Chapter 4

It was still dark out when the door suddenly burst open.

Smack!

Denton and my father stormed in, and without warning, I got slapped across the face.

"Stephanie! Kelsey was trying to help by giving you a massage, and you kicked her? Don't you know she's still recovering from being sick?"

Tears streamed down my face. Watching my own family rush in and scold me without bothering about the truth hurt worse than the slap itself.

One day, if they found out that it was Kelsey who caused my mother's death, would they regret what they did to me today?

"You killed your mother the day you were born, and now you want to kill Kelsey too? How can you be so cruel?"

My father's words hit me like a storm. He raised his hand to slap me again, but maybe it was the way I looked, crying in silence, that made Denton hesitate.

Denton caught his arm and said softly, "Dad, she's still pregnant. Let it go."

My father frowned but didn't stop. He kept going.

"Even if Kelsey accidentally hurt you during the massage, you shouldn't have kicked her! She's not well! You're coming to the hospital with me to apologize to Kelsey!"

I gave them a bitter smile. "Kelsey caused these burns on me. I didn't kick her—she fell on purpose."

Denton and my father exchanged a glance. Surprise flickered across their faces, but then they both went silent for a long while.

Just when I thought, maybe, just maybe, they believed me, my father exploded.

"You've always been selfish and hard to deal with, but at least you used to be honest. Now you're just lying to escape responsibility!

"Kelsey is kind. Why would she ever hurt you? Anyone can see you burned yourself just to gain sympathy!"

Hearing my father blindly take Kelsey's side broke something inside me. I cried harder, then suddenly found myself laughing.

I already knew. I'd always known they favored Kelsey over me. So why did I keep trying to explain myself? Why was I still hoping they'd stand by me?

"Get up. You're coming with us to the hospital to apologize."

My father kicked me hard.

The room spun, and everything went black.

Just before I passed out, I heard someone yelling, panicked, "Stephanie? Stephanie, are you okay?"

It sounded like Edwin had come back.

When I opened my eyes again, my arm was re-bandaged, and Edwin was holding my hand, his face full of worry.

"I'm sorry I got back so late. Don't worry. I'm here now. Everything's going to be okay."

His hands were big and warm. His voice was calm and comforting. But the feeling I used to get from him, the sense of safety, was gone.

Because every time Denton and my father punished me, it was always Edwin who came to my rescue.

I used to think Edwin was the light in my life. But now, all I saw was someone pretending to care.

"It's still early," Edwin said gently, brushing my cheek. "Get some more rest."

It was 5:00 AM.

He was right; it was still early. I should get some sleep. I needed the energy to leave.

I drifted off again, and when I woke up, it was already 9:00 AM.

The room was empty.

I gave a bitter smile. Of course, Edwin wasn't here. He was probably at the hospital with Kelsey.

That was fine. It meant I could leave without anyone noticing.

I checked my luggage and got ready to go when suddenly, a message popped up from Kelsey. It was a short video.

In the video, Edwin was slicing fruit for her. My father was asking if he'd divorce me after I gave birth. Edwin frowned and said, "I'm not divorcing Stephanie. I was wrong before, and I'll take care of her for the rest of my life."

He told them to stop bringing up divorce. He wanted to make things right and make up for what he'd done.

Then Kelsey sent a message mocking me.

[Your husband's not staying with you because he loves you—it's because he feels guilty. Stephanie, you'll never be loved, not by your family, not by your man. You don't deserve it.]

Tears fell again.

Did Edwin ever really love me? If that love was built on lies, then I didn't want it.

I picked up my bags and got into a cab.

Then, I sent the video from the hospital—the one where Kelsey admitted Edwin mistook her identity and she was faking her illness—anonymously to Edwin's email.

And the surveillance footage from our bedroom, where Kelsey confessed she was the one who caused our mother's death, I sent that anonymously to my father and Denton.

After I hit send, I tossed my phone out the window.

From now on, I was starting a new life.