I ran.

Tears blurred my vision, my breath coming in sharp, ragged gasps. The hospital walls closed in, sterile and suffocating. I stumbled into a hallway, gripping the cold metal railing for support. My whole world had been ripped apart, but the torture wasn’t over.

From the nurse’s station, hushed voices carried through the air.

“Did you hear?”

“The poor woman doesn’t know… Will watched as his daughter died. He didn’t even hesitate before choosing to save his mistress’ child instead.”

Shock coiled around my chest, squeezing until I couldn’t breathe. I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to stay still, to listen.

“Dr. Santiago wanted to try harder to save Hayley, but Will—”

“Shh! She’s here.”

The nurses froze when they noticed me. Their faces turned pale, their conversation cut short.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and steadied my voice. “Where’s Dr. Santiago? The one who operated on me and my daughter?”

One of them shifted nervously, glancing at the others as if unsure whether to speak. “He… resigned. Today.”

My lips parted. “Today?”

A heavy silence settled between us. Their avoidance, the hesitance in their eyes—it told me everything I needed to know.

The truth hit me like a punch to the gut. Will had erased him. Just like he erased Hayley. Just like he erased every trace of his crimes.

My fingers curled into tight fists, nails biting into my palms. He thought he could cover his tracks. That he could rewrite history and leave no evidence behind. That I would break, that grief would swallow me whole and silence me.

But he was wrong. I would find proof. I would make them pay.

Hayley deserved a proper burial. I arranged it myself. Alone. Will wasn’t there. Of course, he wasn’t.

The cemetery was quiet, the sky overcast, as if the heavens themselves were mourning with me. I knelt before the small urn, my fingers trembling as I placed Hayley’s favorite stuffed bunny beside her. Its worn fur still carried traces of her scent, of the nights she had held it close to her tiny chest, whispering secrets only a child could imagine.

A silent sob tore through me.

I had carried her inside me for nine months. Felt her tiny kicks, dreamed of the life she would have. I had rocked her to sleep, wiped her tears, kissed her scraped knees. I had watched her grow into a beautiful, bright little girl with the biggest smile and the purest heart.

And now… she was gone.

Memories crashed into me.

“Mommy, look!” Hayley beamed, bouncing on her feet as she clutched the amusement park tickets in her tiny hands. “We’re really going!”

I laughed, fastening her sneakers as she wriggled excitedly. “Of course, we are! I promised, didn’t I?”

Her eyes sparkled. “I wanna go on the biggest ride first! The one that goes super high!”

A deep chuckle joined ours. Will leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, smirking. “The biggest ride, huh? You sure you’re not too little for that, munchkin?”

Hayley gasped, placing her hands on her hips. “I’m not little! I’m brave, right, Mommy?”

I smiled, tapping her nose. “The bravest.”

With a dramatic huff, she ran up to Will, grabbing his hand and tugging him forward. “You’ll ride it with me, Daddy! You and Mommy, together!”

Will laughed, lifting her onto his shoulders with ease. “Alright, alright. But if I get scared, you’ll have to hold my hand, okay?”

She giggled, clinging onto him. “Deal!”

Her laughter filled the house, wrapping around me like the warmest embrace.

I thought we had forever. I thought we had more time.

Back then, I believed in moments like these. Then, another memory surfaced—one I had long buried.

Will. The first time we met.

I had just moved to the city, young and eager to start fresh. The streets bustled with energy, the sidewalks crowded with people lost in their own worlds. Then, in a blink, my purse was yanked from my arm.

“Hey! Stop!” I shouted, but the thief had already disappeared into the crowd.

I barely had time to react before someone sprinted past me, chasing after the thief with an intensity that took me by surprise. Moments later, he returned, my purse in hand, breathless but grinning.

“New here?” he asked, brushing dust off his jacket.

I nodded, still trying to catch my breath. “Yeah.”

His grin widened. “Then let me be your guide.”

I thought he was my hero that day.

And for a while, he was. We built a life together, filled with promises and dreams. He made me feel safe, loved. I had believed in his kindness, his loyalty.

I had believed I was his world.

Until Karylle happened. Until I realized it had always been a lie. The stolen kisses behind my back. The hushed phone calls. The growing distance between us.

And now, this. The ultimate betrayal.

I wiped my tears, my grief hardening into something sharper. Something colder.

They took my daughter away from me. Then I would do the same.

I stepped into the house, still numb from the funeral, only to freeze at the sight before me.

Karylle. Sitting comfortably on my couch.

Will stood beside her, arms crossed. “Karylle’s here to offer her condolences.”

I stared at him. Then at her. A slow, mocking smile crept onto my lips. “Condolences?” My voice dripped with bitterness. “I buried our daughter alone, Will. You weren’t even there. So don’t insult me by pretending you care now.”

Will’s face darkened. “What is wrong with you? Why are you acting like this?”

I let out a hollow laugh. “Acting like what? Like a grieving mother? Like a woman whose husband didn’t even bother showing up to his daughter’s funeral?” My voice rose, sharp and unforgiving. “Tell me, Will, where were you? Oh, wait—I already know. With her.”

His jaw tightened. “You were the one driving the car, Helena.”

The words sliced through me like a blade.

I sucked in a sharp breath. “You’re blaming me?”

He didn’t even hesitate. “If you had been more careful, Hayley would still be alive.”

My stomach twisted. My hands shook. My heart cracked open all over again. “You coward,” I whispered, rage shaking through my body. “You know the truth, but you can’t even face it. It was an accident I never wanted to happen!”

Karylle stepped forward, her face carefully composed, but I saw right through it. The fake concern, the practiced sorrow—it made my skin crawl.

“Enough,” she said softly, tilting her head as if she were the reasonable one here. “You shouldn’t be fighting like this. Hayley just—”

“Stay away from me, from us!” I cut her off, my voice shaking with fury. “You ruined our family!”

Her lips parted, feigning shock, but I saw it. The flicker of something else. Satisfaction? Triumph? Whatever it was, it made my stomach churn.

Will moved instantly, stepping in front of her, shielding her like she was something fragile, something precious. His hand gripped her arm, his jaw tight with anger. “Don’t talk to her like that.”

I let out a cold, bitter laugh. “Of course. Of course, you’d defend her.” I shook my head, my chest heaving. “She’s the one who tore this family apart, and you stand there protecting her? While our daughter—” My voice broke, the weight of my grief pressing down like a crushing force.

Will’s eyes darkened. “This isn’t about Karylle. It’s about you. You’re the one who can’t let go of the past.”

My blood ran cold. “The past?” I echoed, my hands clenching into fists. “Hayley is dead. She is not the past. She was our daughter, and you—” I swallowed the lump in my throat. “You weren’t even there.”

Karylle placed a hand on Will’s chest, as if calming him. “She’s grieving,” she murmured, glancing up at him like she was the victim in all of this. “She doesn’t mean it.”

I saw red.

“I don’t mean it?” My voice came out quiet, deadly. “I meant every damn word.” I turned my gaze to Will. “She took everything from me, and you let her. You chose her over me. Over Hayley.”

“What are you saying?” He acted innocent.

I was done. I turned and walked away, ignoring Will’s voice calling after me. I made it to my room, locking the door behind me before my legs gave out beneath me.

And then I broke.

I buried my face in my hands, sobs racking my body. Pain clawed at my throat, my chest, my soul. The weight of everything crashed down on me—Hayley, Will, the betrayal, the loss.

But I couldn’t stay like this.

It was time.

I wiped my tears and grabbed my phone, my fingers trembling as I dialed.

“Hello?”

“I want to file for divorce.”

The words came out steady, final. There was no turning back.

The lawyer sighed. “Understood. We’ll begin the process immediately.”

I ended the call, my heart hammering.

This was it. I was leaving.

I pulled out my suitcase and started packing. Clothes. Essentials. But my hands hesitated when I reached Hayley’s things. Her favorite dress. The stuffed bunny she never slept without. Her tiny shoes.

I held them close, inhaling the faint scent that still lingered. Tears blurred my vision, but I refused to fall apart again.

I would carry her with me. Always.

As I zipped up the suitcase, voices from outside caught my attention.

I stepped closer to the window.

It was Karylle.

Her voice was low, but I heard every word.

“Make sure no one finds out that I was the one who caused the accident of Helena and Hayley.”

I stepped into the hallway, my pulse pounding. Karylle’s words echoed in my head.

“Make sure no one finds out that I was the one who caused the accident of Helena and Hayley.”

My vision blurred with rage. My body moved before I could think. I stormed toward her, my voice sharp and cutting. “What did you just say?”

Karylle turned, her face paling. “W-what?”

“You caused the accident?” My voice shook, not with fear, but with fury. “You killed Hayley.. for what? For your daughter? Is that it?”

Panic flickered in her eyes before she masked it. “You misunderstood,” she said quickly, stepping back. “I never—”

“I heard you.” I took another step forward, my fists clenched. “Say it again. Look me in the eyes and lie to me.”

She squared her shoulders, regaining her composure. “You’re crazy. I had nothing to do with it.”

Liar.

The next moment, I grabbed her by the wrist, yanking her toward me. She gasped, trying to pull away. “Let go of me!”

But I didn’t. My anger, my grief, my pain—it all came crashing down. “You stole my husband. You stole my life. And now, I find out you stole my daughter, too?”

She struggled, shoving me back. “You have no proof!”

“I don’t need proof.” I pushed her, and she stumbled back. “I know what I heard.”

Karylle lunged at me, nails clawing at my arm. “You’re insane!”

I fought back, shoving her harder. She lost her balance, crashing onto the floor with a sharp cry.

That was the moment Will walked in.

His eyes widened as he saw Karylle sprawled on the ground, clutching her side. “What the hell is going on?!”

Karylle whimpered, her hands trembling. “She attacked me! She’s blaming me for the accident, Will. She—” she choked on a sob, “—she won’t let go of her hatred.”

Will’s gaze snapped to me, dark and furious. “You did this?”

I scoffed, breathing heavily. “You’re seriously asking me that?”

Karylle whimpered again, shifting on the floor as she clutched her stomach. “She—she just snapped, Will. I don’t know why she’s blaming me!” Her voice broke as she let out a shaky sob. “I would never—”

I let out a cold, bitter laugh. “You would never?” I stepped forward, pointing at her. “I heard you, Karylle! You admitted it yourself!”

Will turned to me, his expression hardening. “You expect me to believe that?”

I clenched my fists, my body trembling. “You should. But you won’t, will you? Because it’s her. Because it’s always her.”

Karylle sobbed louder, curling into herself. “I’m scared, Will,” she whispered. “She pushed me…”

Will’s face twisted with panic. He dropped to his knees beside her, his hands hovering over her as though afraid to touch her. “Are you hurt?”

She sniffled, nodding weakly. “It hurts…”

I watched the scene unfold, my breath shallow. It was sickening—watching him care, watching him worry when he had done nothing for Hayley.

I had been bleeding, too. I had lost everything.

And he hadn’t even looked at me.

Will lifted Karylle into his arms. “We’re going to the hospital.”

I took a step forward. “Will, you need to listen to me.”

But he wasn’t listening. He didn’t even turn around.

“She’s dangerous,” Karylle murmured against his chest.

His grip on her tightened, his jaw clenching.

And then—he shoved me aside.

I stumbled, barely catching myself against the wall. For a moment, I just stood there, frozen, my heart cracking into a million jagged pieces.

He had chosen. He had always chosen. I watched them disappear through the door, Karylle still crying into his chest, his arms still holding her like she was the only thing that mattered.

And just like that, I was alone.

Again.

I swallowed the lump in my throat. I had cried enough.

That was the last straw.

I turned, my mind clear for the first time in weeks. My feet carried me toward the one room.

Carmela. Will and Karylle’s daughter.

My hands trembled as I reached out, brushing a strand of dark hair from her forehead. She looked so peaceful, so unaware of the sins of her parents.

A part of me hesitated. But then I remembered.

Hayley’s laughter. Her tiny hands gripping mine. Her screams—before everything went black.

They had taken my daughter from me. Now, they would know what it felt like to lose theirs.

I lifted Carmela into my arms. She stirred but didn’t wake, her small fingers curling against my shirt.

Tears burned my eyes, but I blinked them away.

This wasn’t just revenge. This was justice.

Holding her close, I stepped into the night.

By the time they realized she was gone—I would be, too.