A knock on the door made Sarah step forward, she opened the door and saw Rose holding a bottle of wine.

She flashed a bright smile. "Surprise, I came to celebrate Joshua's promotion to director next week," Rose said, stepping inside with an air of confidence.

Sarah let out and laughed, glancing at Rose. "Well, it makes sense that you would know about it. You work in the same office, after all." She stepped aside to let her in. "Alright, come in."

As Rose entered, Joshua walked out of the bathroom, towel draped loosely around his waist. His eyes immediately landed on Rose, and a sly grin spread across his face. "Hi Rose, What a coincidence. Sarah's making steak tonight, Come on, Sarah, get the food ready for Rose." He said

Sarah grabbed the bottle of wine and placed it on the table.

"Okay, wait, I'll prepare it, sit down," said Sarah and left Rose alone in the living room.

Joshua took a seat on the couch, and Rose sat next to him. They exchanged glances before Rose broke the silence with a teasing tone. "May I look good tonight?" she said, "Much better than Sarah, don't you think?"

Joshua chuckled, leaning back against the couch. "Of course. Sarah’s just… she's not the same anymore. She’s aging, losing that spark. She doesn’t turn heads like you do, Rose."

Rose’s lips curled into a satisfied smile. "Exactly. And let’s not forget how she’s so naïve. She still thinks everything is fine between you."

Joshua raised an eyebrow, his grin widening. "You’re right. She has no idea what’s going on behind her back. But soon, I’ll have everything I want. Once I get my hands on this house and that store on Reader Street, I can kick her to the curb."

Rose’s eyes glimmered with excitement. She leaned closer to Joshua, her voice softening. "You know, you should just divorce her. We could be together. You and me, no more hiding, no more pretending."

Joshua let out a low chuckle, clearly amused by the suggestion. He wrapped his arm around Rose, pulling her closer. "I’m not ready for that yet. I have plans, and once I have everything in place, we’ll make our move. It’s just a matter of time before I can throw her out onto the streets, and no one will bat an eye."

Rose looked at him with a devilish grin. "She'll be nothing. Just another idiot woman you once knew. And we’ll be free to live how we want."

Joshua’s smile turned cold. "Exactly. She’ll be forgotten. And once we’re together, we can finally be rid of her. No more pretending."

They both laughed, a sinister edge to their laughter. The sound echoed through the room, a stark contrast to the normal atmosphere of a casual dinner. As they continued to talk, their voices dropped lower, their words becoming more secretive, as if they were carefully plotting every detail of their cruel plans.

Meanwhile, Sarah was busy in the kitchen, unaware of the treachery unfolding right under her nose. The sound of her chopping vegetables drowning out the malicious whispers from the other room. She smiled to herself, thinking about the happiness of Joshua, her husband who really wants a high position, but Sarah doesn't realize that Rose and Joshua are planning a crime behind her back, a betrayal that will change Sara's life.

Rose turned to Joshua, motioning for the man to follow her into the bathroom, when the door closed, they hugged

Joshua's voice lowered, his breath coming faster with excitement. "Once I get everything, we’ll finally be free. We’ll have the life we deserve no more holding back."

Rose nodded, her hand resting on Joshua’s chest. "And Sarah? We’ll leave her with nothing. No one will care. You’ll be free to do whatever you want."

Joshua kissed her briefly, "Exactly. I’ll be in control. And she’ll never see it coming."

They laughed again, Sarah, still in the kitchen, heard nothing but the usual sounds of the evening. She had no idea that the man she loved and trusted, along with her supposed friend, were plotting her ruin.

______

They had dinner together, and on the surface, everything appeared to be normal. Joshua seemed genuinely affectionate toward Sarah, occasionally smiling at her and complimenting her cooking. It was as though nothing had changed, and the warmth between them felt real, at least to Sarah. Joshua even took Sarah's hand, placing a delicate ring on her finger as a symbol of their bond.

"Here," he said softly, his voice sincere. "I got this for you. I know things haven’t been easy, but I want you to know how much you mean to me."

Sarah beamed, "Joshua, it’s beautiful," she whispered, and leaned in and kissed him gently on the cheek, believing that they were still very much in love.

But across the table, Rose watched them closely, her expression growing more and more displeased with every passing moment. Her eyes narrowed as she watched Joshua’s attention shift entirely to Sarah, his sweet words a stark contrast to the cruel thoughts running through Rose’s mind. Despite her discomfort, she kept her smile intact, pretending to be pleased, knowing that it was the best course of action for now.

Joshua noticed Rose’s quiet gaze and raised an eyebrow, sensing something was off. "What’s on your mind, Rose?"

Rose forced a smile and leaned back in her chair, her hand circling the rim of her wine glass. "Oh, nothing at all. Just admiring how well you two get along. It’s... nice to see."

Joshua chuckled lightly, "Well, Sarah’s been through a lot. She deserves a little kindness, don’t you think?"

Sarah, still blissfully unaware of the tension under the surface, nodded in agreement. "I appreciate it, really. It’s been a tough year, but we’re getting through it."

Rose’s smile tightened, and she picked up her glass, taking a slow sip of wine before responding. "Of course, Sarah. Everyone deserves a little kindness," she said, her voice smooth but with a hint of something cold beneath it.

Joshua returned his attention to Sarah, leaning in a little closer. "I know things haven’t been easy, but we’ll get through this. We always do," he murmured, his voice soft, almost affectionate.

Sarah smiled warmly at him, unaware of the undercurrent of deceit. "I really believe that," she said, "We’ll make it through together."

But across the table, Rose was struggling to maintain her composure. jealousy and frustration churned. How long do I have to keep up this act? she thought, staring at the couple in front of her.

Joshua, noticing the slight change in Rose’s expression, shifted in his chair and cleared his throat. "Anyway, what about you, Rose? What’s new? I feel like I haven’t heard much from you lately."

Rose forced a cheerful tone, masking her true feelings. "Oh, nothing exciting. Just the usual work stuff. You know how it is."

Joshua nodded, "Yeah, I get it. Work’s been crazy for me too," he said, turning his attention back to Sarah. "But after next week... well, everything's going to be different."

Sarah smiled, but Rose’s eyes flickered with annoyance. "After next week..." Rose thought, a dark smile curling on her lips. "Once Joshua’s promotion is finalized, everything will change for the better. For me, not for Sarah." Rose muttered in annoyance.

She stood up to clear the plates, smiling at Joshua and Rose. "I’ll be right back. You can chat while I clean up."

As Sarah disappeared into the kitchen, Joshua and Rose’s conversation shifted in an instant. Joshua leaned closer to Rose, his voice dropping to a whisper. "You know what’s coming, right? After next week, everything will be ours."

"I can’t wait, Josh. Once you get the assets transferred, it’s over. Sarah won’t be in the picture anymore. We’ll finally have everything we’ve been planning for."

Joshua’s lips curled into a wicked grin. "Exactly. I’ll get the house, the store on Reader Street, everything. Sarah won’t even know what hit her."

"And then... we can finally be together, without her standing in the way." she said

Joshua’s smile deepened, the darkness in his eyes unmistakable. "Once she’s gone, nothing will stop us. We’ll have it all. Just a little longer, and it’ll all be ours."

They both laughed softly, The sound was soft, but it carried a dangerous undertone, like a warning that Sarah had no way of hearing.

Sarah returned to the table, unaware of the conversation happening just inches away from her. She smiled brightly as she placed the plates on the table. "I’m glad we could all get together tonight. It’s been so nice."

Joshua quickly wiped the smile from his face, returning to his role of loving husband. "Yeah, it’s been great. Thanks for everything, Sarah."

Rose nodded politely, though her thoughts were elsewhere. She couldn’t wait for the plan to unfold. The night was just one more step toward the future, she had carefully crafted one where she would be with Joshua, and Sarah would be nothing but a forgotten memory.

The dining room was tense, Sarah fell silent, her chest pounding. Finally, as they finished their dinner, Sarah cleared her throat and turned to Joshua, a soft smile on her face.

“Joshua, Rose,” she began, her voice filled with excitement, “there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you both.”

Rose, who had been sipping her wine, paused and turned her attention to Sarah, though her smile was more of a polite mask than anything genuine. Joshua, too, looked at her curiously, raising an eyebrow.

“What is it, Sarah?” Joshua asked, his voice calm, though a slight hint of concern flickered in his eyes.

Sarah placed her hand gently over her stomach, a soft blush coloring her cheeks. “I... I’m pregnant.”

Joshua froze, his eyes widening in disbelief. He glanced from Sarah to Rose, who had suddenly stopped moving, her glass halfway to her lips. The room fell into a heavy silence.

Pregnant? Joshua’s mind raced. It wasn’t possible.

They had been so careful. He had been careful. He had been so focused on his plan with Rose that he had overlooked something as simple as this. How could this happen? His eyes flickered back to Sarah, trying to mask his shock.

Rose, on the other hand, felt a surge of anger boil beneath her calm facade. "How could she be pregnant now?" The timing was disastrous. She clenched her glass tightly, but she forced a smile to her lips. She had to play this carefully.

“Oh, Sarah! That’s... wonderful news!” She set her glass down and stood up, walking over to Sarah, wrapping her arms around her in a tight, almost too enthusiastic hug. “I’m so happy for you, really.”

Joshua watched this interaction closely, his thoughts whirling. He needed to keep his composure. This wasn’t part of the plan, but he couldn’t let Sarah know anything was wrong.

Not yet.

He couldn’t afford for this to spiral out of control before everything was in place.

He cleared his throat. “Sarah, that’s... unexpected,” he said slowly, He smiled, but it was a strained, forced expression. “But, I'll make sure everything is taken care of. You and the baby.”

Sarah beamed, thrilled by their responses, still unaware of the turbulence brewing beneath the surface. “Thank you, I’ve been wanting to tell you for a while, but I wasn’t sure how you’d take it.”

Rose pulled back slightly from the hug, her eyes briefly narrowing before she forced a smile back into place. Why now? she thought,

The plan with Joshua had been so close to succeeding just a few more steps and Sarah’s wealth would be theirs. But now, a child... a baby? This complicated everything.

“Well,” Rose began, her voice deceptively calm, “a baby is certainly a big responsibility. But I know you’ll be a great mother, Sarah. And Joshua will be a great father.” She turned to Joshua with a smile,

Joshua nodded, though his mind was elsewhere. 'A baby... this was not part of the plan. What do I do now?' He had been so focused on getting his hands on Sarah’s assets and kicking her out once the transfer was complete. A child complicates things, and it wasn’t supposed to complicate things.

Sarah, blissfully unaware of the storm brewing behind their words, smiled at both of them, her joy lighting up the room. “Thank you. I’ve been feeling so happy, and now I know it’s because of this little one.”

Rose’s heart sank, but she kept her smile intact. 'No. This cannot be happening,' she thought. She needed to think fast. The plan had been so close to succeeding, now she had to find a way to still get what she wanted. Joshua couldn’t back out now.

“I’m so glad and i really lucky to have you in my life.”

Rose gave a tight-lipped smile, her mind racing. 'I can’t afford to let this baby ruin everything. I’ll need to make sure Joshua stays focused. He needs to stay on track.'

---

Rose stood up and grabbed her bag nearby, "Okay, I have to go," she said. Her eyes turned to Sarah and stopped

“I’m so happy for you, Sarah. Truly,” she said, “You’re going to be a wonderful mother. I’ll see you soon.” She pulled back, stepping away from Sarah with a practiced smile before heading for the door.

“Thank you, Rose. I’m really happy you’re here.”

Joshua followed Rose to the front door, offering a polite smile before walking her out to the yard.

Once they were outside, Rose whirled around, her anger boiling over. “How could you let this happen?” she hissed, her voice low but seething with rage. “You promised me, Joshua! We were supposed to be together you were supposed to make sure that she didn’t have any leverage!”

“I know, I know,” he said, trying to calm her down, “This wasn’t part of the plan. I didn’t expect this either.”

Rose stepped closer, her eyes flashing with fury. “I can’t believe this! She’s pregnant now, and everything we’ve worked for could be ruined. We can’t have a baby complicating everything!”

Joshua ran a hand through his hair, looking around as if searching for a way to fix this. “We will fix it. You know we can’t let this ruin everything.” His voice was low, almost threatening. “I’ll handle Sarah. I’ll get rid of this problem, once and for all.”

Rose narrowed her eyes. “What are you going to do, Joshua?”

He paused, locking eyes with her. “I’ll divorce her. I’ll make sure the assets transfer to me, and once they’re in my name... I’ll make sure Sarah’s baby is no longer an issue. I’ll make sure she loses the child. We don’t need any complications.”

Rose’s eyes widened, a wicked smile slowly spreading across her face. “You’re really going to do it? You’ll make sure she doesn’t have the baby?”

Joshua nodded, a cold resolve in his eyes. “Yes. I’ll make sure of it. It’s the only way we can get everything we need without any distractions.”

Rose let out a small laugh, her expression darkening. “I knew you’d come through, Joshua. You always know how to fix things. Let’s make sure Sarah gets what she deserves.”

Joshua glanced back at the house, his gaze hardening. “I’ll make it happen. You won’t have to worry about her anymore.” His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. “She’ll be out of the Mansion.”

Sarah grabbed the coat that Rose had left behind, She rushed after Rose to return the coat,

Sarah stopped in her tracks, when she saw Rose and Joshua arguing, "What's wrong with them?" Sarah wanted to approach, but what she heard next made her stop in her tracks, her breath catching in her throat. Rose and Joshua were still standing just outside the front door, unaware that Sarah had followed them. The conversation that followed shattered Sarah’s entire world.

“I can’t believe this, Joshua,” Rose’s voice was sharp, dripping with frustration. “She’s pregnant now, and that changes everything. You promised me we would be together, that we’d take control of everything. This pregnancy will ruin everything if we don’t act fast.”

Joshua’s voice was low, cold, almost unrecognizable. “I know, but we can’t let this get in the way. We’ll get rid of the baby, no one will know. Once the assets are transferred to us, I’ll divorce her. She’ll be out of the picture, and we’ll be free to build our future together.”

Sarah’s hands shook violently as she listened, her eyes wide with disbelief. The words felt like daggers piercing her heart. Joshua… her husband, the man she had trusted, the one she thought loved her… was planning to betray her in the most unimaginable way. He had made a deal with Rose to steal everything from her, including her child.

Rose’s voice cut through Sarah’s thoughts, cold and calculating. “And don’t forget, Joshua, you promised. Once everything’s in our hands, you’ll get rid of the baby, and we can move on. No one will ever know.”

Joshua’s tone was flat, devoid of any remorse. “It’s the only way, Rose. I’ll make sure it happens. I’ll do whatever it takes. She won’t stand in our way.”

Sarah’s vision blurred, her knees feeling weak beneath her. The shock was overwhelming. The man she had called her husband, the one she thought would stand by her side no matter what, was willing to destroy everything she had worked for including their child. He had made plans to cast her aside, to leave her homeless and broken while he built a life with Rose. The betrayal was suffocating.

Tears blurred her vision as she stepped backward, but she didn’t even realize she had moved until she felt a sharp pain in her chest. The realization hit her all at once. Joshua was no better than the man she had feared he could be. All the love she thought they had, the trust she had placed in him, was a lie.

She stumbled, almost falling to the ground, her mind struggling to make sense of the cruel words she had just heard. Everything about Joshua’s kind demeanor now seemed like a facade, a carefully constructed mask he wore to deceive her. How could she have been so blind?

She had to get away. She had to leave before they noticed her, before the full weight of their treachery was laid bare. She turned, her legs shaking, and hurried back inside, her heart pounding in her ears. But she knew one thing for sure now: she would not let this pass. Sarah was no longer the naïve woman she had once been. She had been wronged in the worst possible way, and now, she would fight back.

Joshua and Rose may have thought they could control her, use her, and toss her aside like an object, but Sarah would not go down without a fight. She would make sure they would pay for what they had done, no matter the cost.

As Sarah stumbled forward, her heart pounding in her chest, she could already hear the footsteps of Joshua and Rose chasing her. Her awareness of their betrayal sent a chill through her veins.

Rose stood behind him, her eyes filled with panic, but she quickly masked it with a fake, triumphant laugh. “Did she hear what we said?” Rose asked, her voice laced with anxiety.

“It doesn’t matter. She knows now, and there’s nothing she can do about it.” His tone was cruel, as if Sarah were nothing more than a piece of property he could dispose of whenever he pleased.

"Don't let her go. I'm worried she'll tell her family," Rose added, her voice tinged with worry.

Joshua chased after Sarah, causing her to panic and fall to the floor.

"Wait, Sarah. I can explain this," he said.

Sarah shook her head. She had heard their cunning plan, and she would not trust Joshua anymore.

Fear turned to anger within Sarah as she backed away from them, her eyes wide with disbelief. “You… you guys are playing with me. This is insane! I will never forgive you for this!” Her voice shook with rage, but also with pain—the pain of realizing how easily she had been deceived by the man she thought she could trust, and the woman who she had once considered a friend.

Joshua took a step forward, his face hardening. “Forgive me? For what? The truth? It’s so easy now that you finally know everything,” he sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. “Yes, I want your wealth. I’ve wanted it for years. We were married for five years, but I never loved you. If you weren’t Oscar Wilde’s daughter, I wouldn’t have married you in the first place. It’s always been about the money.”

Sarah felt her heart shatter in that moment, but there was a fire burning within her that refused to be extinguished. “You bastard,” she spat, rising to her feet with all the strength she could muster, but just as quickly, she faltered, her knees buckling beneath her.

As Sarah tried to get up, she made a final, desperate attempt to shove Joshua away from her, but her body betrayed her once more. She lost her balance, falling backward. In the chaos, her stomach collided with the edge of a nearby table, and a searing pain shot through her. Blood began to pool beneath her, and a sharp gasp escaped her lips.

Her heart raced as the pain intensified, but she refused to give in to it. Her vision blurred as she tried to focus, but everything felt like it was slipping away from her.

Meanwhile, Rose, who had remained a silent observer for most of this, couldn’t hold back her laughter. It was a cruel, hollow sound, as if the pain Sarah was feeling brought her some twisted sense of satisfaction. “Look at you now,” Rose mocked, her voice high-pitched and almost giddy. “You thought you had everything under control, but now you’re nothing.”

Sarah’s body trembled as she struggled to breathe through the pain, her hand pressed against her abdomen. Tears blurred her vision, but the hurt was more than just physical. It was the betrayal—the crushing realization that everything she had built: her life, her love, her trust had been a lie.

Joshua, seemed unbothered by the sight of Sarah in pain. In fact, his face twisted into a cold smirk as he looked down at her, stepping closer with no sign of guilt or remorse. He seemed to revel in her suffering, like it was a confirmation that he had finally broken her.

“You’re nothing to me,” Joshua spat, his voice low and venomous. “And you never were. This was always just a game, Sarah. You were just a means to an end. Now, we’ll be free of you, and there’s nothing you can do to stop us.”

Sarah could feel her strength waning, her body betraying her as the blood continued to seep from her. But through the haze of pain and despair, one thought rang out clearly 'I will not let them win.'

She clenched her fists, forcing herself to stay conscious, to stay strong. Joshua and Rose might have thought they had broken her, but Sarah knew now more than ever that she would fight back. Whatever it took, she would expose their cruelty and make them pay for the hell they had put her through.

“This isn’t over.”