Chapter 1

Rhea's POV

“I'm going to be late.” I muttered under my breath, checking  my watch again, 9:40 AM. Twenty minutes until our marriage registry appointment. Twenty minutes until I was supposed to officially tie my life to Kevin’s.

The taxi crawled through downtown traffic, each inch forward feeling like a cruel joke. Today was the day that my fiancé and I were going to register our marriage. I was happy, really, however… I stared at the rear view mirror, frowning at my red rimmed eyes which I tried to cover with makeup, to no avail though. 

Kevin didn't come back home last night, again. It was the fifth time in a row that I hadn't seen him, he said he was busy. 

“Emergency merger negotiations. Don’t wait up..” His words echoed in my mind like a cruel joke. My nails dug into the soft leather of my handbag as I stared blankly out the window. Business. That was Kevin’s go-to excuse, and maybe it had worked once. Maybe even twice. But the fifth time? 

I might have believed previously and now, Ginny’s story? My throat tightened as I remembered the short, five-second video she’d posted late last night—dim lighting, clinking glasses, and the unmistakable edge of Kevin’s navy shirt at the corner of the screen.

The one I’d gifted him on his birthday.

I hadn’t said anything. Not yet. What was the point? Every time I asked, he acted like I was crazy. 

“Are you accusing me? I love only you and you know that so stop acting like a jealous woman, I don't like that.” He’d say, voice laced with disbelief, with just enough charm to make me second guess myself. 

A sharp pain stabbed at my chest, and I swallowed hard.

Ginny. The girl who used to follow me around with wide eyes and soft smiles. Who cried the day she moved into our house, clutching my mother like she was the only family she had left. I had pitied her once. Protected her. And now?

Now she was the one they all looked at.

My parents adopted Ginny two years ago, and soon after that, my parents,  my little brother, even the staff, everyone adored her. She’d slipped into our lives like a stray cat that refused to leave. And somehow, somewhere along the way, she had stolen more than just affection.

The car jerked slightly, pulling me from my thoughts as we stopped at a red light. Only ten minutes left. I adjusted the ring on my finger, a beautiful, custom-designed diamond Kevin had given me during our engagement. It felt heavy today. Heavier than usual. Maybe because it carried the weight of a promise that was starting to feel more like a lie.

“Just one more chance. One last chance.” I sighed, caressing the household registration booklet on my lap. 

I knew Kevin from three years ago. The one who waited outside my law school lectures with coffee in hand. The one who memorized my schedule just to "accidentally" bump into me. The one who proposed under the Brooklyn Bridge, his hands shaking as he slid the ring onto my finger.

That Kevin was gone.

“Miss.” The driver called out, removing my attention from the booklet. 

“Yes?”  I turned.

“I think you should know this, there has been a van following us for at least three intersections, it's the grey one beside your side of the window. It might be a coincidence but…” The driver trailed off and I froze instantly, my head turning sideways to look at the van. My eyes immediately caught the man staring at me through the windshield at the driver's seat. He was wearing a baseball cap and a jagged scar ran down the side of his face. He stared at me, unblinking and a chill ran down my spine. 

There was a new headline on the news, it was about a serial killer who had suddenly gone loose and he always targeted women in their twenties. Even last night, another woman was found dead on a street, the CCTV cameras were not even able to catch his face. 

I shivered again, “There's no way it can be him, I'm sure something's just wrong.” I mumbled, my hands already shaking. I turned my head back to glance at him; he was still staring. 

“Ack.” I huffed, my hands dialing the passcode on my phone as I pressed on Kevin's number, the phone rang a few times, my heart pounding with every ring and six rings later, Kevin picked up. 

“What is it?” Kevin questioned, he sounded annoyed. 

“K… Kevin, where are you? Someone's been following me for a while now, I'm at the third intersection west of the city hall, I…” 

“Forget the registry. We'll reschedule, something came up, it's very important.” He said coldly.

“Cancelled? But…” 

The line went dead.

I stared at my phone in shock, my mouth open. Then my phone buzzed again, it was a messenger notification. 

Ginny.

I clicked on it, my eyes darkening as I saw what was sent to me. It was photo of her holding a cake, smiling happily, while Kevin was behind her, his arms wrapped around her waist, he stared at her with warm eyes and a smile on his face, a stark contrast to how he had always stared at me. They were at a five star restaurant that Anna had always wanted to go to, along with my brothers and parents. 

On the chair beside her sat the Chanel bag.

The one I had begged Kevin for on our anniversary. The one he said was "too expensive" with my mother’s medical bills piling up. Squinting, I could see Kevin's signature handwriting on the receipt near the bag.

My birthday was three days ago and no one got me anything, not even Kevin, not my own parents. They all forgot but now, they were celebrating Ginny's birthday? Who was their real family?! 

I hadn't even finished wrapping my head around it when Ginny sent me a message which read: Sister, you didn't wish me a happy birthday but brother in law did, thank him for me! 

“Ha… Hahaha.” I chuckled slowly. This was it. 

“Miss?” 

“Turn back home. There's no need to go to the registry anymore.” I said, leaning back on the seat. 

“Okay miss.”