Adrian pulled Serena into his arms inspecting her face like a trophy.

"I know you hate me, Arabella. But I care about Axel and I can't let you hurt him like that." Serena's voice was sugary sweet with small choked sobs, almost convincing even for Arabella.

Adrian shot stunned Arabella a disdainful look before quickly sweeping his gaze back to his precious treasure, "What happened, Serena?"

Serena wiped out the lone tear that found its way into her teary eyes, explaining, "Arabella wants to come to the annual party tonight. I was worried she might cause a scene and put Axel in a tough spot..."

Arabella let out a loud, humourless chuckle, intentionally cutting her short.

She'd seen Serena scheme against her for so many years but this one? It was just too childish...yet so believable.

Adrian and Serena exchanged a look, the fake fear her eyes held earlier now completely gone.

Adrian's jaw tightened with anger as he gripped Arabella's hand firmly, his eyes spitting fire, "Arabella, stop your stupid tantrum! I am not letting you step a foot into the hall..."

"Don't worry," Arabella forcefully shoved his hand off her, "Just tell your 'fiancée' to stay away from my child!"

"And who exactly are you to make such an order?" Catherine, Adrian's mom wheeled into the kitchen in her electric wheelchair.

Her grey hair was pulled back severely, making her sharp features look even harder.

Arabella dragged her palm down his face, slow and tired, "Mother, Axel is asking questions about this whole mess! I can't let my baby grow up like this."

"Oh? That bothers you?" Catherine asked, lips curving upward.

She lounged back in her chair as if the whole world amused her, "Then you should sign the damn papers and let Serena raise him without all this drama."

Arabella slumped back with a groan, head tilted toward the ceiling.

Every conversation with Catherine always ended up with the divorce reminder, even more desperate than Serena and Adrian were.

But Arabella never dared to speak back, after all, she still carried the guilt of that terrible accident that killed their father and confined Catherine to the chair.

Sometimes she still wonders how someone who once bought her her first pretty dress...gave her her first warm, motherly hug could hate her like this.

But that woman was dead. And Arabella was done mourning her.

"I never thought I'd say this, but I'm glad Father isn't to witness the trash you have raised, mother."

The room went still.

Catherine's fist tightened around the handle of her chair, her eyes burning into Arabella.

Adrian's face went blank, the kind that meant danger.

Arabella wanted to walk away, but Adrian held her back, pinning her to the counter. His voice was low, dangerous, "How dare you speak to my mother like that?"

Arabella ignored the pain shooting up her waist from the impact on the counter, "Am I wrong?"

Adrian was quiet. Too quiet.

"I know you hate me, but if you have any shame...or at least the slightest bit of respect for father, don't bring your affairs to our matrimonial bed."

"This is what all this is about? Last night?" His tone was flat, like it wasn't a big deal.

And maybe for him it wasn't.

"We were both drunk. We didn't know we ended up in our room, okay?"

But his eyes flickered with something-confusion, maybe. Like he was trying to remember something that wouldn't come into focus.

"I don't even remember going to bed," he muttered, more to himself than to her.

Arabella's rage boiled over. "You don't remember? You DON'T REMEMBER?"

Even now, he wouldn't take responsibility. Wouldn't admit what he'd done.

But Adrian's face had gone pale, his jaw working like he was trying to piece together a puzzle with missing pieces.

Arabella stared at him for a while, dumbfounded, and when she finally spoke, her voice broke, "D–did you ever love me? Even for a moment?"

Adrian's eyes seemed to soften for a heartbeat...just like his feelings always did, then it disappeared.

"As my sister? Yes." He replied, avoiding her gaze, "Serena and I have always been together, so stop acting like I cheated on you."

Arabella's breath caught.

Sister.

His father had adopted her when she was twelve. And Adrian had accepted her as his sister.

But somewhere along the line, the brotherly love blurred into something she couldn't ignore.

She became the adopted sister whose heart raced every time he held her hand or ached when she saw him with Serena.

He leaned even closer, his lips grazing her ear, "You were always the affair, Arabella. Not her."

The affair.

Something cracked inside her chest. Not her heart-that had broken long ago.

This was something deeper. The last fragile hope that maybe, somewhere buried deep, he'd cared about her even a little.

He hadn't.

His grip around her arm tightened as he warned, "So don't ever speak to my mom like that."

He turned sharply, kneeling by his mom who had angry tears in her eyes, "Mom, please go and rest in your room. Ms. Shaw will bring you breakfast."

Ms. Shaw was the elderly Housekeeper of the family. The only domestic staff that was allowed to reserve her job ever since Arabella fell from grace.

Catherine nodded gently, dabbing off her tears as she looked up at Arabella, "Arabella, I'm going to make sure you regret coming to this family."

Arabella smirked, "I already am. I think the orphanage would have been better."

Adrian shot her a cold glance, but she ignored him, walking her tired body out on them.

***

By evening, Arabella was done with her chores. The house was quiet, as everyone had gone to the company's annual charity gala which was being held in the Sterlings Hall at the west wing of the mansion.

She stared at the picture of Axel on her phone, her mind unsettled.

It wasn't the first time Axel was going out with Adrian and Serena, but she'd never been worried because as much as Adrian and his mother hated her, they adored Axel even more.

She thought Serena genuinely adored him too, but after today, she realized all that affection was just part of her scheme.

Just as she was still contemplating, her phone buzzed. A text from Adrian Sterling.

"Axel is bleeding. Come get him."

Arabella's heart skipped and without stopping to think she ran out of the house, heading straight for the hotel.

As she sat inside the cab, she wondered why Adrian didn't just call a hospital first. Or didn't even take care of things himself.

She dialed his number. It rang. Once. Twice. No response.

She shook the doubt away, "Maybe he is busy."

Soon enough, she arrived at the hotel.

Arabella dashed into the hall, breath uneven, still in the plain dress she'd been working in, her apron tied crooked at her waist.

The chandeliers glowed over polished floors and elegant guests, their champagne raised in a poised hush as Adrian spoke at the podium, his voice steady and calm.

Arabella bit back her anger, assuming he was too busy with his stupid speech to care for their son.

Everything stopped when they noticed her. A few guests pulled back, their eyes slipping over her apron and flushed face with quiet disapproval. She didn't care.

She moved through the crowd, scanning every table, every corner-heart in her throat-trying to find her little boy.

Then just by the front row, she spotted Serena squatting beside Catherine, holding what looked like a kid's suit. In front of them was Axel, his white shirt wet, stained Red.

From this distance, it looked like-

'Oh God. Blood.'

Arabella dashed forward, forcefully shoving Serena aside, dropping to her knees before her son.

"Baby, where does it hurt? Show mommy-"

But up close, the smell hit her. Sweet. Acidic.

Wine.

Her hands froze on Axel's shirt.

"Mommy?"

The words echoed through the hall like a gunshot.

Whispers erupted instantly, spreading through the crowd like wildfire.

Arabella's heart slammed against her ribs as reporters surged forward, cameras flashing like lightning, microphones thrust into her face.

"Is this child really Adrian Sterling's?"

"Did you have an affair with your brother?"

The questions came from all angles, suffocating her. She pulled Axel tighter against her chest, his small body trembling.

Her eyes found Adrian across the chaos.

He stood frozen at the podium, his face carved from stone, jaw so tight she could see the muscle jumping beneath his skin. But it wasn't concern in his eyes.

It was pure, cold fury.

At her.

Catherine sat with one hand pressed dramatically to her chest, but there was no shock on her face.

Arabella raised her head slowly to meet Serena's gaze. A sinister smile spread over her lips.

A smile only Arabella could see.

Only then did she realize she'd walked into a trap.

And Catherine was in full support of it.

Her stomach dropped. The cameras. The questions. The looks.

They'd planned this. All of it.

The crowd pressed in around her, but Arabella barely felt them.

Everything sounded distant-like she was underwater.

Cameras flashed. Voices shouted. Her name echoed again and again.

But her mind was somewhere else entirely... stuck on the thought of bringing shame to what Victor cherished most-the Sterling name.

Her fingers trembled at her sides, cold despite the heat of the crowd.

A faint ringing filled her ears. Her heart thudded unevenly, like it couldn't decide whether to keep going or give up.

For once, she wondered, "How have I ever offended Serena?"

For Adrian and Catherine, she could fathom their hatred. It came from the company shares Victor had used to force Adrian into the marriage. And subsequently, his death.

But Serena was different. Yes, Arabella had loved him first, but he'd chosen Serena. He'd always chosen Serena

So why? Why was she bent on humiliating Arabella at every chance she got?

Arabella wanted to scream. She wanted to run... to just disappear.

But she couldn't move. Couldn't speak. Couldn't even breathe.

"Please stop!" Serena's voice cut through the chaos like a sword, bringing momentary silence to the room and snapping Arabella out of her daze.

Serena locked eyes with Catherine, whispering something between them.

Then she walked up to Adrian on the podium, gently rubbing his clenched fist. "Don't worry, Adrian. I've got you," she whispered.

"On behalf of the entire Sterling Group, I apologise for the disruption," she began, her voice calm, commanding, and convincing.

"I know there have been a lot of whispers surrounding us," she paused, linking hands with Adrian, who looked like he was barely recovering from the shock. "Especially since we've never publicly talked about our child."

She swept her gaze around the room before letting it land on Arabella, who was still trembling with fear. "Adrian and I had Axel through surrogacy, and Arabella helped us carry him."

Her words sounded so certain that Arabella doubted herself for a moment.

Then a reporter asked, "So why is Ms. Arabella claiming him as her son?"

Serena looked up at Adrian, who was already looking down at her, unsure of what she was planning.

She then looked at Catherine, exchanging a slight nod, before turning back to the reporters.

"It is with utmost regret that I announce Arabella Sterling has been mentally unstable for a while now."

Blood drained from Arabella's face as she clenched her dress tightly.

She looked up at them, and their gazes were already fixed on her.

The initial shock on Adrian's face vanished the moment he caught Arabella's gaze.

One corner of Serena's mouth lifted in a mocking curl, as if daring Arabella to correct her.

Murmurs erupted within the crowd-some critical, others filled with sympathy.

Reporters immediately followed with questions.

"Is this true?"

"Mr. Sterling, can you say a word about this?"

Arabella looked up at Adrian, her eyes filled with hope.

Maybe... just maybe he would say something in her favour.

But before he could open his mouth, a feminine voice cut in.

"Serena is right."

Catherine wheeled toward Arabella, drawing everyone's attention.

"After causing such a terrible accident that destroyed our family forever, Arabella has become more and more delusional by the day."

She looked directly at Arabella as she added, "Anything to steal the inheritance from its rightful owner."

The flashes intensified, as did the questions.

Everyone knew about the accident, but the accusations that followed were wild, adding fuel to the tension in the room.

"Mrs. Sterling, what do you mean by that?"

"How did it happen?"

Serena stepped forward, positioning herself just behind Catherine's wheelchair.

"Why don't you ask the gold digger who is trying so hard to seduce her own 'brother' and marry into the family that raised her?"

"Or better still," she paused, the curl on her lips unmistakable as she glanced from Arabella to the child beside her.

Arabella's eyes widened as she immediately understood what Serena was about to do.

"No... not Axel. Don't drag him into this..." her heart pounded violently

But her pleas fell on deaf ears.

"...ask my son who his real mother is."

Camera flashes exploded as attention turned back to Arabella and Axel.

Reporters shouted over one another.

"Ms. Sterling, how long have you been ill?"

"Young Sterling, can you tell us who your mom is?"

"Are you seducing your brother?"

The questions were endless, but no one seemed to care.

Arabella pulled Axel close, shielding his face from the flashing lights.

She was lost, barely gasping for air. The only thing stopping her from breaking down was the child in her arms.

Just as she felt herself about to collapse, Axel wiggled free from her grip.

Arabella's breath went shallow, her lips trembling as she tried to hold him back, but he moved away.

His eyes were red with tears as he stood amid the crowd. This was nothing a five-year-old should have to endure, yet none of the adults around him seemed to care.

"Axie," Serena called gently, though the smile on her face was strained and brittle.

His hands curled into the sleeves of his jacket, fingers disappearing as if he wanted to hide them, before he ran to Serena and wrapped his arms around her.

"That woman is crazy. She is not my mom," he said quickly, glancing over his shoulder.

Arabella felt the words strike her chest; sharp, precise, right where it hurt most.

The murmurs around the room faded into distant noise.

For a moment, she didn't move. Didn't breathe. Her body went still the way it did when something inside her cracked and she couldn't afford to let it show.

It was one thing for him to favour Serena at home, but to denounce her in public? She never thought she would live to see this day.

"Do you have no shame?"

"Are you after the company?"

The questions were cruel, the murmurs accusatory-and she stood in the middle of it all.

The noise overwhelmed her, her legs too weak to keep her standing.

Just as she started to lose her balance, Adrian's voice cut through the chaos.

"Enough!"

And it stopped.

The questions, the noise, the flashes- all fell into silence as Adrian pushed through the crowd and stopped in front of Arabella.

A glimmer of hope sparked in her eyes.

Maybe he was going to help her. Tell everyone she wasn't crazy, that Axel was their child.

"Adrian..."

Adrian turned sharply, lifting Axel into his arms before facing the crowd.

"I do not want to see pictures of my son or..." he paused, glancing over his shoulder, "...Arabella outside of this room." His voice was sharp and commanding. "This is our family's business, which I do not wish to make public."

Gavin Bush, Adrian's personal assistant, immediately stepped forward to address the crowd, though his eyes lingered on Arabella's trembling form for a moment longer than necessary.

Adrian then walked back to Arabella, leaning in close, his voice dropping to a whisper.

"This is where it ends, Arabella."

His tone was calm, but it sent a chill down her spine.

As she watched the two most important people in her life walk away, Arabella's vision blurred.

The floor tilted.

And then she was falling.

The sound of her body hitting marble echoed through the hall.

Adrian paused mid-stride. For one brief moment, his shoulders tensed.

He glanced back.

Their eyes met.

Then he tightened his grip on Axel and walked out.

And Arabella, lying on the cold floor surrounded by strangers and cameras, finally understood.

He was never going to save her.

"This is where it ends!"

The words echoed in her head as Arabella opened her eyes.

She was in Axel's room, curled on the floor beside his bed, sunlight streaming harsh and bright through the window.

She barely remembered getting home last night-just stumbling through the empty house, collapsing in the one place that still smelled like him.

Sunlight.

Her eyes flew to the clock: 9:47 a.m.

She shot to her feet. She never slept past six. Never. Not in five years of living in this house.

Where was Ms. Shaw? The elderly housekeeper woke her every morning at 5:30 sharp with a list of chores.

Unless she'd been told not to.

The bed was empty.

Her heart lurched. She pushed to her feet, checking his bathroom, his closet. Nothing.

"He should be at school..."

Then her eyes landed on his school uniform, still hanging pristine on the back of his door.

She grabbed her phone and called his homeroom teacher.

"Oh, you didn't know?" The woman's tone shifted to sympathy. "Mr. Sterling called to inform us Axel transferred schools. I assumed you'd discussed it..."

The words barely registered. Transferred? In the middle of the session?

Arabella ended the call, her mind racing.

Adrian had taken him. Actually taken him.

She needed to see Adrian. Now.

Fifteen minutes later, she was walking through the Sterling Law Group offices, ignoring the whispers that followed her down the hallway.

Adrian might have used his power to stop the media frenzy last night, but gossip among colleagues and friends was inevitable.

"Arabella, what are you doing here?" Gavin asked politely, standing as she entered his office.

"I need to see Adrian. It's urgent," she replied, forcing a smile.

Gavin had been Adrian's assistant for almost seven years. Unlike the others, he'd never looked at her with contempt. Never whispered when she passed. Once, he'd even held the elevator door when she was carrying groceries.

Small kindnesses. But in this house, they felt like lifelines.

He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Um...Mr. Sterling is inside with Ms. Smith. Let me inform him."

"They even make out on our bed beside me. What worse could happen?" she muttered, scoffing as she walked away.

Gavin sighed, shaking his head as he watched her leave with pity.

When Arabella stepped into the office, Serena's voice reached her first. "...I only did that to protect you."

Arabella watched as Adrian leaned forward, his eyes unusually gentle, the way he hadn't looked at her in years.

"I'm not angry at you, Serena. I'm glad you thought to handle her mess," he said softly.

His eyes flicked to the doorway, locking on Arabella. His jaw stiffened, but he continued. "I am doing this to punish Arabella."

The gentleness vanished. "She deserved what she got."

Serena glanced at Arabella, her expression softening.

"Oh, Arabella. You're here..."

"Where's Axel?" Arabella interrupted, her voice trembling.

Something in Adrian's expression told her it had to be about Axel.

"What did you do to him?" she demanded, though her hand shook.

Serena let out an exaggerated gasp, glancing between Adrian and Arabella. "Oh, you haven't told her?"

Arabella's eyes widened. "Tell me what?"

"Axel is currently in Asia," Adrian announced, his voice flat as he leaned back in his chair. "On his way to be enrolled in a boarding school there."

The lie tasted bitter on his tongue. How could he afford to send his child away? But Arabella didn't need to know that.

Arabella shook her head. "What? That's impossible. He's only five. No school would accept him."

Adrian rose and circled toward her, his hand buried in his pocket. "Not when that school runs an orphanage that just happened to receive a generous donation from me."

Arabella's legs weakened, and she grabbed the edge of the desk for support.

He leaned close, whispering, "You want him back living with me?"

His face was so near she could feel his breath.

"You sign the divorce papers," he added, pointing at the desk.

"No. No, that can't be right," she whispered, brows furrowed.

'Adrian loves Axel...there's no way he could do that, right? He must be trying to pull my leg.'

As if reading her thoughts, Adrian pulled out his phone and showed her a video of Axel in a different school uniform, held in the arms of one of Adrian's guards.

"Don't worry, Dad. I'll be okay here as long as it takes. Tell Mommy she doesn't have to stay because of me anymore."

The words were wooden. Rehearsed.

Arabella's resolve shattered.

Still she believed her son was too sweet to say those words.

He was doing this for Adrian. Because Adrian asked him to.

Because Adrian had convinced their five-year-old that his mother's refusal to divorce was the problem.

Not the affair. Not the abuse. Not the public humiliation.

Her.

"You turned him against me," she whispered. "You actually turned my son against me." Hot tears blurred her vision. Adrian had crossed the line.

Arabella's legs weakened, and she grabbed the edge of the desk for support.

She watched the video again. And again. Axel's small face on the screen, trying so hard to be brave. The uniform that didn't fit right.

"A child whose birth you weren't even there for!"

On the day of Axel's birth, Adrian was nursing Serena's bruised ankle in the same hospital. Five years later, he had the audacity to take that child away.

Adrian's jaw tightened, his eyes darting everywhere else but her.

"Do you think it's easy to send my child miles away?" His fist came down on the desk. Not enough to hurt, but enough to make his point.

"I tolerated you for years, letting you watch him grow!" His voice shook with rage he could barely control. "But you had to barge in, acting like a lunatic, like Serena was going to eat him up!"

He leaned in close, his voice dropping to something cold and precise. "You embarrassed me. You made my son a spectacle. You think I can let that slide?"

His eyes were ice. "You need to learn that actions have consequences. And since you keep using my son as a shield to cling to me, I decided to send him away."

"Serena sent me a text with your phone, Adrian! This is all her! Can't you see?" Her voice cracked before she steadied herself.

Adrian raised a brow, eyes shifting between Arabella and Serena. "What?"

Serena's eyes widened, filling with tears. "Arabella... how could you think I would do something like that?"

She turned to Adrian, her voice breaking. "I've tried so hard to be kind to her. To understand her condition. But this...accusing me of-"

A sob cut her off.

Arabella watched Serena's shoulders shake, her hand clutching Adrian's desk for support.

The tears were real-or looked real. The trembling voice, the wounded expression.

But Arabella had seen this performance before.

"Check your phone, Adrian! You'll see she orchestrated the whole incident," Arabella insisted, a little more confidently.

Adrian hesitated as he grabbed his phone. He had given it to Serena last night, but she...she was too innocent for that, right?

"Adrian, are you really going to listen to her?" Serena asked, her brows knitted with fury.

But Adrian didn't listen to her.

As he opened the text app, a frown crept onto his face. "What the hell is this?"