Nathaniel returned home a month later.

It was past midnight when the door creaked open. I was half-asleep, barely registering the sound of his footsteps, the rustle of fabric as he shrugged off his coat.

Then the bed dipped. The familiar scent of him-whiskey, rain, and something inherently him-wrapped around me. An arm curled around my waist, firm and possessive, pulling me into his warmth.

I jolted awake.

I pushed his arm away and shifted toward the edge of the bed.

"Aren't you the one who needs my heartbeat to sleep at night?"

I didn't reply, just moved farther.

"What the hell is going on with you?"

"I don't need it anymore,"

He exhaled sharply, frustration evident. "You're lying."

I closed my eyes. "Go to sleep, Nathaniel."

For once, he didn't argue. But he didn't move closer either.

The next morning, I woke late, the sun already high in the sky. As I made my way downstairs, I noticed Nathaniel wasn't in a rush to leave.

"Aren't you going to be with Freya today?"

He paused, the faintest trace of patience in his tone. "Freya's just my cousin. She's sick, so I've been taking care of her. You mentioned wanting to go diving. I haven't been able to spend time with you lately, so I thought I'd take you today."

"No. I'm fine."

He didn't seem to hear me. Before I could say anything more, he was already on the phone, making arrangements. "Get the yacht ready,"

The yacht sliced through the waves, heading toward a remote island-our island, the one Nathaniel and I had once promised to visit together.

As we neared the shore, Nathaniel's phone rang. I caught a glimpse of the screen. "Freya."

I didn't say a word. I just watched him, numb.

He turned away quickly, boarding the yacht with swift, determined movements. Not a single glance back.

And then, I was alone.

The wind howled, stinging my face.

I stood on the shore, staring at the vast stretch of sand, the few coconut trees swaying in the breeze. There was nothing here but silence. No boats. No signals. Just me.

I turned, my back to the island, and marched toward the other side. The faint sight of a small dock in the distance was the only thing that kept me going.

The sand felt like quicksand beneath my feet, each step sinking deeper, dragging me under. My feet were raw, blisters forming as I forced myself to move.

Finally, just as the sky darkened, I reached the dock.

I took out my phone and saw an unread message: "Come to the yacht's VIP room."

I headed straight for the yacht.

It wasn't that I was worried about Nathaniel-I simply didn't want him causing any trouble before I made my way to Edinburgh.

I reached the door of the private room, pushed it open, and stepped inside. Without warning, a glass of red wine splashed down on me, the burning liquid running down my forehead, the sharp scent of alcohol exploding in my nostrils.

My lashes fluttered, my vision blurred for a moment.

Before I could react, a hand landed on my shoulder, shoving me forward. I stumbled, crashing into the dining table. Pain shot through my back as my white dress stained with a vivid splash of red, blooming like a blood-soaked rose.

Laughter erupted around me.

"Oh, sorry, sorry, my hand slipped," the woman across from me said with a light tone, her smile playful and her eyes dancing with amusement-no trace of apology in sight.

"Really, Antasia, Nathaniel's been close with his cousin since childhood. Don't you think you're in the way?" someone mocked with a fake sigh.

Others joined in with laughter, and just as I steadied myself, another glass of wine was thrown-this time landing right on my chest, soaking through my dress.

I licked my lips, numbed by the alcohol, and slowly lifted my head. My face remained serene, unshaken. I pulled tissues from my bag, wiped the wine from my fac.

The room fell silent for a second before laughter erupted again.

Seeing that I wasn't reacting, some found it boring, but others were even more intrigued. One person pulled out their phone and waved a video in front of me. "Hey, we called you here to show you-just how much Nathaniel loves his cousin."

I looked at the screen. There was Nathaniel, his face dimly lit by the room's light, with Freya in his arms.

He bent down, carefully lifting her "I'll carry you, don't want you to get tired."

"You guys don't worry, I'll step aside, because. I don't like him either."

My voice was quiet.

Suddenly, the door behind me flung open.

Nathaniel walked in. His gaze swept the room, then froze on me-soaked and standing there.

His face darkened instantly. "What the hell is going on here?!"

No one expected Nathaniel to be angry on my behalf. After a moment, someone awkwardly chuckled. "Nathaniel, we're just having a little fun with Antasia. Don't take it seriously."

"We just thought we'd make some space for your dear cousin, so she'd be comfortable." someone tried to make light of the situation, but before they could finish, Nathaniel slapped them across the face.

Smack!

The sound echoed through the room, sharp and resounding.

The entire room went silent, everyone stunned.

No one dared to utter a single word.

Without even glancing at me-drenched and standing there-he walked straight to the front and his voice grew colder, icier. "All of you, get out."

I caught a glimpse of Freya standing at the door.

The moment she saw Nathaniel about to leave, her lips pursed, her eyes flashing with tears. "Nathaniel, isn't today my special day? Why are you leaving already? We haven't even started the fun. You promised me you'd let my sister-in-law join us."

Nathaniel hesitated.

"Antasia," his voice was low, "Can you handle this?"

I looked down, my soaked clothes clinging to me, the blood slowly dripping from my forehead.

I managed to force a smile.

"I can."

Nathaniel's expression softened,he smirked coldly, glancing at Freya. "Go ahead, continue. It's just a little hiccup. Antasia will be fine."

The others,all Freya's friends, sitting on the couches, quickly adjusted their attitudes.

The game resumed, now spinning the bottle. The bottle landed on Nathaniel.

"Nathaniel, do you prefer pure or... wild women?"

Nathaniel gave the answer everyone was waiting for. "Pure."

"Nathaniel, is the one you like someone who's been with you since childhood?"

The teasing grew louder and louder, but Nathaniel suddenly fell silent. Just as he seemed about to forgo the question and take a drink, someone grabbed his hand.

I sat back, watching as he finally released the wine glass, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes."

Freya.

The teasing escalated, and Freya's face flushed an even deeper red.

Amid the noise and raucous laughter, Freya finally lifted her head, a smug smile curling at the corners of her lips. Her gaze shifted towards me, sitting not far off, and she spoke with a sense of triumph.

"Antasia must be so bored sitting over there all alone. Why don't you come join us?"

I got up and moved over, and the group cheered, diving straight back into the game.

The bottle spun again, and this time, it landed on me.

"Is the person you love most here today?"

Someone immediately chimed in.

"Who doesn't know that Antasia's deepest love is for Nathaniel?"

I paused.

"No."

Nathaniel's expression darkened.

His hand shot out, seizing a nearby wine bottle. With a savage twist, he slammed it against the table. Glass exploded in a jagged spray, the sound of shattering echoing through the room like a gunshot.

Freya flinched.

The guests scattered in panic. Nathaniel told Freya to leave first. She shot a bitter look at me before storming off.

Nathanie kept his gaze locked on me.

"What did your answer mean?"

"Are you still angry about me standing you up during the dive?"

"Weather's been bad lately. Next time, I'll go diving with you,"

There would be no next time.

Nathaniel, instinctively, reached out to embrace me, but once again, I pushed him away.

His face darkened instantly.

"Get changed. We're having a family dinner soon. You're coming with me."

I finally looked up at him.

Five years of marriage, and Nathaniel had never once brought me to one of these dinners.

At night,we arrive at his parents. When I went to the bathroom, I heard his mother

"Nathaniel,"

"you've been married for a year now.You really don't think it's time to let go of Freya?"

"I tried. I can't forget her."

I fell silent.

Then I saw her. Freya.

Aria, Nathaniel's mother, laughing as she draped a golden necklace around Freya's neck.

I could feel Nathaniel's gaze flick to Freya, but the instant he saw my face, his eyes faltered.

He waved me over. "Come, join us."

Without waiting for my response, he turned and followed Aria, leaving me and Freya alone in the room.

Freya's smile sliced through the silence, her voice sweet but laced with malice. "So, Antasia, you've been awfully quiet. Don't tell me you're still upset?"

I met her cold gaze, a smirk playing on my lips. "I'm not upset. Just. exhausted."

Her laugh was sharp, mocking. "Sister-in-law, guess what? If I say I'm willing to be with him, do you think he'll immediately divorce you and throw you away like trash?"

I barely muttered, "Oh," before turning to leave, but she couldn't stand being ignored.

I felt her hand lunge for me, but I was faster-her fingers missed, yet in her fury, she tore the necklace from my neck. She tossed it aside with a cruel sneer. "This worthless thing. so embarrassing."

The necklace soared through the air, cutting a sharp arc before falling straight into a violently spinning shredder with a sickening crack.

My face drained of color.

I lunged toward it, my hands reaching for the necklace, ignoring the sharp blades and the deafening hum.

"Madam! No!" The servant's voice rang out in panic.

"Are you insane?!" Freya's voice shrieked, but it barely reached me.

Pain shot through my hand as I brushed against the machine's jagged edge. I didn't care. The necklace... it was all I had left of Ronan. My heart beat erratically as I gripped it, my blood staining the metal.

With trembling, bloody hands, I pulled it free.

But when I looked at the pendant, my world collapsed. The once gleaming jewel... shattered into pieces. My breath caught. "No... no, no!"

I carefully placed the damaged necklace into my pocket, my heart heavy with loss

I grabbed a glass of water from the table and, in one swift motion, threw it directly in her face!

She froze, caught off guard.

I grabbed the wine glass, slamming it into her with all my rage. The glass shattered, the shards spraying across the room, the sharp sound echoing like a final warning.

Freya was almost on the verge of exploding. She stood up abruptly, ready to strike back, but I swiftly grabbed a plate and smashed it at her feet, the sharp crack echoing through the room.

She glared at me, her lips trembling with words she was about to say, but I didn't give her the chance.

I smirked coldly, preparing for another round of retaliation, when Nathaniel finally burst through the door.

He shoved me aside, his voice thick with restrained fury. "Are you out of your mind?!"

He quickly turned to check on Freya, entirely oblivious to the fact that his shove had caused me to lose my balance. My foot slipped, and I crashed into the glass railing.

"Ahh-!" I screamed as I tumbled over the railing, crashing into the garden below. The world spun as my head collided with the stone steps, sending a shock through my body.

Blood poured from the gash on my forehead, streaking down my cheek.

"Help... help..." My voice barely made it past my lips, swallowed by the wind.

I tried to lift my arm, but it wouldn't move, and the world started to fade.

From above, the servant's panicked voice echoed. "Young... Young Master, the lady fell! She's bleeding so much!"

Nathaniel's eyes flicked over me, his expression hardening. "Don't bother with her. Let her be, until she admits her mistakes,"

Freya, her lips curling into a smug smile, pressed closer to him. "Nathaniel, you're so ruthless with her," she purred.

Nathaniel merely pulled Freya closer.

My vision blurred as my body grew colder, and everything around me seemed to slip into darkness. I could barely hear the frantic calls of the servants, the distant wind whipping through the air.

As the world closed in on me, Ronan's face appeared before my eyes.

No, I couldn't die here. I hadn't even seen the person who had received his heart yet.