He left me

Annie’s pov

I tugged the condom back into his pants before he could come out, then lay quietly on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling until my tears blurred everything. I cried so hard that night my eyes could barely breathe.

I had left everything for him my family, my inheritance, my name. I told my parents I couldn't live by their rules anymore. I said I didn't want to be the heiress. I just wanted to

live like a normal woman. But this was where it had led me.

I had abandoned the billion-dollar company that bore my family's name. I gave him everything

-my savings, every investment I could access.

I poured it all into his business, believing we were building something together, a future for our family. I had faith in him.

By the time I woke up the next morning, he was gone. The sheets were cold, and a note sat neatly on the pillow beside me.

I left for a business trip. Don't wait up.

I could almost hear his voice in those words:

cold, distant, and detached.

A gentle knock pulled me back to reality.

"Mom?" Lena’s tiny voice called from outside.

I quickly wiped my face and opened the door.

"Good morning, sweetheart." I forced a smile, crouching to her level and lifting her into my

arms.

"Mom, why didn't you get me ready for school? We're late!" She pouted.

"I'm sorry, baby. Mommy was a little occupied."

"You always say that," she mumbled. "Aunt

Kate never forgets."

My heart twisted. Kate adored lena —maybe a little too much. "I promise it won't happen again, okay?"

After dropping Lena at school, I decided to grab some groceries. But as I parked in front of the supermarket, my stomach rumbled. A fancy Italian restaurant sat nearby, so I walked in for a quick lunch.

The smell of garlic butter and fresh pasta filled the air as I waited at the counter. That was when

I saw him.

Mark

He sat by the window, his sleeves rolled up, his watch gleaming under the sunlight. A woman's purse rested on the table opposite him—but no woman sat there. Maybe she was in the restroom.

My breath hitched. I turned away, paid for my meal, and hurried out before he could see me. I sat in my car for almost an hour, hoping and praying that I was wrong. But when the woman finally returned, my chest tightened. I couldn't see her face clearly, but something about her hair and posture felt disturbingly familiar. It wasn't the actress he usually "worked' with.

I followed them. Slowly. Quietly.

A sleek black 2025 Mercedes AMG GT Coupe slid out of the parking lot like a secret.

My fingers trembled around the steering wheel as I trailed behind.

When they finally stopped, my heart shattered.

A hotel.

He stepped out first, buttoning his shirt, then reached for the woman's waist, pulling her close. My blood ran cold.

I followed them inside, keeping a distance.

They spoke briefly to the receptionist. My pulse pounded as I read the woman's lips.

Room 314.

The moment they entered the elevator, I approached the desk.

"Hello," I said, forcing a smile that didn't reach

my eyes.

"Good afternoon, ma'am. Would you like to book a room or make a reservation?" the

receptionist asked sweetly.

"Actually..." I swallowed hard. "My husband just checked in. Mark vale-

Her expression flickered with confusion before she typed quickly into her system. "Yes, ma'am. He did check in."

"Perfect," I said softly. "He's expecting some important documents from me. I'll just surprise him."

She hesitated for a moment, but my name still carried weight. "Of course, ma'am. Go right ahead."

Each step toward Room 314 felt like walking barefoot over glass. My heart pounded louder with every floor the elevator climbed.

When I reached the door, I knocked once. No response. I knocked again.

"Who's there?" came a woman's voice-familiar, too familiar.

"Room service," I lied.

The door opened.

And my world ended.

Kate stood before me in a see-through silk top and shorts, her hair messy and her lips swollen.

My best friend. It felt like a hot dagger was driven straight through my heart.

My voice broke. "What... what are you doing here?"

Before she could speak, Mark appeared behind her-shirtless. Calm and unapologetic.

"What are you doing here, Sienna?" he asked, as if I were the intruder.

"What am I doing here?" I choked. "What are you doing in a hotel with my best friend?" My eyes stung with hot tears.

He didn't flinch. Instead, he wrapped his arm possessively around Kate waist, his touch burning through her skin. "Isn't it obvious?" he said coldly.

I staggered back. Maybe I was dreaming.

Maybe this was a nightmare I'd wake from

soon.

"You took my kindness for weakness," I whispered. "I helped both of you. I trusted—"

He cut me off sharply. "You have no money left, Maddie. I can't sit around pretending anymore."

Kate tone was soft, casual, and almost bored. "We didn't want you to find out like

this."

"You bitch!" I screamed, lunging at her. But Kate stepped between us, shoving me back hard.

"Stop being dramatic," he barked. "I'll send the divorce papers. It's over."

My heart crumbled. "For how long?" I managed to ask.

Neither of them answered.

He sighed, his voice turning colder. "Pack your things and leave. Forget about Lena ; she's ours."

"What?" My knees buckled.

"You heard me," he said flatly. The reality slammed into me. Kate was Lena biological mother. My tears spilled over, burning my cheeks, impossible to contain.

"Four years?" I screamed, the realization hitting me like a storm. This had been going on since college.

At that moment, I wanted my life to end. My entire world had crumbled.

"Stop being dramatic. Go pack your things and leave!" He snapped.

"I won't leave," I said, my voice calm even as tears streamed down my face, burning my cheeks. "It's my house.

A cruel smile curved his lips. "Remember the papers you signed on your birthday?"

My stomach dropped. "You wouldn't-"

"Oh, I already did," he said. "The house, the company... everything belongs to me now."

My vision blurred. I couldn't breathe. The walls spun.

Walls spun. Breath came in sharp, shallow gasps. My vision blurred. I stumbled, hands clutching at the hotel room's doorframe for support. Somehow, I found the exit, bursting into the street. My tears blinded me.

I didn't see the cars. I didn't see anything. The world narrowed to the sound of my own screaming heart.

A blinding flash of light. Screeching tires. A deafening crash.

And then... silence.