Five

“Her new life.” The three words kept looping in Franklin’s head long after the call ended. He stood by the window, phone still in his hand, staring at nothing.

Yulia watched him from the bed, a small, satisfied smile on her lips.

She heard every word. 'Good. Let him feel the first crack.' She no longer needed to be afraid of Thalia’s shadow.

Franklin dialed Thalia’s number again. And again. But no answer.

"Just like that? Did she move on that quickly? Had she already found someone else?" he thought to himself.

No. He trusted her. Thalia would never cheat. But the man’s voice—calm, certain, possessive—kept replaying.

"Her new life." What was that? he swallowed, feeling sp restless.

Yulia rose and crossed to him, slipping her arms around his waist.

“Frank… I’m so happy we’re finally together.”

“Me too,” he answered pressing a light kiss to her forehead. But his mind was still on the voice gentle heard from the call.

The front door opened downstairs with force.

Heels struck the polished tiles in sharp, rapid clicks.

“Franklin!” His mother, Delilah yelled.

Delilah’s voice carried up the stairs like a blade. She did not wait for permission. She climbed two steps at a time, expensive coat flaring behind her, and shoved the bedroom door open.

She stopped, her eyes filled with shock, Yulia stood in Franklin’s arms, still wearing the soft peach wedding gown. The large diamond on her finger caught the light as she stepped forward with practiced sweetness.

“Aunt Delilah...”

Without thinking, Delilah moved closer, her hand cracked across her cheek.

The sound echoed in the room, Delilah didn't care at the moment, she was angry.

Yulia staggered back, palm flying to her face. Color flooded her skin—pain and humiliation mixed together in her expression.

“Mother!” Franklin moved fast, pulling Yulia behind him. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

“She hit me,” Yulia said, voice soft and trembling. “I didn’t do anything.”

“Of course you didn’t.” Franklin’s arm stayed firm across her. “You’re my wife now, she has no right to touch you.”

Delilah’s eyes widened. “Wife?”

“Where is Thalia?” she demanded.

“Gone for good,” Franklin answered flatly. “I ended our marriage, I do not love her at all.”

The silence that followed was thick.

Delilah took a step back as if the words themselves had struck her.

“You left your wife...for her? Unbelievable ” she smirked at him.

“Watch your mouth,” Franklin warned.

Delilah laughed bitterly. “You actually believe she loves you? You think this is real?”

He turned to Yulia instead, brushing his fingers gently over the red mark on her cheek.

“Are you all right?”

Yulia nodded, eyes lowered. “It’s fine. I understand why she’s angry.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Franklin said. “You’re my wife. Her opinion is irrelevant.”

Delilah stared at her son as if seeing a stranger. “Yulia. Of all people. Over her own sister.”

“This is my life,” Franklin snapped. “I get to choose who I spend it with.”

“Open your eyes,” Delilah cut in. “She never loved you the way Thalia did. She envied her. She waited. And the moment Thalia was vulnerable, she took everything.”

“Thalia failed to keep me,” Franklin fired back. “That’s the truth.”

Delilah flinched. “No, you betrayed her. And now you expect me to smile and accept it? I am ashamed of you son!”

Franklin’s voice dropped. “I’ve made my choice. You can accept it or not.”

Delilah’s expression hardened into something colder than anger.

“Then I’ll make mine. But trust me you will regret this sooner than you think.”

She turned and left. Her heels struck the stairs like gunshots until the front door slammed.

The silence she left behind felt heavy.

Yulia slid her arms around Franklin again, resting her cheek against his chest.

“I’m sorry baby, I didn’t mean to cause this.”

“You didn’t,” he said. “She did okay?”

But his voice sounded hollow even to himself.

He just defended Yulia against the one person who always stood by him. The woman who treated Thalia like a daughter. Something in his stomach twisted, but he forced it down.

Yulia tilted her face up. “Maybe we should postpone the honeymoon until things settle.”

“No.” Franklin’s answer was immediate. “We leave as planned. I don’t need her blessing. We’re already married.”

She smiled, “Of course, baby. I’m yours. Completely.”

As she kissed his cheek, his gaze drifted across the room and landed on the forgotten photo frame on the shelf.

Him and Thalia, laughing on their first anniversary.

Yulia followed his eyes. The moment she recognized the face in the frame, her expression changed.

She crossed the room in three quiet steps, lifted the frame, and smashed it against the wall.

Glass exploded across the floor.

"Her chapter is over!"

---

Three days later, Thalia sat curled on the couch in George’s apartment, a thin blanket around her shoulders. Her phone kept lighting up with notifications.

Yulia’s followers had found her comment section.

'Slut.'

"Homewrecker."

"Ugly. Useless. She deserved it."

The words slid under her skin like glass. She dropped the phone face-down and pressed the heels of her hands against her eyes.

She still loved Franklin, despite everything, and that was the worst part. She was carrying his child and the wound he left refused to close.

It only burned.

George came from the kitchen with a mug of tea and set it in front of her. He sat beside her without speaking.

“I don’t know why I can’t just…” she began.

“You still love him,” George said quietly. “It’s all right to say it.”

She looked at him. “Does that make me weak?”

“No, it's normal, it's his loss because you truly loved him.”

She reached for the tea. “I don’t want him back, but his memories, God, it's not leaving me.”

“I know.”

“I’m not healed. It still feels like yesterday.”

George nodded. “You don’t have to heal all at once. You just have to keep breathing.”

The doorbell rang.

George rose. “Stay here.”

He opened the door to a man in a dark suit holding a sealed envelope.

“Delivery for Miss Thalia Frost.”

George took it. The man left without another word.

Thalia opened the envelope with unsteady hands. Inside was a single sheet of thick ivory paper.

*Congratulations, Miss Thalia Frost. You have been selected as one of the elite finalists for the Paris International Runway Experience, hosted by Maison de Lumière. Your portfolio has captured the attention of global designers. This is your official invitation to represent your country on the world stage.*

She stared at the words. Then read them again.

Paris is the dream she carried since she was seventeen. The one thing that has always belonged only to her.

The paper slipped from her fingers, all hope left her because it's coming way too late.

George picked it up and read it. “You’re not happy?”

“I’m pregnant,” she whispered.

“Leave that to me,” he said. “You don’t give up a dream like this for anyone.”

He held her hand. After a moment she nodded.

“When are you sending the divorce papers?” he asked.

“Today.”

“I can have them delivered.”

She shook her head. “I’ll do it myself. Some goodbyes need to be face to face.”

George studied her, then called his driver. His voice was quiet and final. “You protect her. If she comes back with so much as a scratch, it will not end well for you.”

---

The mansion was unnervingly quiet when Thalia stepped inside. No staff at the door. No movement in the halls.

She found them in the living room.

Yulia stood in the center, giving sharp instructions to a maid about rearranging furniture. On the couch sat their mother, Tina, posture straight and cold.

Tina rose the moment she saw her. “Well. Look who decided to appear.”

Thalia stopped, she was surprised to see Tina.

“You told me you were in the hospital.” She confronted her.

“I was sick of you.” Tina scoffed. "You don't expect me to leave Yulia for you, oh stop it."

Thalia had known, somewhere deep, that her mother has always preferred Yulia.

"Wow." she nodded.

Franklin’s voice came from behind her.

“What are you doing here?” he walked to her front.

Yulia immediately moved to his side. He kissed her briefly, openly, before turning his full attention to Thalia.

She held out the folder. “It would have been disrespectful to send these through a lawyer. So I came myself.”

Franklin took the papers without ceremony.

“Finally,” Yulia breathed.

Thalia’s mouth curved, “If he could leave me for you, he can leave you for someone else. Enjoy it while it lasts.”

Yulia’s smile did not reach her eyes. “Of course, I will. I have him and he will always belongs to me!”

Franklin said nothing. His silence hurt more than any reply could have.

“Out of my house,” he said at last.

Thalia turned before the tears could fall, she walked out of the mansion, got in the car she came with.

Then she slipped the wedding ring from her finger and let it fall through the open window.

George was right, it's not too late to start over again.

And she would.