Madelynn didn’t expect the response on the other end of the line to come so fast. It was almost like Sebastian was waiting for her to call.

“Jesus…” his voice was almost unsure. “Lynn, is it really you?”

She didn’t say anything.

“After all this time, you’re not messing with me. Are you?”

I broke into a smile. “No… I miss you.”

“I’ve wanted you since the day that I met you in high school. You’ve only ever had eyes for Oliver Kane. What changed?”

“I… I’m leaving Oliver.”

She met Sebastian Wilde in high school. He was captain of the football team and the only son of one of the most exclusive families in New York.

He chased her for years, and she liked the attention. In fact, she had almost chosen him before her parents told her she had to marry Oliver.

She had left him heartbroken, and now here she was calling him out of nowhere.

“I’m so sorry,” she said. “I shouldn’t have called. Forget I said anything.”

A deep growl came from Sebastian. “What do you mean forget? After all this time? We’re not teenagers anymore, Lynn. You called me. You’re the one who said you needed me. And I’m never letting you go again.”

“I’ll be there in a month, Madelynn. Finish off whatever’s left with Oliver. In a month, I’ll be back to take what’s mine.”

Madelynn smiled as the call ended with a soft click. Sebastian wasn’t giving her a chance to refuse.

“He’s still my Sebastian,” she whispered to herself.

Oliver didn’t come home that night. So she spent the entire night packing. The dim lights and soft music from the speakers were her only companion.

By the time the morning light streamed through the curtains and Oliver finally walked into the bedroom, she had boxed and boxes surrounding her.

“What are you doing?” He asked.

“Just throwing out trash.”

He walked over and peeked inside one of the boxes that held all the clothes and gifts he had ever gotten her. Most of them still had tags on.

“Those are trash…”

She sighed. “They’re old. Old clothes and gifts that probably won’t be used. I thought it’d be a good idea to donate them to charity, under your name of course.”

Oliver instantly smiled at that. He always took whatever opportunity that might be good for his reputation. “Oh well, that’s good then.”

She breathed a sigh of relief. Even though she knew Oliver’s quick response meant he just didn’t want to deal with her.

Suddenly, there was a loud crash behind her. Madelynn turned around in shock, only to find her sister.

Cecelia stood by the entrance of the door, and the large hand drawn portrait of Madelynn and Oliver on their wedding day was broken in a million pieces on the floor.

“Oh my God, Oliver and Madelyn,” she cried in pretense. “I didn’t see that there.” She batted her eyes at Oliver while giving her fake apology.

Oliver immediately rushed to her side to check her body for wounds. He didn’t care one bit about the broken picture. “Oh it’s okay. As long as you didn’t get injured.”

Cecelia wasn’t satisfied with that though. She had to get Madelynn’s attention too.

“Maddy, I hope you’re not upset.”

Madelynn stared at the broken pieces of what had once been her perfect life. She had spent a lot of time and money finding an artist that could paint her and Oliver at their wedding. And now, that painting was just ruined.

Years ago, she would’ve definitely fallen for Cecelia’s trap, but now, she didn’t care.

She looked right at her sister as she answered. “It’s okay. Like Oliver said, as long as you’re not injured.”

Cecelia’s smile faltered for a second before she tried to mask it. “You’re so kind.” Then without missing a beat, she turned to Oliver. “Which is why I know that you won’t have any problem with my next request.”

Oliver smiled, still looking at her. “Right. Madelynn, you know that Cece has just returned to the country, so she has to stay here.”

Madelynn frowned. “Why? You got her an apartment a week ago, didn’t you?”

Oliver looked annoyed by her comment. “I did. But she doesn’t like the color of the paint in there. So she’s moving here. And she likes the view of the city from your room, so she’ll be staying there. Please move to a different room.”

Even after all these years of marriage, Oliver and Madelynn didn’t share a room. He said he couldn’t sleep with someone else so close to him. But she knew what it meant. He would be comfortable with anyone as long as it wasn’t her.

She also knew that whenever it came to Cecelia, he always had a long explanation rehearsed, so when she agreed without a fight, it caught him off guard.

“It’s no problem. I’ll just move all the excess stuff out of here.”

It didn’t matter if she stayed or left. She would be completely out of this house very soon.

Oliver’s rehearsed speech was at the tip of his tongue the moment she answered him. But Cecelia beat him to it. “Thanks Maddy.”

Madelynn didn’t respond. She just picked up one of the boxes with her bony hands and headed for the door. Just as she approached it, Cecelia put out a foot and made her trip.

Madelynn couldn’t stop the fall in time, and her knee landed in the broken glass from the picture frame. She let out a loud wince as pain shot through her body.

Cecelia winked at her and dragged Oliver away without him even noticing anything.

Madelynn stayed on the floor and let her tears flow freely. She thought about the way Cecelia had always been treated as a golden princess.

Madelynn was the only one who did chores in the house, Cecelia would always make up one excuse after the other.

And even now, when they were both adults and she was married to such an influential man, nothing changed.

Cecelia was always going to be everybody’s princess.

It took her the whole afternoon to finish sorting through all her things. By sunset she was loading it all into a truck.

“Did you have to throw out so much?” Oliver asked, frowning. “You do know that Cecelia isn’t staying forever right? You’ll have your room back in no time, so what’s the drastic packing for?”

“I’ve had all this stuff for years,” Madelynn answered. “I figured it was time for a change.”

“You hate being wasteful.”

Yes she did. Even though she had grown up rich, she hated people that wasted things anyhow.

“Some things just need to go,” she answered him.

‘Some people just need to go too,’ she added silently in her head.

As usual, Oliver didn’t want to waste time on a conversation with her. He changed the topic.

“The annual auction is tonight. I’ve been invited back this year. You’ll come with me… and Cece.”

“I don’t think that’s—”

Oliver cut her off before she could finish protesting. “You’re going, Madelynn. It’s not like I can show up at events like that without my secretary.”

His words made her wince. His secretary. Not his wife.

If he was taking her as his secretary, she wanted to ask why he was taking Cecelia, but she didn’t. She nodded obediently. It was just one more thing she would have to endure before she was truly free.

When they arrived at the auction hall later that night, Oliver held the door open for Cecelia and led her to the front door, letting Madelynn trail behind them.

The parking lot was full of luxurious cars and the hall held the most important people in the city. If you didn't get an invite to the auction, then it simply meant that you weren’t that important.

The host rushed up to them immediately as they entered.

“Mr Kane. My name is June and I’ll be your host today. I’ll take you to your seats, right this way.”

June led them to two empty seats. “We were informed you were coming with your wife? The second seat is for her.”

Madelynn’s blood turned to ice. And she could see Oliver and Cecelia freeze too.

If there was one thing Oliver did well, it was hiding their marriage from the public. Only family and a few friends knew about it. Madelynn turned to him, waiting to see what he would do.

He had two women, and one seat. Who would he pick?

But of course, she already knew the answer.

“Wife?” He scoffed. “I have no idea where that rumor came from.”

The poor host blushed in embarrassment. “Oh… what about these two then?”

Oliver slipped his arm around Cecelia’s waist and pulled her closer. “This is Cecelia Fontaine. Daughter of Fontaine Tech’s CEO.”

“Ah,” recognition flashed in June’s eyes. “Miss Cecelia Fontaine.” She nodded politely.

Then he turned to Madelynn, almost like he was being forced. “The other one is my secretary.”

Madelynn didn’t react. She already knew that Oliver would rather die than introduce her as his wife. But that knowledge didn’t stop her heart from shattering.

Still, she stood up straighter and swallowed the pain. She might not have anything left, but she would keep her dignity intact.

Oliver and Cecelia took their seats, while Madelynn stood behind them like the secretary that she was.

Maybe it was the cold air in the hall, or the fact that she was standing in five inch heels, or maybe it was the shameful situation that she was in. But the pain wouldn’t stop. It spread through her chest and body till it settled in her stomach.

She pressed a hand to her belly and quietly slipped out of the room like the unwanted presence that she was.

She found a balcony that was empty and stayed up there, trying to inhale the fresh air.

It was impossible for her to get her period, so why did the cramps hurt so much? She had also had a doctor’s appointment the day before, so she knew that her baby was safe.

She stayed there for a few more minutes, trying to ease the pain but to no avail. When she finally decided to go back to the hall, the glass doors to the balcony wouldn’t budge.

It was locked from the outside.

Madelynn’s heart was racing as she struggled to open the door. She banged on the unbreakable glass, feeling her panic rise every second.

All of a sudden, Cecelia emerged from the shadows, laughing like she was crazy.

“Tell me sister, how does it feel receiving second hand love?”

“Oliver has always been mine. He’s been in love with me since we were kids, and I’m back for good now, dear sister. That means you have to move out of the way.”

She smiled mischievously. “You really thought that if you showed up here with him tonight, you would steal my spotlight? Think again.”

Another jolt of pain attacked Madelynn’s stomach and she almost doubled over. A trickle of sweat ran from her brows down her face. “Cecelia, he’s yours. If you want him, you can have him. I’m not stopping you.”

Cecelia didn’t believe her. “You really think I’m stupid? You think I will fall for your stupid lies? You’ve always tried to steal our parents’ love and now you want to take Oliver from me too? You think you’re all that!?”

Madelyn shook her head in pain. “Cece, you’re not making any sense. Please just let me out and we can talk.”

“No, no no,” Cecelia laughed. “You’re spending the night here. And no one is coming to save you.”

With an evil glint in her eyes, Cecelia dragged over the huge yellow sign that read “Restricted area- Under construction” and set it in front of the doors.

“Cece what are you doing?” Madelynn yelled. “It’s cold out here and a storm’s coming!”

Cecelia ignored her and bounced back to the hall.

“Fuck!” Madelynn groaned. They had all given their phones to the woman at the door because the auction was a private and exclusive one, so there was no way she could even call anyone.

With the storm coming, no one would even think to come to the balcony because of the cold and rain. Still she banged on the door. “Help! Somebody help!”

Thunder roared and she knew there was no way anybody could hear her. The pain was slowly overtaking her body, so she slid to the floor and laid there, thinking of a way out.

With the sign there, no one would even think of coming this way. Cecelia was right. No one was coming to save her.

She didn’t know how long she stayed there, uselessly calling out for help, but soon enough, the rain started beating on her relentlessly, and she passed out.

---

Oliver finally noticed Madelynn’s absence when the auction ended.

“How long has she been gone?” He asked no one in particular, his brows furrowed with concern.

Cecelia pouted, masking her features and feigning ignorance. “Oliver, maybe she was really upset about me sitting next to you instead of her? This is all my fault. If I had known she would be so upset, I would’ve just stayed back home.”

Hearing her blame herself, Oliver frowned. “You’re the princess of the Fontaine family. The rightful heir. And I care about you. You really think I should’ve let my secretary sit next to me instead of you?”

“Don’t worry about her, Cece. Madelynn has had her head in the clouds a bit too much lately, it’s good to let her know her place. Let’s head home, she’ll show up whenever she wants.”

Madelynn never showed up at home that night, but Oliver barely noticed. And he definitely didn’t care.

The next morning, a security guard finally unlocked the doors to the balcony at the auction hall.

There, huddled in a soaking mess in the corner was Madelynn. Even though she was barely conscious, her body still trembled from the cold.

The guard immediately sprang into action, worried. “Ma’am? Are you okay? Did you spend the entire night here? How did you get locked out here? Ma’am? You don’t look okay. I’m calling 911 right now.”

Madelynn’s damp lashes weakly fluttered open as he gently shook her. She pressed her arm against the floor, pushing herself up with all her strength.

“I’m fine, thank you. But there’s no need.”

“How can you say that?” The guard asked. “Stay here. I’ll get a blanket and call the ambulance.”

The pain in her belly had eased. But it had rained on her all night. It was almost like even nature was against her.

She had really thought Oliver would come looking for her when she didn’t return to the hall. But clearly, her expectations had been too high once again.

She clearly remembered one time when Cecelia left town without telling anyone. Oliver had called the police and hired drones and helicopters to find her.

But now, even after a whole night without contact from his wife, he hadn’t even bothered to try and find her.

True to his words, the guard had returned with a warm blanket for her and called the ambulance. As they loaded her into the ambulance, she only had one thought.

‘So this is what it felt like when someone you loved didn’t feel even a shred of love for you.’

Her phone was handed to her just before they left for the hospital, and she checked it. Just as she had thought, there was no single call from or text message from Oliver.

Instead, she had several unread messages and missed calls from Sebastian.

[Lynn, I don’t think I can wait a whole month. I’ll be in New York for business in a week. I’ll come and get you then.]

Warmth spread through her chest as she read the message. She immediately sent back a reply. [I agree. A month is way too long. Come get me in a week.]

‘One week.’ She said mentally. ‘One more week and she would finally be free of Oliver and all his problems.’