"Stay back!"

My voice ripped through the silence. I raised a trembling, blood-soaked hand. "You... you disgust me."

Andrew's leather shoes skidded to a halt.

"Leah! You're coughing up blood?" Kate shrieked, her terror pitched perfectly for an audience. "Andrew, save her! Hurry!"

She lunged forward as if to help—but her hands latched onto Andrew's arm instead, anchoring him in place. Her gaze flicked toward me, sharp and calculating, before snapping back to wounded innocence.

Tethered by her grip, Andrew's attention shifted. "Don't panic," he told her, voice tight. "Specialists are en route. Leah, hold on."

Hold on?

The family elders had warned me about the Heartbreak Curse. Lethal, yes, but not invincible. Two ways to break it: the caster's sincere repentance—or their blood relative's—acting as catalyst. Or the Antidote.

Would Kate Fox sincerely repent?

Would Andrew force his precious cousin to pay for my life?

The answer was standing right in front of me, clutching his arm.

My legs buckled. I slid down the mahogany table until I hit the floor. The carpet was plush and expensive, but it did nothing against the bone-deep chill ravaging my body.

"Andrew." I tilted my head back, forcing myself to look at him through the haze. Blood filled my mouth. "Don't bother waiting for your friends."

He stiffened.

A grim smile tugged at my lips. "I can undo this myself."

Under their stunned stares, my shaking hand fumbled into my jacket's inner pocket. My fingers found cold metal—a small silver box.

My grandmother had pressed it into my hand on my wedding day. A secret gift from an old mystic in the southern regions. Just in case, she'd whispered.

I'd thought she was being superstitious. But I loved her, so I kept it close. I never imagined the bad luck would be my husband.

I flipped the latch. Three jet-black pills sat inside, smooth and round, emitting a faint bitter fragrance.

"What is that?" Andrew's eyes narrowed.

"The Antidote."

I pinched one between my fingers and swallowed it without hesitation.

It dissolved instantly. Bitterness exploded on my tongue, followed by searing heat that rolled down my throat like molten lead. It crashed into my stomach, colliding with the icy venom of the curse.

"Argh!"

I curled into a ball, agony ripping through me. My organs felt roasted over open flame, then skewered with icicles.

"Leah!"

Panic finally cracked Andrew's mask. He stepped toward me.

"Andrew, wait!" Kate's nails dug into his suit. "What is she eating? You can't let her swallow random things! What if it ruins her body? We have to wait for the doctors!"

Caught in her trap, he hesitated. Stopped.

In those critical seconds, the war inside me reached its peak. The medicine's scorching heat hunted down the curse's cold energy, cornering it, devouring it.

Sweat drenched my clothes. My limbs turned to jelly, but the deadly knot in my stomach began to unravel.

I braced my hands against the floor, gasping. Every breath burned, but with each inhale, the fog lifted.

I raised my head.

They stood frozen, stiff and uncertain.

Slowly, I pushed myself up. My legs shook, but I locked my knees and straightened my spine. I would not cower.

"Looks like I won't die today." I wiped blood from my mouth with the back of my hand. My voice was ice. "Sorry to disappoint."

Andrew's relief instantly hardened into defense. "Leah, what's that supposed to mean? If you had the Antidote, why not take it immediately? Why put on this show?"

"Put on a show?"

A laugh scraped out of my throat—dry, harsh, empty. "If I'd taken it earlier, how would I have witnessed such touching sibling devotion? How would I have learned that when forced to choose, Mr. Delgado soothes his frightened cousin before saving his dying wife?"

He opened his mouth, but I was already turning to Kate.

"Kate." My voice dropped soft. She flinched. "The Heartbreak Curse was no accident. We both know what happened today. Whether it was 'carelessness' or attempted murder... the truth is in your heart."

I smoothed my clothes, my posture shifting from victim to judge.

"For Andrew's sake, I won't call the police." I met his eyes. "But we are done."

Kate's face went white. She shrank behind Andrew's tall frame like a frightened child.

I held my ground, voice cold as steel. "Remember this moment. From now on, we're done. Pray you never cross my path again."

I turned and walked away without waiting for a response.

"Leah! Where do you think you're going?" Andrew's composure cracked into panic behind me.

I didn't look back.

My apartment sat in the heart of downtown. I'd bought it outright before the marriage—every cent of my savings plus a little help from my parents. It was mine.

After the wedding, Andrew complained it was too far from Delgado Group headquarters, so we moved into his villa. Over time, this place became my secret sanctuary—the only refuge when being Mrs. Delgado became suffocating.

I drove on autopilot, running on fumes. All I wanted was to crawl into my shell and lick my wounds in peace.

But the moment I pushed the door open, the sanctuary shattered.

Instead of the crisp lemon verbena I loved, the air hung thick with cloying sweetness.

Pink fuzzy slippers with pom-poms sat at the entryway. Not mine.

I stepped into the living room. Cartoon throw pillows littered my minimalist sofa. Fashion magazines and half-eaten snacks cluttered the coffee table.

Acid rose in my throat. I walked stiffly to the bedroom and pushed the door open.

My breath caught. My simple bedding had been stripped and replaced with an absurd lace-trimmed princess set. On the vanity, my skincare had been shoved into a corner, replaced by gaudy new bottles.

The wardrobe hung open. Inside—frilly dresses I'd never seen, sized to flaunt a petite frame.

Rage surged through me, drowning out the curse's lingering pain. My hands trembled.

"Who let you in?"

My voice scraped raw against the violated space.

"Leah? You're back?"

Kate sauntered out of my study, turning one of my crystal ornaments in her hands without a shred of guilt.

"I just came to tidy up," she said lightly. "Andrew mentioned this place was sitting empty—such a waste. My internship's nearby, so I'm staying here a while."

She set the ornament down and surveyed the room with proprietary satisfaction. "I arranged things pretty well, don't you think? Much cozier now."

My nails dug into my palms until skin broke. "This is my house. Who gave you permission to touch my things?"

Kate tilted her head, smile saccharine. "Leah, don't be like that. You and Andrew are married. Sure, you bought this before the wedding, but now it's all joint property, isn't it?"

She smoothed her dress. "Andrew said so himself—what's his is mine. If I want to live here, of course he agrees."

Marital joint property. The audacity was breathtaking.

"So he agreed you could break into my private space and contaminate my belongings?"

"Oh, don't put it so harshly." Kate walked over, reaching for my hand like we were best friends.

I slapped it away.

She shrugged, unbothered. "We're practically family. Why draw such clear lines? You don't even live here—leaving it empty is wasteful. I'm just adding some life to the place."

She studied my face with mock concern. "Leah, you look terrible. Is the poison still in your system? You should really see a doctor. Don't worry about things here—I'll make myself at home."

A pause. Then, with casual cruelty: "Oh, right. I'm in the master bedroom. The guest room still has some of your old stuff—you can rest there."

"Get out."

My voice dropped, deadly calm.

Kate froze. "Leah—"

"Now. Take your trash and get out of my house."

I enunciated every syllable, my voice low and dangerous. "Otherwise, I'll call the police immediately. Trespassing is a crime, Kate."

Her mask slipped, revealing a flash of panic. "You wouldn't dare! Andrew wouldn't allow it!"

"Try me."

I lifted my phone, thumb hovering over the dial pad. "Let's see if he can get here before the patrol car does."

Kate bit her lip, her face twisting. She stomped her foot like a petulant child. "Fine! I'll go! Who wants to stay in this dump anyway? I'll tell Andrew exactly how unreasonable you're being!"

She spun around to pack, deliberately throwing items into her bag with a clattering racket.

Before she could finish, the lock clicked.

The door swung open. Andrew stood there, dark hair disheveled, breathing uneven—like he'd sprinted from the elevator.

Kate dropped the clothes in her hands instantly. Tears welled on cue as she threw herself at him. "Andrew! She's kicking me out! She threatened to have me arrested! I just needed somewhere to stay for a few days..."

His gaze softened the moment it landed on her. He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, then turned to me.

The softness vanished. His brows drew together, hardening into that familiar disapproval. "Leah, why are you making a scene again? Kate's only staying temporarily. Do you really need to turn this into a war zone over something so trivial? You haven't even recovered—can't you just settle down?"

I didn't say a word.

I summoned every ounce of strength left in my hollowed-out body and lunged.

"Leah! What are you—"

Slap.

The sound cracked through the room like a whip.

My palm stung, vibrating with numbness. Andrew's head snapped to the side, angry red welts blooming against his pale skin.

Dead silence.

Kate's sobbing cut off like a switch had been flipped. She clamped a hand over her mouth, eyes wide with genuine shock.

Andrew remained frozen, head still turned.

After several agonizing seconds, he slowly faced me again. Fury ignited in his dark eyes. "Are you insane?"

But the moment he met my gaze, the rage faltered.

I stood rigid, jaw clenched so hard it ached. My face was drained of color, lips white from biting down. But it was my eyes that stopped him—rimmed red, swimming with tears I refused to let fall.

Andrew's pupils contracted. The icy desolation in my gaze seemed to pierce him.

"Leah..."

His voice came out hoarse, stripped of arrogance.

"Get out."

I didn't blink.

"Take her and get the hell out of my house. Now."

He stood rooted, reaching out as if to brush the moisture gathering at the corner of my eye. "Leah, don't cry..."

I jerked away like his touch was poison. The movement dislodged a single tear, tracing a cold path down my cheek.

"Don't touch me."

My voice was raspy, but absolute.

His hand froze midair.

Kate recovered her senses. She stepped out from behind him, shrieking. "You actually dared to hit Andrew! Have you no shame?"

"You don't get to say my name."

I turned my gaze on her—cold enough to freeze blood. "Need a refresher on the penal code for residential trespassing?"

She flinched, shrinking back.

Andrew closed his eyes, inhaling sharply. When he opened them, the emotions swirling in their depths were illegible. "Kate. Pack your things. We're leaving."

"Andrew!" She gasped, unable to believe he was conceding.

"Go. Now."

His voice dropped an octave, leaving no room for argument.

Kate fell silent. She shot me a look of pure venom, then marched into the bedroom, stuffing her belongings into her bag with chaotic fury.

For a moment, only the two of us remained.

Andrew studied me, expression pained. "The house is yours. I'll make sure she moves out. But your health—let me take you to the hospital."

"No need."

I walked to the door and pulled it wide, gesturing to the hallway. "Please."

He didn't move. "We need to talk."

"Talk about what?"

I let out a short, hollow laugh. "About how your innocent little cousin is the victim? About how aggressive and unreasonable I am?" I met his eyes. "Andrew, that slap was for the curse you let her put on me. From this moment on—we're even."