility on my behalf…”

“…then it’s over.”

“My career is over.”

The words tasted bitter.

Years of hard work.

Years of sacrifice.

Gone overnight.

Then another thought quietly crept into my mind.

Why am I still fighting so hard?

I’m dying anyway.

Six months.

Nothing I did would change that.

Maybe…

Maybe I should simply stop struggling.

“You’ve been fainting a lot lately.”

Ivy’s worried voice interrupted my thoughts.

“Are you okay?”

I forced a small smile that didn’t reach my eyes.

“I’m sick.”

I hesitated.

The words caught in my throat.

Finally…

“I have an inoperable brain tumor.”

I watched every bit of color disappear from her face.

“What?”

Her voice barely came out.

“Is it serious?”

I nodded.

“I only have six months left.”

The silence that followed felt suffocating.

“That serious?”

She stared at me in complete disbelief.

“Fucking hell, Rhea…”

I gave a weak smile.

Yesterday truly had been unbelievable.

“And after leaving the hospital…”

I looked away.

“I came home to get my flash drive.”

“I caught Mira and Darius having sex on my couch.”

The words still didn’t feel real.

Even now.

Even after saying them aloud.

Ivy closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead.

“I always knew Darius wasn’t good enough for you.”

“But you loved him.”

“So I knew you wouldn’t listen.”

She sighed heavily.

“All of this happened yesterday…”

“And I wasn’t here.”

“What kind of friend does that make me?”

Her eyes filled with tears.

Seeing her blame herself hurt far more than anything else.

I wrapped my arms around her.

“It’s not your fault.”

“I chose not to tell anyone.”

She hugged me tighter.

“Don’t do everything alone anymore.”

“Tell me everything.”

“No matter what it is.”

“I’ll help you.”

“Don’t keep anything from me.”

A lump formed in my throat.

How long had I been carrying everything by myself?

Trying to lighten the mood, I forced out a laugh.

“I probably won’t have enough time to keep secrets.”

“I’m dying in six months anyway.”

Instead of laughing…

Ivy frowned even harder.

“That isn’t funny.”

“Could the doctor have made a mistake?”

I slowly shook my head.

“The report is inside my bag.”

“You can read it yourself.”

“Doctor Trent diagnosed me.”

“You know how experienced he is.”

“He even checked everything multiple times before telling me.”

A sad smile crossed my lips.

“If he says I’m dying…”

“Then I’m dying.”

Ivy hugged me again.

“What are you going to do now?”

The question caught me completely off guard.

What was I going to do?

I honestly hadn’t thought that far.

Ever since hearing the diagnosis…

Everything had become about surviving the day.

There was no future left to plan.

Nothing left to dream about.

What exactly is someone supposed to do after being told they’ll die in six months?

Wouldn’t it be easier…

To simply give up?

“I don’t know.”

It was the only honest answer I had.

Before either of us could speak again, Ivy’s phone vibrated.

She glanced at the screen and sighed.

“It’s my grandma.”

“I have to go.”

She stood before looking back at me.

“Don’t forget your medication.”

I stared at the bottle resting on my bedside table.

What’s the point?

“I’m going to die anyway.”

She rolled her eyes.

“If you enjoy randomly fainting, then don’t take it.”

Despite everything…

That made me smile a little.

She had always been like this.

Caring in the most blunt way possible.

After she left, silence filled the room once again.

I reached for my phone.

The first thing that appeared on my screen was the replay of Peter’s press conference.

For a second…

I considered ignoring it.

But I needed to know.

I pressed play.

With every sentence that left Peter’s mouth…

My grip around my phone tightened.

He announced that I was no longer part of Lancaster Group.

He publicly declared I would never practice architecture again.

He called it…

Atonement for my sins.

A bitter laugh escaped me.

Sins?

The only thing I’d ever done was trust the wrong people.

Unable to watch another second, I threw my phone onto the bed.

The anger inside me burned hotter than ever.

He had sacrificed me without hesitation.

As though I had never mattered.

As though I wasn’t the daughter of the company’s founder.

I always knew Peter disliked me.

Ever since Mom introduced him as the man she intended to marry.

But somewhere deep inside…

I convinced myself he cared.

Even if only a little.

I was wrong.

Completely wrong.

Another notification appeared.

This time…

Mira.

I frowned before opening it.

“I think I forgot my panties. They’re on the couch if you don’t mind bringing them to me.”

I stared at the message in disbelief.

Then disgust.

How can someone be this shameless?

Before I could reply, the doorbell rang.

I slowly got out of bed.

If it were Ivy…

She would have entered using the password.

Could it be Darius?

The thought alone irritated me.

I opened the front door.

Mom.

That was the last person I expected to see.

“What is it?” I asked quietly.

She walked into the living room before answering.

“You look pale.”

“I—”

She cut me off.

“Never mind.”

“I’m here to talk about your sister.”

My stomach twisted.

“Did she tell you she was sleeping with my boyfriend on my couch yesterday?”

Mom didn’t look ashamed.

Not even slightly.

“Yes.”

“And that’s exactly why I’m here.”

Hope flickered inside me for just a second.

Maybe…

Maybe she’s finally going to stand up for me.

“If you’re here to apologize for her…”

“I don’t want to hear it.”

“I’m not here to apologize.”

My heart slowly sank.

“I’m here to tell you not to trouble her.”

“It’s obvious Darius doesn’t love you anymore.”

“So let him be with Mira.”

For a second…

Everything around me became completely silent.

My ears rang.

“What?”

The word barely left my lips.

“You brought this on yourself.”

“You worked too much.”

“You neglected him.”

“He found love with your sister.”

“So what’s wrong with accepting reality?”

I laughed.

Not because anything was funny.

Because I genuinely couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

My own mother…

The woman who gave birth to me…

Was defending the people who betrayed me.

Something inside me finally broke.

How had I never seen it before?

All these years…

She had never truly chosen me.

Not once.

I looked at the woman standing before me.

Not as my mother.

But as someone I no longer recognized.

Jessica Herrington…

You’re a fucking bitch.