With Julius’s help, I staggered out of the room, each step drawing me further away from a life I once thought was mine.

At least, after my apology, Sylus had not pushed matters further. He let me leave in peace, his interest entirely absorbed by Charlotte at that moment.

Obediently, I followed Julius to the guest room.

Each step was a painful reminder of the toll that day had taken on my body, my stomach bloated and sore.

Julius, seeing my discomfort, gently suggested, "I will call the nurse to come here and tend to your wound."

I shook my head. "No, thank you. I can take care of it myself."

I had no intention of causing a stir or drawing attention to my fragile position in the house. I was nothing more than a shadow, so I intended to stay that way.

Julius nodded but added cautiously, “You should avoid touching anything that made for Mr. Fuentez from now on. So, I will bring your meals myself to make sure this never happens again. How does that sound?”

His thoughtfulness stung, not because of him, but because of how far I had fallen.

Not long ago, everything in this manor had been mine. But then I was reduced to being grateful for even a meal that would not harm me.

I nodded, though the bitterness in my heart welled up again.

Before Julius turned to leave, I mustered enough strength to say, “Thank you, Julius. I do not say it enough, but I appreciate everything you have done for me.”

He gave me a kind smile. “Anything for you, Madam. Call me if you need help.”

And with that, I was left alone in the guest room, a room that only deepened the feeling of isolation.

The once grand manor I had shared with Sylus for three years felt foreign, as though the life I had lived there had been nothing but a cruel illusion.

The moment Charlotte came back, it all crumbled.

I was not a queen that was dethroned, I had never been on the throne. I had merely been a substitute, filling a void until Sylus’s true love returned.

How pathetic I felt, holding onto something that was never mine to begin with.

But then, the painful truth struck me: none of that would have happened if Sylus had not found me that day at the hospital.

Our first meeting had been nothing more than a case of mistaken identity.

I was a resident doctor, working night shifts in the emergency room at a hospital run by the Fuentez family.

My life was simple then, it was to save enough money to retire and travel the world. That was all I wanted.

It was after one of those grueling night shifts that he appeared. I was resting at the canteen, sipping my coffee and nibbling on a sandwich, when a tall, imposing man came to me.

His eyes locked on me, and I remember the odd look in them, half surprise and half recognition.

“Lotty?” he had murmured, his voice filled with a strange mix of longing and disbelief.

I had no idea who he was or why he called me by that name. But after being with him for three years, I learned Lotty was his fiancée, the woman who had left his life, leaving a hole I was unknowingly about to fill.

“I’m sorry,” he apologized after glancing at my name tag. “I mistook you for someone else.”

I shrugged it off, not paying much attention, and continued eating my sandwich.

Before he left, he offered to pay for my meal as an apology. I had not even had the chance to refuse before he was gone.

Later, I used that as a small treat for my coworkers, thinking nothing more of the encounter.

But that would not be the last time I saw him.

That same night, an emergency call came in about a tragic accident. I was on shift and rushed to the ambulance bay, prepared to do whatever I could to help.

As the patient arrived, I saw a middle-aged woman bleeding profusely from a wound that reminded me of the accident that had claimed my own parents' lives.

My heart raced. I knew I had to save her.

With every ounce of skill and determination I had, I worked to stop the bleeding and stabilize her condition.

It was a miracle that I managed to get her out of critical condition before handing her over to the specialist surgeon.

I had saved her life, or at least delayed death long enough for the surgeons to finish the job.

The next day, I was called into the patient’s room.

The chief doctor told me the woman’s identity, and I could barely suppress the trembling in my hands.

She was Mrs. Fuentez, the wife of the head of the most powerful mafia family in the region. The owner of the very hospital where I worked.

I entered her room nervously, unsure of what to expect, but to my surprise, she greeted me warmly. She was sitting up in bed, smiling as though nothing had happened.

“So, you are the doctor who saved me?” Mrs. Fuentez asked, her eyes bright and full of life despite the guards stationed outside her door.

Trying to maintain professionalism, I replied humbly, “It was not just me, Madam. There were many people involved in saving you, the emergency personnel, nurses, and the specialist who operated on you.”

She laughed, clearly amused by my modesty. “Yes, but I heard it was you who kept me alive long enough for them to do their part. That was what I mean, Doctor....” She paused, waiting for my name.

“I am Dr. Lily Hale. You can call me Lily.”

Since then, Mrs. Fuentez and I have exchanged many words. The more we talked, the more I realized she was not the intimidating woman I had assumed.

In fact, she was incredibly warm and kind, with a sharp wit that often caught me off guard.

One afternoon, as we spoke about everything from hospital gossip to her plans after recovery, I suddenly noticed the time on the wall clock ticking away.

“Oh my God, it is already time for my ER shift,” I said, slightly panicked as I rose from my seat.

She laughed softly. “Don’t let me keep you, dear. I am sorry for taking up your time.”

“No, no, Mrs. Fuentez. I am happy to talk with you. Truly.”

I meant it. Despite the pressure of her family’s reputation, she made me feel at ease. It was strange, given who she was.

I smiled, gathering my things. “I will come back when it is time to check on your condition.”

“I look forward to it, Doctor Lily,” she said with a fondness that warmed me, her smile lingering long after I had left the room.

Later that night, after finishing my shift, I returned to her room for her routine check-up. But when I opened the door, I saw him, the man from the cafeteria who had mistaken me for someone else.

“So, you are the doctor who saved my mother?” The man's deep voice caught me off guard. I froze for a moment, taken aback by his presence.

"Mother?" I repeated, glancing at Mrs. Fuentez, who beamed as though she had just discovered a hidden gem.

“Oh, you two know each other?” she asked, eyes sparkling as though she had found a missing piece to a puzzle.

Sylus shrugged casually. “We have only met once. In the hospital cafeteria.”

Mrs. Fuentez’s gaze darted between the two of us, something mischievous twinkling in her eyes.

“Well, what do you think of my son, Doctor Lily?” she asked, a smile pulling at her lips.

“He is handsome, isn't he? I keep telling him he needs a good woman in his life, but he is as stubborn as ever. I can’t even get him to react to beautiful women like you. Is there something wrong with him?”

Her teasing left me speechless, and I felt the heat rising to my cheeks. It was entirely too personal for me to comment on.

Flustered, I tried to keep things light. “I think… I’m just not his style.”

Before I could say more, Sylus interrupted with a sharp, “Who said that?”

His words stunned me. I had not expected him to say anything.

At that moment, I could not help but wonder, had he deliberately called me ‘Lotty’ back then to find out my real name? Could it be that Sylus had taken an interest in me all along?

I dismissed the thought quickly, not wanting to overthink it. “It was just my opinion,” I said, keeping my tone neutral.

Mrs. Fuentez chuckled, enjoying the exchange.

“So, Sylus, do you like her?” she asked playfully, but before he could respond, she continued, “Because I like her. It would be wonderful to have a daughter-in-law as reliable and kind as Doctor Lily.”

I was left speechless, unsure of how to respond.

The conversation twisted and turned in ways I had not anticipated, and soon after, I found myself entangled with the Fuentez family more deeply than I ever thought possible.

As time passed, the Fuentez family began inviting me into their lives more often.

I was hesitant at first, aware of their reputation, but Mrs. Fuentez’s kindness made it difficult to refuse.

I found myself accepting their invitations, spending more time with Sylus.

At first, it felt like a dream. Sylus showered me with attention, picking me up for dates, buying me gifts, and giving me anything I want.

The love and affection he showed seemed genuine, and I started to open my heart to him. It felt like he was healing the wounds of my past, compensating for the loneliness I had carried for so long.

After all, his family treated me so well. They had accepted me, and his mother spoke of our future as if it was set in stone.

Then, there was his older brother, Xavier. From the moment we met, I sensed his disdain.

He never bothered to hide it, his cold glances and snide comments aimed at me whenever Sylus was not around.

But Xavier was away most of the time, studying abroad for his medical degree, and I did not see him as a threat.

In the end, Sylus and I were getting married and enjoying our married life.

However, one day, my beloved cat, which I had raised with care, was found dead because Xavier kicked it viciously.

I confronted Xavier, furious and heartbroken. But instead of apologizing, he sneered at me.

“Do you really think Sylus loves you?” he spat, his voice dripping with contempt.

His words rattled me. Confused and hurt, I demanded to know what he meant.

Without warning, Xavier grabbed me by the collar and dragged me into a room Sylus had always forbidden me to enter.

I had never questioned it, thinking it was related to their dangerous mafia business. But nothing could have prepared me for what I found inside.

The room was filled with photos, hundreds of them, plastered across the walls. Every single one of them was of a girl who looked exactly like me.

From her childhood to adulthood, the images chronicled the life of Charlotte, the real woman Sylus loved.

Xavier’s voice was cold and cruel as he stood beside me, watching my reaction. “Take a good look. This is the woman my brother has always loved. You are nothing but a replacement, a poor substitute for his fiancée.”

The truth was a dagger to my heart. I had been living in a lie, playing a role that was never meant for me.

From that moment on, I distanced myself from Sylus and searched for the news online.

It was said that before Charlotte left for abroad, she and Sylus were the kind of couple everyone admired. They seemed perfect together.

They attended events hand-in-hand, their connection so strong that those around them whispered about how lucky they were to have found each other so young.

But then, tragedy struck the Hooper family. A devastating accident changed everything, and Charlotte, burdened by her grief, made the difficult decision to leave.

She went abroad, disappearing from the public eye, letting time and distance ease her pain.

Sylus, meanwhile, never involved himself in any scandals or rumors. He kept to himself, stoic and composed.

Those close to the family murmured that he was waiting for her, that he had not given up hope that one day, Charlotte would return.

But when my marriage to Sylus was announced, the past seemed to be forgotten by everyone. The media’s focus shifted to us.

It was as though Charlotte had never existed, and I, naive and blinded by the life I thought we were building, remained blissfully unaware of their history.

My changed attitude was noticed by him, of course, but he never asked why. Maybe he knew, but chose to not care.

I also did not expect that someday, Charlotte would completely come back to Sylus’ side and made an uproar by the day she returned to the country.

Her arrival was nothing short of dramatic. The media captured Sylus personally picking her up from the airport, the pictures flooding every news outlet.

Headlines screamed, "Your Crush Is Back, Who Would You Choose?"

The internet exploded with speculation, and my heart sank as I realized the inevitable. Everyone knew the answer.

The public’s infatuation with Charlotte had never died, and neither had Sylus's feelings, it seemed.

Deep down, I knew what I had to do.

Once my wounds healed, I would leave the manor, leave Sylus, and leave behind the life I had mistakenly believed was mine.

That night, fever burned through me like fire, the ache in my body spreading until it became unbearable.

My vision blurred, and in my dazed state, I instinctively reached for my phone and dialed Sylus.

After all, I had been his wife for three years, how could I suddenly stop depending on him? Surely, he would care, wouldn't he?

When the call connected, I expected concern, but instead, his voice came through, sharp and impatient. "Stop calling me all the time. You are an adult. Can't you solve your own problems?"

His words struck me like a punch to the gut, my breath catching as though I were drowning. I tried to speak, each word feeling like a struggle. "Sylus, I... I feel really uncomfortable. Can you…."

Before I could finish, a soft voice interrupted from the background.

"Lily, do not bother him anymore," the woman’s voice, unmistakably Charlotte's, chimed in. "He has been taking care of me all day, and he is already tired. As his current wife, you should understand him, okay?"

The call ended with a click, cutting off the last shred of hope I had clung to. It felt like a bucket of ice water had been poured over me, freezing me in place.

Of course, how could I have forgotten? Sylus had never loved me from the beginning. I had been a substitute for Charlotte all along, a mere shadow in their story.

With trembling hands, I called Julius, the one person in the manor I could still rely on.

I never knew when it started, but I had always been independent, ever since my parents died.

It seemed three years of being Sylus’s wife had changed me. I had grown accustomed to the idea of having someone to lean on, even if that person never truly cared.

Julius arrived in my room quickly, his eyes widening in alarm when he saw me drenched in sweat, as if I had just been pulled from the ocean.

Without a word, he moved to call Sylus, but I shook my head weakly, stopping him. "I already called," I whispered.

Understanding washed over Julius’s face.

He did not push further, knowing Sylus would not come. Instead, he offered a simple solution, "I will call a doctor to the house."

But I shook my head again, desperate. "No, Julius. I need to go to the hospital."

With that, he scooped me up and rushed me to the car.

Looking at the road, I felt like they were going to take me to a hospital funded by Fuentez, so I begged him again to go to another hospital.

He hesitated, torn between his concern and my request. "But the other hospital is farther away, and I am afraid you will not make it in time."

"I will hold on. Just take me to the one I mentioned. Please," I pleaded, barely able to keep my eyes open.

The reason why I did not want to go to Fuentez was my fear of the surgery I did not want that day.

I was just an ordinary commoner with no power or influence. If I went to their hospital again, I did not know what crazy actions Sylus would take to me.

Reluctantly, Julius agreed. "Okay, but you must hold on. I will drive as fast as I can."

By the time we arrived at the hospital, my vision was fading, and I was barely conscious. The last thing I remembered was the concerned face of the doctor I knew well, someone I trusted.

The relief of knowing I was in safe hands was the only thing that kept me from spiraling into complete darkness.

When I woke up, I was in a hospital bed, an IV in my arm, and Julius sitting dutifully beside me. His face, usually so calm, was etched with worry.

Seeing me awake, Julius immediately called the doctor, and they hurried in to examine me. After ensuring I was stable, the doctor let out a long sigh of relief.

"You’re lucky, Lily," he said softly. "The wound was not completely sterile, and it became infected. If you had come any later, it could have led to severe organ damage."

His words hit me like a blow. I had been so close to losing everything just for the pearl owned by my man’s fiancée.

The doctor, sensing my distress, tried to reassure me. "But everything is under control now. You just need to rest for a few days. And please, don’t go home too soon. It is better for you to stay here where we can take care of you."

I nodded weakly, managing a small smile. "Thank you. Of course, I will enjoy my time here as long as possible."

The doctor left, and Julius approached, his worry easing slightly.

“Thank you, Julius," I said quietly, my voice still weak. "Thank you for listening to me and for bringing me here."

"It’s my pleasure, Madam," he replied with a bow. "It is my duty to serve you."

I smiled, though it did not reach my eyes. "You can go home now, Julius."

But Julius shook his head. "No, Madam. I will stay and take care of you. Mr. and Mrs. Fuentez’s last request was for me to look after you, and I intend to keep that promise."

His loyalty touched me, but I knew how difficult his position was.

Sylus, as the head of the Fuentez family, held power over him. I had seen Julius scolded many times by Sylus and his brother Xavier, just for being kind to me.

Yet, he remained steadfast, caring for me when no one else would.

"Julius," I murmured, "I will be fine here, I know some doctor here, so you can rest easy. You still have some work on the Manor, right?”

As a result, Julius could only give up and return to the Manor, after promising to visit me every day.

In the days that followed, Sylus did not come to see me. It was as though I had faded from his world entirely, replaced by the warmth and comfort he found in Charlotte.

Julius, however, fulfilled his promise by visiting me every day, his loyalty unwavering, making sure I had everything I needed.

Each time he returned from the manor, Julius would gently mention that he had tried to speak with Sylus about my condition, only to be dismissed with cold indifference.

Sylus’s disgust was clear; he did not want to hear anything about me.

But a week later, something stirred in Sylus, and he remembered my existence. Maybe it was guilt, or maybe it was simply the looming need to sever ties.

It turned out, he came to the hospital to discuss our divorce. He brought Charlotte with him, her presence like a cruel punctuation to our shattered relationship.

I was still packing my belongings, preparing for my discharge, when they arrived.

The moment Sylus entered the room, a rare flicker of guilt crossed his usually stoic face. His voice, though still distant, held a trace of something softer.

“Why didn't you tell me you were in the hospital?”

Before I could respond, Charlotte cut in smoothly, slipping her arm around his and pulling him closer.

“Oh, Sylus has been with me these past few days. He did not have time to check on you,” she smiled sweetly, through her eyes dancing with triumph. “You know how it is. We have been together since childhood. Our bond is unbreakable.”

She tightened her grip on his arm, her chest pressed provocatively against him, as if daring me to object.

But I did not give her the satisfaction. Instead, I forced a smile, even if my heart was aching even as I feigned indifference.

“It is fine. I am okay now. I was just about to go home,” I said, my voice steady even though my insides felt hollow.

“So, what business brings you here today? Oh, right. Julius mentioned the divorce. Is that what you wanted to talk about?”

The words came out calmly, but inside, I was breaking. The pain I had buried deep within me swelled, but I would not let it show. I could not let either of them see how much it still hurt.

Sylus’s eyes flickered briefly with something. Was it regret? Maybe, but it was fleeting, quickly replaced by the familiar, unreadable coldness.

“This is not the right place to discuss it,” Sylus said after a pause, his tone more commanding. “Come home with us. We will talk at the manor.”

Charlotte’s smile faltered for a split second, surprise flickering in her eyes. She had not expected Sylus to care about me at all, not even enough to bring me back to the manor.

But she quickly recovered, her smile widening as she clung tighter to him. “Yes, Lily. We do have dinner plans, but we can take you home first.”

I shook my head, the weariness of the last few weeks weighing heavily on me. “No need. We are getting divorced anyway. You don’t have to change your plans for me.”

Sylus’s jaw tightened at my casual tone, and with an annoyed sigh, he pulled away from Charlotte, taking a step toward me. “No. I have canceled the plans. I am taking you home, and we are discussing this now.”

Charlotte’s smile vanished completely, replaced by a tight-lipped expression. Her eyes narrowed as she crossed her arms, clearly displeased by the change in their evening.

She remained silent, though, her frustration visible in every stiff movement as she climbed into the car behind us.

The ride back to the manor was tense. But I just stared out the window, my thoughts spinning.

Even though I had spent the entire week in the hospital thinking about life after Sylus, after the Fuentez family, but the truth was, I still did not know what that life would look like.

Would I be safe, free from their grasp? Or would the shadow of Sylus and his powerful family linger over me forever?

When we finally arrived at the manor, Sylus wasted no time. In the living room, he laid everything out with the precision of a business transaction.

“Charlotte and I are getting married soon,” he said bluntly, not even pausing to see how those words might affect me.

"I will make sure you are well-compensated," he continued, his tone matter-of-fact. "You will not have to worry about anything after the divorce."

Charlotte, sitting beside him with her arms crossed, watched me with a smug smile.

For a moment, the room fell silent. Sylus stared at me, and I could see something flicker behind his eyes.

Charlotte was the first to break the tension, leaning forward with a smile that did not reach her eyes.

"Well, you will get a villa too, Lily.” Then she looked to Sylus before continuing, “Right, Sylus?”

Sylus cleared his throat, standing up from the couch and straightening his suit. "Yeah. The divorce agreement is in your room. Once everything is signed, you will be free to go."

"Sure," I replied, though the words tasted bitter on my tongue.

He turned to leave with Charlotte at his side, and for a moment, it felt as if I was not important anymore in his life.

After gathering my few belongings, I packed them into a small suitcase.

I did not take much, just the things I had brought with me at the start of my marriage.

I left behind the clothes, jewelry, and gifts Sylus had given me over the years. I did not want any reminders of a life that no longer belonged to me.

As I stood before the divorce papers, my hands trembled. I had made up my mind, but my heart felt heavy with the weight of what was to come.

I took a deep breath and forced myself to open the document. The pen was already there, waiting for my signature.

But as my eyes scanned the paper, I noticed that Sylus had yet to sign. It felt as though he was waiting for my decision, but I quickly brushed that thought away.

"He must be busy planning his wedding," I muttered to myself, trying to push down any lingering feelings.

With a final, steadying breath, I signed my name. Just as I finished, there was a knock at the door. Sylus stood there, holding a set of keys in his hand.

"This is the key to your villa," he said in that same indifferent tone I had grown used to. "As for money, I have transferred it to your account. Let me know if it is not enough."

I glanced at him, forcing a faint smile. "Okay. I have signed the divorce papers. Please find some time to sign them too." Without waiting for a response, I grabbed my suitcase and walked past him.

Once I was outside, I took out my phone to check the address of the villa. But my heart skipped a beat when I saw the balance in my account, ten million dollars.

He had kept his promise, ensuring that I could live comfortably for the rest of my life.

But the thought only deepened the ache in my chest. They had prepared everything so neatly, so meticulously, to build a future that had no place for me.

As I made my way downstairs, Charlotte was waiting for me, her face twisted in a sullen expression. Even on the day I was leaving, she could not resist stirring up trouble.

"Lily," she cried, her voice loud and trembling. "Please, give me back my ring. It is the engagement ring Sylus bought for me five years ago. It was custom-made. You can’t just take it for revenge."

I stared at her, taking in her frail figure. Her face might have resembled mine, but that was where the similarities ended. She was smaller, weaker, like a fragile doll that would break at the slightest touch.

I could not help but smirk. "Move aside, Charlotte," I said coldly. "I did not take your ring."

I pushed past her, but she fell to the floor, crying as though I had shoved her with all my might. "Ow, it hurts! Are you really doing this to punish me? Taking my ring?"

My anger flared, and I spun around to face her. "Charlotte, have you lost your mind? I said I didn’t take it!"

Her tearful expression shifted into something more sinister, her voice a venomous whisper. "Or did you swallow it again? Are you waiting for someone to cut your stomach open like last time?"

My blood ran cold. Memories of the last time they had forced me into submission rushed back, and my body began to tremble.

I was terrified that history would repeat itself, that they would hurt me again.

Soon, the commotion drew Sylus and Xavier to the scene.

Xavier immediately rushed to Charlotte’s side, demanding to know what had happened.

She wasted no time in accusing me of stealing her engagement ring, claiming I had taken it out of spite.

As a result, Xavier’s eyes burned with fury, and he moved toward me, ready to force me to hand over the ring. But Sylus, ever composed, simply ordered the guards to search my belongings.

They ripped open my suitcase, scattering the few things I had packed across the floor.

My heart broke at the sight of it. My life was reduced to that humiliating scene and my privacy violated once again.

Tears welled up in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I would not give them the satisfaction of seeing me cry.

A few minutes later, one of the guards whispered something to Sylus. They had not found anything, of course.

"Can I pack my things now?" I asked, my voice trembling but defiant.

Sylus did not even look at me as he spoke. "No. You don’t need to take anything from here. Leave the manor and go on your own."

His words felt like a final blow, cold and heartless. I watched as he turned and walked back upstairs without another word.

Charlotte looked momentarily stunned, but she quickly recovered, sneering as Xavier helped her to her feet.

I stood there for a moment, staring at the mess they had made of my things, before finally turning toward the door.

My hands still shook, but with each step, I felt a strange sense of freedom growing inside me.

That place had been my prison for far too long, so I would never come back there.

*

A few days later, Sylus appeared at my villa without knocking, without ringing the bell. It turned out he had a spare key.

I was in the living room when he strolled in, holding a small envelope in his hand. His face was unreadable as he looked at me. Then, with unnerving casualness, he extended the invitation towards me.

“Will you come to our wedding? I want to have your blessing.”