Gisele,My mind was spiraling when that woman appeared before me. She was smug, her attitude arrogant—like she was looking down on me.When she sat down on the bench right in front of me, I was dumbfounded. It was as if she was enjoying my misery.She was rich, holding a black card like it was disposable, flaunting her wealth while I was ready to die for my son.When she asked me to give her what I considered my most valuable possession in exchange for my son's life, I handed her the most sentimental, most important thing I had—the ring my fiancé gave me the day before our son, Alex, was born. That same day, his father, my fiancé, died in a crash.I had never met such an arrogant and cruel woman. I thought she was mocking me—trying to show me I couldn’t do anything for my son. Not even the most precious thing my fiancé left behind mattered to her.She watched me cry like I was performing some tragic act that intrigued her. Her eyes never left me, but held an emotion so complex, it fel
"I am going to get married! This spring!" While shaking the finest wine in his collection, the first thing Knox blurted out was the news of his wedding. It came out of nowhere, like a thunderclap in a clear sky. At first, I thought I might have been drinking too much. But then I realized I hadn’t even finished my first glass of wine. "Getting married? To whom?" My gaze locked onto his as I swirled my glass. "You never mentioned dating someone. What is this? A marriage of convenience?" I tried not to sound bitter, but the news of my first love and best friend of twenty years getting married felt like a slap with thorns. "No! We met a year ago at a business conference. From there—" "A year?" I interrupted him. "You never said anything to me. Any reason for that?" Although my heart was shattered into pieces, what disappointed me most was his silence. Being by his side for twenty years hadn’t made a difference—he still chose not to be honest with me. "Are you disap
Mom had already left by the time I stepped out of the shower. I had been working non-stop for the past two weeks, and finally, I had a two-day break before my next project began. Wanting to unwind, I popped some popcorn and settled in for a rom-com anime. Usually, I preferred action, but tonight, I felt different. I considered a tragedy but dismissed the thought—too cringe. Hugging my knees, I stared at the screen, the popcorn and ice cream remaining untouched. Watching characters find their happy endings while sympathizing with the second lead, who cried over a love never meant to be, felt... stupid. What was the point of crying? Of agonizing? Of regretting? It was already decided that you wouldn’t be the main character in someone else’s story. If you love, you love selflessly—without expectations, without hope, without dreams. The buzzing of my phone went ignored. Talking to people at the end of the day felt exhausting. All I wanted was a moment to sort out my feelings in
The first time I met Knox was during a family vacation. I was quiet, and he was the boy who got smacked a thousand times a day for his mischief. At a BBQ party, I burned my palm trying to grab a piece of meat without realizing it was hot. My parents and his were enjoying themselves, so I decided not to cry. I was only five then. Hiding my burning palm, staring longingly at the meat I couldn’t eat, I felt miserable. That was when Knox spoke to me for the first time. He sat in front of me, silent. Then, without a word, he took my hand and started blowing on it, his touch gentle. “Hold something cold,” he said. “It’ll help.” I was five, but in that moment, I met my knight. Since that day, we were inseparable. His family even moved closer because we couldn’t bear to be apart. --- The morning sun peeked through the curtains—unwelcome yet warm. My flight was at ten, and I needed to leave. I had confirmed my departure in the family chat, just in case anyone thought I’d still be a
Knox, "I am sorry, Knox! I know that I am a bit stressed about everything. But if you explain properly, maybe Violet will be less disappointed?" Sarah Smith, two years older than me, smiled bitterly, her lips pressing into a tight line as she lowered her gaze. Her fingers trembled slightly as she gripped her coffee cup, her knuckles turning white. The warmth of the drink seemed to offer little comfort as she exhaled slowly, trying to calm herself. I had met her last year at a family gathering—an event I had little interest in. Though I never sought marriage, our conversations had flowed easily, and somehow, we had ended up here. She was the complete opposite of Violet. Where Violet’s presence burned like wildfire, Sarah was gentle, soft-spoken—an ideal match for Silverfang’s expectations. “She’ll be fine,” I murmured, my voice flat as I stared out the window. My jaw clenched slightly, and a flicker of uncertainty passed through my eyes. "She’s just upset that I didn’t meet her
Violet, I used to love love-triangle stories. The silent girl who harbored feelings for the male lead but never confessed. The one who acted cocky, annoying even, because deep inside, she feared losing the friendship she held dear. The one who longed for his attention yet never had the courage to demand it. That girl? That was me. I was bold in everything else, but when it came to love, my consciousness became an obstacle. What if I ruined everything? What if I lost the friendship we had built for years? What if we could never go back? But in the end, none of that mattered. I found myself in the role of the side character, watching as he prioritized someone else. I wasn’t surprised when he fell in love with another woman. But what hurt—what truly tore me apart—was how easily he discarded me. He never spoke to me, never explained, never even met me again. And all because she hated me. I should have been angry at him, but I wasn’t. I was angry at myself. I had placed him a
Sam walked toward us, his shoulders slumped, eyes filled with pain. A couple, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, approached him first, followed by my parents and Knox’s. Mrs. Smith, barely holding back her tears, asked in a trembling voice, “How are they? How is my daughter?” Sam glanced around before his gaze landed on me. He took a deep breath and said, “Knox is safe. His left arm and two ribs are fractured. He will wake up soon. But—” A tense silence filled the air as Sam turned to Mrs. Smith. “Sarah is badly injured. She may take longer to walk, but there’s a high chance she will recover, so don’t lose hope. However—” Mrs. Smith’s sobs cut him off. She broke down, clutching her husband. Though I felt relieved that Knox was safe, an ache settled in my chest for the girl he was supposed to marry. “However?” Mr. Smith, who had been trying to stay strong, asked, his voice firm yet shaken. Sam exhaled heavily. “Due to the extent of her injuries, she won’t be able to have children.” A col
Knox, Earlier in the morning A sharp voice broke through the darkness, pulling me from the depths of unconsciousness. "He woke up! Sir! Can you see me?" My eyelids felt heavy, as if weighed down by lead, but I forced them open. A bright light stung my retinas, making me squint. A sharp pain radiated through my head, chest, and arms, making me wince. My body felt like it had been shattered and pieced together haphazardly. Every breath burned. Yet, the moment my mind cleared, a different kind of pain took over. In the endless nightmare I had been trapped in, I had seen Violet instead of Sarah in the accident. The horror of it had been too real, too gut-wrenching. But now that I was awake, reality hit me like a freight train. I gasped, my voice raw and frantic. "How is Sarah?" The nurse, who had been checking my vitals, hesitated before calling for the doctor. That hesitation made my pulse spike. Something was wrong. Before I could demand an answer, the door burst open.
Gisele,My mind was spiraling when that woman appeared before me. She was smug, her attitude arrogant—like she was looking down on me.When she sat down on the bench right in front of me, I was dumbfounded. It was as if she was enjoying my misery.She was rich, holding a black card like it was disposable, flaunting her wealth while I was ready to die for my son.When she asked me to give her what I considered my most valuable possession in exchange for my son's life, I handed her the most sentimental, most important thing I had—the ring my fiancé gave me the day before our son, Alex, was born. That same day, his father, my fiancé, died in a crash.I had never met such an arrogant and cruel woman. I thought she was mocking me—trying to show me I couldn’t do anything for my son. Not even the most precious thing my fiancé left behind mattered to her.She watched me cry like I was performing some tragic act that intrigued her. Her eyes never left me, but held an emotion so complex, it fel
Violet,I opened my eyes, finding myself lying in the hospital bed. Saturday was over, and now Sunday would end with this unwanted stuff.However, for a second, I looked around, wishing someone would be here. But nobody was. The tranquility of the room felt like a slap on my face.It reminded me of that night when I was lying on the bed with a knife in my back and no one around.Taking a deep breath, pushing those unwanted memories aside, I grabbed my phone to check if there was anything important. I didn't have anything to do at this hour.But the moment I turned my phone on, the flood of messages made me drop it. It rattled for a second before I turned off the vibration.But I regretted checking those messages."Hey! It's Mom. I heard you're hospitalized. Don't you think it's karma for humiliating the entire family?" — from my mother's number."How are you doing? I heard from Mom that you're at the hospital. I have surgery, so I won't be able to meet you. Be careful when you move ar
Sarah,I was breathless when I arrived at my parents' estate. For once, I didn't have time to pretend I was afraid of driving. After years of being an actress, I knew how to fake a breakdown—how to look shattered without feeling a thing. But now, with Violet, I didn’t have to act.She made me feel it for real.The servants greeted me as I entered, but I brushed past them without even trying to hide my irritation. I had no patience for their presence or their hollow smiles. My heels clicked sharply on the marble floor as I headed straight for the living room.That’s when I heard my father’s voice.“Twenty million in termination fees. It’s in the contract!” he shouted. His voice was rough—strained with disbelief.I slowed down, curiosity halting my steps.My mother sat next to him, her trembling hands fumbling through a stack of papers on the table. I watched her face drain of color as she read whatever was printed there.“Honey… did we act too quickly? It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have s
"Grandpa! What will happen if we terminate any contract without any explanation or solid reason?"I asked, feeling the chill down my spine. My hair stood up, feeling the terror creating turmoil inside me. His brows raised, "Maybe you will be blocked by her company. If she blocks your company, that means the entire Business Association will block you as well!" "What?" I exclaimed with horror. "Why would the Business Association block our company? You said she doesn't play dirty!" "Listen, kid!" He leaned closer... "Despite the fact that she has all the little dirty secrets under her control, Violet is one of the most trusted businesswomen. They'll choose her over me without a second guess. Now, if she thinks that she doesn't want to be a partner with a certain company, those people will automatically pull themselves away. Because Violet never plays unfair games in business. She puts her business and personal life separately!" My heart raced against my chest... What if we face som
Sarah, "Why are you all so scared of Violet? Just kill her if needed!" Sitting in the private study room of Elder Silverfang, I asked. I was fed up with those people's bullshits. They all hated Violet from the depth of their heart. Even her own family seemed to have hated every inch of Violet. But nobody dared to go against her. Not even this old man, Mr. Silverfang, one of the notorious Mafia leaders who had been putting a perfect businessman image, but beneath his mask, he was a cruel man. My parents had been friends with him from both sides. And to make the family relationship stronger, they forced Knox to get settled down with me. "It's not easy to say that!" Elder hit his cane on the floor before standing up. His eyes were settled on the floor with some deep thoughts. "Why not? You can force her parents to seize her position, disown and kick her out. Or... You can use her to control Knox. Look at her. She even got pregnant because Knox wanted!" Elder Silverfang nodded quie
Knox,It all started two years ago when I accidentally discovered my grandpa's real job behind the façade of being a perfect billionaire.The world I was born into—full of freedom and trust—crumbled that day, like it had never truly existed.My father knew. He kept me in the dark so I wouldn't get trapped in this unbearable secret. But life has its own twisted way of leading us where we’re meant to go.And when I accidentally stumbled into that world, there was no way back. They knew exactly what my weaknesses were. They knew what would keep me from standing against them.At first, I tried my best to escape the mess. I believed that managing the estate, running the company, doing what I had always done—was the only way to stay clear of their grip.But I was painfully wrong.They didn’t just want control of the company. They wanted everything. And before they took it all, they set out to destroy every part of me—every weakness, every joy, every last piece of who I used to be.It starte
Knox"Please keep in mind that the fetus is in a fragile position. Don’t let her stress over anything. This period is crucial for the baby.”The gynaecologist handed me a prescription while calmly outlining what Violet needed. Her tone was professional, but her eyes held quiet urgency. I took the paper with a nod, clutching it like it was the only anchor in the storm swirling inside me.After she kicked me out for siding with Xavier, a deep ache rooted itself in my chest. I didn’t blame her. I had it coming. But even then, I couldn’t bring myself to walk away. Not when she was in pain. Not when she was still carrying my child.Violet has always been the center of my world. Seeing her stand with another man over me—God, it made my blood boil. But I had no right to be angry. Not anymore.Once Sarah left alone after asking me to accompany her, I rushed to the hospital. I didn't want to disturb her with my present but I couldn't leave her alone.Earlier, When I saw her, curled up in pain,
Xavier clenched his jaws and lowered his gaze, " Can... Can I just be your boyfriend for a few weeks? Just as courtesy!" His voice came out pleading. I was stunned for a second. It hit me harder than expected. " Haha! What? Like playing boyfriend and girlfriend game? We aren't kids anymore!" I forced myself to laugh to shake off the awkwardness. But deep down I saw my reflection on his words. He lowered his gaze, looking devastated. I felt a pang of guilt. I didn't want to make him feel like I disregarded and disrespected his feelings. He opened his mouth and then closed it. After waiting for a second, he finally spoke, " But dating you has always been my-!" “How about being my plus one for the business association party?” I said softly, watching his hopeful face begin to shift. “What?” Xavier blinked, stunned. “Not as a couple. Not as something more. Just two friends. One night. As closure—for you, and maybe even for me.” He looked down, fiddling with his keys again. “I
" Well~" Xavier chuckled when Knox reluctantly left with Sarah. His face was a bright shade of red when he looked at me if I was serious. I saw that raw pain in those eyes. But I couldn't hurt myself to protect him constantly. " I never thought you would one day tell him to leave! This is new!" He muttered, clearly shocked. He didn't witness me being so cold towards Knox before... " He is angry. How are you going to make up?" " We aren't kids anymore!" I sighed, brushing the imaginary dust off my lap." He got his priorities and I got mine!" Xavier stared at me for a while. I didn't know what he was thinking. But that look on his face would question you if you were forgetting to mention something important. " You know... It's not first time a solid friendship gets destroyed by a woman. Especially when it involves two people with opposite genders!" He said, his eyes meeting mine. He wasn't hiding the amusement in his tone. " Why are you saying that?" I asked, closing my