He answered, his voice suddenly bright. "Sweetheart? Yes, I can be right there." He hung up and turned to me, his eyes gleaming. "Something's come up at the hospital. I have to go."

"Be a good girl and finish all your supplements. I'll check on you when I get back."

I nodded. The moment he was gone, I scraped all the food from the table into the garbage disposal.

As I walked into the study to copy the video file, a notification for Victoria's latest Instagram post popped up on the computer screen.

【What's it like having a childhood sweetheart who loves you more than life itself? Thank you, Gabriel, for booking the entire private medical wing for me and hiring the best nursing team in the country. So blessed to have you by my side for every milestone! ❤️】

In the photo, Gabriel was holding Victoria, carefully fastening the Hayes family's heirloom diamond necklace around her neck.

My mind reeled. I numbly clicked on another hidden folder on the computer.

A lifelong trust fund agreement appeared on the screen:

【I, Gabriel Hayes, do voluntarily gift 85% of my personal assets in the form of a trust to Victoria Morgan and her descendants.】

I wiped away my tears with a hollow laugh.

So this was what Gabriel looked like when he was truly in love.

Even with Victoria married to another man, he was still willing to give her everything.

If that was the case, then I would grant him his wish. I would disappear from his life completely.

After printing a divorce agreement and booking a service with a "staged death" agency for the next day, I went straight to the Stanford Medical Center, where Victoria was staying.

The hospital room was crowded with friends and relatives, all gathered to visit and offer congratulations.

Victoria was beaming, cradling her newborn, while Gabriel stood beside her, gently massaging her temples.

When he saw me, a flash of panic crossed his eyes.

He quickly pulled me aside, his voice a low hiss.

"Scarlett, don't misunderstand... Victoria's husband is on a business trip in Europe and couldn't get back in time. We all grew up together, she's like a little sister to me..."

"I know you haven't forgiven our parents, but Victoria and the baby are innocent in all this!"

Gabriel knew better than anyone whether they were innocent.

I was about to bring up the divorce when Victoria, still in her hospital bed, suddenly clutched her baby and shrank away from me, her face a mask of terror.

"Scarlett! I know Mom, Dad, and I were wrong about what happened! But I'm begging you, please don't hurt my child!"

"If you're angry, take it out on me! But please, don't curse my child! He's just a baby!"

I stared at her, utterly confused, as Victoria held out her phone with a trembling hand.

On the screen were screenshots from our chat: a stream of vicious, hateful comments sent from my account, spanning her entire pregnancy.

But I hadn't spoken to her privately since the day I cut ties with my family.

"How could you be so vicious? Just because you're miserable, you think you can torture your own sister like this?"

My father, Robert, was the first to charge over, slapping me hard across the face. My mother, Elena, stared at me, her eyes filled with nothing but hatred and disgust.

The surrounding relatives erupted in a chorus of curses:

"I knew it! Her body's broken and so is her mind! Vicious enough to go after her own pregnant sister!"

"Exactly! Someone like her should have died on the road in that crash! Poor Gabriel, getting stuck with such a toxic woman."

I instinctively looked to Gabriel.

For three years, he had been the one person who stood by me, who shielded me from the world's malice.

But this time, he didn't defend me. Instead, he gripped my wrist, his voice sharp with accusation.

"Scarlett Morgan! How could you do something so vile?"

"Will you only be happy when you've dragged everyone down into the mud with you?"

"Apologize to Victoria. Now! Stop dragging innocent people into your misery!"

How could I forget? When it came to a choice between Victoria and me, he would always choose Victoria.

I lifted my chin, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall.

"Why should I apologize for something I didn't do?"

"You say she's innocent, Gabriel. But I'm asking you, is she really? Are you?"

A flicker of something—guilt?—crossed Gabriel's face before he shook his head, as if to deny it.

"Scarlett, stop being delusional! You're making me seriously question why I ever pitied you enough to marry you!"

I smiled, a brittle thing that hid the tears burning my eyes.

You don't have to question it anymore, Gabriel. And you don't have to pretend to be devoted.

Soon, we won't be husband and wife anymore.

Without Gabriel's protection, I was quickly swarmed by insults and curses, hounded out of the hospital room.

I escaped to the women's restroom to pull myself together.

A moment later, the door swung open, and Victoria walked in, her arms crossed.