Chapter 1: False Allegations

Mandy’s POV

I stood frozen at the top of the stairs, heart racing as I watched Mary, my husband’s older brother’s pregnant fiancée, tumble down the steps, her screams echoing in my ears.

It all happened in a blur—one moment, we were both heading downstairs to join the family party, and the next, Mary was rolling down the stairs, her body twisting with each horrifying bounce.

I froze. My legs refused to move. A sickening thought clawed at me—what if they think I pushed her?

Guests from the party had already started crowding around, drawn to the chaos, their eyes wide with shock. My stomach churned with panic. I couldn’t breathe.

“Someone, call an ambulance!” one of the guests shouted, and it felt like the whole world was closing in around me.

This was supposed to be a day of celebration. The house was filled with some of the wealthiest, most influential people in the city—celebrities, business tycoons, all gathered to mark the grand occasion.

But now? The scene before me had turned into something from a nightmare. Eyes turned toward me, sharp with accusation.

“You did this. You’re a monster,” one voice cut through the silence, and suddenly, I was the villain of the story. My throat went dry.

“No, I didn’t do this,” I pleaded, my voice weak. “I swear, I don’t know how it happened.” My eyes darted to Mary, but she said nothing, her face contorted in pain.

But it didn’t matter. The crowd was already turning on me.

“You pushed her, didn’t you? You’ve always been jealous of her, haven’t you?” A guest sneered. “You’re worse than the devil.”

The words stung, but they were nothing compared to the others that followed.

“Trying to kill your sister-in-law and her unborn baby, just because she’s pregnant and you’re not?” another voice added, venom in every syllable.

“I didn’t—no, it’s not like that!” My head spun, the accusations drowning out everything else.

“Someone, call the ambulance!” another voice cried out, but it only made the situation feel more out of control. Every eye in the room was on me, filled with disdain.

I could barely think straight.

And then, just as I felt like I might collapse, I saw him—Lucas.

My husband. I wanted to run to him, to plead with him, but before I could move, I saw the look on his face. The same horror and disgust that filled everyone else’s eyes.

“What the hell have you done, Mandy?” His voice was a thunderclap, loud and unforgiving.

My heart dropped.

“I didn’t do this, Lucas! I swear, I didn’t. You know me—I’d never hurt Mary or her baby!”

But Lucas didn’t seem to hear me. His eyes were locked on Mary now, his voice softening as he knelt beside her.

“Are you alright? Still hurting? Hold on, the ambulance is on its way,” he said gently, brushing hair from her forehead.

I tried to help. I bent down to offer support, but before I could even touch her, Lucas’s hand shot out to stop me.

“Get away from her, Mandy,” he snapped. “You might hurt her again.”

My chest tightened. It was like being punched in the stomach. Again?

The room felt colder as he turned his attention back to Mary, completely ignoring me.

The woman I was supposed to love, who was now carrying his child, and me—the woman who had married him—were suddenly two strangers to him.

Just then, I heard the door open, and in walked Mrs. Claire, Lucas’s grandmother. She was the only person in his family who’d ever shown me any kindness.

Finally, I thought, someone who’ll listen.

“What happened here?” Mrs. Claire’s voice was filled with concern, her eyes searching the room.

Before I could even speak, one of the guests jumped in, his voice dripping with accusation. “She pushed Mary down the stairs, Mrs. Claire. We all saw it.”

I felt my stomach drop. It was like being accused of a crime I couldn’t even comprehend. How had everything spiraled so quickly?

Grandma Claire’s eyes met mine, searching for the truth in my face.

“Mandy… is this true?”

Before I could answer, Mary screamed out in pain, her voice shrill.

“I think I’m losing the baby!” she cried.

The sound of her voice ripped through me, and for a second, everything else faded. But then, I saw Lucas’s face. His expression was etched with terror, his focus entirely on Mary.

He didn’t even look at me.

The paramedics arrived moments later, and Lucas lifted Mary into his arms, his face tight with worry.

“Don’t worry, Mary. We’ll get you to the hospital,” he reassured her, carrying her out of the room.

And just like that, I was alone.

Grandma Claire gave me one last look before walking away, shaking her head, her voice carrying a soft but painful truth.

“Mandy, you’ve always been a good girl, but sometimes… your jealousy hurts others.”

Jealousy? I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. She of all people—my grandmother’s best friend, the one person I’d trusted more than anyone—was turning her back on me.

I stood there, paralyzed. No one believed me. Not even the woman who had raised me when I lost everyone else.

Alone.

I stumbled back to my room in Lucas’s mansion, feeling like the weight of the world was on my shoulders. The house that should have felt like home now felt like a prison.

As I sat on the bed, the lingering scent of Lucas's cologne on the pillow only reminded me of how good our morning had been—before everything fell apart.

I had to tell him the truth. I had to make him see that I hadn’t done anything. But would he even listen?

Suddenly, I heard his voice from the hallway.

He was back.

I stood up, my heart pounding, desperate to fix things. But as I opened the door and was about to step out, I froze.

“I want a divorce.”

Those words hit me like a slap in the face. Cold.

Final.

I couldn’t breathe