David knew my parents had always favored Laura and that I’d grown up in that house quietly swallowing every injustice. I had longed desperately for him to be the one who would stand by me unshakably.

Yet, instead, he was chasing some fantasy of being a valiant knight rescuing a poisoned princess, and erased me completely.

That kitchen had carried so many of my hopes and dreams. Every warm moment I had there still lived vividly in my memory.

Now, piece by piece, it was being dismantled.

Soon, it was gone entirely. In its place was a spacious walk-in closet.

Just like my life, Laura had overwritten and replaced it.

In the back corner of the former kitchen, a small photo frame had been left behind.

David quietly picked it up, slipped my photo out of it, and tucked it into his shirt pocket.

Back at the hotel, the sous-chef pulled David aside.

Apparently, I hadn’t shown up for work in a while. They had to bring in temp chefs to cover the banquet orders booked by clients who weren’t happy. There were lots of complaints about the food.

David’s face darkened. Without a word, he whipped out his phone and dialed my number.

Still, there was no answer.

His usual calm shattered. He spun around and overturned one of the banquet hall tables.

That day, he had formally terminated my employment, citing absenteeism. Then, he announced Laura, who had never studied cooking, as the new head pastry chef.

In the hotel suite, David finally gave in to Laura’s temptation.

He and Laura tumbled into bed together, their limbs tangled.

The passion didn’t stop there. They hooked up on the office desk, even in the storage closet, inseparable and insatiable, like teenagers drunk on new love.

I watched it all, my stomach twisting in knots. Instinctively, I cradled my slightly swollen belly.

How could I have been so blinded by love, believing his promises to me? I hated myself for it.

I was four weeks pregnant at the time and wanted to surprise David with the news at the ceremony. Now, the child and I had both been abandoned in the silver mine.

A few days passed before David remembered me again. He began texting nonstop, asking where I was.

Maybe the thrill of forbidden lust had started to wear off, because his tone grew softer. He humbled himself more with every word he messaged.

But I was already dead. There was no one left to reply.

“Darling, what are you thinking about?”

Laura walked up behind him, resting a hand on his shoulder. Her belly, too, had begun to swell.

Just several weeks after my death, she was pregnant.

Her cheeks were rosy, and her eyes sparkled with health. There was no trace of the supposed fatal poisoning she had used to manipulate everyone.

Yet, David didn’t seem to remember that was the entire reason for abandoning me and mate-bonding with Laura.

Startled by her voice, David quickly shoved his phone into his pocket like a cheating husband caught red-handed.

He turned around, trying to act natural, and reached out to hug her when he noticed the gemstone ring on her finger.

“Isn’t that Eva’s favorite ring? Why is it on your hand?”

“Huh? What a coincidence! I saw it at a boutique and thought it looked pretty, so I bought it.”

David frowned.

That ring wasn’t just any ring. He had bought it for me when we were both at Lycan Academy. It wasn’t expensive, but it had been our promise to each other.

It never left my finger.

Laura’s eyes flickered with guilt for a moment, then she quickly changed the subject.

“Sweetheart, today we’re celebrating the baby! My parents are cooking for once. They’re waiting for us at home!”

I watched them walk away, instinctively brushing the finger where my ring used to be.

The ring was taken off my finger by the thug who killed me. Now it was on Laura’s finger.

Could that really be just a coincidence?

Was my death not an accident, after all?

“Our Laura’s always been frail. To think she risked her life to carry this child. David, you must take care of them!”

“You can’t let Laura down.”

At home, Mom and Dad stared at Laura’s pale face, wiping tears from their eyes.

David smiled, patting his chest and swearing he would make Laura happy.

To keep Laura in high spirits, not a single family member brought up the fact that I had been missing for a long time.

Just then, the doorbell rang.

A flicker of light lit up David’s eyes. He immediately got up and walked quickly to the door.

He naively assumed that I had heard the news about my sister’s pregnancy, had let go of the past, and was back to celebrate with the family.

However, the moment he opened the door, his smile vanished.

Standing outside was someone he never expected to see.

It was my best friend, Lucy.

She stood there with her arms crossed, eyes sharp as she glared at David. She asked straight to the point, “Where’s Eva?”

Lucy and I had been friends for over a decade.

She had a tough life, too. After her mother remarried and abandoned her, she grew up under the care of her alcoholic father.

Forced by circumstances, she had become as tough as any boy, hot-tempered and explosive with most people.

Though with me, she was always gentle and caring.

No matter what injustice I faced, at home or outside, she would be the one to listen, protect, and fight for me.

“She’s not here. If you’re looking for her, ask someone else.”

Laura stepped out from behind David, about to slam the door. However, Lucy stuck out her foot.

She shoved the door open with force and barged inside, calling out as she went, “Eva! I’m here! Are you home?”

“Get out of here! That bitch isn’t here!” Laura shouted furiously, rushing forward to shove Lucy back out.

The two of them fought against each other, chaos erupting in every direction.

“Lucy, get a grip! Eva really isn’t here!”

David rushed to shield Laura, afraid she might get hurt, and pushed Lucy away forcefully.

Seeing David still protect Laura, Lucy lost it.

She raised her hand and slapped him hard across the face.

“Smack!”

The blow sent David’s head jerking sideways.

She had used all her strength. Wolf claws emerged from her fingertips, leaving five gashes across his cheek.

“You heartless bastard! How could you turn your back on her after making all those promises? Where’s your conscience?!

“Eva gave you everything, and you did something so disgusting! You two deserve each other, you cheating trash!

“And you! Both of you! You’re old enough to know better, yet you still bullied Eva like this? She’s your daughter, too! What kind of parents are you?! I hope all of you get what’s coming to you!”

Lucy’s whole body shook with fury, her voice hoarse as she screamed.

“If anything happens to Eva, I don’t care if it costs me my life! I will make sure every last one of you ends up in jail!”

The entire family froze, stunned by her rage. No one dared take a step forward.

They just stood there in silence until Lucy stormed out, slamming the door behind her.

That night, David did everything he could to calm Laura down and coax her to bed.

Once she was asleep, the rest of the family gathered in the living room.

David’s face was troubled when he finally spoke. “Mom, Dad, Eva’s been missing for days now. What if something really happened to her?”

My parents lowered their heads in silence.

They all knew they had gone too far.

However, they had already chosen this path. Now, they could only hope I would eventually come around and make it up to me when I returned.

Not once did they consider that they might not have a chance to make anything right.

My body was already rotting at the silver mine, the foul stench attracting a swarm of rats.

So, the residential staff had called in a professional exterminator to locate the source.

At dawn, David’s phone rang.

It was the police.

“Hello, is this Eva Corner’s family?”

“We’ve discovered a decomposing female body in the abandoned silver mine behind the villa. Initial identification confirms the victim is Eva. Please come to the station to identify the body.”