While on vacation with my fiancé on a Caribbean island, our hotel was ambushed by mercenaries. Trying to protect me, my fiancé was knocked out by several hulking men. I was humiliated in front of thousands watching a live stream, fainting multiple times during the terrifying ordeal. After they'd had their fun, they took our phones and wallets, leaving me bruised and broken in the mud.

Later, my fiancé quickly arranged for a helicopter to fly me home, where he had top-tier doctors treat my injuries. On the flight back, I overheard a conversation between him and his assistant.

"I've already paid off those mercenaries to stay silent. No one's going to trace this back to you."

"Don't you think it's ruthless to ruin Kelsey like this just to make Georgina a star? You've wrecked her future."

"I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to her. She loves me so much; she'll understand why I had to do it."

What I thought was a horrific accident was, in reality, a carefully orchestrated betrayal by the one I trusted most. My tears tasted bitter in my mouth. This kind of love, I want no part of.

---

"Wasn't that overkill? Using those guys to disgrace her is one thing, but broadcasting it? She'll never be able to face people again."

Austin, the assistant, glanced at me lying unconscious on the stretcher, covered in blood and dirt, with a pang of regret in his eyes.

"I'll spend my life making amends. Kelsey’s too focused on her career. Without this intervention, she'd never leave the showbiz world." Aziel sighed, "Georgina is fiercely independent. She's never allowed me to leverage my influence for her career. If she exits the industry, she'll have nothing. But Kelsey, even if not a star, will be Mrs. Tran."

"I'll make things right with Kelsey. She's my only love. Once she recovers, we'll get married."

As the plane landed, the media, tipped off, swarmed around us. Aziel angrily ordered his bodyguards to create a barrier, covering my disheveled appearance with his coat to shield me from the cameras.

The media was held at bay outside the hospital as I was rushed into surgery. Sedated, the doctors diligently examined me, assuring timely intervention.

As disbelief hung in the air, Aziel picked up a scalpel and made several incisions on my face. Gasps erupted in the room, and the surgeon, furious, restrained him, "What on earth are you doing?!"

Aziel tossed the scalpel back onto the tray, looking torn but resolute: "This way, there's no chance she'll return to acting."

"When you operate, take care—Kelsey doesn’t handle pain well. I heard Georgina was terrified by the attack; I need to check on her. Keep this quiet. If this leaks, your career here is over."

With those words, Aziel left the operating room, his footsteps fading as my consciousness did.

I awoke to chaos, a massive camera lens capturing every moment. As soon as I opened my eyes, microphones were thrusted toward me:

"Ms. Robinson, any comments on the incident in the Caribbean?"

"With the Golden Globes nearing, is this your publicity stunt?"

"Ms. Robinson, rumors say you were with multiple men. You're getting married next month. Now that you've brought disgrace to the Tran family, will they still accept you?"

The reporters jostled, shoving microphones relentlessly in my face. The painful memory of the island surged back, and I screamed, yanking out the IV, blood staining the sheets.

"What are you doing here? Who let you in?"

"Security! Security!"

Aziel fought through the throng of reporters, shouting and trying to calm me down. He held my hand to stop the bleeding and embraced me: "It's alright, Kelsey, it’s alright. I've got you. No one's gonna hurt you."

With reddened eyes, he gently wiped my tears over and over, "Kelsey, ignore them. No matter what, I'll marry you. I won't leave you."

I felt like a kite, cut adrift from its string, left to hang helplessly in his embrace.

The tears on the operating table had long dried, and I swallowed the raw, stinging sensation in my throat.

"Is the cottage ready yet? I really don't want to stay in the hospital any longer."

Aziel's grip on my hand tightened. He hesitated, "Kelsey, the cottage is designed with dreamlike freedom in mind, meant to be our showcase for future buyers. It's not that I don't want you there, but with your current reputation... Let's just head back to the old house for now."

When we got engaged, Aziel bought a townhouse downtown as our future home. I'd snuck over countless times to see it. He'd spend some time there every day, overseeing every detail himself. Everything, down to the last blade of grass, was meticulously placed by his hand.

I always thought it was a surprise he was preparing for me. Turns out, it was all in my imagination.

The car screeched to a halt midway. After receiving a phone call, Aziel's face grew pale.

"Kelsey, there's an emergency at work. Stay here. I'll send Austin to pick you up shortly."

Before I could react, he had left me by the roadside and drove off.

I waited until nightfall, but no one came. The flimsy hospital gown felt colder with each passing minute.

Finally giving in to the help of some college students, I made my way back to the old house.

When Aurora opened the door and saw me, her expression twisted with disdain. "Miss Robinson, what took you so long? Even when you're sick, you manage to cause trouble."

Several people inside turned their eyes towards me, and I noticed Ana Tran and Georgina Murray having a cozy meal together, like a close-knit family.

I felt like an outsider, intruding at the worst possible moment.

Aziel stood when he saw me, draping his coat over my shoulders. He looked apologetic: "I'm really sorry, Kelsey. I was so tied up this afternoon and completely forgot. Are you cold? Quick, put this on before you catch a chill."

"Kelsey, don't blame Aziel. He was picking me up. I got hurt on set this afternoon," Georgina said, showing her bandaged finger.

Aziel consoled her quickly, "It's not your fault. You didn't hurt yourself on purpose. And such a noticeable wound... we must make sure it doesn't scar."

Ana chimed in, sliding a sophisticated emerald bracelet onto Georgina’s wrist.

"Lana, only someone as pure and innocent as you deserves this."

I recognized it as the bracelet intended for the Tran family's daughter-in-law. I'd heard about it from Aziel, but Ana never mentioned it during our relationship. Now it was given to Georgina.

Aziel was about to help me sit when Ana suddenly swept her hand, sending dishes crashing to the floor.

"Those who lack dignity shouldn't eat our food!"

As the porcelain shattered, Aziel instinctively let go of me to steady Georgina, and I fell hard, a pool of sauce spreading beneath me.

Aziel rushed to help me, but Georgina tugged at him. "Aziel, I'm feeling dizzy. Could you take me upstairs to rest?"

Aziel hesitated momentarily, then carried Georgina, striding upstairs.

"Aurora, clean up this mess! How can a house accommodate such filth and ugliness? Look at this disaster now!" Ana remarked, giving me a disdainful glance as she strutted into the house in her heels.

In truth, Ana was always kind to me, at least before Georgina came into the picture.

The smell of greasy food mixed with the metallic tang of blood, making my stomach churn with nausea. I propped myself up on my elbows, cautiously standing as the pain from the wounds in my lower body lingered, still far from healed. Clenching my teeth, I ascended the stairs with determination, only to be stopped by the sound of Georgina’s moans at the top.

"Aziel darling, who's better, me or her?" she purred.

"Of course it's you. You have no idea how revolting it was; she's a complete mess down there. I almost lost interest," Aziel replied with a smirk I could almost hear.

Then came her soft, teasing giggle, "You're quite the tyrant, you know? I only asked you to teach her a lesson, yet you brought in all those people to deal with her, even marking up her face."

"She deserved it for foolishly trying to compete with you for the lead role," Aziel's voice carried a groan I knew too well from moments of intense passion.

Though I had long known the truth, hearing it said so openly made my heart clench painfully, as if gripped by an invisible hand. Fighting the urge to vomit, I returned to the bedroom.

Under Aziel’s pillow, there was still an old, yellowing notebook chronicling our moments from age eighteen to twenty-eight. I couldn't fathom how someone who once loved me so deeply could change so drastically.

Georgina had entered our lives three years ago, saving Ana from an oncoming car. It seemed natural for her to move into the Whitley household, and it was then I learned of her budding career in showbiz. Out of gratitude, I introduced her to my social circles, to all the directors I knew. Countless days and nights were spent taking her from one film set to the next, appearing on numerous talk shows, transforming her from an unknown into a top-tier star.

Georgina showed her appreciation, yet little did I know that her way of thanking me was to slip into bed with my fiancé.

From the nightstand, I retrieved my spare phone and called Uncle Leonidas, "Uncle, I’ve made up my mind. I’d like to join you overseas."

His joy was palpable over the phone, "You've finally come to your senses! I'll get you a ticket for tomorrow right away."

Since my parents' passing, my uncle had repeatedly urged me to live with him abroad, but for Aziel’s sake, I had refused every time. Now, listening to the sounds from the next room, I painfully squeezed my eyes shut.

Here, the last thing that once held me back was gone.