~Velma's POV

The ride to the police station was about five minutes, but it felt like five hours.

When we arrived, I bolted from the car and ran toward the station. One of the officers led me to a room, and my eyes immediately found Dylan... and then Eva, my sister, the real child of my adoptive parents.

Relief crashed over me for a moment, but it shattered instantly. She was there, cheeks wet with tears, looking at Dylan.

"What... what is she doing here?" I demanded, my voice trembling. "What's going on, Dylan?"

He ran a hand down his face, exhaling sharply like he was trying to shake off some heavy weight. "Velma... you know I'm a public figure. I have a reputation to protect. I have to make sure no one is above the law, even my family," he said, his voice calm. His eyes didn't leave mine, but there was something distant in them like it had always been.

My mind went blank for a moment, my pulse thundering in my ears. "What... what are you saying, Dylan?" I asked, my voice shaking even though I tried to steady it.

"Eva... she drank too much and drove the car," he continued, like it was nothing, like he was stating the weather. "She hit a woman's stall and destroyed it. So, I want you to take the fall for her. I'll do my best to make sure you're on probation, and nothing worse happens."

I froze. My hands curled into fists, my nails digging into my palms without me even realising. My knees felt weak, and the world seemed to spin around me. "You... you want me to take the blame? For something she did?" I whispered, my voice trembling, panic and anger twisting into a bitter knot in my stomach."

He stepped closer, looming over me. "Velma," he said, low and commanding, "she's about to open her own gallery and attend her first art exhibition, which is in collaboration with my company. If this scandal comes out, it could ruin her forever and also affect me. You have to do this. For her, for me... for everyone."

My voice cracked, and my eyes burned with tears I refused to let fall. "Did you even yourself? I'm your wife... and why would you even think I'd do that?"

He stepped closer, his presence heavy and suffocating. "Yes... You're my wife. You need to protect our life, our reputation. You'll handle this. And you will do it."

My breath caught in my chest. I stared at him, stunned. "What... what do you mean I will?" My voice shook, the words barely escaping my lips. "Dylan, I didn't do anything. I wasn't even there."

He didn't blink. "You don't need to be there. The story is already arranged. You were driving. You lost control. The woman understands. She will cooperate. Everything will be handled." He spoke like everything was already decided, like my life was a formality.

"What?!"

"Dylan, no," I whispered, almost choking on my own breath. "I can't do that. I didn't cause the accident. I wasn't even there. How do you expect me to..."

"You won't be going to jail," he cut in quietly, almost bored. "There just needs to be someone responsible. That's all. They'll file the report, the woman will cooperate, and it'll be over."

Over.

Like it was a stain he could wipe off his shirt.

My throat tightened. "I won't do it. I can't. Please don't ask me to do something like this."

He finally looked at me then, really looked, and something cold flickered in his eyes.

"If you don't accept," he said, "I'll divorce you."

I felt the floor tilt.

He continued talking, voice flat, like he was reminding me of a bill he'd already paid. "You're not contributing financially to this family. You haven't given me a child. You are just a defect. The least you can do is make this sacrifice."

My lips parted, but no sound came out.

"You... you can't mean that," I managed, barely audible.

"I do." He said with no hesitation.

Then he turned to the officer nearby, slid an arm around my shoulders like I was a loyal, supportive wife, and said, "She'll be at the station tomorrow morning to write her statement. We'll sort out everything."

The officer nodded, not even glancing at my face.

I couldn't speak. Even the news I had come to share with him wasn't just pushed aside... it vanished entirely from my mind. It didn't matter anymore. Not beside this.

Dylan took my hand without asking, pulled me gently but firmly, and called to Eva. "Come on."

He placed Eva in a cab first, told the driver her address, and shut the door like he was done with that chapter of the evening.

Then he led me to the car.

I didn't say a single word on the drive home. I couldn't. I think he tried to look at me once or twice, but when I didn't respond, he stopped trying.

When we reached home, the silence followed us inside.

We walked to our room like two strangers wearing the skins of a married couple. I sat on the edge of the bed. He stood a few steps away, studying me.

But nothing came out.

My chest heaved, each breath sharp and painful, and I felt the weight of the world crushing down on me. My eyes burned with tears I refused to let fall, but the shock, the humiliation, it was too much. My voice shook as I finally managed to speak, words tumbling out in broken fragments.

"I... I won't do it, Dylan," I said, my chest tight, my voice rising, thick with disbelief. "I will not take the blame for something Eva did. She... she should pay for her sins herself."

"Velma!" His voice thundered, making me flinch. "Don't tell me... you're just jealous of your sister? You want to ruin her life when you could actually help her! You're jealous because you do nothing, nothing at all, but you sit there and enjoy all the benefits that come with being my wife! And can you for once be useful, you this barren woman?!" He shoved his hands into his pockets, pacing slightly, then slammed a fist onto the edge of the table nearby.

I shook my head violently, despite the tremor in my legs. My hands clutched my stomach instinctively.

"No. No, Dylan. I... I can't. I won't. You can't... You can't just tell me to ruin my life for her. How could you even think that I would?" My voice trembled, breaking in half.

I swallowed hard, the taste of salt already on my tongue as tears blurred everything in front of me. "I've always danced to your tunes!" The words scraped out of me before I could stop them. "But this will be different."

My voice rose without my permission, trembling, breaking... filling the room anyway.

I sat there for a second, breathing like someone had punched the wind out of me. Then I just... gave up. I pulled the duvet over myself, curled into the smallest version of me, and let the sobs come in quiet, shaky waves.

I cried until my eyes ached, until my chest hurt, until sleep finally dragged me under.

3

~Velma's POV

I woke up feeling like my body had been carved out of exhaustion, heavy and unwilling to move, and even though the morning light was already creeping across the room, I just lay there staring at the ceiling, pretending for a few seconds that nothing was waiting for me, but then I heard the soft rustle of clothes, the clink of a belt buckle, and the quiet footsteps that told me Dylan was getting ready for work.

He didn't bother turning toward me when he spoke.

"Get up and get dressed," he said, his voice cool, like he hadn't spent last night tearing me apart.

"The driver will take you to the station. Don't be late."

I didn't answer. I didn't even blink. I just kept staring at the ceiling because if I looked at him, I wasn't sure what would come out of my mouth.

He waited for a second, maybe two, but when he realized I wasn't going to give him anything, he simply walked out, closing the door in that firm way.

It took a while before I finally pushed myself up. My head felt foggy, my chest felt tight, and every breath seemed to carry the memory of his words from last night. I rubbed my face and whispered Lira's name, and she came rushing in immediately, like she had been standing outside the whole time waiting for a signal.

"Madam, good morning," she said softly, and I could see the worry in her eyes.

I cleared my throat. "Please... make me something light. Maybe tea. I don't think I can handle anything heavy."

She hesitated, and that was my first warning that something wasn't right.

"Madam..." she said quietly. "Miss Eva is here. She's in the living room. With... with your mother-in-law."

My heart jerked like someone had yanked it with a hook.

"What?" I asked, already swinging my legs out of bed. "Why is that bitch here? At this hour?"

Lira didn't answer. She didn't need to. I already knew it wasn't for anything good.

I stood up, straightened my night robe a little, wiped under my eyes, and forced my breath to calm before walking out. As I approached the living room, I pasted a smile on my face, one I didn't feel, not even a little.

"Good morning, Mother," I said, lifting my chin gently as I stepped in.

She didn't even return the smile. She just gave me that look she always gave, the one that told me I was an irritation she tolerated only because she had to. She folded her arms and looked away.

Then my eyes fell on Eva, sitting comfortably on the couch, crossing her legs like she lived here, her lips curled into that smug smile I had known all my life.

My smile dropped immediately.

"Why are you here?" I asked quietly, looking right at Eva.

She stood up slowly, enjoying every second of the moment, and she handed me a brown file as if she were giving me a gift.

"Here," she said, her smile widening.

I frowned and took the file. "What is this?"

"Open it," she replied, sounding almost excited.

I opened it, and for a moment I couldn't breathe.

It was a divorce paper. Freshly printed. Already stamped.

I looked up at her, then at my mother-in-law, and then back at the paper.

"You must be insane," I said, my voice trembling even though I tried to steady it. "You actually came to my house to give me a divorce paper? Are you mad?"

I barely finished speaking when a slap cut across my face so fast and so hard my ears rang.

My mother-in-law stood there, palm still lifted, her eyes blazing.

"How dare you raise your voice at Eva?" she snapped. "A defective, barren woman like you should know her place."

My chest burned as I held my cheek.

"Mother..." I whispered, stunned. "Why would you..."

She stepped closer. "I have always known you were a mistake. It should have been Eva from the beginning. She is everything you are not. And she will become what you failed to be. Dylan's wife. The mother of his children. This...." she pointed at the papers "will happen. Whether you like it or not."

I stared at her, then at Eva, who was practically glowing with satisfaction.

Eva folded her arms. "Dylan wants this, too. In fact, he brought it up last night. I simply fast-tracked the process."

Tears filled my eyes. "Last night? He... he only mentioned divorce last night. How did you even get papers printed and stamped by morning? That's not possible."

Eva laughed softly. "Money makes things very possible."

I shook my head. "I'm not signing anything. And if something like this is to be done, it should come from my husband, not you."

Eva smirked. "Oh, if you want it from him, then fine. Maybe this will help."

She placed her hand on her stomach, lightly, like she was touching something precious.

"I'm carrying Dylan's child, Velma," she said, her voice slow and cruel. "The child you couldn't give him."

For a moment, the room tilted.

I grabbed the edge of the couch to steady myself.

My eyes darted to my mother-in-law, who was also shocked for a second before her expression melted into joy. She rushed to Eva and pulled her into a hug.

"My daughter," she whispered, stroking Eva's hair. "Finally... finally someone has given my son and me what we truly deserve."

"No," I whispered. "No. Eva, that's not possible. That is a lie. Dylan will never cheat on me!"

She cut me off by pulling out her phone and holding the screen up to my face. A video started playing. It was dark, grainy, but painfully clear enough. Dylan was on a bed, and Eva was beside him. His arm around her.

"Does this make you believe?" she asked softly, savoring every word.

I staggered back, shaking my head over and over.

"Eva," I whispered, my voice breaking. "What did you do?"

She just smiled, like the devil dressed in silk.

"Velma," she said softly, leaning slightly toward me, "if you know what's best for yourself, if you know what will save you from more pain, you will just sign these papers and leave."

I stood there, trembling, as Eva pressed the papers into my hands, her fingers holding mine tightly, refusing to let me pull away. Her smile was sharp, almost polite, as she whispered, "I'll do you the honor of submitting this for you, Velma. Just sign it." My throat burned, tears sliding down my cheeks, but I felt trapped, her grip unrelenting, forcing my hand to the pen as if my resistance meant nothing.

Then my mother-in-law's voice thundered through the room, sharp and merciless. She yelled at the maids to pack my things, to throw everything out, to make sure I left immediately. Boxes were shoved around, drawers emptied, my life dismantled before my eyes like a cruel movie I couldn't escape. I wanted to scream, to fight, to vanish, but all I could do was cry, my heart breaking as they took everything from me in that single, devastating moment.

4

~Velma's POV

I stood there, staring at the house I'd called home for ten years, my chest tight and my legs trembling like they weren't even mine anymore. The gate slammed shut behind me, and it felt louder than any scream I could have made, like the final lock on everything I had believed in, everything I had trusted.

I pressed a trembling hand to my stomach, feeling the life inside me, our child, and my tears fell hotter and heavier than the night air could swallow. "I'm carrying his child too, mother," I whispered, my voice breaking.

I thought about our vows, the promises he made, the hands he held mine in, the love I believed in. "What happened to usDylan?" I murmured into the morning, bitter laughter shaking my lips. "And my sister... You chose her of all people in the world."

I started walking because standing still hurt too much. Every step felt heavy, every breath ragged, but I couldn't stop. "He wanted children... I know that. But I hurt too. I hurt more. "

By the time I realized how far I'd walked, my legs were sore, my feet blistered, and my arms ached from wrapping around myself to keep warm. I pulled out my phone with shaking hands, booked a ride, and within five minutes, he pulled up in front of me.

"Take me to Rosewood Estate."

"Yes, ma," he replied and hurried to start the engine.

The car pulled away, and streetlights slid past the windows like streaks of gold. My stomach throbbed with each heartbeat, and my throat felt tight.

I stared out the window and whispered to myself,

"Why... why is this happening to me?"

By the time we reached Rosewood Estate, my palms were sweaty, and my chest felt heavy. The security guards opened the gate without question, and the driver stopped right in front of the tall white house with the flower-shaped balcony.

I got out, trying to steady myself.

I did not even knock.

I pushed the door open and walked in.

My parents, my adoptive parents, sat in the living room, my father reading the newspaper, my mother scrolling through her phone. They both looked up, startled.

Mother frowned.

"Velma? What are you doing here at this hour?"

Father adjusted his glasses.

"It's early in the morning. Why are you not home with your husband?"

I swallowed, my voice shaking.

"Good morning, Mum. Good morning, Dad."

They nodded stiffly but did not stand, did not hug me, did not look happy to see me.

My mother sighed.

"Speak. What is it?"

I took a breath that hurt.

"Eva... she is secretly seeing Dylan and is even pregnant with his child. And...and.... she did something wrong, and Dylan wants me to take the fall for it. He wants me to go to prison so her life won't be ruined."

Silence.

I waited for shock.

I waited for outrage.

I waited for someone to say, "Oh my God, Velma, are you okay?"

Instead, father folded his newspaper and said calmly,

"Dylan is wealthy. He can do anything he wants. And besides, I didn't blame him since you refused to give him a child."

I blinked.

"What?"

Mother leaned back, unfazed.

"And you'd better go back and take the blame for our daughter. After everything we have done for you. Is this how you repay us?"

My mouth fell open.

"After everything you did for me? You never even treated me like your child."

Mother scoffed.

"You always envied Eva. You always wanted what she had."

"No!" I shouted, my voice cracking. "Eva always wanted EVERYTHING I ever had! Since we were kids, I always backed down. I always let her win. But now she wants my husband, and you're supporting it?"

Father shrugged.

"Why not? Our family is among the richest and largest investors in Dylan's company. It is not a bad match."

"What about me?"

"You leave the picture and find yourself another man," Mother said, nonchalantly.

The room spun.

My knees weakened.

My heart dropped.

I stared at them, speechless, breathless, shattered.

They never loved me.

They never even wanted me.

And now they threw me away.

Without another word, I walked out and slammed the door behind me.

I kept walking, even though the morning sun was already too bright for my swollen eyes. Everything felt loud... the birds, the passing cars, even my own breathing. I didn't know where I was going. My legs were shaking, but I kept moving, dragging my suitcases with me.

I whispered under my breath, almost like a prayer, "Where do I even go now..." but no answer came.

Then a deep engine sound hummed behind me. Slow. Too controlled to be random.

I turned slightly, wiping my face with the back of my hand, and a sleek black SUV pulled up beside me.

The tinted window slid down, and my stomach dropped. It was my adoptive grandfather's bodyguard.

He stepped out immediately, his expression tightening the moment he saw my face.

"Madam Velma," he said quietly, almost like he was afraid I'd break if he spoke too loud, "your grandfather sent me. Please... come with me."

He took me to a cafe close by.

"Your grandfather sent me."

I stared at him, confused and shaking. "H-How? How did he know? How did he find me?"

"He always kept someone watching over you from a distance," the bodyguard said. "Since the day you married Mr Dylan."

My mouth fell open. "What? Why?"

He nodded. "He wanted to make sure that you are safe."

He reached into a leather folder and placed items on the table: documents, a passport, a brand-new phone, an envelope, and a boarding pass.

My voice trembled. "What... what is all this?"

"Your grandfather arranged everything," he said. "A new identity for travel, money, and a flight to the next city. He wanted you far from danger."

Tears filled my eyes. "Far from danger? What does that even mean?"

"He said that he will tell you everything when the time is right," the bodyguard replied quietly. "And he is sorry it took this long to step in."

He drove me straight to the airport. My hands shook the entire ride.

When we reached the departure gate, he handed me another envelope.

"This is from him. Read it on the plane," he said.

I looked at him with watery eyes. "Thank you."

He bowed his head gently. "Stay safe."

I boarded the plane with a heart that felt torn open. As soon as I sat, I pulled out the letter and unfolded it.

My grandfather's handwriting stared back at me, shaky, old, familiar.

I am sorry, he wrote.

I failed to protect you. I should have taken you away when I saw the signs. I will make sure that I make it up to you. I give you my word.

Heal. Rest. Then I will tell you everything later.

I covered my mouth with my hand as tears poured down my face. I cried silently, cried until my chest hurt, cried until the flight attendant asked if I needed water. I cried because I had no idea what to do or what tomorrow looked like.

When the plane landed, I stepped out with weak legs and blurry eyes. The airport lights were too bright, and the noise felt too loud. My stomach growled painfully, and my head spun. I tried to keep walking, but dizziness washed over me.

"Not now... please..." I whispered.

My vision darkened.

My knees buckled.

I fell forward, right into someone.

Strong arms caught me, but my mind was slipping away. I only registered the scent of clean cologne, a chest against my cheek, and a deep voice calling for help.

Everything went black.