Chapter 2

Karen flew into a rage right then and there, convinced I had killed her first love.

I explained countless times that I had nothing to do with it, but she never believed me again.

From then on, she hated me to the bone, and her attitude toward me changed completely.

Not only did she lash out at me with cruel words, she openly kept Cade Morrow, her first love's look-alike, by her side. To protect her reputation, she told everyone he was just her male best friend.

On top of that, she regularly amused herself by toying with me. Pranks like today's had played out again and again over our five years of marriage.

I had long since grown used to their mockery. I kept my head down, said nothing, and quietly endured her scolding.

Fresh out of the fire, I was covered in soot and grime, and my clothes were torn in several places. I was a complete mess.

Some of Karen's friends couldn't stand it anymore and draped a jacket over my shoulders.

I had barely croaked out a thank-you through my parched throat when Cade strode over, ripped the jacket off me, and threw it aside. He jabbed a finger at me and shouted, "Todd, you killed your mother, and you killed Karen's true love.

"You have two lives on your hands. You don't deserve a comfortable life. You're going to walk all the way home and take every sneer and dirty look people throw at you."

Without thinking, I looked at Karen.

Karen didn't say a word. Her silence said she approved of what Cade was doing.

I smiled bitterly.

My mother died giving birth to me. My father and older brother had always believed I killed her, and they were harsh on me from the time I was little. If I wasn't going without food or decent clothes, I was being berated or beaten.

But Karen had always quietly reached out to help me. She even comforted me. "Life and death are in fate's hands. Your mom's death isn't your fault, so don't let what other people say get to you."

Now, though, she let Cade say these things without stopping him. Wasn't that the same as agreeing with everyone else that it was all my fault?

My father and brother loathed me, and now even Karen, the only light in my life, hated me to the bone.

I just couldn't understand it. I had been careful about every word and every move since I was a child. Where exactly had I gone wrong?

A wave of pain surged through me, and I shook my head.

Forget it. There was no point thinking about it anymore.

I had stage four lung cancer anyway. I didn't have many days left.

Once I was dead, they'd probably feel they had finally gotten their revenge.

I walked on in silence while Cade gleefully filmed me from behind.

A flicker of reluctance crossed Karen's eyes, and she waved a hand to stop him. "Enough. He's my husband on paper, at least. If someone passing by records this and posts it online, it'll hurt my family's reputation."

After all, she had built a public image as the perfect, devoted wife. If word got out that she was mistreating her husband, people would talk.

She warned everyone there not to breathe a word about what had happened today.

Then she drove me home and shoved me out of the car.

Without looking back, she stomped on the gas and sped off.

The household staff snickered at the sight. They muttered that I was an imposter living in a home that wasn't mine and had brought all this on myself. Not a single one of them dared to help me.

I had gone numb a long time ago. I limped back to my bedroom.

I showered and changed. Exhausted after the long day, I drifted off to sleep.

I didn't know how much time had passed.

Suddenly, a loud crash rang out.

Someone had kicked my bedroom door wide open.

Cade stormed in, furious, and ordered the bodyguards to drag me out of bed and onto the floor. Then he slapped me hard across the face, again and again.

Through the ringing in my ears, I heard him roar, "Todd, I underestimated you! How dare you post what happened online, stir up public outrage, and ruin Karen's reputation?!"