Chapter 3

I don't remember how long I walked but when I looked up the sky had already darkened, the city lights blurring in my vision as I moved without direction, without purpose, without a home, without a family. A hollow laugh escaped my lips. My steps slowed until I finally stopped on a quiet street, my chest tightening with every breath and then… I couldn’t hold it in anymore.

I sank onto the cold pavement, my hands covering my face as the tears finally broke free. It hurt. Not just my heart— Everything.  

Every memory  

Every moment  

Every sacrifice  

Flashed through my mind like a cruel reminder of how blind I had been.

“I believe in you, Vincent.” I could still see it clearly. The tiny apartment. The peeling walls. The single desk where he used to work late into the night. Back when he had nothing. Back when it was just us. “You’re going to build something big one day,” I told him, placing a cup of coffee beside him. He looked up at me then, his eyes soft—nothing like the cold man I saw today. “And you’ll be right there with me?” he asked. I smiled without hesitation. “Always.”

I swallowed hard, my fingers tightening against my arms. Always.

What a joke. I was there when he couldn’t pay rent. I sold my jewelry so he could fund his first project. I took on two jobs so he wouldn’t have to give up and when the company finally started growing… I stepped back. I told myself it was enough just to support him from behind.

To build a home. To raise our child, our child. A sharp sob tore from my throat. Even that had been a lie. I pressed my forehead against my knees, my body was trembling. How could he do this to me? How could I not see it? “Daphne?” The voice pulled me back to reality.

I looked up, startled. A woman stood a few steps away, her expression filled with concern. “Lila…?” My voice came out hoarse. She rushed over immediately. “Oh my God, what happened to you?”

I tried to wipe my tears quickly, but it was pointless.

“Nothing,” I said weakly. “I’m fine.” She gave me a look that clearly said she didn’t believe me.

“You’re sitting on the street at night crying,” she said gently. “That’s not ‘fine.’”

I let out a shaky breath. “I left,” I said finally.

Her brows furrowed. “Left… Vincent?” I nodded.

Something in my expression must have told her everything, because her face darkened instantly. “I always knew something was off about him,” she muttered. A bitter smile touched my lips. “You were right.” Lila hesitated for a moment, then said carefully, “Daphne… have you ever thought about… your past?”

I frowned slightly. “What do you mean?” She looked like she was choosing her words. “I mean… before Vincent. Before all of this.” She gestured vaguely. “You never really talked about your family.”

My chest tightened. “There’s nothing to talk about,” I said quietly.

That part of my life had always been… unclear, distant. Like something I wasn’t supposed to question. Lila studied me for a moment, as if she wanted to say more but in the end, she just sighed.

“Come on,” she said softly. “You can stay with me tonight.” I hesitated then nodded. Right now, I didn’t have the strength to refuse. We stood up, and I followed her toward the main road but I could feel it as we walked… Something felt off. I slowed slightly, my eyes drifting toward the street behind us and that’s when I noticed a black car. Parked not too far away.

My steps faltered. “Daphne?” Lila glanced at me. “What’s wrong?” I didn’t answer, I couldn't shake off that unmistakable feeling that the car wasn’t there by accident and it wasn’t just passing by. It was watching me.