The nurse thought I was talking about my physical injuries.

But I wasn't... Because cuts healed. Bruises faded.

Stitches could be removed. But what about a broken heart?

Who could prescribe medicine for that?

Who could stitch that back together?

...

When we returned home, Maxine was treated like royalty.

The entire mansion revolved around her.

Bodyguards followed her everywhere. Servants rushed to fulfill her every request. My parents-in-law practically worshipped the ground she walked on.

And Maverick...

Maverick spoiled her most of all.

If she wanted something, he got it, immediately.

...

One night, she mentioned craving a specific imported mango cake at two in the morning.

Within ten minutes, Maverick was already getting dressed.

I watched from the bedroom doorway.

“It's two in the morning,” I said.

He looked up.

“So?”

“Stores are closed.”

“I'll find one that's open,” Maverick replied without hesitation.

Then he left.

An hour later, he returned carrying several boxes.

Maxine smiled like a child receiving a gift.

My mother-in-law praised him endlessly.

“Look at that,” she said proudly. “That's how family should take care of each other.”

Family.

The word almost made me laugh.

...

Later that night, Maverick sat beside me.

“Sandra.”

I didn't answer.

He sighed. “Why are you looking at me like that?” Maverick asked.

“Like what?”

“Like I'm some kind of villain.”

I stayed silent. Maverick rubbed his temples.

“You still don't understand,” he said patiently.

The same tone people used when explaining something obvious to a child.

“Everything I'm doing is because of you.”

I stared at him.

He continued.

“Anthony died protecting me,” Maverick said heavily. “Maxine lost her husband because of that. She lost her future. She lost everything.” He looked directly at me. “We already owe her a life.”

Then his expression darkened.

“And after the accident, things got even worse. Sandra, whether you intended it or not, she got hurt. Do you know how guilty I feel about that?”

His voice cracked slightly. “So yes, I'm taking care of her. Yes, I'm giving her extra attention. Because somebody has to.”

He leaned forward.

“I wasn't protecting you that day because I didn't want the family to hate you even more,” Maverick said. “Can't you understand that? I've been trying my best to clean up the mess and keep this family together.”

His eyes searched mine.

“So please. Stop fighting with Maxine. Stop targeting her. Please think about somebody besides yourself.”

For a moment, I just looked at him.

Then I smiled— a calm smile.

The kind that comes after you've finally given up.

“Don't worry,” I said softly. “I won't cause trouble anymore.”

Maverick immediately brightened. “Really?”

“Really.”

“I promise.”

The relief on his face was obvious. Before I could react, he pulled me into a hug.

“Thank God,” Maverick said, tightening his arms around me. “You've finally stopped overthinking everything. You have no idea how happy that makes me.”

I stood there quietly.

“And Maxine,” he said softly. “There's nothing between us. Anthony was my brother. Maxine is family and your older sister. She lost her husband.”

His voice became earnest.

“I'm only helping take care of her because Anthony isn't here anymore. If anything inappropriate happened between us, do you really think Anthony would forgive me? Do you think he'd let me get away with it?”

I almost smiled... Because the saddest thing wasn't the lie. It was how easily he told it.

Maverick didn't understand something.

People don't stop arguing because they've forgiven you. They don't stop fighting because everything is okay.

Arguments happen when someone still cares enough to stay. When they still hope things can be fixed. When they still want to be chosen.

The day someone becomes calm...

The day they stop crying...

The day they stop fighting...

That's usually the day they've already decided to leave.

And I had.

…

After that, I stopped paying attention to what was happening in the mansion.

The family continued treating Maxine like she was royalty. Every meal revolved around her, every conversation revolved around her, and every decision revolved around her. I simply stayed out of the way.

My overseas transfer had already been approved. My passport, visa, and documents were all ready. Soon, I'd be gone. Just a few more days. That's all I needed to endure.

I didn't want any more fights. I didn't want any more tears. I just wanted peace.

Unfortunately, peace never seemed to last long around Maxine.

That afternoon, I was organizing paperwork in my room when she walked in without knocking. The moment I looked up, I knew she hadn't come with good intentions. She was smiling, the smug kind of smile worn by someone who believed they'd already won.

She slowly sat down across from me and crossed her legs, one hand resting possessively on her stomach.

“You already know, don't you?” Maxine asked.

I didn't answer.

Maxine laughed softly. “The baby.” Her smile widened. “You know whose child this really is.”

The room fell silent, but I simply continued sorting my papers. That seemed to irritate her.

She leaned forward. “Sandra, let's stop pretending.” Her voice dripped with satisfaction. “Maverick got me pregnant. He chose me. And honestly? You should do yourself a favor and step aside.”

I finally looked at her.

Maxine's eyes glittered triumphantly. “If you divorce Maverick and leave quietly, I'll convince him not to make things difficult for you. After everything that's happened, that's already me being generous.”

I almost laughed. Not because she was funny, but because the arrogance was unbelievable.

Slowly, I closed the folder in front of me.

“Maxine.”

“Yes?”

“You seem awfully confident.”

Her smile froze slightly.

I tilted my head. “What makes you so sure Maverick would marry you after I leave?”

The room suddenly became tense.

I continued calmly. “You're Anthony's widow. Maverick was Anthony's identical twin. If the two of you got married, the entire city would talk about it.” I met her eyes. “Are you really sure that's what Maverick wants?”

I almost laughed. Not because she was funny, but because the arrogance was unbelievable.

Slowly, I closed the folder in front of me.

“Maxine.”

“Yes?”

“You seem awfully confident.”

Her smile froze slightly.

I tilted my head. “What makes you so sure Maverick would marry you after I leave?”

The room suddenly became tense.

I continued calmly. “You're Anthony's widow. Maverick was Anthony's identical twin. If the two of you got married, the entire city would talk about it.” I met her eyes. “Are you really sure that's what Maverick wants?”

The smug expression instantly disappeared.

Maxine shot to her feet. “How dare you?” Her face twisted with rage. “How dare you look down on me?”

She grabbed my collar, her nails digging into my skin.

“You think you're better than me because your marriage certificate still exists? You think you've won because your husband hasn't publicly abandoned you yet? You've always been like this.”

I frowned. “Like what?”

“Acting innocent.” Her voice became venomous. “Ever since we were kids, everyone pitied you. But what did you ever have that I didn't?”

She laughed bitterly.

“Nothing. Absolutely nothing.”

Then her expression changed. A cruel smile slowly spread across her face, and something about it made my stomach tighten.

“Since we're being honest, maybe I should tell you the truth.”

I didn't respond.

Maxine lowered her voice. “Maverick never loved you the way you think he did.”

The words hit harder than I expected.

She saw my reaction and smiled, satisfied.

“You know why he kept coming back to me? Because he wanted to. Not because anyone forced him. After I got pregnant, he still came to my room. Again and again. He couldn't stay away.”

Every word felt like a knife twisting deeper.

“He told me I was exciting. He said being with me felt alive.”

Her eyes glittered maliciously.

“You know what else he said?”

I stayed silent.

She laughed. “He said you were boring. That being in bed with you felt like sleeping beside a corpse.”

The room fell completely silent.

For several seconds, I simply stared at her.

Then I answered softly.

“You know, that's interesting.”

Maxine blinked.

I shrugged. “Because escorts are exciting too.”

Her smile vanished.

I continued calmly. “They're paid to make people happy. They're trained to be entertaining.” I looked directly into her eyes. “But I've never seen anyone rushing to marry one.”

For a few seconds, Maxine simply stared at me as if she couldn't believe what she'd heard.

Then she exploded.

“You bitch!”

Her hand flew upward.

For a moment, I thought she was about to hit me.

But then something strange happened, she stopped.

A chill ran down my spine.

Because I recognized that look.

That smile— that terrifying smile. The same one she'd worn years ago when we were children.

“No way...” I whispered.

Maxine's smile widened. “Sandra.” Her voice became soft, almost playful. “Do you remember our favorite game?”

My blood ran cold.

I immediately stood. “No.”

The smile remained.

“Yes.”

Fear gripped my chest because suddenly, I remembered. I remembered everything.

Back when we were children, Maxine used to say the exact same thing.

Let's play a game.

Those words haunted my childhood.

I was the middle child, and Maxine was older than me. After our twin youngest brother was born, our parents barely paid attention to either of us anymore. But Maxine took it especially badly. She hated being ignored.

And somehow, I became the target.

Whenever she got angry, she'd take it out on me. She'd push me, hit me, lock me in rooms, and destroy my things.

Then one day, when I threatened to tell our parents, she smiled.

The exact same smile she was wearing now.

“Let's play a game.”

I still remembered it perfectly. I was crying, holding my favorite toy, terrified. Maxine suddenly snatched the toy from my hands and slammed it against her own forehead.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

Blood immediately started running down her face.

I stood there frozen, too shocked to move and too shocked to speak.

Meanwhile, Maxine kept laughing.

Actually laughing.

“This game is called See Who They Believe.”

Then she'd thrown the toy onto the floor.

A second later, she started crying loudly and desperately, like she was the victim.

“Mom! Dad! Sandra hit me! She threw the toy at my head!”

The memory still made me sick.

My parents never listened.

They saw blood and immediately believed her.

Every single time.

And after discovering how well it worked, Maxine kept doing it. Over and over again. Whenever she wanted attention. Whenever she wanted sympathy. Whenever she wanted me punished.

That game became a nightmare that followed me through my entire childhood.

Eventually, when we grew older, she stopped.

Or at least I thought she had.

Now, staring at that familiar smile, I realized I was wrong.

Maxine had never changed.

She'd simply been waiting for the perfect moment to play again. And judging by the look in her eyes, that moment had finally arrived.

I never thought Maxine would use that same trick again after all these years. Not after everything that happened between us growing up. But I was wrong.

It happened too fast. One second she was standing near the stairs, and the next she suddenly screamed.

“Ah!” Maxine screamed.

Her body tilted back and she fell straight down the stairs. The sound echoed through the living room like a gunshot. She hit the floor hard and stayed there, bleeding.

My whole body froze. I didn’t even get the chance to move.

Then everything turned into chaos. Maverick’s family rushed forward like wolves.

My father-in-law grabbed my arm so tightly it hurt.

“You did this?!” Mr. Farrington shouted. “You pushed her, didn’t you? I knew it. I always knew you were jealous of her.”

My mother-in-law screamed through tears.

“My son is already gone, and now you want to destroy his wife too? She's carrying the Farrington heir!”

The servants ran in. Maverick appeared at the stairs.

But nobody was looking at Maxine like it was an accident. They were all looking at me like I was already guilty.

Maverick didn’t speak at first. He just stared at Maxine lying on the floor, then looked at me. That silence hurt more than any accusation.

Before I could explain anything, they grabbed me and dragged me out of the house.

I kept saying it over and over.

“I didn’t push her,” I said. “I swear I didn’t.”

But nobody listened. They never did.

...

The hospital was bright and cold. Too clean for something so ugly.

They dragged me inside like I was already convicted. My father-in-law kept holding my arm tightly like I was still a child.

“You think we didn’t see it?” Mr. Farrington said sharply. “You think we’re blind? Your blood type matches hers. You’ll donate right now.”

My mother-in-law nodded like it was obvious.

“She hurt her,” Mrs. Farrington said coldly. “So she pays. If she needs blood, take from her. Take everything she needs.”

My voice shook.

“I didn’t push her,” I said. “I swear I didn’t.”

But it didn’t matter. Nothing I said ever mattered.

They strapped me down. My arms were pinned. The needle went into my arm and I flinched hard.

It hurt.

The blood started leaving my body. Slow. Steady. Like something being taken that I couldn’t get back.

200 ml. 400 ml. 600 ml.

My vision blurred. The room started to feel far away. Cold. Empty.

And then I remembered again.

That game. Maxine smiling with blood on her forehead. “Let’s see who they believe.”

My parents yelling. Everyone always choosing her version. Always me being wrong, even when I didn’t do anything.

My throat tightened.

I really thought marriage would be different. I thought Maverick would see me. I thought I finally had someone on my side. But now I understood something I didn’t want to admit. Some people never get chosen. They just get blamed.

A nurse’s voice suddenly cut through the noise.

“Stop!” the nurse shouted. “She’s losing too much blood! Her vitals are dropping! She's dying!”

Everything started spinning. Someone shook me. I heard my name.

“Sandra! Sandra!”

But even that voice felt far away, then the next thing I heard was a long beeping line and then everything went quiet.