For Her Sake, He Blew Our Family Apart

He lavished her with diamonds, bought her the kind of jewelry that glittered like betrayal, and handed her a penthouse in the city’s richest district. They attended private parties together, always in the spotlight—her neck heavy with gold and stones that sparkled while I sat at home trying to piece together excuses for our six-year-old twins. His children. They used to ask me why Daddy didn’t tuck them in anymore, why his voice only lived in phone calls and not in bedtime stories. And when I finally broke—when I screamed, cried, and begged him to come back to us—to remember what we once had—he didn’t even blink. He looked at me like I was a stranger. Empty. Soulless. “Stop being so damn dramatic, Isabella,” he said flatly. That was all. In his eyes, I wasn’t his wife anymore. Just an inconvenience that wouldn’t stay quiet. So I did the only thing a cornered woman could think to do. I made her disappear. Natalia vanished—gone without a trace, erased from our lives before she could rip apart what little remained of our family. I believed that would fix everything. That maybe he’d see clearly again. But instead, Marco retaliated in the cruelest way—he took our twins. “She’s in Monochalie,” I stammered, voice trembling. “The villa under my name. The one by the lake in Klarevia.” For a long moment, he didn’t speak. He just stared at me—those dark, merciless eyes locked on mine. I couldn’t read him. I couldn’t even tell if he was breathing. Then he picked up his phone. He didn’t step outside. Didn’t even turn his back to me. Just muttered a few words in Italian, hung up, slipped on his jacket, and headed for the door—calm, collected, determined to go fetch his precious Natalia. I caught his sleeve, my hands trembling. “What about the twins? Marco, please!” He paused halfway, his profile sharp and cold. “They’re at the old hospital,” he said, voice flat as glass. “Eastwood District. Go get them yourself.” My heart stopped. My knees nearly gave out. I didn’t wait for anything else. I just ran. The drive blurred into chaos. I barely remember the streets—just headlights, the screech of tires, the horn of a truck I almost collided with at an intersection. My pulse thundered. My hands gripped the wheel so tight they ached. I was already there in my mind—already holding my children, already saving them. When I reached the hospital, the world felt like it had stopped breathing. Rust clung to the gates, windows shattered like spider webs, machines rusted and forgotten. The air smSofiad of dust and ghosts. And then I found them. Mateo and Sofia. Tied to chairs. Mouths gagged. Bombs strapped to their small chests. My knees hit the ground before I realized I’d fallen. Sofia’s cheeks were soaked in tears, her tiny body trembling. Mateo’s eyes met mine, steady and eerily calm. He shook his head—again and again—as if warning me not to move. “No, no, sweetheart, hold on—” My hands shook so violently I could barely undo the ropes. The timer on the bombs ticked louder than my heartbeat. 03:12. Sofia whimpered beneath the gag. I managed to free her first. “Run, baby, go!” I told her, and she obeyed, stumbling away in tears. Then I turned to Mateo. My brave boy didn’t flinch. He looked straight at me, and in his eyes, I saw peace. Resignation. Then he whispered, voice barely audible through the gag, “I love you, Mommy. Tell Daddy I love him too.” Before I could react, he lunged forward—slamming his little body into mine, knocking me backward. My head hit the floor, my palms scraped raw. “Mateo!” I screamed. He didn’t stop. He turned toward the bomb and threw himself at it. “Mateo!” The explosion swallowed my scream. The blast hurled me across the room. My skull hit concrete. Everything rang—my ears, my lungs, my soul. Smoke filled my mouth. Blood dripped from somewhere. I could taste iron. I couldn’t hear anything. Not even his voice. --- When I opened my eyes, I was in a hospital bed. Tubes in my arm. The room smSofiad like disinfectant and death. Sofia lay beside me, tiny body bandaged, hooked to wires, her chest rising and falling—alive. But Mateo wasn’t there. The doctor said we survived. But not all of us. I knelt beside Sofia’s bed, resting my forehead against the mattress. Tears fell faster than I could wipe them away. “I’m so sorry, baby…” I whispered hoarsely. “Mama chose wrong. I thought he’d protect us. I thought he loved us.” Her eyes fluttered open, her voice weak, fragile. “You don’t have to be sorry, Mama… You’re here now.” That broke me. I pressed her tiny hand to my face and sobbed until I couldn’t breathe. Until I couldn’t see. Until grief was the only thing left inside me. Mateo was gone. My boy. My brave, gentle boy. The one who called me soldier mama whenever I patched up his scraped knees. The one who hummed lullabies to his sister when nightmares came. The one who threw himself at death to save us both. And I wasn’t fast enough. I wasn’t strong enough. I had let Marco Cortez into our lives—into my heart—believing he could be the father he promised to be. When I discovered Natalia, I should’ve walked away. I tried. Three times I drafted divorce papers. And three times, he tore them up right in front of me. “Don’t be dramatic.” “She means nothing, Isabella.” “You belong to me. Always.” I begged him to let me go. He never did. Until now. Because this time, I had something he’d forgotten. Something he signed without realizing what it was—back when he still trusted me enough to not read before signing. A single document. My one advantage. --- It happened months ago, right after the twins were accepted into the prestigious academy for mafia heirs’ children. Marco was sitting behind his grand desk, flipping through piles of documents—signing one after another with one hand while sipping whiskey with the other. Then Natalia walked in wearing my silk robe, sliding onto his lap like she belonged there. She kissed him, right there in front of me, as if I was invisible. And maybe I was. So, I slipped the divorce papers quietly into the stack. Just one more sheet among the rest. When I handed him the pen, I said, “The school needs your signature for a field activity permit.” He frowned. “Didn’t I already sign something for them?” “Just one more,” I said smoothly. Calm. Steady. Natalia giggled, pulling at his collar. “Come on, Nic. Let her finish her little chores. We’ve got plans.” He rolled his eyes, scrawled his signature without reading, and waved me off. “Go. I’m busy.” He never even noticed. --- Weeks later, after we buried Mateo—no flowers, no condolences, just me and Sofia—we walked into the lawyer’s office hand in hand. Sofia sat beside me, her small fingers curled around mine as the lawyer flipped through the documents. His brows rose in surprise. “This is valid,” he finally said. “Legally binding. His signature is here. The divorce is final—effective immediately.”

The lawyer informed me that the process to erase our identities would take two weeks. I only nodded, pretending calm. Two weeks — that was all Sofia and I needed. We left the lawyer’s office that very afternoon, right after we laid Mateo to rest. Now, we were back at the Cortez estate, performing our final act as the perfect family. Every smile, every word rehearsed. Because if Marco caught even a whisper of what I was planning — that Sofia and I were preparing to disappear — he would never let us leave alive. The household staff still watched me with that same hollow pity. I didn’t bother returning their looks. They weren’t the reason I stayed. On the first day, I began removing every trace of him from our lives — quietly, systematically. His favorite mug vanished from the cupboard. Every playlist he’d ever made me, deleted, including the one we’d danced to at our wedding. By the second day, I painted over the bedroom walls, stripped the sheets, replaced the curtains, moved the bed to a different corner. Every piece of him erased, every memory repainted. On the third, I opened the safe. Inside rested the antique watch I had given him on our first anniversary — the one he once swore would be passed down to our son. I took it and sold it to a collector abroad. It wasn’t about the money. It was the satisfaction of knowing he would never touch it again. When I returned to the mansion, Sofia was waiting in the foyer. But she wasn’t alone. Marco sat there — and beside him, Natalia. She looked fragile and delicate, draped on the couch beside him like a doll made of glass. Her fingers curled possessively around his arm as if she belonged there, her expression painted with sickly sweetness. I tightened my grip on Sofia’s hand and started walking past them without saying a word. “Stop.” His voice was cold, sharp — a command that sliced through the air. I halted but didn’t turn. “Where’s the bastard boy?” Marco asked. My hand twitched, but I kept my mouth shut. Not in front of Sofia. Not here. “Where’s Mateo?” he pressed again, his tone heavier, darker. I still didn’t respond. Sofia’s tiny hand gripped mine tighter. I looked down — her face was too calm for her age. Too practiced. I bent to her level, brushed a strand of hair away from her face, and whispered, “Let’s make something to eat, sweetheart.” We turned for the kitchen. Before I could reach the doorway, his hand clamped onto my arm and yanked me back. “Don’t ignore me,” he snarled. “You think you can act like nothing happened? Tell me where my son is!” I tore my arm from his grasp. “You told me he wasn’t yours,” I replied coldly. “So why ask now?” His eyes darkened, fury swirling behind them — but before he could speak, Natalia’s soft, pitiful voice broke the silence. “Marco, please… you’re scaring her.” I turned to see her still playing the part — her hand clutching his sleeve, the other pressed to her chest as though the moment pained her fragile heart. He softened instantly, brushing her hair back. “You always get anxious when I raise my voice,” he murmured gently. “You should rest.” Then he kissed her forehead. Right there. In front of me. Sofia didn’t move. Didn’t make a sound. Just stood silently beside me — a ghost of a child. I turned away again. “Isabella,” Marco said, his tone smooth now, deliberate. “Apologize to her. She’s been suffering since you abandoned her in Monochalie. She couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep. You went too far.” That stopped me. I faced him, empty-eyed. “And if I don’t?” Natalia straightened slightly, feigning humility. “It’s fine, Marco… I don’t mind,” she said sweetly, lowering her gaze. “Isabella’s still the lady of the house.” Her voice trembled like a saint’s, but I caught the smug satisfaction beneath it. “You’re too kind,” Marco whispered, pressing another kiss to her forehead. “From now on, I’ll make sure you get everything you deserve.” Pathetic. A maid entered quietly, carrying a cup. “Chamomile tea for Miss Natalia,” she said politely. Her favorite. Of course. I stood there, numb, detached, frozen in place. Then Marco’s phone rang. “You always get headaches when I talk business,” he told Natalia gently. “I’ll take this outside. Drink your tea.” And he left. The moment the door clicked shut, her entire act dissolved. Sofia hid behind my leg. Natalia sat upright, eyes sharp, a smirk twisting her face. “You see?” she said, her tone light, amused. “You sent me away, but he still chose me.” I said nothing. “He holds me now. Loves me now. You’re just a ghost wandering his house.” I met her gaze, calm and unflinching. “If you want him, Natalia,” I said evenly, “then take him.” Her face hardened. “I don’t need your permission,” she hissed. “I’ll have it all — him, this mansion, his name. Everything.” Her voice cracked with anger just as Marco’s footsteps echoed outside. In a flash, she grabbed the cup of scalding tea and poured it over her chest. Her scream split the air. Sofia cried out too, clutching me in terror. Marco burst through the door seconds later. Natalia was on the floor, sobbing, drenched, clutching at her clothes. His eyes snapped to me. “Isabella!” “I didn’t touch her,” I said, my voice flat. “There are cameras. You can check.” His face twisted with rage, but before he could speak, Natalia whispered through trembling lips, “It’s not her fault, Marco. I probably spilled it myself… I shouldn’t have come here. I’ll go.” She tried to step away dramatically, but he caught her wrist. “You’re not leaving. I searched the world for you, and now you think you can walk out again? You want to kill me?” Then he turned on me, voice sharp with command. “Lock them both in the basement.” My heart dropped. I stepped in front of Sofia, arms wide. “Please—don’t punish her! Marco, she’s just a child! She’s been through enough!” He didn’t even glance at me. Natalia whimpered, clutching his arm like a broken doll. “You saw how she looked at me,” she whispered. “I can’t live like this. I’m scared she’ll hurt me again.” “You’re lying!” I shouted. “You staged the whole thing!” “Enough!” His roar silenced everything. “Check the cameras, Marco!” I begged. “Please. You’ll see the truth.” “There’s no need,” he said coldly. “She’s the only one I trust.” My stomach turned to ice. Sofia’s tiny hand trembled in mine. Natalia’s eyes gleamed. “Take them downstairs,” she said quietly. “No food. No water.” “Wait!” I screamed. “Not Sofia! Do anything to me, but not her! She’s your daughter—” “She’s not,” he interrupted, his voice a dead weight. I froze. Two guards grabbed me from behind. Sofia screamed, clinging to me as they dragged us away. “Mama! Don’t let them take us!” “I’m here, baby,” I whispered through tears. “I’m not letting go.” But they pulled harder. My knees scraped against the floor, my arms aching as I held onto her. The basement door creaked open — dark, cold, unforgiving. They shoved us in without a word. The metal slammed shut behind us, sealing us in the dark.

The next morning, the basement door creaked open, letting in a thin sliver of light that stung my eyes. Sofia was trembling against my chest, her lips cracked, her skin ghostly pale. I was barely awake myself, running only on the primal urge to keep her breathing, to keep her safe. Two guards stood at the doorway, expressionless as statues. One of them spoke flatly, his voice stripped of anything human. “The boss says next time, you won’t walk out of here on your own legs.” I didn’t respond. I simply clutched Sofia tighter, whispering soft encouragements as we climbed the stairs—one agonizing step after another. Every part of my body felt heavy and hollow. My throat burned with thirst, my head throbbed, and my pride had already turned to dust. But Sofia was still alive. That was enough. When we reached our room, I wrapped her in every blanket I could find, pulling her close as I wept silently. My tears soaked her hair. “I’m sorry,” I kept whispering. “I’m so sorry, my love. Mama’s so sorry…” Her small eyes looked up at me—dull, weary, but fierce in their quiet courage. I kissed her forehead and murmured against her skin, “We’ll make it through this. I promise. Just hold on for a few more days, okay?” She gave the faintest nod. And that broke me all over again. By late afternoon, I made the hardest choice I’d ever faced. I arranged for Sofia to stay with Dr. Mel Reyes, an old friend from my university days—one of the last people I still trusted. Mel lived outside city limits, in a quiet, secure house with her own children. She had warmth, safety, and peace—all the things Sofia deserved. At first, Sofia refused to leave me. She clung to me, tears streaming down her cheeks. I promised her it was only for a short time, that I would come for her soon. When she finally nodded and hugged me goodbye, it felt like she took my soul with her. That evening, Marco summoned me. Taylor arrived with a package: a gown of blood-red velvet, open-backed with diamond straps that glittered like mockery. Inside the box was a note written in Marco’s sharp, cold handwriting: “Auction. Mafia-only. Don’t embarrass me.” No apology. No explanation for locking his daughter and me in a basement. Just another order. So I went. The event was held on the top floor of one of his hotels—forty stories high, wrapped in gold and guarded by thirty armed men in black. Every person inside reeked of power and corruption, their wealth dripping with sin. I entered the ballroom carrying his name like a collar around my neck. Then I saw her. Natalia. Draped in designer silk, her curls falling perfectly over her shoulders, her lips painted the softest red. She wore confidence like perfume and around her neck—my necklace. The same one Marco had once bought for me, swearing it would be Sofia’s heirloom one day. She wore it as if she owned my place in his life. I froze just beyond the doorway. Marco stood beside her, sharp in a black suit, hands in his pockets. When he noticed me, that familiar, cruel smirk curved his lips. “She’s here too?” I said, keeping my voice even. “Then tell me—why am I here?” He shrugged, tone lazy and dismissive. “Didn’t plan to bring her. But she insisted. Begged me, actually. What was I supposed to do? Say no?” He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping low enough for only me to hear. “Don’t be dramatic, Isabella. This isn’t the time for your games.” My hands curled into fists so tight my nails dug into my palms. Games? I was standing in a den of murderers and traffickers while my husband flaunted his mistress beside him like a prize—and I was the one playing games? Natalia gave a gentle, knowing laugh, linking her arm through his as though she’d always belonged there. Whispered voices rippled across the room. “Isn’t that Marco’s wife?” “Yeah, but that’s the mistress beside him. They say he treats her like a queen. Poor wife doesn’t even share his bed anymore.” A man turned toward me awkwardly. “Sorry, I thought she was Mrs. Cortez. She’s wearing the diamonds, after all.” I didn’t flinch. I just walked to my seat, back straight, face blank, absorbing every word, every whisper. The auction began soon after. I bid occasionally—on antiques, rare art, nothing extravagant. But each time I raised my paddle, Natalia lifted hers a second later, raising my bid by a single dollar. Over and over. The audience began to laugh softly. “Never seen a mistress taunt a wife in public before.” I didn’t even blink. When the next item appeared, I lifted my paddle again. “Open bid,” I said clearly. The room went still. Natalia’s confident smirk faltered. She turned to Marco, voice small and trembling. “Marco… I really want that one.” He sighed, irritation flickering across his face. “Isabella,” he warned through gritted teeth, “just let her have it.” I turned my head slightly, meeting his gaze. “She can’t open-bid,” I replied evenly. “Only I can. Because I’m your wife. Our assets are shared.” Then I looked directly at Natalia. “No matter how much he gives you, sweetheart, you’ll never be me.” Her cheeks flushed with rage. She shot up from her chair, covering her face with her hands. “I get it,” she sobbed theatrically. “You’re the wife. I’m nothing but a secret. I shouldn’t have come. I just wanted to feel… loved.” Then she turned and ran from the room, all trembling fragility and crocodile tears. Marco’s face darkened. He grabbed my wrist so hard I felt a sharp crack of pain. “You just couldn’t help yourself, could you?” he hissed. “I told you this thing with her would fade, but you had to provoke her.” I pulled free, forcing my voice to stay level. “Her tantrum isn’t my concern.” His jaw tightened. Storms brewed behind his eyes. Then, without another word, he turned and followed her out, leaving me alone in a room thick with whispers and thinly veiled laughter. --- The shrill buzz of my phone tore me from uneasy sleep hours later. My vision blurred as I grabbed it, the screen glowing with a breaking news alert in bold letters: BREAKING: ‘299 PRIVATE PHOTOS OF Cortez CEO’S MOTHER-IN-LAW TO BE AUCTIONED TONIGHT!’ My body froze. My chest constricted, my fingers went numb. For a moment, I forgot how to breathe. Only one word echoed in my mind—Mom. Hands trembling, I dialed Marco’s number. It rang twice before his voice answered—cool, bored, unbothered. “Already up?” he drawled. “Didn’t expect you to see it so soon.” I could barely speak. “Did you do this?” My voice cracked. “Those photos—they’re of my mother.” He laughed softly, the sound like venom sliding from his tongue. “You enjoyed the last auction, didn’t you?” he taunted. “Thought I’d give you something with sentimental value this time.” I felt the floor tilt beneath me. “Those photos were taken decades ago,” I choked out. “She was working at a club before she got pregnant with me. She quit, started over, worked herself to death just to raise me!” He cut in, voice sharp and emotionless. “And now she’s gone. She won’t care. Besides, people pay good money for vintage.” Then another voice entered the line—soft, syrupy, poisonous. Natalia.

“Marco… is that Isabella again? I… I should go. She sounds upset. I don’t want to be here when she calls,” Natalia’s nervous whisper carried through the line. “Hey, don’t talk like that,” Marco replied softly, his tone far too tender for someone speaking about another woman’s husband. “You’ve suffered enough. Let me handle her, alright? I’ll take care of it.” Then came a sound I’d never forget — the faint brush of lips. A kiss. Maybe on her cheek, maybe on her mouth. Either way, it was enough to make me sick. And then the call ended. I sat there, frozen. My lungs forgot how to work. My thoughts scattered like shattered glass. My mother, the same woman who’d died three years ago of heart failure, had been my strength through everything. She was the type to wash dishes long after midnight, to fall asleep sitting upright at the table, to hide her tears when there wasn’t enough money for my prom dress. And now, Marco — my husband — had dragged her through the mud, desecrated her memory, and turned her into a mockery. All for Natalia. --- I don’t remember the drive to the auction house. I only remember the moment I stepped inside, my knees nearly giving way. Then I saw her face. Younger. Frightened. Forced to pose under unforgiving lights, trying to smile while men circled like vultures. Photos of her from her days working in a club — before I was even born — filled the screens. They were displaying her like she was a collectible, not a person. “That’s the wife’s mother?” one man murmured. “Back then, she must’ve been quite the catch,” another chuckled. “Guess it runs in the blood,” someone else sneered. Each word cut like glass. Their laughter drowned out the pounding of my heart. Then, the auctioneer’s cheerful voice sliced through the noise: “Lot Number One — The legendary Sapphire Queen in her prime! Opening bid: three thousand dollars!” Sapphire Queen. That was what they used to call her because of the blue gem she wore at the club. She’d never told me why she kept it — now I knew. It wasn’t jewelry. It was armor. I forced back the bile rising in my throat and raised my paddle. Every time someone bid, I went higher. Every dollar spent felt like another piece of my soul torn away. By the 299th photo, my hands were trembling, my stomach hollow. I’d reclaimed every image of her — but at what cost? When I stumbled outside, my phone rang. I didn’t want to answer. But I did. Marco’s voice slid through the receiver, cruel and mocking. “So? How was it? Did you enjoy the show? You’ve always loved auctions — was this one as exciting?” I said nothing. My fingers ached from how tightly I’d been gripping the paddle. He sighed, irritated. “Come on, Isabella. Don’t tell me you’re thinking of leaving me over this.” “Wouldn’t I have every reason to?” I whispered hoarsely. He laughed — a cold, empty sound. “You can’t divorce me. Not without my consent. You know how this works.” Silence. He’d forgotten. Forgotten that he’d already signed the divorce papers months ago. Then his tone softened, almost playful. “Consider today a warning. You act up, I remind you who’s in charge. Oh, and my grandfather’s wedding anniversary is tomorrow night. Be ready. You’re coming.” Before I could respond, the line clicked dead — along with whatever was left of my love for him. --- The following evening came dressed in silk and menace. The Cortez wedding anniversary — the family’s sacred gathering — was less a celebration and more a demonstration of dominance. Under the chandeliers and crystal glasses were men who’d killed, bribed, and built empires from blood. Marco arrived in his black Maserati, didn’t bother opening the door. I slid into the passenger seat on my own. His gaze flicked over me, detached. “You’ve lost weight. Like bamboo — too thin, but hard to break.” “Didn’t bring Natalia?” I asked, my tone flat. He tapped his fingers on the wheel. “Not tonight. I’ll keep her away from you from now on. You’ve embarrassed this family enough.” A small, bitter smile touched my lips. He wasn’t protecting me from her. He was protecting her from me. As we curved along the highway, he asked, almost casually, “Where are the twins? The old men are bound to ask.” I didn’t even blink. “Mateo’s gone. Dead. The bomb. You remember that, don’t you?” He gave a short, cruel laugh. “Still milking that story? Playing the grieving mother — that’s rich.” I turned my face toward the window, watching the trees smear into green streaks. There was nothing left in me to grieve. He’d already killed the part of me that could feel pain. He could mock, taunt, desecrate my son’s memory all he wanted. I’d buried my sorrow. And soon, I’d bury him too — without ever getting my hands dirty. +++ The party itself was a theater of masks — silk gowns hiding secrets, polished smiles concealing vendettas. The Cortezs thrived on reputation, legacy, and silent rivalry. Marco held my hand the moment we entered, pretending affection for the crowd. His grandfather rose when he saw us, moving slowly but smiling wide. “Isabella, my dear girl,” he said, kissing both my cheeks. “Still the finest woman in the room. Marco’s lucky, though he doesn’t deserve you.” I smiled faintly. “Thank you, Grandpa.” Then came the matriarch — his wife, her sharp eyes raking over me like she was inspecting a stain on her favorite gown. “You look… tired,” she said, sweetly venomous. “Try to take better care of yourself, dear. People notice these things.” Marco stayed silent, as always when his family belittled me. We hadn’t even reached the dining table when Natalia entered, her parents flanking her like proud escorts. She wore white silk — a mockery of purity — and her head tilted just so, the perfect picture of humility. Her mother’s smile was polished and poisonous. “Mrs. Cortez,” she greeted. “You look… resilient. We were just saying how admirable your strength is.” Her husband nodded. “You’ve been juggling so much. Especially after everything Natalia’s endured. But she insisted on being here. Such a compassionate girl, isn’t she?” “She has no bitterness in her heart,” her mother added softly. “An example to all of us.” Natalia lowered her gaze, the perfect portrait of innocence. I didn’t dignify them with a word. I simply walked past — my silence louder than anything I could have said.

An hour crawled by, and I sat alone at our table, my fingers curled around a half-empty glass of wine. Across the grand ballroom, Marco was twirling Natalia under the chandelier’s light — a dazzling display of charm and deceit. They looked like a magazine spread from hell, the kind of image that ruined people quietly. I took another sip, the taste sharp against my tongue. But behind my eyes, I saw Mateo. His laughter echoed — that sweet, airy giggle that once filled our kitchen. I could still see him there, barefoot on the tiles, frosting smeared across his cheeks as he proudly showed me his messy cupcakes. “Mama, look what I made!” My chest tightened. I swear to you, Mateo, I thought, I’ll make them pay for everything. But first, I have to walk out of this prison alive. “Another glass, Mrs. Cortez?” The waiter leaned closer, bottle in hand. I nodded absently — but Marco noticed. From the dance floor, he froze mid-step, his hand dropping from Natalia’s waist. His stare cut through the crowd and locked on me. It wasn’t love in his eyes — it was ownership. Fury. Fire. Within moments, he was crossing the marble floor, abandoning Natalia without a glance. His grip closed around my arm, hard enough to bruise. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he hissed, his breath hot against my ear. “You’re my wife, not some spoiled brat flirting with the help.” I slipped my arm free and met his glare evenly. “Maybe if you’d remembered I was your wife before tonight, we wouldn’t be here.” Then I turned on my heel and walked off, my pulse steady but burning with rage. I pushed into the powder room, closing the door behind me. The silence was heavy, broken only by my shallow breathing — until it wasn’t. The door creaked open again. Natalia stepped in, shutting it quietly behind her. “Well, if it isn’t the queen of ruins,” she said sweetly, her voice dripping with mock pity. “Still pretending anyone in that room listens to you?” I didn’t answer. She smirked, eyes glinting. “You couldn’t even protect your own child. What kind of mother lets her son die like that?” My hand twitched at my side. “He was, what… six?” she continued, her tone almost playful. “He must’ve screamed when the timer started. Did he call for you? Did he beg you to save him?” That was it. The last crack in my restraint. I lunged — but before my hand even connected, she moved faster. Natalia slapped herself. Hard. Then again, leaving red streaks on her own face. She clawed at her collarbone, dragged her fingers down her neck, then flung herself against the sink with a scream that could split glass. “Help! Somebody help!” she shrieked. “Isabella’s gone mad!” The door burst open moments later, but she was already halfway out, sobbing hysterically. When I stepped out behind her, chaos had already bloomed. Natalia was on the ballroom floor, tears streaking her ruined makeup, the red marks on her skin glowing under the lights. She looked like a victim straight out of a crime scene. Marco reached her first, catching her before she fell. “What happened?” he demanded, his voice sharp, panicked. “She—she attacked me!” Natalia gasped between sobs, clutching his jacket. “She slammed me into the mirror! Look at my face!” Marco’s expression darkened, jaw tightening. “Smith! Take Isabella out of here. Now.” Two of his men stormed in, seizing me by the arms. I didn’t struggle. There was no point. My heels scraped against the marble as they dragged me forward. Every head turned. Every whisper grew. The music had died, replaced by murmurs and gasps. Some guests looked scandalized; others watched with a hunger for gossip. Even those pretending to ignore it couldn’t look away. Natalia lay trembling in her mother’s arms, her sobs pitifully rehearsed. “My poor baby!” her mother cried dramatically. “What kind of monster would do this?” Her father shook his head, voice booming for everyone to hear. “She’s suffered enough! Always too forgiving. Too kind.” Marco’s grandmother strode forward, her face twisted with disgust. “Disgraceful!” she spat. “You humiliate this family before our allies — on our anniversary, no less! You’ve shamed our name beyond repair!” Then came Marco’s grandfather, striking his cane hard against the marble floor. “I’ve tolerated your coldness long enough,” he roared. “But this? Hurting an innocent guest? You’re done, Isabella. You are no longer one of us!” I lifted my head slowly, heart hammering, chest tight. Then I snapped. “Innocent?” My voice cracked through the silence like lightning. “You want to talk about innocent?” I turned straight to Marco, my eyes blazing. “She’s the reason Mateo’s dead.” The entire room froze. The silence was suffocating — heavy, unbreathing. Even the musicians had stopped moving. “She told you he wasn’t yours,” I continued, trembling but unbroken. “She poisoned you against your own son. She despised him. And now he’s gone because of her.” Marco’s brow furrowed, confusion warring with disbelief. Then Natalia struck again, voice slicing through the air. “She’s lying! I saw Mateo earlier today!” she cried. “He was fine — running around a friend’s house! She’s gone insane! She’s saying her son is dead just to make me look guilty!” She turned to the crowd, tears streaming. “Look at what she did to me! Look at my face! This woman needs help!” That was all it took. Marco’s rage erupted. He stormed toward me, and I didn’t move. The first slap came hard and fast. Smack. Then another. Smack. By the third, my head snapped sideways. The fourth blurred my vision. The fifth sent me crumbling to the marble floor. Blood filled my mouth, my cheek blazing with heat. I barely caught myself with one trembling hand, eyes fixed on the polished floor as Marco lifted Natalia into his arms and carried her out. Applause. Whispers. Disgust. Pity. I couldn’t tell anymore. I stayed where I fell. +++ I don’t remember leaving the hall. One moment I was lying on cold marble, and the next, I was staring at the ceiling of our bedroom. My face throbbed, my lip split open. But none of it matched the ache hollowing my chest. That night marked the end. The last time I shed tears for Marco Cortez. Just one tear. One breath. That was all he’d ever get from me again. Then my phone rang. I almost ignored it — until I saw the unknown number. “Hello?” I murmured. A man’s voice, polite but cheerful, answered. “Good evening. Am I speaking to Miss Isabella Reyes Cortez?” “…Yes.” “Wonderful! Your father will be thrilled to hear this.” My heart stopped. “My father?” “Yes, ma’am,” the man said warmly. “I’m his lawyer and personal secretary. He’s been searching for you for years. We finally found you.” My lips parted, but no sound came out. “When you’re ready, Miss Isabella,” he continued, “I’ll send you his number and address. He’s been waiting a long time to see you.” The line disconnected, and I just sat there — phone still in hand, pulse racing. For the first time in years, something deep inside me stirred again. Not grief. Not pain. Hope.

After what felt like a lifetime of silence, I finally forced myself to move. My reflection in the mirror was a stranger—blood-streaked, eyes hollow. I cleaned the dried crimson off my face, dabbed at the split in my lip, and swallowed back the tears that threatened to rise again. My entire body ached from the beating Marco gave me, every bruise a reminder of what I’d lost. Yet none of that compared to the pain festering inside my chest. My heart wasn’t just broken anymore—it was decaying, piece by piece. The room sat in heavy stillness. Until the peace shattered. The door burst open with a violent slam, and Marco’s men flooded in. Their faces were stone, their eyes hollow, their silence deafening. I didn’t even have the chance to stand before one seized my arm, fingers digging into my flesh. Another clamped onto my wrist as if I were some criminal caught red-handed. “What’s happening?” I tried to ask, but my voice barely left my throat. No one replied. They dragged me out like trash, barefoot and stripped of any dignity I once had. My body was hauled through the hallways of the house I used to call home, the marble floors cold beneath my feet. Outside, a black SUV waited. I was shoved inside, doors locked immediately. No words, no glances—just silence and the faint hum of the engine as we drove to a private medical facility bearing the Cortez family name. By the time the elevator doors opened to the top floor, I already knew I wasn’t going to like what I would find. They threw me into a private suite, and what greeted me made bile rise in my throat. Natalia’s parents lay in twin hospital beds, both swathed in white bandages. Her mother’s face was entirely covered except for her eyes—one bloodshot, one glassy. Her arms were mummified in gauze, and when she spoke, her voice was little more than a rasp slipping through a breathing tube. “She… she tried to kill us,” she croaked, voice trembling. “We were in the car when it exploded… we barely made it out alive.” Her husband stood by the bedside, his arm in a cast, face pale and tear-streaked. “I dragged her out myself,” he declared hoarsely, staring past me and straight at Marco, who had just entered the room. “She’d be dead if I hadn’t.” Then I noticed the three unfamiliar men kneeling on the floor. They were sobbing uncontrollably, snot and tears dripping down their faces. “I’m sorry, Ma’am Isabella!” one of them blurted out between sobs. “We just followed your orders!” “You said to burn the car—to make it look like an accident!” another howled. My entire body froze. My lungs forgot how to breathe. It didn’t make sense—none of it. How far were they willing to go to bury me? And then I saw her. Natalia sat in the corner, clutching her elbows like a fragile little girl, tears streaking her cheeks and mascara smudged just enough to look artfully tragic. Her trembling voice filled the air, the picture of false innocence. “Why, Isabella?” she whispered. “Why would you hurt my family? Just because I love him? What did I ever do to deserve this?” I didn’t respond. There was no point. The trap had already been set. Marco’s steps echoed as he moved forward, his expression carved in stone, his jaw twitching with restrained rage. He didn’t bother asking for my side of the story. He didn’t need to. His mind was already made up. “You’re a fucking monster,” he hissed. “I gave you everything—and this is what you turn into?” My mouth opened to defend myself, but before I could speak, a sharp sting exploded across my cheek. Grandma Cortez had slapped me hard enough to make my head whip to the side. “You think we’ll let you keep disgracing this family?” she snarled. “You should be ashamed of yourself! If you want to stay under our name, then kneel!” I looked at Marco. He just stood there—silent, unmoving, soulless. I didn’t kneel. So she shoved me down herself, her bony fingers digging into my shoulders until my knees hit the cold tile. I stared up at him—my husband. Or at least, the man who used to be. His eyes didn’t even flicker. Then chaos struck again. Natalia’s mother gasped, clutching her chest. Her head lolled to the side, and she muttered something inaudible before her body went limp. “Doctor! Hurry! She’s crashing!” Natalia screamed, tears streaming down her face. The door burst open, and a man in a lab coat ran in with a stethoscope bouncing against his chest. “Blood pressure’s collapsing. She’s hemorrhaging internally,” he announced, tone clipped and urgent. “We need a transfusion now. Her blood type is AB negative—extremely rare. Check the database.” Everyone froze. “That’s a near-impossible match,” the doctor added grimly. “Only a handful of donors are compatible.” Natalia pressed a delicate hand to her stomach. “I’m AB negative,” she whispered, voice trembling, “but I can’t donate.” The entire room turned toward her. “I’m pregnant,” she said faintly, her gaze flicking toward Marco, as if seeking comfort. “I can’t risk the baby. It’s Marco’s.” A cold wave rolled through me. My stomach twisted violently. Grandma gasped, covering her mouth. “A child… an heir…” she murmured, voice quivering with sudden joy. Grandpa’s face hardened, but his eyes gleamed with pride. Marco looked at her like she was the miracle he’d been waiting for. Not one of them looked at me. Then the doctor broke the silence. “There’s another match,” he said. “Isabella Reyes Cortez. She’s compatible.” Marco’s expression darkened instantly. His boots pounded against the floor as he stalked toward me. His hand clamped around my arm like a vise. “You heard the doctor.” I jerked back. “She’s lying!” I shouted. “She’s faking everything—she’s not pregnant, this is all staged!” Marco’s grip tightened. “I said take her blood!” he barked. “As much as it takes.” Two men pinned me down as I kicked and screamed. “Don’t touch me! She’s lying! You’re letting her destroy us!” “Shut her up!” Grandma shrieked. “Get it done!” Leather straps bit into my wrists as they forced me into the chair. The metallic scent of sterilized instruments filled my nostrils. A needle pierced my vein, and the blood began to flow—too fast, too much. “She’s turning pale,” the doctor muttered nervously. “We should slow it down—” Marco shot him a cold glare. “Continue.” My head started spinning. My vision blurred at the edges. Across the room, Natalia stood by the bed, one hand resting on her stomach, crocodile tears painting her cheeks. When our eyes met, her lips twitched ever so slightly—an almost-smile. “She’s losing color,” a nurse called out. My arms felt like ice. My fingertips went numb. “She’s about to crash!” another voice shouted. The room tilted. The ceiling swam. The machines blared beside me, a chorus of urgent beeps. “She’s going into shock! Move her to the emergency wing!” someone ySofiad. My breath came shallow and uneven. My body refused to respond. Only one thought echoed in my mind as the world faded to gray: They’re going to kill me before I ever get out of here.