TORN BETWEEN TWO BROTHERS

NADIRA’s POINT OF VIEW “I want a divorce.” Sage broke those words to me, shattering every piece of my heart. I couldn’t believe it. My biggest fear was happening right in my face, but at the wrong time.I clutched the pregnancy test I was holding behind my back tightly, my eyelashes batting. “W-Why?”He tightened his jaw, and I saw a flash of hatred in his dark eyes as they stared at me. He had no remorse in his voice, and blatantly, I heard him utter. “Daphne is back.”I swallowed. And then my eyes widened in shock. So, that was the reason? Daphne?“You promised…” my lips quivered, feeling the tears that stung my eyes, “I— I stayed because you promised what you had with her was over.”I watched him scoff. And then he turned sharply to me with twisted lips. “Well, I was wrong.”My face fell, and my shoulders slumped. “After everything?” I shrieked, unable to stop the tears that were already flowing down my cheeks. “I gave up everything for you, Sage! I—‘’“—Enough of your nonsense,

NADIRAI lost… my baby.My husband.My marriage.Everything that mattered to me.Sage had thrown me out of the house the minute the doctor declared that I’d suffered a miscarriage.And to top it all? I was left with nothing on me. Not even a single penny.“I’m sorry… for everything. You— you don’t deserve being treated like this, Nadira.”I slumped my shoulders on the couch, sobbing quietly for what felt like hours. Asher had taken me to his house, since there was nobody else I could turn to for help.I didn’t say a word to Asher. Instead, I sat quietly in my seat, brooding over my next line of action.Sage had done me dirty. He’d had me treated like a slave for the past five years. And I’d endured it all— his anger, his maltreatment, his infidelity and abuse.But now? It was all over.I was done with everything.Done playing nice.Asher’s voice sounded distant even when he was sitting right next to me. But I could hear him call out my name, his voice laced with concern.“Nae?”“I wan

ASHER’s POINT OF VIEWI couldn’t do this.I couldn’t tell her the truth, it was only going to hurt her.And break our friendship.Or whatever it was that we had together.“Nae,” my voice seeped through the air like a cold wind, trying to cool the heat burning alongside the tension. “I— I know nothing.”She frowned, staring at me like she didn’t believe. And I felt her hands slowly slip away from my neck.“You’re lying, Asher.”I wish I didn’t have to do that, but the truth made my throat go dry after forming a lump.“I’m not.”“Then what ‘truth’ was Sage talking about?” She threw at me sternly, her eyes turning cold and serious. “If it’s nothing— like you claimed, then, how did you know what happened wasn’t my fault?”My throat burned. I was at a loss for words. The right replies to give. Lying my way out was harder than I’d thought.I tried to reach for her. To coerce her that it was nothing serious like she had in mind. “You’re overthinking everything.”“Am I?” She asked sarcastica

NADIRAThree days later…“Why didn’t you tell me?”I wasn’t expecting myself to react with shock at the sound of his voice, but he’d startled me out of the blues.I turned around, catching sight of his figure standing at the entrance of the kitchen, his eyes narrowed at me.“What?”He took a step closer. “Why didn’t you tell me that Sage raped you?”I froze for a second. The incident and awful memories from the last three days filtered through my mind, threatening to make me relive every single moment forcefully.I swallowed the heavy lump in my throat, tossing the lid of the pot I had in my hands back to the cabinet.“How— how did you know that?”I couldn’t hold his gaze. Shame and goosebumps grew on my skin, making me appear dirty and… cheap.His voice grew calmer, no longer reprimanding me. “The news is everywhere in the office,” I felt my throat burn. “Apparently, Sage’s informed every single ear that cared to listen.”Hot tears formed in my eyes, making me realize the humiliatio

SAGE’s POINT OF VIEW.“Are you even listening to me?” I was seething with rage, and it had made me cranky all through the night. “Nadira walked in here with an attorney yesterday— and she… she took both positions from me.”Mum’s voice sounded hysterical over the phone, and that wasn’t what I needed at that moment.“That wretch,” she snarled. “I’m going to make sure she pays dearly for this.”“Mum—‘’She’d hung up before I could complete my words.I dropped the phone back to the table, my fingers running through my hair in confusion.I didn’t know what to do. My wedding with Daphne was in a few weeks. There was no way I could fully fund everything when Nadira had demoted me.There had to be some sort of way.That fucking gold-digger.I’d taken pity on her after the nasty incident that had occurred on the eve of our wedding.I’d married her out of pity for my father’s sake.And what did she do?She’d stabbed me in the back, and was reclaiming positions and rights with my brother.The f