Chapter 004

Lyriel sat on the cold floor for a long time, even after the tears stopped and her body stopped shaking. Her eyes were open, but she wasn’t really seeing anything. Everything she thought she knew about her life was falling apart quietly around her.

Eventually, she stood up. Her legs were stiff, and her heart felt unbearably heavy.

No more tears.

If everything she believed was built on a lie… then she needed to face it. All of it.

And if Victor had really tricked her and taken everything she worked so hard to build—

He was going to pay.

But how?

She looked around the house, her house, but it didn’t feel like home anymore. Even her reflection in the mirror looked like a stranger. Too trusting. Too soft.

She walked into the bathroom, splashed water on her face, and dried it slowly. "Get up, Lyriel," she whispered to herself. "You have a company to run."

When she left the house, dressed in a calm beige suit, her face gave nothing away, but her mind was racing. She drove straight to her company, ready to take back her power . Or at least pretend she still had it.

But as soon as she stepped out of the car and tried to walk inside, two security guards stopped her.

“What are you doing?” she asked, frowning.

The taller guard straightened, “Sorry, ma’am. The boss said no women are allowed in today.”

Lyriel blinked. “What? No women?”

“Do you even know who I am? I’m his wife. I own this place.”

The guard avoided her eyes. “We’re just following orders.”

She stared at them in disbelief.

She had signed the company over to Victor after he had convinced her that he could take care of it… And now this.

Without another word, she turned and walked back to her car. Staff passing by looked at her like she didn’t belong there. Like a ghost.

She sat in the driver’s seat, hands frozen on the wheel.

And she waited.

People came. People left. But Victor never showed.

The hours passed. The sun moved across the sky. The street grew quiet.

Still no sign of him.

Tired. Alone. Pushed aside from the company she built with her own hand, she finally started the car and drove away.

…….

When Lyriel got home, a message flashed across her phone screen. She unlocked it and read:

"Traveling for a last-minute business trip. Don’t wait up. – Victor."

That was it. No apology. No explanation.

She took a deep breath but said nothing. Her silence wasn’t weakness. It was preparation. One day, he’d hear all the things she was keeping inside.

She sat quietly in her house, telling herself she’d pick Ava up in a few hours.

But her body gave in before her mind did.

She fell asleep on the couch, arms wrapped tightly around herself like a shield.

When Lyriel opened her eyes again, it was almost dark.

Panic shot through her like electricity. She jumped up, grabbed her bag, and ran out the door, almost slipping.

Ava. She had forgotten to pick up Ava.

Her heart pounded as she sped to the school, but when she got there, the school was empty.

The receptionist smiled gently. “Your friend already picked her up.”

“Sophia?” Lyriel asked.

“Yes. She said you asked her to.”

Lyriel nodded, trying to hide her confusion. “Thank you.”

She walked back to her car, mind spinning. Why hadn’t Sophia brought Ava home yet?

She tried calling her but it was switched off. She wanted to retry when her phone vibrated with a new message from Jerry.

It was just an address. No words.

Curious, she turned her car in the direction of the location, heart pounding harder with every mile until she got there.

And then… she saw them at a distance.

Victor, standing outside a house she didn’t recognize; Sophia, stepping into his arms. And then… they kissed.

Lyriel’s breath caught and her wide eyes stung, but she didn’t move. She couldn’t.

And then… someone else stepped out behind them.

It was an older woman and she was holding Ava.

"Bye grandma!" Ava called out, waving happily. "I’ll come again another day!"

Grandma?

Ava hugged her tightly. The woman kissed her cheek.

Lyriel felt like the ground beneath her had vanished. She looked closely.

It was her. Victor supposed deceased mother.

Her hands trembled. Her daughter was smiling. Her husband...no, not husband anymore, was laughing. And her best friend stood by his side like they had never known her.

She wanted to run to them. To demand answers.

But instead… she reversed the car slowly and drove home.

*****

Hours later, the front door opened.

Lyriel heard Ava’s giggles before she saw them.

Victor walked in with Sophia beside him, carrying Ava in her arms.

"Mommy!" Ava called out and ran to hug her.

Lyriel hugged her back and gently patted her hair. "Hi, baby. Go to your room for now, okay? Mommy needs to talk to the adults."

Ava nodded and went into her room.

"Lyriel," Sophia said, smiling like nothing was wrong.

Lyriel ignored her and stepped closer to Victor. "I thought you had a business trip. Why are you back?"

Victor didn’t reply. Instead, his palm met her cheek with a slap so sharp her head snapped to the side, hair falling over her face. She blinked in shock, eyes wide.

"You forgot our daughter at school," he snapped. "If Sophia didn’t step in, who knows what could’ve happened?"

Her cheek burned, but the pain in her chest was worse.

"I asked you a question, too." Lyriel said. "Where were you?"

Victor raised his hand again, as if to strike her, but Sophia quickly stepped between them, arms outstretched. “Stop it, Victor. Stop!”

Sophia turned to Lyriel and reached out, but Lyriel slapped her hand away and stepped back.

“Why don’t you stop pretending already? Don’t you get tired?”

Sophia frowned. “What are you talking about?” She stepped closer and tried to hold Lyriel’s hands. “Lyriel, you know I’m always on your side. I would never—”

Before she could finish, Lyriel shoved her so hard she stumbled and nearly fell, catching herself just in time.

"You?" she pointed at Sophia, eyes wet with fury. "You, Sophia? I let you into my life. I made you who you are. I helped you get that spotlight. And..."

"And I hated you for it,” Sophia snapped, eyes blazing. "You always had it all, Lyriel. The career, the talent, the love. But you wanted Victor too. Why?"

Lyriel frowned, “What?"

Sophia laughed bitterly. "You always think you're innocent. You smile, and everyone hands you the world. I’m tired of living in your shadow."

"What?"

Victor stepped forward then, pulling out a document from his coat pocket.

"Let’s not drag this out," he said coldly. "Here’s the divorce paper."

He placed it in her hand like it was a receipt.

"I’ll always be grateful you looked after me for these five years." he added. "But this… this is over."

Lyriel stared at the paper in her trembling hand. Her mouth opened, but no words came.

Only tears.

And this time, she didn’t stop them. They flowed freely as she clutched the document, it wasn't out of weakness. But out of grief.

Because the man she had built a life with, fought for, and believed in...had never really existed.

And now, everything had been taken from her.