The crash must’ve been loud. Julius came running out, water dripping from his hair, his expression tight.

Before I could even breathe, Violet dropped to the floor like she was the victim.

She wailed loudly, “Lara, I’ve always respected you! I came to help you clean because you’re pregnant! Why did you try to hit me?”

She pointed at me like she was terrified and cried. “Why did you throw yourself down the stairs? Are you trying to accuse me of something? I didn’t push you! Julius, I swear, I didn’t touch her! Why is she doing this to me?”

Violet suddenly looked back like she had just noticed Julius standing there. Her voice turned soft and shaky right away. “I’m okay, Julius… don’t worry about me. Just check on Lara. She… she fell by accident.”

She even made her lower lip tremble a little.

Julius’s eyes flicked to the red marks on her skin, and something ugly; guilt, fear, and possession crossed his face. He ripped his coat off and wrapped it around her shoulders like she was made of glass.

“Violet, did you get hurt? I’ll take you to the hospital right now.”

“I’m… I'm fine,” she whispered. “My leg just hurts a bit. But… Lara’s injury looks worse…”

The moment she said that, Julius’s whole expression changed. He turned to me with that cold mafia stare that always meant punishment.

“Get up,” he snapped. “I heard everything. Violet was trying to help you, and you repay her like this? Ungrateful bitch!”

I was still on the floor, dizzy, my stomach twisting so bad I couldn’t breathe right. I tried to force out the truth, my lips shaking. “No… I didn’t… she pushed me—”

Julius cut me off before I could finish.

“Stop acting!” he barked. “You think I’m stupid enough to believe your little victim story? Violet can’t even open a bottle without asking for help. There’s no way she pushed you. She’s too gentle. Too kind. Why would she hurt you?”

His voice dropped into that low, dangerous tone he usually used in the warehouse when someone crossed him.

“When did ‘you’ fucking become this kind of woman, Lara? Twisting things. Lying. Vicious.”

He didn’t even wait for my answer. He just scooped Violet into his arms and started carrying her downstairs like some damn princess.

As he passed me, he kicked me aside hard like I was blocking his path. “Stay there if you want. Don’t get in my way.”

Violet peeked over his shoulder, gave me a tiny smirk, and tightened her arms around his neck then I heard the front door slam. Next the car engine. Then silence.

For a second, I really thought I’d pass out on the stairs. But I couldn’t. Even the maids were only watching me.

My stomach was cramping so sharply it felt something inside me was tearing apart. Julius wouldn’t come back for me. And if I stayed there, I’d bleed out like a stray dog in his stairwell.

I forced myself to breathe, clung to the railing, and pulled myself up. Walking was torture, but I didn’t stop. I didn’t even dare call a taxi. What if something… spilled out of me on the way? What if the driver threw me out?

So I walked. Bent over, holding my stomach, every step a knife.

By the time I stumbled inside the nearest hospital, my whole lower half was soaked in blood. The nurse on duty gasped and rushed me in right away.

The doctor pulled up my file and sighed like he already knew the ending. “The baby is only five weeks old,” he said. “A puncture this early… of course the uterus contracted. And you fell down the stairs too? The pregnancy won’t survive this.”

He checked me again and his face hardened.

“You’re lucky you even made it here. You were bleeding out. Another hour and you would’ve died.”

I let out a long breath; relief, not sorrow.

Then I laughed a little. Quiet. Broken.

“Doctor… please give me an abortion. Now.”

His brows lifted, surprised.

But I wasn’t. The moment I learned the truth about the triplets used me… about everything… the thing inside me felt like poison, not a child.

Losing it wasn’t a tragedy. It was freedom. This baby wasn’t a blessing… It was a nightmare.

And I was finally waking up.

…

I got home the next day. I already knew Julius and Violet wouldn’t be there. The second I walked in, the place reeked. Sheets twisted, clothes everywhere. They didn’t even bother cleaning up after their little celebration.

I stepped around the mess, stomach turning, and went straight to the bathroom. I showered once… twice… I lost count after the fifth time. But that smell wouldn’t leave me. Men. Sweat. Sex. Blood.

And somewhere in all of it… the faint scent of the baby I didn’t get to keep.

I scrubbed until my skin hurt. Still felt dirty. Still felt wrong. Finally I just snapped. I grabbed whatever I could reach and smashed it against the floor.

Perfume bottles, shampoo, the damn mirror.

Then I slid down into the tub and cried like I was choking on my own lungs.

After a while, when the crying stopped hurting, I thought about my parents.

They were so happy for me when Julius proposed.

I was happy too… stupidly happy. I picked every piece of my dowry myself. My parents paid for all of it.

Mom only added one thing… a brown file bag.

On my wedding day, she pulled me aside and handed it to me.

“Lara,” she said softly, “I know this marriage isn’t built on love. But your father and I still want you to be happy. If one day you’re not… just come home. We’re still here. You’ll always have us.”

Then she touched my cheek. “But I hope that day never comes.”

I looked around at the wreck of my life. The stains on the sheets. The bruises on my arms. The empty house that used to feel like a dream.

And I realized… that day had already come.

I got up and ran to the study. I tore through drawers until I found the file bag my mom gave me on my wedding day.

And inside? Inside was a divorce agreement.

Already signed by Julius. I didn’t know how my parents pulled that off in a mafia family like his, but they did. The property split was fair. More than fair.

My hands were shaking, but I still signed my name like I’d been waiting my whole life to do it. Right then my phone rang. Julius’s name flashed on the screen.

His voice was weirdly careful. “Lara… you alright?”

I stared at the wall. “Should I not be?”

“Oh… good. Good, you're fine.” He let out a breath, pretending to be relieved. “Look, I was rough on you the other day. I lost my head when I saw Violet hurt.”

He sounded like he was trying to apologize without actually apologizing. It was almost funny.

“I went back to look for you,” he went on, “but you were already gone. So I thought you’re fine.”

“Do you need anything else?” I asked flatly.

That tone made him snap again, the real Julius showing through.

“I’m already apologizing! What else do you want?” His voice sharpened, that cold mafia bite slipping in. “And let’s not forget you were the one in the wrong. I’m calling to tell you Violet forgives you for pushing her. She even wants you at the auction tonight. She and my brothers are planning to buy baby gifts for you. But look at your attitude. Violet’s ten times softer than you.”

I let him talk. I didn’t say a word.

Noticing my silence, he softened again. “Alright, stop dragging this out. Violet’s leg is injured. I’m with her, taking care of her. I’ll send the driver for you later.”

He hung up.

A second later, my phone buzzed again.

Violet.

Violet: Lara, you better come. I prepared something big for you. You know, I like you right? Remember the photos of you with the three brothers? Nude photos. Your slut face. They’ll be the final auction item. No blur. Everyone will see everything.

Then she sent the photos. Dozens. My phone kept vibrating until I dropped it on the floor.

All the courage I had from signing the divorce… it vanished. Just dissolved into nothing.

I really thought losing the baby meant I could finally move on. But as long as Julius and his brothers Andrei and Jonas… and Violet still existed in my life, I’d never escape this nightmare.

My whole body started shaking. I fell to my knees and called my parents.

The moment I heard their gentle voices, all the walls in me cracked. When they asked how I was… I broke. I told them everything. Every ugly piece of it.

At the end, I begged through tears, “Dad, Mom… can I divorce him? I don’t want to stay with him anymore. Please.”

Their voices trembled too.

“Oh, sweetheart… you’ve suffered too much. We’re sending the driver right now. You’re coming home tonight. We’ll handle everything else. Just rest when you get here. Everything will be alright.”

Julius’s driver arrived first. I handed him the file bag.

“For him,” I said. Nothing more.

Then I got into my parents’ car and didn’t look back.

My phone kept ringing during the ride. Julius again and again. I pulled out the SIM card and threw it out the window.

—

Meanwhile at the auction, things were wrapping up. Julius kept checking the entrance, face getting darker each minute I didn’t walk in.

His assistant rushed over, holding the file bag.

“Sir,” he whispered, head low, “Mrs. Wattson said this is what she wanted delivered. She said you should keep it first… she’ll be here later.”

Hearing that, Julius actually smiled… soft, doting, the way he never smiled at me.

He opened the file bag slowly.

And when he saw what was inside… A divorce agreement with my signature and the tiny life of a baby inside a jar… the smile died on his face instantly.

At the same time, the auctioneer’s hammer slammed twice.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he announced,

“our final item of the night…”