Evelyn left the living room with her cheek still stinging, her palm pressed over the swollen skin. She almost walked straight into three people coming up the steps.

She instinctively shrank back into the shadow of the entryway and watched as Daniel and Zoe climbed out of the car. Noah stood between them, happily holding each of their hands. The three of them looked exactly like a family.

"Aunt Zoe, are you feeling better?" Noah asked.

Zoe smiled and ruffled his hair. "Much better."

"Great! Now, you can finally play with me again!" Noah kicked a pebble out of his way, grinning from ear to ear.

"Mom is boring and annoying. You're the only one who gets me. Good thing she didn't show up today. She would've ruined everything."

Zoe's smile deepened. She put on a gentle, helpless tone. "Noah, you can't talk about your mom like that."

"Why not?" He puffed out his cheeks. "She's awful! She's mean and always pretending to be pitiful! She wouldn't even drink one glass of liquor for you! If anyone should get cancer, it should be her!"

The words hit Evelyn like a bolt of lightning, and her body went rigid. The rest of their conversation blurred into a distant drone.

She stayed where she was, hidden in the corner like a ghost. She waited until she heard their laughter drift from inside the house. Only then did she turn and walk away.

She felt her life had become painfully pathetic, miserable beyond words. She had carried Noah for nine months, yet he wished her dead without a flicker of hesitation.

Tears spilled over as she walked away.

As they wished, she was the one with cancer. Once she was gone, Zoe would take over her place without a hitch. Noah would get what he wanted.

...

Back at the villa, Evelyn went through every room and cleared out anything that belonged to her. Then, she threw it all into a brazier and lit it in the backyard. She burned their wedding photo, their family photo, and every gift she had chosen for Daniel and Noah over the years.

When Daniel came home and saw the fire, his eyes widened in panic. He ignored the heat and pain, reaching straight into the blaze to grab for their photo. He managed to pull out half of a photo. The rest had already turned to ash.

His eyes went bloodshot as he shouted, "Evelyn! Are you insane? These are our family's memories. Why would you burn them?"

Noah stomped his feet in a fit of fury. "Those stuffed toys were my favorites! Why did you burn them?"

Evelyn said expressionlessly, "Doesn't Zoe buy you new toys now? You tossed those stuffed toys into the storage room yourself. What else would they have been good for?"

Noah's cheeks flushed bright red. He did love the toys Zoe bought. Who wanted old when they could have new? But those stuffed toys were all handmade by Evelyn.

Noah's hands balled into fists. His anger surged up uncontrollably, and he shoved Evelyn hard. "Bad mom! I hate you!"

He grabbed the only half-burned toy that hadn't fallen into the flames, wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, and ran back into the house.

Evelyn hit the ground hard. The brazier toppled, embers and burning wood rolling toward her. A piece of hot coal landed against her bare forearm. The sear of it made her gasp as the skin blistered and burned.

Daniel didn't notice at all. He was still staring after Noah.

When he finally looked back at her, his voice was cuttingly cold. "Noah shouldn't have pushed you, but you've gone too far! This isn't how you throw a tantrum. Get those photos restored from the negatives today. If you don't, then don't show up at the wedding!"

With that, he stormed off.

A cold, mocking smile tugged at Evelyn's lips. This was the excuse Daniel had been waiting for. If she didn't show up to the wedding, it would make things a whole lot easier for him to stand at the altar with Zoe instead.

It was fine. She hadn't planned on going anyway.

By the time Daniel put a ring on Zoe's finger, Evelyn would already be on a ferry to her own private island.

...

Over the next few days, Daniel and Noah froze her out on purpose. They didn't even greet her when they saw her.

Evelyn didn't care at all. She packed the few clothes she planned to take and was ready to leave at any time.

Tomorrow, she could finally leave this place.

Just then, her phone buzzed. Zoe had sent her a photo.

Evelyn opened it, and her eyes widened in shock. It was a photo of the one keepsake her grandmother had left for her. She was the only person who had ever truly loved her. Right next to the keepsake was a brazier.

Evelyn called Zoe immediately. "Zoe, what are you doing?"

"Come find me. I want to make a deal," Zoe said.

Evelyn grabbed her keys and rushed out the door. She had barely stepped outside when a hard blow slammed into the back of her neck. She collapsed instantly, her vision fading into darkness.

Right before she passed out, she heard Zoe's voice. "Tie her tight. Don't let her run away."

When Evelyn opened her eyes again, she was in an old, rundown warehouse. The rope dug into her wrists and ankles, tight enough to make them ache.

Across from her, Zoe sat with her legs crossed, casually fussing with her manicure. When she noticed Evelyn was awake, Zoe smiled and said, "You're finally awake, Evelyn."

Evelyn's nerves tightened. Confusion and disbelief swirled through her. "Zoe, what are you doing?"

She didn't have much time left. Her life was already measured in weeks. She wasn't a threat to Zoe at all.

Daniel and Noah had turned away from her long ago. She just needed to endure one more day. Tomorrow, she would disappear to a place no one could reach. Why would Zoe bother kidnapping her now?

Zoe smiled brighter. "Aren't you curious? If both of us are in danger, who would Daniel and Noah choose to save? Want to bet on it?"

Before Evelyn could answer, one of the men stepped over and tapped a number on his phone.

As soon as the call connected, Zoe let out a fake sob. "Daniel, help me! Evelyn asked me to meet her, but we got kidnapped on the way! They want money! If they don't get it, they're going to hurt me! I'm scared!"

"Zoe?" Daniel froze for a second, then panic broke through his voice. "Where are you? Are you okay?"

The man holding the phone said, "Mr. Hayes, your wife and your lover are both in my hands. I only want five million in cash. Bring it today, and I'll send you the address. We trade in person. No cash, no deal."

"Fine! I'll bring the cash!" Daniel's voice shook. "I'll pay whatever you want! Just make sure Zoe is safe!"

The man laughed. "Relax. We keep our word. Give us the money, and no one gets hurt."

"Good." Daniel finally let out a breath. "What about Evelyn? Is she okay?"

Evelyn almost laughed. Only now did he remember she existed. If she had been the only one kidnapped, he probably wouldn't even have believed the call.

"She's fine. Just have the money ready, Mr. Hayes."

After hanging up, the two kidnappers grabbed another rope and tied Zoe up as well.

It didn't take long for Daniel to call back.

The men each grabbed one of them, dragging them outside. Only then did Evelyn realize they were in the mountains. They walked down a rocky path until they reached a spot halfway up the slope.

Daniel and Noah stood there, both tense and nervous.

The moment Zoe saw them, her eyes filled with tears. "Daniel! Noah! Help me!"

Daniel and Noah lost their composure in an instant.

"Aunt Zoe!" Noah shouted.

"Zoe, don't be scared! I've come to save you!" Daniel said quickly.

Evelyn stood right beside Zoe, tied just as tightly. She was even worse off than Zoe. Her face was chalk white, her legs barely holding her upright. But neither of them spared her a look.

Evelyn slowly closed her eyes. It wasn't that crying worked. It was that they had already decided who they cared about.

Daniel tossed a suitcase at the kidnappers' feet. "Five million! Not a penny less! Let Zoe and Evelyn go!"

One of the men crouched down, flipped open the case, and let out a laugh at the rows of neatly stacked cash.

"Five million? Five million only buys you one person, Mr. Hayes!"

Daniel's expression shifted. "You told me five million! Now, you're changing the terms?"

"You misunderstood. I never said five million would cover both. It's five million each! Of course, if you bring another five million tomorrow, you can take them both. But right now, you get to choose one."

Silence dropped like a stone. Daniel's jaw clenched, and his gaze flicked to Evelyn instinctively.

Noah gripped Daniel's sleeve, equally stunned.

Then, Zoe suddenly screamed and dropped to her knees.

"It hurts!" She gasped for air, tears spilling over. She clutched her stomach like she'd been gutted.

A moment later, she shook her head, sobbing. "Take Evelyn! Just take her! I already have cancer! I'm a burden! I could die any time! Just let me die!"

"No way!" Daniel snapped.

"Don't say that, Aunt Zoe! You're not a burden! The burden is... someone else!" Noah shouted.

As the last words left his mouth, Evelyn felt her heart split apart.

Daniel looked away from Evelyn. "That's right. If Evelyn hadn't asked you out, you never would've been kidnapped. When you get down to it, this is all her fault! Since it's Evelyn's fault, she should be the one to pay for it! She's perfectly healthy. Leaving her here for one night won't kill her..."

Even though Evelyn had been bracing herself, his words still made her heart seize so hard she could barely breathe.

She hadn't taken any painkillers all day. Her lips trembled nonstop, and she couldn't even get a protest out.

So, in his eyes, this was what a healthy body looked like?

Evelyn almost laughed, but her stomach lurched so violently, it felt like it was flipping over. A sharp wave of pain ripped through her, and then a mouthful of blood surged into her throat. She doubled over and vomited a thick splash of dark red onto the ground.

Daniel and Noah froze, their eyes snapping wide in shock.

"Evelyn!"

"Mom!"

Zoe went pale, then burst into tears a second later. "Evelyn, I never thought you'd go this far just to make Daniel and Noah feel sorry for you! You'd rather bite your lip bloody? If you want to leave, you can just tell them. Why do you have to hurt yourself?"

Daniel's expression darkened in an instant, his expression twisting into open disgust. "Evelyn, how many times are you going to pull the same stunt?"

Noah scoffed. "Mom, you're really shameless!"

She'd even fake spitting blood just to be rescued first. If that wasn't shameless, then what was?

Any trace of pity they'd had for her vanished on the spot.

"Let Zoe go," Daniel said firmly. "As for Evelyn... Do whatever you want with her!"

His gaze hardened, his face set like stone. It was time to teach Evelyn a lesson and put her back in her place. Only if she dropped all this nonsense could they return to being a happy family.

Noah nodded in agreement.

As soon as the kidnappers shoved Zoe toward them, Daniel and Noah rushed to untie her.

Evelyn was shaking on her feet from the pain in her stomach, but neither of them spared her a single glance.

After they checked on Zoe, they saw that she only had a few shallow rope marks and not even a bruise. Daniel and Noah both exhaled in relief. They assumed Evelyn would be just like Zoe—barely hurt at all. They believed the kidnappers were only after money and that their hostages wouldn't get hurt.

"Evelyn, tomorrow is our wedding. I'll bring another five million in the morning to save you," Daniel said. With that, he turned to leave.

Evelyn held on to the last thin edge of consciousness. "Daniel!"

As the pain reached its limit, her body went strangely numb, like something inside her had finally switched the pain off. She forced herself to stand steady. At this last moment, there was only one question she wanted to ask.

She asked quietly, her voice rough, "If I were the one with cancer… If I were the one dying, would you regret it?"

Looking at her pale, hollowed-out face, something jabbed deep in Daniel's heart. A wave of cold fear swept over him. For the first time, he felt genuinely rattled. However, he shook it off almost immediately.

No! Impossible!

"How long are you going to keep up this act?" he snapped, irritated.

Why? Why did she keep saying things that felt like they were cutting straight into him?

Evelyn would live a long life. The three of them would live happily together as a family. That was how it was supposed to be.

Daniel said coldly, "If you insist on pretending you're sick, then I hope you get exactly what you're asking for!"

Still burning with anger, he took Zoe and walked off without a backward glance.

The next second, the kidnappers shoved Evelyn onto a bed and began tearing at her clothes.

"Zoe sure knows how to play them. Those two actually bought it," one of them sneered.

"They're idiots." The other snorted. "Daniel really left his wife behind for that scheming woman. Does he have no idea what could happen if she spends a night with the two of us?"

"Who cares? We'll just do what Zoe told us to. Cover Evelyn in hickeys and toss her into the wedding venue tomorrow!"

"Damn, this is great! We actually get to sleep with Daniel's wife!"

Evelyn's throat tightened, and she jerked her head to the side as another flood of blood spilled from her mouth. Her stomach felt like it was being sawed open. Pain clawed through her so hard that every muscle seized. Blood surged upward and even began to ooze from her nose.

The two men went white. One of them lifted a trembling finger and held it under her nose to check if she was still breathing. A second later, he fell back on his backside, his eyes full of panic.

Evelyn curled in on herself, her vision flickering between black and white as a low buzzing filled her ears.

The same sentence kept replaying over and over in her mind.

"If you insist on pretending you're sick, then I hope you get exactly what you're asking for!"

Tears slid from the corners of her eyes as a broken laugh slipped out. He wanted her to get exactly what she was asking for?

Then, she wished them the same. Let them all get exactly what they were asking for!

Daniel wouldn't have to see her again. Tomorrow, at the wedding, he could stand there with a smile on his face and marry the woman he truly loved.