MY MASKED, HUSBAND MY DECEIVER

If I had known that finding Annie at this time of day, by the stairs, grinning, could cause me my life, I would've pushed her down instead.

"Hello, sister," she waved, with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. I rolled my eyes at her, wanting to walk past, but she grabbed my right arm.

"Are you ignoring me?" she stared deep into my eyes, still grinning. I sighed and forcibly broke from her grip.

"I'm not in the mood for your drama today," I said simply and tried walking down, but she said something that made me halt.

"How does it feel? Having someone else take your position? The love, the care you once enjoyed?"

My chest tightened, but I kept my face calm.

Then she pulled out a small box and opened it.

"Look," she said sweetly. I turned.

"See what Adrian gave me? He wants me to wear it to the dinner party tomorrow. Isn't it beautiful?" She flaunted the diamond necklace that Adrian once promised me in my face.

My chest tightened further, but I kept my calm.

"It's beautiful," I replied simply and walked past her. She grabbed me again, this time harder, eyes glinting into mine.

"You think you're strong, huh? Why won't you flinch, cry, or beg me to stop? I've taken everything from you already—why won't you break?"

"Only the weak break!" I answered sharply.

She furrowed her eyebrows and let out a creepy smile.

"Fine, we will see about that," she flipped her hair toward my face, and the next thing I knew, she ran downstairs.

It all happened so fast. She ripped the diamond necklace apart, used the sharp metal of the necklace to cut her own body, and blood oozed out.

I stood frozen in horror.

I knew that she has always done crazy things just to tarnish my image in front of mom and Adrian, but hurting herself? This is extreme.

Then...

She lay down and let out a sharp cry.

"Help!"

Footsteps thundered from different directions immediately... Mom, Adrian, and the cleaner. They rushed in.

“Oh my God!” Mom cried, running to Annie. Adrian followed, panic written all over his face.

Mom gathered Annie in her arms as I moved down the stairs.

“Mom…” Annie whimpered weakly, clutching onto her.

“She… she pushed me…” Her trembling finger pointed at me.

Everything went silent. My heart dropped.

“What?” I whispered. All eyes snapped to me.

“How dare you!” Adrian roared, charging toward me.

"Are you trying to kill her? Answer me, witch!" he shouted in my face.

I stood there like a pillar, not knowing what to say.

Like, how do I tell them that I didn't push Annie?

That she didn't even fall?

How do I say, it was all a scheme to make them hate me more?

Because I know for sure that no amount of tears or explanation could make them believe me; the seed of hatred had already been sown in them.

"Talk to me! Why did you do..."

"I didn't do it!" I shouted, the veins in my neck almost bulging out.

Adrian bit his lip, clenched his fist, and hit the wall... I flinched at the sound of his fist against the wall.

"Why should I believe you?"

"I didn't..." The cleaner stepped forward, hands trembling against her apron, before I could barely finish my statement.

"She did it," she spoke suddenly.

And all eyes snapped to her.

My breath hitched.

"I saw her push Miss Annie down the stairs," the cleaner said while avoiding my eyes; that's when I discovered everything was planned.

I blinked back the hot tears threatening to fall.

"Adrian, believe me, I didn't do it!" I said, hoping that my once-beloved brother would believe me, but instead, I was shoved to the ground. Pain surged through my body immediately.

"Adrian, she didn't fall, she's pretending—" I barely finished my words before receiving a thunderous slap on my cheek.

The sting burned across my face. For a moment, I couldn’t even move.

Then, Annie spoke.

"Adrian, I did nothing to her! All I wanted was to share the diamond necklace you bought for me. She destroyed it and told me she was going to kill me because I took everything from her!" Annie paused with a sniff and turned to me.

"Marie, I've loved you as a sister. Why do you hate me so much?" she sobbed, with fake tears flowing down her cheeks.

I wish I could destroy that sly face of hers and tell them that she never loved me, that she has always been my adversary. But who would believe me? No one!

"Adrian, please don't hit her any further," she further pleaded. Adrian turned and scoffed at me.

"You see? Even in this state, she still considers your well-being."

I shook my head.

"Mom..." I turned to my mom, desperate to see the eyes that would testify to my innocence. But that look wasn't there. What I met were cold, sick eyes, red with anger and hatred.

She marched toward me with great speed. I couldn't run or even stand up.

She stood in front of me, eyes burning like a volcano that's ready to erupt. Her mouth moved, but no words came out. I wanted to grab her leg, like I always did whenever I did something wrong, but she moved her leg away quickly. That was when I knew I am all alone.

"Mom..." I couldn't complete my sentence before she grabbed my collar, yanked me up, and started dragging me upstairs. I couldn't fight back; my eyes were fixed on her.

I couldn't fathom her next move. But upon reaching the top of the stairs, she stopped and looked me in the face.

"The things that I've ever regretted are saving you from that accident, adopting you, and calling you my daughter! You're a murderer... you dare push my daughter down the stairs?" she roared.

"Mom, let me explain..." I cried.

"I will make you pay, and you will feel the same pain she's feeling right now!" she said through gritted teeth. That's when it dawned on me what she was about to do.

My body went cold.

"Mom, please! Don't do it, I might die!" I cried, then turned to Adrian, Annie, and the cleaner with pleading eyes.

"If Annie didn't die after you pushed her, then what makes you think you will die?" Adrian asked, and I shook my head.

"She didn't die because she never fell! She lied to you guys! The fall, the blood... it's all fake! Annie, tell them the truth!" My voice echoed, but no one, not even Mom, believed me.

"Mom, just throw her already! Or let me do it if you can't," Adrian said, and then he marched up and grabbed me by the neck.

"Adrian, remember you promised to believe and protect me," I whispered, and for a second, his eyes softened.

"That was then, Marie." His face hardened.

"Don't do this to me! I might die... please believe me!" I pleaded one more time, but he scoffed and shoved me off the stairs like a piece of trash.

I tumbled down the long stairs, each part of my body hitting either the wall or the sharp iron railing.

In those hunting minutes, memories flashed by: Adrian's promises, Mom's goodnight kisses, the hugs. They all played in my head like a movie.

But...

By the time I hit the ground, they all vanished.

I felt my blood on the floor and my bones, broken.

My vision blurred.

But, still… I forced my eyes open, raising them to the family I once called my own. I looked at them, hoping, begging... to see sympathy, regret, or pain in their eyes. But I found none. Just hatred and the triumphant smile on Annie's face.

There was no iota of regret in their eyes, and one question rang in my head:

Does this mean I was never loved? Were the hugs, the 'well-dones,' the goodnight kisses, and the gifts all fake?

"When you're done with your pretense, you will get up, pack your things, and get out of my house," I heard Mom's voice. I wanted to laugh, but I couldn't.

"Come on, Annie, let's get you to the hospital."

Those were the last words I heard before my eyes started closing.

No, I wanted to stay awake longer so I could see the look on their faces once they discovered I wasn't pretending... but my eyes wouldn't listen. In that state, I wished I could turn back the hands of time. But even my own body wouldn't listen to my wish so, why would my last wish be granted? and slowly, darkness took me.