[Isabella's POV]

The car suddenly shot forward in a zigzag pattern, swerving left and right. My heart immediately leaped into my throat.

I reached out to grab control of the steering wheel, but Claudia immediately shoved me aside.

"Let go if you don't want us to die!" I yelled at her.

Claudia didn't let go. On the contrary, she pressed down harder on the gas pedal until it hit the floor.

The massive crash sounded at the exact same time I heard Vincenzo's scream.

"Isabella!"

I tried to open the car door, but a piercing pain shot through my hands. I cannot move. All I could do was call out to him with all my strength. "Vincenzo… I-I'm here…"

There was a loud scuffling sound, and everything sounded like noise. However, nobody came to save me even after a long while. I tried my best to open my eyes. My vision was blurry from the blood in my eyes, but I could still see that my car was empty, save for myself.

The person who had screamed my name earlier hadn't come to save me.

As my consciousness gradually faded away, I found myself falling into a dream.

I dreamed about the time when Vincenzo flew all the way to Caraville while he was still pursuing me.

At that time, I was a captive of the most powerful man in the underworld, and I disappeared without a trace.It was Vincenzo who tracked me down through relentless inquiries, and risk his life to save me when there were a lot of bullets being fired.

We fled by car that very night. On a sharp bend, to avoid an oncoming out-of-control truck, he turned the wheel quickly and forcefully. The car went through the guardrail and down the hillside.

In the catastrophe, Vincenzo threw his arms around me and kept me safe in his hold as we were thrown around in the car, not caring that he was covered in bloody scrapes and cuts. The car ultimately rolled to a stop at the edge of the cliff, nearly falling off.

Then, he used whatever strength he had left and threw me out of the car.

However, he slid halfway out of the wrecked car with the other half of his body dangling off the cliff. He had nearly fallen to his death.

When the rescue team finally hauled him back up, he lay in my arms weakly, mumbling in his half-conscious state that he was bringing me home no matter what.

"Isabella... they only want to exploit you... I just want you to be safe... I will always... protect you... Please, stay with me forever..."

I was just about to agree to him when the scene suddenly began to warp out of shape.

I woke up with a start and opened my eyes, realizing that I was now at the hospital.

Vincenzo heard the commotion and excited rushed over. "Isabella! You're awake!"

The nurse, who was in the midst of changing my bandages, smiled as well. "You're finally awake. Mr. Cursley here has been keeping you company all day and night, and he nearly cried his eyes out. We all think that you're so lucky to be his little sister."

I was confused. "Little sister?"

"Yeah. Aren't you Mr. Cursley's younger sister?" the nurse asked as she put the old bandages away. "Mrs. Cursley even came to visit you this afternoon, and she cried so hard the entire time. She also told us to inform her immediately as soon as you woke up."

The glass in Vincenzo's hand suddenly shattered with a loud clink. He then shot the nurse a glare.

The nurse got a huge shock and immediately shut up. Then, she left.

I also jumped at the sudden sharp sound. The fragmented memories from just before I passed out fell into place.

Vincenzo had carried Claudia out of the car and walked away, leaving me behind as I cried for his help. He had abandoned me just like that.

I looked up at Vincenzo. He couldn't hide the panic in his eyes.

The corners of my lips lifted slightly. Then, I said in a hoarse voice, "Care to explain?"

Vincenzo panicked. He wanted to grab my hand without hurting me, so he awkwardly placed his hand lightly on my arm instead. "It's not like that, Isabella. It's just a misunderstanding. Claudia was in very bad shape then. That's why I—"

"Okay. I believe you," I said, interrupting him. However, my voice was completely void of emotion.

The rest of his words died in his throat.

Vincenzo thought that I would cry and scream or make a huge fuss, demanding to know why he chose to save Claudia before saving me and why he allowed other people to think that I was his sister while Claudia was his wife.

However, I did none of that. I was as calm as a corpse.

He opened his mouth to say something. I could see that his eyes were filled with guilt.

Instead, I closed my eyes. "I'm tired."

He stayed still for a long time.Finally, he said, "Isabella, it's all my fault. I shouldn't have let her drive. I've already told her off for that. If you're still angry, then you can yell at me or hit me all you like. Don't keep it bottled up inside."

I turned around and spoke calmly, “I'm really tired.”

Vincenzo panicked. Yet before he could apologize to me again, the attending doctor came in and politely asked him to leave. And so he did, though very reluctantly.

After he finally left, my eyes turned red. But this time, I had no more tears left to cry. Maybe my feelings for him had died from the moment I realized he'd been lying to me.

I wiped the corner of my eyes and decided to go back to sleep. I was going to leave him after I woke up.

Just as I had closed my eyes, however, there was a commotion from the ward next to mine.

"Why are you crying?" a woman shouted. "That female doctor next door was in a car crash. Her hands were cut by broken glass, and she might not be able to use a scalpel again. She didn't cry at all! You've only got a minor wrist sprain! What's there to cry about?"

[Isabella's POV]

Female doctor... car accident...

Something went off in my head. It felt as though my brain had just exploded.

I struggled to sit up, but excruciating pain shot through my arms, sending me crashing back onto the hospital bed.

Gazing at my palm, thickly swathed in gauze, overwhelming despair instantly engulfed me.

"No… That's impossible… It's got to be impossible…"

Vincenzo's frantic voice came from the doorway.

"Dr. Johnson, is there really nothing you can do about it?She's a surgeon! Her hands are her livelihood! If she can no longer perform surgery, how could she possibly...I really don't know how to break the bad news to her!"

“Mr. Kosley, we have done everything we can. However, the nerve damage in her hands is severe, particularly in the areas that control small, precise movements. Even if she has the best medical care, the possibility of her returning to her work... is extremely low.”

A short moment of silence later, Vincenzo finally said, "I understand. Thank you."

Every word felt like a sledgehammer to my chest, shattering every last strand of my hope.

I have inherited my parents' estate. They were both highly regarded surgeons who were fully devoted to their profession.

What they left me with was not just that small community hospital, but also a passion in medical industry and a belief in saving lives and healing the wounded.

The first time I held a scalpel, I knew this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. My hands could stitch up blood vessels, rebuild nerves and save lives after training.

But now, someone tells me I can never use a scalpel again. This is more cruel than a death sentence.

When Vincenzo came back into the ward,Seeing me lying on the ground, he rushed over to help me up.However, when he saw the tears on my face, he immediately stopped short.

"You heard everything, didn't you?"

I didn't look back at him, shaking off his hand as he tried to touch me.

My voice trembled as I asked, "Where's Claudia?"

Vincenzo's expression changed. He looked worried, as if I were about to do something crazy. He quickly defended her and said, "She's still young and doesn't know right from wrong. I've already scolded her for attempting to drive without a proper license.

"She was also traumatized by the accident. Isabella, considering she was injured too, please don't pursue the matter any further, okay?"

I immediately looked at Vincenzo with red eyes. So, he knew all along that Claudia didn't have a proper driver's license, Yet he still lets her drive, and even makes me sit beside her!

I suddenly felt like laughing. However, the corners of my mouth felt as if they were stung by the tears rolling down my cheeks. The tears simply wouldn't stop falling.

Even now that things had ended up like this, Vincenzo was still defending her.

"Then what about me?" I asked, my voice quiet and soft. "If I can't blame her, then who should I blame this on? Myself? I may never be able to pick up a scalpel again!and yet, you're still trying to defend her!"

Vincenzo frowned. He sounded impatient as he replied, "Isabella, I've already told you that she didn't do it on purpose. Why must you insist on pinning the blame on her?"

He then paused for a bit before chiding me again, this time with an accusatory tone, "Also, you shouldn't have tried to grab the steering wheel from her. If you hadn't done that, none of this would've happened. Have you ever stopped to think that it could've been your fault?"

I felt as though he had just splashed a bucket of cold water on my face. I could feel my blood freezing in my body.

A split second later, I laughed. I laughed so hard that anyone would think I was crying.

Of course, I would always be in the wrong as long as Claudia was involved.

My heart was hollowed out a long time ago. But this time, it felt as though he had just cracked my ribs open and ground whatever was left of my heart into fine powder.

I shut my eyes and said weakly, "I'm tired. You may leave now."

Vincenzo shuddered when he saw the despair written on my face. It was only then that he realized how hurtful his words toward me had been. He opened his mouth, wanting to apologize, but nothing came out.

Over the next three days, Vincenzo never left the ward. He fed me every dose of medicine and made every dish I used to love. He even set up a portable bed right next to mine and would wake up every time I shifted in the night.

On the contrary, I behaved like a puppet who had lost all will to live. I'd open my mouth when he fed me my dose of medicine and get up when he helped me up, but I never said a word to him and refused to look at him the entire time.

In the end, he finally couldn't hold back and told me, "I'm going to marry Claudia in a fake wedding."

This was the first time I gave him a response since our last conversation.

"Okay. I'll be there," I said, my voice as calm as ever.

Vincenzo's heart sank. He had expected me to cry, yell, scream at him, or demand an explanation from him. He never expected me to remain as calm as I did.

He hurriedly began explaining himself to me. Panic was evident in his voice.

"Isabella, it's just because the Marino family seems to have their eyes on Claudia, and they're trying to force her into marriage with them. I'm her older brother. I can't bear to watch her marry into that family and destroy herself in the process.

"So, I was thinking that I'd announce to the public that you and I are divorced, and then, I'll hold a wedding with Claudia. But trust me, the wedding is going to be fake, and so is our divorce. Everything will go back to normal after I've settled everything with the Marino family."

I laughed when I heard his plans. It wasn't a self-deprecating laugh. It wasn't a mocking laugh either. Rather, Instead... I breathed a sigh of relief.

I know Alexander has finally begun to implement his plan.

Vincenzo had always told me that the Marinos were inhumane monsters. However, to me, the Marinos were my only form of escape from my suffocating situation. They were my very last hope.

When Vincenzo saw the smile on my face, the worry immediately disappeared from his expression. "Don't worry, Isabella. You're the only one in my heart. I went overboard the other day. Just tell me whatever you want, and I'll get it done for you as long as you stop being mad at me."

He leaned forward and looked at me like he was about to cry. Even his voice sounded a little nasal.

He knew that this was my weakness, and I had always fallen for it in the past. But now, Vincenzo was behaving like a complete stranger to me. I felt so calm that it was as if my heart was made of stone.

I looked at Vincenzo's beseeching eyes and suddenly felt like laughing out loud.

"Okay. If that's the case, tell Claudia to marry someone else. She'd still be safe then, wouldn't she?"

The look on his face froze at once. His lips twitched for a long while before they finally tugged upward in a forced smile.

"Stop making a fuss, Isabella."

He reached out, wanting to caress my cheek, but I ducked and avoided it. His hand froze awkwardly in mid-air.

There was a dark look on his face, and he looked like he was losing his temper. "She's also your younger sister in a way. How could you be jealous of her? Can't you think of something else that you want? Just say it, and I'll get it done."

I continued smiling at him despite the bitterness surging in my chest.

I knew it. I knew that his vows and promises meant nothing as long as Claudia was involved.

"I was just joking," I said, keeping my smile away as my voice turned solemn. "Do whatever you both want. There's no need for you to tell me about it."

Vincenzo finally heaved a sigh of relief when he saw that I had finally dropped the subject. He smiled again and reached out to pet my head. "I knew that you'd understand, Isabella. I'm going off now. Rest well."

He then turned and disappeared down the corridor. As soon as he was out of sight, the last of my smile disappeared from my face as well.

So, this was why he'd been staying with me and diligently taking care of me. It wasn't out of guilt or apology. He was just worried that I would make a fuss and mess up his plans with Claudia.

I found myself chuckling in self-deprecation.Then, enduring excruciating pain, I struggled to pull out my phone and called Sofia.

"Is my divorce agreement ready, Sophia?"

There was a moment of silence on the phone. In fact, it was so long that I thought the call had disconnected.

Then, Sophia spoke, sounding a little reluctant. "Isabella… You and Vincenzo aren't married. The marriage certificate you showed me the other day is fake."

[Isabella's POV]

I felt myself freezing all over. My ears wouldn't stop ringing.

"W-What did you just say?"

"It's the truth," Sophia said, sounding a little careful and apologetic. "I got someone to check. On paper, you're single, and Vincenzo is divorced.

"His ex-wife is Claudia Henderson. They only finalized the divorce two months ago. And the stamp on your marriage certificate was forged. As for the documentation… They're all fakes from the dollar store or something. In short, you're not legally husband and wife."

Sophia choked on her emotions as she spoke.

So, my grand wedding—the one that had all my wedding guests sighing in awe and admiration—had been fake the whole time. Nobody could have known that it had never been the real deal.

My hands shook as I tapped on the screenshot that Sophia had forwarded to me. The pale screen reflected against my equally pale face, turning my face ashen.

The lines of words on the screen were like poisonous needles that jabbed straight into my eyes, making them hurt.

To think that I had been the homewrecker all this time and ruined someone else's relationship for ten whole years.

Ten.

The best ten years of my life—from when I was 17 until I was 27—had all been spent on Vincenzo. And, as it turned out, I never even got a formal title out of it.

How pathetic.

The pain from my hand and the suffocating feeling in my chest suddenly surged tenfold. I couldn't remain calm any longer.

The ward was suddenly filled with my loud, agonizing screams and howls. I cried and screamed at the top of my lungs, until even the patients next door couldn't help but feel sorry for me.

In the end, I fought to get out of bed. I was seething with rage as I grabbed the crutches next to me and hobbled out of the ward, making my way straight toward Vincenzo's office as quickly as I could.

When Vincenzo saw me at the door, he was first pleasantly surprised to see me. Then, he quickly saw my shaky legs and ashen face, and he immediately came up to me with a frown. He looked at me with an apologetic expression.

"Isabella? What are you doing here? Your injuries haven't healed yet."

He tried to reach out to me to steady me up, but I shoved him aside at once.

I pushed my phone toward him, my eyes filled with despair. "Vincenzo Cursley, if there's one thing I regret the most in my entire life, it's having met you!"

Vincenzo was taken aback by my declaration. However, when he saw the s on my phone screen, the blood immediately drained from his face.

He hurriedly took the phone from me and tapped on the photo. He kept scrolling and scrolling, his face falling more and more with each second. In the end, his eyes landed on the line where I had told Sophia that I wanted to divorce him.

"You're divorcing me?" Vincenzo immediately looked up at me, his eyes panicking. "You're planning to leave me?"

I sniffled as I glared at him with pure hatred in my eyes. "That's right! Since we were never legally married in the first place, that means I can leave this very moment!"

I then snatched the phone back from him, my fingers shaking as I tapped on Alexander's phone number next.

However, before the line could even go through, Vincenzo snatched the phone away from my hands and flung it to the floor in full force. The phone screen shattered immediately upon contact with the ground.

I looked up at him in shock and was immediately met with his bloodshot eyes. There wasn't a single ounce of warmth or gentleness left in his eyes—only manic anger. He looked frightening.

"I will never let you leave me!"

I shuddered hard. However, I still gritted my teeth and turned to leave.

I'd only just taken two steps forward when I felt a sudden sharp pain in the side of my neck. Then, my world turned dark, and I completely lost all consciousness.

…

When I opened my eyes again, I realized that Vincenzo had taken me home. However, the doors and windows had been reinforced, and they could only be opened with a special key.

I had no other choice but to go back to the living room and stare at the beautiful, unopened box of cake sitting on the table. At once, I felt a wave of nausea rising in my throat.

I turned to return to my room, thinking to lock the door behind me. But Vincenzo suddenly jumped out and blocked my path. He thought that I was trying to escape. A split second later, he took out a pair of handcuffs and locked me to the headboard of the bed.

"Listen to me, Isabella. Once everything is over, I promise that I'll make it up to you. You'll just have to put up with this for now."

I glared at him. Just then, the door opened from the outside.

It was Claudia. She waved something in her hand and said, "Vincenzo, which one do you think looks nicer on me?"

My pupils narrowed at once. She was holding the diamond necklace and earrings that Mom had left for me."

"Vincenzo!" I roared, my voice sounding thick and hoarse like a rusty copper bell. "Those belong to my mother!"

Vincenzo gave me a complicated look. Still, he defended her and said, "I know. And I know that I did everything in my power to locate them and get them back for you."

He then reluctantly put the necklace around Claudia's neck and threatened me, saying, "If you're still thinking of escaping, then these two items will forever belong to Claudia. Just behave yourself and wait for our wedding to be over. Once everything is done, I promise you that things will all go back to normal.

"I'll register my marriage with you and give you another bigger, grander wedding than before. You're still the only person I acknowledge as my wife."

I glared at him with pure hatred in my eyes.

If he was going to force me to marry him again, then I would rather kill myself right now.

Vincenzo seemed to read my mind and took away everything that could be used as a weapon to kill myself. Everything I could touch or lay my hands on was soft and fluffy. Even the cuffs he used on me were changed to a silky rope instead.

…

The day before their wedding, I still stayed in bed, refusing to eat or drink.

Vincenzo hugged me from the back, feeling sorry for me. He rested his chin against my shoulder and spoke to me in a gentle voice.

"Don't blame this on me, okay, Isabella? I really do love you. Once my wedding with Claudia is over, and after the Marinos have given up on her, I'll bring you straight to the town hall to get our marriage registered. I'll make sure that the certificate this time is real. Alright?"

I closed my eyes and refused to answer him.

…

The next morning, Claudia walked into the room in her white wedding gown and purposely showed off Mom's diamond necklace around her neck.

Her eyes shone brightly as she whispered in my ear, "You look so pitiful, Bella. I warned you before that you should've removed yourself from the equation from the very start. This necklace is ugly, but Vincenzo insisted on giving it to me as a wedding gift.

"Oh, right, by the way, Vincenzo has transferred the hospital your parents own at the West Dock to my name. He said it's a safeguard for me and the child."

I didn't say a single word.

My eyelashes fluttered softly as tears fell from the corners of my eyes.

When Vincenzo saw that I was crying, he gently wiped my tears away and kissed me on the forehead. Then, he comforted me and said, "Behave yourself, and I'll come back to you after the wedding is over. It won't take a long time. Everything will be back to normal afterward."

They didn't know that I had lost all will to live.

So, from the moment Vincenzo and Claudia left the room, hand in hand, I turned to the side and placed my wrist right in front of my mouth. I didn't feel any pain when I sank my teeth into my wrist. There was just the warm, sticky blood dripping from the wound.

I had just managed to make a tiny wound when suddenly, the bedroom window was smashed open from the outside. A dummy body was thrown in afterward. Then, I saw a handsome face appearing at the window.

The morning sun shone brightly behind Alexander's figure, highlighting his face and giving him a warm, superhero glow. He held his hand out to me.

"I've come for you, Isabella."