Married to my sister's billionaire

“You are a curse to this family.”

That was the last word my mom said to me that broke me completely.

“Where is she?!” The scream tore through the emergency hallway violently that every nurse nearby froze.

My chest tightened, Ethan. I looked up just in time to see him storm through the hospital doors like pure destruction itself panicking and breathing rough.

Rainwater dripped from his black coat to the white floor… I had never seen him look this afraid before.

Ethan Hale.

Heir to the powerful Hale family, one of the wealthiest and most influential families in the city. The Hales owned hospitals, luxury hotels and companies worth billions. People feared them, respected them and obeyed them without question.

The second his gaze landed on me something inside him snapped. “You.” His voice was low and dangerous.

And before I could speak he crossed the hallway in seconds and grabbed my arm hard that I felt the pain in my body. “E-Ethan—”

“Where is Layla?!”

People turned to watch.

The harsh hospitals light shone in my eyes and that made my vision blurry while machines beeped endlessly from the rooms close.

My entire body still shook from the accident with blood on my sleeves… Layla’s blood.

My family, the Sinclairs, were respected too. We weren’t as untouchable as the Hales but my father’s business empire and political connections made our family one of the richest in the state. To outsiders we looked perfect but behind closed doors… I was the unwanted daughter.

“I didn’t—”

“She was with you!” he roared, his grip tightened till I winced and for a second I saw fear in his eyes… real fear not for me but my little sister Layla.

The nurses looked at each other nervously. Everything felt cold, loud and suffocating, “I tried to help her—”

“You expect me to believe that? You’ve hated her your entire life.” Ethan’s jaw clenched.

The words hit harder than the pain in my hand because they weren’t true, “I would never hurt Layla.”

But even as I said it doubt filled the eyes around me, the doctors, nurses… everyone, like they had already decided I was guilty.

Then my mother appeared and the second she saw me standing there covered in blood, her expression twisted to fury.

SLAP!

My head snapped sideways, the sting exploded across my cheek.

“You monster! How could you do this to your own sister? I allowed you two visit Ethan as kids, provided everything you need… your sister only showed you love but you! You have envied her from small… Natalie why?” she cried shaking.

“M-Mom—” Another slap and this time it was harder, tears instantly filled my eyes.

“I didn’t do anything!”

“Stop lying! Layla is fighting for her life because of you!” my father shouted, my legs nearly gave out.

“No… that’s not what happened…” I whispered but nobody wanted the truth, they only wanted someone to blame and I was the easiest target, always the one at fault for everything that happens even when Layla was the cause.

I looked at Ethan desperately, maybe somewhere deep down he would believe me and see how terrified, confused and broken I was but the look in his eyes destroyed the remaining piece of hope in me.

The same eyes that used to soften whenever Layla smiled now looked at me like I was something disgusting.

“Don’t touch her,” he told my father coldly before pulling me closer to him.

And for one stupid heartbeat, warmth bloomed inside my chest, then he leaned down near my face and whispered… “If Layla dies… I’ll never forgive you.”

My breathing stopped.

He meant every word.

“Mr. Hale, the patient is awake.” A nurse rushed down the hallway.

Ethan released me instantly and ran to Layla’s hospital room without even looking at me.

My parents followed him but I was there standing alone shaking, my cheek burned from the slaps while whispers spread through the hallway around me.

“She pushed her sister down the stairs…”

“I heard they were always jealous of each other…”

“That poor girl…”

I wanted to scream that none of it was true but the words wouldn’t come out because I still couldn’t process what had happened tonight.

One moment Layla and I had been arguing backstage after the charity event, the next minute… her body began to fall, she screamed and blood was everywhere.

I closed my eyes.

“Miss? You should sit down you’re injured too.” I looked at the nurse standing beside me, only then did I realize blood was dripping slowly from my own hand to the floor and I didn't notice. I stared at it blankly.

The nurse guided me to a chair outside Layla’s room. The door was a bit open. I could hear voices inside, Ethan’s voice sounded wrecked. “Layla… look at me… you’re okay now.”

She was weak sobbing… I froze, Layla.

Slowly I looked through the small opening… Layla was pale, tears rolled down her cheeks like a tragic actress in a movie while her legs were perfectly bandaged, weak.

Ethan sat next to her holding her hand carefully like she might shatter if he let go. The sight stabbed straight to my chest because no matter how much I tried to deny it… I loved him and he loved her not me.

Layla turned her head to the door, to me and the second our eyes met, fear filled her face then her lips trembled. “S-Sister…”

Ethan followed her gaze immediately, his expression darkened again.

Layla started crying harder, “Why… why did you do this to me?” she whispered painfully.

The hallway went silent, every nurse nearby stopped moving, I stared at her in disbelief.

Layla knew the truth, she knew I didn’t push her. So why…

“Layla…” I said.

“I loved you so much…” Her fingers tightened around Ethan’s hand.

Layla had always treated me harshly, my whole family.

“No. Layla please tell them the truth,” the tears finally poured down my face.

“Get out.” Ethan’s voice was ice cold.

“Ethan…” I looked desperate.

“GET OUT!” The force in his voice made me flinch.

Just then Layla’s nurse stepped forward carefully, “Sir, the patient needs to rest now,” she said softly to Ethan.

Ethan stood up reluctantly still holding Layla’s hand for a second longer before letting go, he walked to the door and the nurse gently shut Layla’s hospital room door directly in my face and just like that… I was shut out completely.

I slid slowly down the wall to the floor, my entire body felt numb, I couldn’t breathe or think properly.

Why would Layla lie? Why?

Thunder crashed outside again rattling the windows violently, hours passed and nobody spoke or looked at me.

At some point my mother walked past me without stopping. “If anything happens to her don't call yourself my daughter anymore.” those exact words again then she left.

I sat there alone freezing in the hallway while guilt and confusion consumed me alive.

Not until a scream echoed from Layla’s hospital room. “THE PATIENT IS GONE!” everything around me stopped.

Doctors ran past me, nurses panicked, Ethan ran out of the restroom with his face completely drained of color, “What do you mean gone?!” he shouted.

“The window… It was opened from the outside—” a nurse stammered.

Ethan turned to the empty hospital bed then to me and the look in his eyes made my blood run cold because this time… he looked ready to destroy me.