A Marriage of Lies

I thought for a moment before nodding. "Alright, I choose to die in a car crash three days from now."

Forcing my emotions into order, I walked out of the lounge only to hear the nurses chatting in the hallway.

"Dr. Kinsey treats his wife so well! He's been with her through every checkup during her pregnancy, and after the birth, he hasn't left her side for even a moment."

"He really is the perfect husband. I heard that the day Mrs. Kinsey gave birth, Dr. Kinsey was crying with worry outside the operating room. And when he learned it was twins, he nearly jumped out of his chair from excitement."

Their words followed me as I stopped outside the VIP ward.

Through the door, I saw Wayne cradling a baby carefully in his arms. The overflowing love in his eyes nearly blinded me. His friend's words echoed in my mind—Naomi now had both a son and a daughter. But because of that car accident, I would never have children of my own.

After soothing the baby, Wayne turned back to the woman in bed with all the tenderness in the world. "Naomi, does your back still hurt? If you feel any discomfort, you have to tell me."

"Thank you, Wayne. The medicine you brought really helped. But… it was Arden who went through all that trouble to get it. She won't be angry with me for using it, will she?"

Naomi had always been like this—effortless with her words, quick to reap every benefit, then acting the perfect innocent, throwing sly little barbs my way.

Wayne looked at her gentle expression, his voice full of pity. "Of course not. If it helped you, Arden's effort wasn't wasted."

Just then, the nanny arrived with a tray of food. She opened the door wider, and Wayne and I locked eyes. A flicker of surprise crossed his face. "Arden, your arm is still injured—what are you doing out here? Don't get the wrong idea. Naomi is being discharged today, so I came to see if she needed help."

I clenched the empty medicine box in my hand and forced my voice steady. "I'm fine. I just came to ask how the medicine worked."

At my words, Wayne dropped his gaze, unable to meet my eyes. Naomi, on the other hand, sipped her soup and smiled smugly."Arden, you came just in time. I was about to thank you. It must've been exhausting to travel so far abroad to get this medicine, but it worked wonderfully!"

Naomi's back had been injured giving birth to twins, and the medicine was known to be especially effective for healing bones and easing pain.

Ignoring her triumphant expression, I pretended nothing was wrong and nodded. "Good to hear that it worked. I only came to get some air; I won't disturb you two."

Wayne, thinking I was upset, wheeled himself after me to explain.

Seeing the panic on his face almost made me laugh. His legs had long been healed, yet he paraded his devotion to Naomi with the medicine I risked my life to find—only to turn around and act so tender with me. It was sickening.

"Don't worry. I'm not unreasonable. Go handle your work."

Relief washed over his face as he pressed a kiss to my forehead. "You really are the best, Arden. As long as you're with me, I don't care if my legs never recover."

But Wayne, I no longer wanted to stay by your side.

…

After Naomi's discharge, we returned home. I took my medicine and fell into a heavy sleep.

Wayne never came back that night. Gareth, his father, had called him to the family home, and he stayed there. The next morning, he picked me up to attend the banquet celebrating Naomi's return.

The moment I stepped through the Kinseys' doors, Elena's expression turned cold. She was Wayne's mother. "Hmph. To think you, a barren woman, have the audacity to show yourself! What an eyesore!"

The rest of the Kinsey family, who had never liked me, joined in with their sneers.

"That's right! Both daughters of the Sharpe family, yet your sister gave us children while you did nothing!"

"You not only ruined Wayne's legs, but you can't even bear him a child. You're nothing but a curse to this family!"

Their words, dripping with malice, were nothing new. This was how the Kinseys had always treated me.

The Fall Into the Abyss

From the moment I married into the Kinsey family, Naomi and I had always been compared. She was hailed as the family's blessing, while I was branded the woman who brought only misfortune.

After the wedding, Wayne went through a period of deep self-doubt. He became sensitive, paranoid, and reluctant to leave the house or speak to anyone. So I quit my job at the company and stayed by his side every day, helping him with his rehabilitation.

Meanwhile, my half-sister Naomi became the project lead at Sharpe Corp. Today, she had both a successful career and two children, while I could never hope to measure up. That was what Wayne must have wanted—to make me nothing more than Naomi's shadow.

With his brother, Enzo Kinsey, still abroad, Wayne had been pulled away to entertain guests. The sneers around me grew louder until I could no longer bear it, and I slipped away under the excuse of needing air. Naomi, of course, followed me out with triumph written all over her face.

"My dear sister, are you heartbroken? I almost pity you," she said, flashing a taunting smile as she lifted the Kinsey family's heirloom necklace resting at her throat. "Sharpe Corp. belongs to me now, and the Kinseys are all on my side. Your ex-fiance and husband both love me. Whatever once belonged to you, I'll take it all for myself. Oh, and by the way—Wayne pretending to be paralyzed to win you over? That was my idea."

When I was 18, my mother died of an illness. Only then was Naomi, the love child, brought back into the Sharpe family. I had never liked her, and she had always resented me for taking our father's love. Father, feeling guilty toward her, made me yield to her in everything. First, it was the CEO position at Sharpe Corp., then the fiance who had been promised to me.

"Arden, after all these years, you're still the same useless girl. You couldn't protect your mother, and you can't keep your man. You're nothing but a joke!"

Her words dragged me out of my memories and lit a fire of anger in my chest. I couldn't hold back anymore—I raised my hand to slap her. But before it landed, she grabbed my wrist. Just as I tried to break free, a twisted smile appeared on her lips.

Before I could react, she screamed. "Arden, don't push me—!" And in the next instant, she yanked me down with her as she fell backward.

"Naomi!"

The moment I hit the water, Wayne abandoned his wheelchair and rushed forward, pulling Naomi into his arms. Meanwhile, I, who couldn't even swim, had been shoved straight into the pool. My body flailed in the freezing water as I reached out, desperate for help.

By the time the guards dragged me out, I was barely conscious. But before I could speak, Naomi beat me to it, her voice trembling with practiced tears. "Wayne… don't be too hard on Arden. She didn't mean to push me. After all, Enzo breaking off the engagement back then was already my fault to her. Let this be her way of venting her anger. But she hates me so much… maybe I should just take the children and move out."

As expected, Wayne's face darkened with anger at her words. But when his gaze turned to my dripping, pitiful figure, and he caught the mocking look in my eyes, guilt flickered across his face. "Arden… it must have just been an accident. What matters is that you're both fine."

Naomi froze, clearly displeased with his response. This wasn't the outcome she had been aiming for. With a sharp glare at me, she allowed the doctor to lead her away for a checkup.

Wayne draped a towel over my shoulders and waited until the crowd dispersed. Then he lowered his voice. "Arden, even if you're jealous of Naomi, you shouldn't think about harming her."

Realizing how harsh he had sounded, he quickly tried to soften it. "She's still weak from childbirth. If something really happened to her, neither of us could bear the consequences."

I drew in a deep breath, my chest aching as I looked at the man who had forgotten his own performance in his rush to save her. Curling my lips into a cold smile, I said…

The Final Exit

"Wayne, when did your legs heal? Why didn’t you tell me?"

His expression froze. He reached out, as if wanting to explain. "I…"

But before he could finish, Elena’s anxious voice rang out from a distance. "Naomi's fainted!" At that, Wayne’s hand stopped midair, and without hesitation, he ran straight toward her.

…

The banquet at the Kinseys' was canceled. Exhausted, I dragged myself home. Once there, I gathered all the things Wayne had given me.

The handmade gifts he crafted when he was pursuing me—now I could see he had only thought I didn’t deserve better. The travel photos he took while in his wheelchair, capturing himself gazing at me with tenderness—back then, I had believed it was love. But staring at my reflection in the mirror now, I finally realized that gaze wasn’t for me at all. It was for the resemblance I bore to Naomi.

Swallowing the ache in my chest, I threw everything into the trash, sweeping away not only the memories but also the love I had once clung to.

By the time I finished, dawn had broken. Wayne still hadn’t come home. Instead, the butler delivered medicine to prevent a cold.

With an awkward smile, he explained, "There was an emergency at the hospital, Mr. Wayne couldn’t leave. But he was worried about you, madam. He thought you might catch a chill after falling into the pool yesterday."

I nodded, drank the bitter medicine, then gestured at the box on the table. "This is for him. Please pass it along."

Though puzzled, the butler didn’t ask questions.

An hour later, after I had finished breakfast, Wayne finally sent me a message. 'Arden, Naomi is your sister-in-law, no matter what. Apologize to her later for what happened last night.'

A second message followed with the location of a restaurant.

'My legs healed today, thanks to your constant care. I booked your favorite restaurant. Let’s celebrate properly tonight.'

I almost had to admire him. Even with his act exposed, he could still put on that same righteous face—all for Naomi’s happiness.

Taking the divorce papers my lawyer had prepared, I set off for the restaurant to wait. But by 6 p.m., Wayne never showed. Instead, a string of messages and a video arrived from Naomi. On the screen, Wayne was tenderly rocking a baby to sleep. 'No need to thank me, Arden. Wayne is very good with children now.'

Moments later, another message arrived. 'Oh, I almost forgot—you can’t have children. But don’t worry. Wayne already signed a will, leaving all his assets to my kids.'

I stared at the inheritance agreement, my heart heavy with bitterness.

Closing the messages, I took a cab to the place where Wayne and I had first met—the same venue where Enzo and I were supposed to be married five years ago. Right then, it was full of lights and laughter, hosting the Kinsey family’s banquet for Naomi.

When I arrived, the family was on stage for a group photo. Naomi and Wayne stood at the center, each holding a child, looking every bit the picture of a perfect family of four.

I stood silently in the crowd, watching that scene. Taking a bite of matcha cake, the sweetness on my tongue turned bitter. Without sparing them another glance, I walked out of the hotel.

Sliding into the car Wayne had once given me with matching license plates, the cold voice of the system filled my head, and dizziness overtook me. "Host, your departure time has arrived. Countdown: three, two, one…"

I closed my eyes. From that moment on, Arden Sharpe no longer existed in this world.

At the same time, Wayne’s call was accidentally connected. A deafening explosion roared through the phone before it clattered to the floor. As his trembling hand reached for it, the butler rushed in, his face pale with panic. "Mr. Wayne, something terrible has happened! Madam… Madam was in a car accident at the gate!"