Six years ago- 001

Jane stood on the rooftop, trembling with panic. She could not believe what she had just seen. Tonight was meant to be a celebration of their anniversary—a night of love and tenderness, not betrayal. Earlier that evening, Jane had found a set of divorce papers. Though she had tried to convince herself they were not meant for her, a dark suspicion had grown. Determined to confront her husband, she had gone searching for him. Instead, what she witnessed filled her with terror.

Jane’s chest tightened, and she struggled to breathe as if a vise gripped her heart. Every desperate gasp felt weak. She refused to let him see her break down. Before Daniel could turn around, she had bolted for the rooftop—anywhere but where he might catch her.

Not wishing to draw attention from below, Jane quickly took out her phone and texted Lucy, her adopted sister and the one person she trusted. The message read:

"Lucy, please come to the rooftop. I’m stranded. I don’t know what to do."

After what seemed like an eternity—about twenty long minutes—Lucy arrived. Adjusting her gown and showing calm concern, Lucy asked, "What’s wrong, Jane? Who has you so upset?"

Jane swallowed hard before blurting out, "I don’t know if I’m imagining things or if it was real…I just—" Her voice faltered as her thoughts tangled.

With worry in her eyes, Lucy urged her, "Calm down, Jane. Tell me, what did you see?"

In a shaky whisper, Jane replied, "I saw Daniel with another woman." She paused, her voice dropping even lower. "I couldn’t see her face clearly—she had her back turned. But I saw them together, and it wasn’t just a casual meeting. They were close, full of passion, desire… even obsession." The words left her feeling both exposed and ashamed, especially after the divorce papers she had found earlier.

Lucy’s face remained unreadable for a moment, a mix of shock and concern passing through her eyes. Then she teased softly, "So, what did you do when you saw them? You didn’t just run away without confronting him, did you?"

Jane’s voice was barely a whisper. "I couldn’t do anything. I just ran. I was too scared and heartbroken to speak."

Lucy sighed and handed Jane a glass of lemonade. "Here, Jane. I know you’re hurting. Maybe this will help you feel a bit better."

Jane’s hands trembled as she accepted the glass. "Oh, Lucy, thank you. I don’t know what I would do without you."

Lucy sat beside her and spoke in a gentle tone about practical matters—about her family’s debts, the need to wait a couple more years to clear them, and even about the possibility of forgiving Daniel. Jane knew Lucy had a point, yet the haunting image of betrayal would not leave her.

Years ago, Jane’s family had lived comfortably until a scandal shattered everything. Her father was accused of embezzlement, and his company fell apart. Every attempt to rebuild was met with more accusations, including a painful case of sexual harassment. His company was seized, and debts piled up. When a man named Daniel approached with a promise to revive the failing business, there was only one condition: Jane had to marry him. Only eighteen and newly enrolled in law school, Jane was forced into the marriage for the sake of her family. She agreed, on the promise that Daniel would help her finish her degree. But after their marriage, Daniel made her drop out and slowly took away every dream she had sacrificed for him. When her parents later died in a fire, Daniel’s cruelty grew. He manipulated her until she signed away her rights to the company. Despite everything, Jane still clung to a desperate hope that maybe, somehow, Daniel was the man who had saved her family—though betrayal now stained that hope.

As Jane listened to Lucy’s quiet reassurances, she suddenly felt a wave of dizziness. The world began to spin, and her vision blurred. "Lucy… I think I need to sit down somewhere else," she murmured, barely audible. Lucy frowned in worry. "What’s wrong with you?"

"I—I can’t see clearly, and my body feels light," Jane said, her words trailing off as the dizziness overwhelmed her. She reached out and gripped the cold iron railing, trying to steady herself. "I feel so dizzy. I can’t stay here. It’s too dangerous…"

Before Jane could finish her sentence, a strong force suddenly pushed her from behind. The impact startled her, and for a brief moment, she thought she had simply tripped. But she was falling. Her fingers scrambled in the air until they finally caught the railing at the last possible moment. Dangling there, the city lights blurred below her into a confusing mosaic. Desperation filled her voice as she screamed, "Lucy! Please—do something! Call 911! Help me, Lucy—lift me up! If you can’t, call Daniel or get help!"

"Lucy, are you there? Please, someone help!" Her voice cracked as panic took hold.

But Lucy was nowhere to be seen.

Frantically, Jane looked around. Lucy had been right there moments before—had she run off to get help? Her arms trembled and her grip weakened. The cold metal bit into her palms, slick with sweat. "Please, help me, please!" she pleaded, tears streaming down her face.

Then a sharp pain shot through her hand. "Ouch!" she cried as her fingers slipped—someone had struck her with a shard of glass from her spilled lemonade. The burning sting made her grip falter. "I can’t hold on any longer… Lucy—where are you?" Her voice was desperate as she looked down at the ground far below.

Her left hand tried to catch on, but it was too late. Gravity pulled her down forcefully. Her fingers scraped against the rough railing; her skin burned and her nails broke. The wind roared in her ears as she fell, her screams lost in the night.

In those final moments, memories rushed through her mind—her parents’ loving voices, their dreams for her, and the hopes she had once held dear. "Mom… Dad… I’m sorry I couldn’t make you proud… I’m sorry I couldn’t clear your name… I’m sorry I couldn’t finish law school and fight for you… I’m sorry I couldn’t save our company… Please forgive me…"

Tears mixed with the chaos of the night as she fell. If only she had known sooner—if only she had looked into Daniel’s eyes before this all went wrong. The moment of betrayal had haunted her long before her body began to give way.

Before the fall, there was one scene that burned in her mind—a moment of cheating that had shattered her world. Jane had been searching for Daniel, determined to confront him about the divorce papers. Instead, she had caught him in a dim hallway. There, he stood with a mysterious woman whose face remained hidden in the shadows. The woman leaned close, and their bodies pressed together in a way that spoke of secret passion. Daniel’s eyes held a fire that was not meant for Jane. The stolen glances, the gentle touch, and the way their lips met in a quiet, desperate embrace—each moment confirmed the betrayal Jane had feared. That memory, raw and painful, was now all she could think about as she fell.

Her body hit a hard surface with a terrible crash. Pain exploded through her, and her vision faded to black. The last thing she saw was a figure on the rooftop—an old man on the phone, staring down at her. A single, desperate thought raced through her mind: Who pushed me? Was it Lucy? No—it couldn’t be. Or had she simply tripped?

She tried to scream, and only four words escaped before everything went dark:

"I want to live…"