001

‘Is this the right thing to do?’

Cressida’s hand hovered over the door lever, her mind racing with doubts. What’d she find inside? The weight of uncertainty pressed down on her, making her heart feel like lead.

She took a deep breath, steeling herself for what was to come. “I can do this,” she whispered, pushing open the door.

A chill ran down her spine as she stepped inside, and her forehead broke out in a cold sweat. Her legs felt heavy, as if rooted to the spot. What was wrong? Was it the anticipation of what she might find, or something more?

The memory of the mysterious message still lingered in her mind. A photo of her husband, supposedly on a business trip, wrapped in another woman’s arms. The image had burned itself into her retina, fueling her curiosity. 

‘Who’s this lady?’ 

As she exhaled slowly, her hand instinctively pressed against her chest, bracing herself for the worst. But nothing could have prepared her for the sight that greeted her. 

Her gaze lifted, and her eyes widened in stunned horror as she took in the scene unfolding before her.

‘What?’

Her eyes locked onto the intimate scene before her—her husband’s arms wrapped around her younger sister’s waist, her sister’s lips pressed against his in a tender kiss.

Her face twisted in anguish as she raised a trembling finger, pointing it accusingly at them. “Havyn…” she uttered, her voice cracking with emotion.

“Hum!” 

Her voice drew their gazes to the entrance, and they jerked apart, their faces a picture of caught-in-the-act shock. It was almost laughable, except they’d planned this reveal—they taunted her with images and an address to lure her here.

Cressida’s legs weighed her down, but she forced herself forward until she was mere inches away. Her gaze locked onto Havyn’s, her lips trembling with shock and hurt. “Havyn?” The name barely escaped her lips.

Havyn crossed and tilted up her chin in a dismissive gesture. 

Cressida turned to her husband. “Ni…” her words faltered, crushed by the weight of her heart’s anguish. 

She’d planned to confront her husband and walk away without a word, but discovering her sister’s involvement was a blow she hadn’t seen coming.

‘A bitter realization just dawned on me!’

Tears welled up in her eyes as she jabbed a trembling finger at Havyn’s face, her lips quivering with rage and hurt as the past and present collided in her mind.

She had long been aware of Havyn’s penchant to sabotage her happiness, but when Havyn objected to her marriage, she’d foolishly believed it was a display of genuine concern. The truth was painfully clear—Havyn’s motives hadn’t changed since childhood. 

Havyn’s opposition was just another ploy to strip Cressida of joy—a pattern of behavior their mother instilled to define their relationships.

Nicole’s hand scrubbed over his forehead, a gesture that belied the calm mask on his face. “Cressida, I should’ve been honest with you before now,” he admitted, his voice smooth as glass. “I don’t love you. Never have…”

The words pummeled Cressida like a ton of bricks dropped on her chest, making it hard to breathe. That was another painful truth—another harsh reality she wasn’t prepared for. 

“Your grandfather’s fondness for you was my angle,” he revealed, his eyes boring into hers. “I thought I saw a path to success through you, and I took it. That’s why the marriage happened so fast,”

His words kept deepening her pain, but Cressida corralled her tears, refusing to let them fall in front of people who so clearly didn’t care. The ground would rather swallow her whole than shed a single tear in their presence.

He glanced away, his eyes drifting from hers as he continued, “I thought you’d be a powerful ally when the time came, but I was mistaken. You’re just an adoptive daughter to the Lawsons.”

Cressida nodded, understanding dawning on her. The truth stung, but a part of her felt a twisted sense of relief at finally knowing.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you, but I’m a business executive—I don’t have the luxury of sentiment,” Nicole confessed. “You weren’t the right investment, so I diversified.”

Cressida nodded, the pain settling like a weight on her chest. “And the alternative is her?” She asked, her tone even. Her gaze flickered to Havyn, adding, “and because she’s desperate, she settled for being your second choice.”

Havyn’s eyes flashed, her hands unfolding from her chest as she took a step forward. “Watch your mouth!” She snapped. “I’m not desperate!”

Cressida’s soft chuckle held a hint of sad amusement. “Of course you are,” she stated, her voice calm yet piercing. “Let me spell it out for you—Nicole discarded me because I wasn’t useful to him. What makes you think you’re any different?”

Havyn’s eyes widened, shocked, as the implication sank in. For a moment, the room hung in silence.

Cressida’s gentle snort was a masterful dig, her words striking true as she continued to probe. “Or perhaps you’re not foolish, just... useful. A means to an end, a tool for him to achieve his goals.” 

Havyn’s gasp was audible, her eyes snapping to Nicole, expecting a denial. But Nicole’s silence was deafening, his face a picture of stunned confusion.

Cressida’s words were having the desired effect, and she let out a mocking laugh. “What an honor, isn’t it?” She said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. 

Havyn’s face twisted in anger, her eyes flashing with resentment, and Cressida winked at her, deliberately fueling her rage.

“I don’t care about labels,” Havyn lied, her voice dripping with false devotion. “As long as I’m with him, that’s all that matters. I’d be his anything.” 

Cressida’s response was a soft, teasing murmur. “Aww, how adorable…”

Nicole stepped forward. He had been quietly worried that Cressida had planted doubt in Havyn’s mind, but Havyn’s response made him excited.

“Enough, Cressida. Havyn’s love for me is unwavering. You can’t come between us.”

“Congratulations,” Cressida said, hiding her pain to curl a smile onto her lips. “Whether it’s happiness or the opposite, you’ll live the rest of your life having what you deserve,”

She exhaled sharply, her shoulders squaring as she turned to depart. Reaching the door, she flung it open and gave them a side stare. “Let’s conclude the divorce proceedings tomorrow.” She stated, her voice cool and detached, before stepping out of the room.

***

A Week later~

“Still crying?” Linet said, her tone questioning, peeping into Cressida’s room.

It’d been two days since Cressida barricaded herself in her room, her world shrinking to the four walls with no one to share her feelings with. 

Before the marriage, Linet’s edict forbade her from having friends—her life revolved around catering to Havyn’s every whim. While her married life had been a misguided attempt to rekindle a spark with Carson, since she thought he’d once loved her.

Linet stepped inside. “Playing a victim?” Her voice was a cold jab, aimed directly at Cressida’s fragile emotions.

Cressida’s gaze drifted up, her eyes red-rimmed and puffy from days of tears. Linet’s words cut through her numbness, but she didn’t respond. What was the point, after all?

“Since the divorce is over, I’ve arranged for you to leave the city,” Linet announced, her voice devoid of empathy. “You can go and never come back. Carson’s nowhere to be found, so no one will look for you.”

Linet had been aware of Havyn and Nicole’s affair from the start, choosing to bless it rather than stop it. Her priority was her biological daughter’s happiness, and she’d stop at nothing to ensure Havyn’s desires were fulfilled.

When Cressida reported Havyn, Linet twisted the story to suit her narrative—Nicole was Havyn’s all along, and Cressida was just a temporary placeholder.

Cedrissa sniffed, holding back the tears that’d gain her pity no matter how much they flowed. She’d always been an outsider in her own family, invisible unless her grandfather was around.

Linet constantly reminded her of her place since they were young, until Cedrissa learned to surrender her belongings to Havyn—candies, clothes, and more. 

“Get yourself ready. You’ll be leaving once your father returns from his business trip.” Linet informed.

Cedrissa had been silenced by the pain that had taken over, while Linet’s voice was just like a background noise—a distant echo compared to the anguish that ravaged her heart, which traveling out of the city might even be a welcome distraction.

Linet’s gaze burned with disdain as she spun on her heel and strode out.

The door creaked shut, and Cressida’s gaze fell, her brows knotting in anguish. Hot tears streamed down her face, and she surrendered to her routine—a torrent of sobs that seemed to have no end.

If she had a choice, she wouldn’t have returned home. The place had felt emptier than ever since her grandfather’s disappearance. 

Carson had been the one person who ever showed her genuine love and concern before Nicole’s manipulative charm took over her life. If only he had been around, Havyn and Linet wouldn’t dare hurt her like this.

She longed to confide in him, to share the weight of her emotions, but he was nowhere to be found. Her search had been fruitless, and when she asked her father about him, she was silenced.

‘Is happiness a luxury I can’t afford?’