Audrey POV:

The air in the ballroom was thick with the scent of lilies and expensive champagne. My head pounded. The gown Maria had dressed me in was a cruel joke. It was a slinky, form-fitting dress, the kind I used to wear before pregnancy. Now, it clung to every curve, highlighting my still-soft stomach, the faint stretch marks a painful roadmap across my skin.

The cream, that insidious cream Ethan had forced on me, made my skin itch and burn. It was a constant, agonizing reminder of his cruelty. I squeezed my eyes shut, willing the discomfort away.

Whispers started. They zipped through the crowd like venomous darts. "Is that Audrey Fox? Goodness, she's let herself go." "Look at her next to Kendall. No comparison." "Poor Ethan, carrying that for so long."

The words sliced at me, each one a fresh wound. They compared me to Kendall, her taut, unblemished figure, her glowing perfection. They talked about Ethan, the "suffering" husband, the one who deserved better. The shame was a suffocating blanket, pressing me down, crushing the last vestiges of my dignity.

I tried to melt into the shadows, to escape the searing gaze of the crowd. But Ethan's hand, cold and firm, clamped around my arm. "Don't you dare," he hissed, his grip bruising. "You will stand here, Audrey. You will smile. This is Kendall's night, and you will play your part." His eyes were like chips of ice.

He paraded me around, a trophy of his betrayal, a living testament to his supposed magnanimity. I was the backdrop, the foil against which Kendall' s brilliance was meant to shine.

On the stage, under a spotlight, Ethan announced a massive gift for Kendall: a significant share in Blake Enterprises, making her a formidable player in the company. The crowd applauded wildly. Then, he presented her with a diamond necklace, a delicate piece of art that I had admired in a magazine just months ago, mentioning how much I loved its unique design. He had remembered. But not for me.

"Kendall and I," he announced, his voice booming with affection, "will share all our triumphs, all our successes. She is not just my colleague, but my partner in life, in ambition." He squeezed her hand, his eyes filled with an adoration that had once been mine.

He then looked at me, a cold, empty gaze. "Audrey," he said, his voice flat, "she runs the household. Kendall runs the company. Everyone has their place. And it works perfectly."

The whispers started again, louder now, laced with pity and thinly veiled contempt. Everyone knew. Everyone saw. I was a cuckolded wife, publicly humiliated, and discarded. My face felt bloodless, my hands clenched so tight my nails dug into my palms, the sharp pain a welcome distraction from the agony in my heart.

Ethan and Kendall drifted away, surrounded by fawning admirers. I slipped into a quiet alcove, needing to escape the suffocating air, the judgmental eyes. The fever, forgotten for a moment in the torrent of humiliation, surged back. My body ached, the burning itch of the cream intensifying. My head spun. I leaned against a cold wall, the darkness swallowing me whole.

I drifted in and out of consciousness. Through the haze, I heard Ethan's voice. Gentle. Concerned. He was there. He was wiping my forehead with a cool cloth. "Audrey," he murmured, "you're burning up."

My body instinctively leaned into his touch, seeking the comfort I so desperately craved. Just for a second, I imagined everything was alright. That he was still my Ethan.

Then, Kendall's voice, husky and breathy, broke the illusion. "Is she asleep?"

"Out cold," Ethan chuckled, his voice losing all traces of concern, replaced by a casual indifference. "Good. She won't know we're here." The rustling of clothes. A soft moan. The unmistakable sounds of intimacy. They were doing it. Right here. While I lay unconscious.

My blood turned to ice. My mind screamed. No! Wake up! Get up and hit them! But my limbs were heavy, unresponsive. My body was trapped in this agonizing limbo, forced to bear witness to the ultimate betrayal.

A short while later, I felt Ethan' s arms scoop me up. His touch, which had once been a source of safety, now felt invasive, disgusting. He carried me, my limp body a burden. "Ready to go home, darling?" he crooned, his voice light, filled with a sickening contentment.

The sweet, cloying scent of Kendall' s perfume clung to him, a tangible reminder of their act. My stomach churned. I pushed against his chest, a guttural sound escaping my lips. "No," I rasped, my voice barely a whisper. "Take me… take me to my parents' house. My home."

Ethan' s footsteps, which had been light and cheerful, faltered. He stopped dead.

Audrey POV:

Ethan' s footsteps stopped, a sudden, jarring halt. His face, which had been soft and content moments ago, hardened into a mask of displeasure. He looked down at me, his eyes narrowed. "What did you say, Audrey?" His voice was cold, clipped.

"My home," I repeated, a new strength in my voice. "Take me to my parents' house. I want to go home."

He squeezed me tighter, his grip painful. "Don't be ridiculous. This is your home. Our home. And what about our son? Who will take care of him if you run off to your parents'?" He tried to inject concern into his voice, but it sounded hollow, manipulative.

"I'm taking our son with me," I stated, my voice firm despite the weakness in my body.

His eyes flashed with something I couldn't quite decipher-panic? Anger? He didn't say another word, but his grip on me tightened even more. His pace quickened, carrying me swiftly towards the exit.

"Ethan! Where are you going?" Kendall' s voice, sharp and demanding, cut through the night. She was running after us. But he didn't even glance back. He just kept moving.

Suddenly, Kendall screamed, a piercing, theatrical sound. "Ethan! Watch out!" She darted into the busy street, directly into the path of an oncoming taxi.

Ethan, without a moment's hesitation, hurled me from his arms. My head slammed against the sharp edge of a stone planter, a searing pain exploding behind my eyes. Blood immediately gushed, warm and sticky, down my face. Before I could even register the pain, a speeding motorcycle, swerving to avoid Kendall, clipped me. I was sent flying, my body a ragdoll tossed through the air. A blinding flash of light, then searing pain in my leg.

Through the blurry, agonizing haze, I saw Ethan. He had caught Kendall. He held her tight in his arms, stroking her hair. "My love, are you hurt?" he murmured, his voice thick with concern. Kendall buried her face in his chest, sobbing melodramatically. "Oh, Ethan, I thought I was going to die! You saved me!"

He kissed her, a long, tender kiss, right there in the middle of the chaos he had created. He had thrown me away. Again. He had chosen her. Again.

The pain in my head, my leg, was eclipsed by the agony in my heart. My love for him, which had stubbornly clung to life, finally shriveled and died. It was a cold, hard death.

Darkness consumed me.

I woke up in a sterile white room, the rhythmic beeping of machines my only companion. I was in the ICU. Days had passed. My head throbbed, my right leg was encased in a heavy cast.

Ethan was slumped in a chair beside my bed, his head resting on his chest, feigning sleep. His face was pale, stubble darkening his jaw. He looked tired. A pang of something akin to pity, quickly suppressed, stirred within me.

I remembered him as a boy, so vibrant, so full of life. His eyes, always sparkling with mischief. Now, they were shadowed with something ugly, something I no longer recognized. His face, once so beautiful, now seemed distorted, almost monstrous.

A soft sob escaped my lips, a sound I hadn't intended to make. His head snapped up. He blinked, his eyes widening when he saw me. "Audrey! My God, you're awake!" He lunged forward, grabbing my hand. "Are you in pain? Where does it hurt?" His voice was frantic, laced with a performative concern.

"This is all your fault," he accused, his voice dropping to a harsh whisper. "Your ridiculous demand to go to your parents' house. That's what caused this accident."

My heart, already dead, felt nothing but a cold void. He was blaming me. For his choice. For his betrayal.

"It was your mistress who caused it!" I choked out, my voice raw. "She threw herself into traffic!"

The mention of Kendall's name made his face snap shut. His eyes hardened. "Don't you dare speak about Kendall like that!" he spat, his voice laced with venom. "She was terrified! She's delicate! You're the one who's always so dramatic, so hysterical. She's been nothing but a sweetheart, a true professional. You need to learn from her, Audrey. She's graceful. You're just… a mess."

Tears streamed down my face, hot and furious. The injustice, the sheer audacity of his words, was suffocating.

He rolled his eyes. "Oh, for God's sake, stop crying. Always crying. Kendall never cries. She handles her emotions. You should try it. Be like her. Dignified." He stood up, pacing the small room. "You know what? I'm going to release a statement. A public apology from you to Kendall. For accusing her, for being so… unkind."

My vision swam. My head throbbed. I couldn't breathe. My heart monitor shrieked, the red lights flashing wildly.

Ethan' s phone buzzed. He snatched it up, his face breaking into a wide smile. "Kendall, my love! Are you alright?" He walked out of the room, his voice fading as he spoke sweet nothings to her. "I'm coming. I'm on my way."

He left. I was alone. Again. The monitors shrieked louder. Nurses rushed in. The last thing I saw was the terrified faces of the medical staff before darkness consumed me once more. I was being rushed to the ER. No one was with me.

Audrey POV:

I spent nearly ten days in the hospital. Ethan never visited. Not once. My phone, once filled with his messages, remained silent. A heavy, suffocating silence.

But Kendall' s messages were a constant, tormenting stream. Ethan bought me a new diamond bracelet today. It' s gorgeous. He loves showering me with gifts. She sent photos, glittering and obnoxious. Then, the truly sickening blows. Videos. Clips of her and Ethan, intimate, laughing, utterly absorbed in each other. I deleted them as fast as they came, my thumb shaking. I wanted to block her, to erase her from my life completely.

Just as I was about to, another message popped up. Ethan' s planning something big. He' s getting your family to invest in a major project. He says it' ll secure your future. How sweet.

A cold dread gripped me. I knew Kendall. She was ambitious, but utterly clueless about finance. If she was involved in a major investment, it was a trap. A disaster waiting to happen. My family. My father. They would be ruined.

I frantically tried to call my father, but he wasn' t picking up. I called my mother instead. "Mom, please tell me Dad hasn't invested with Ethan yet."

My mother's voice, light and happy, floated through the phone. "Oh, darling, it's wonderful! Such a brilliant opportunity. Your father has already transferred the funds. Ethan is such a genius. He said it would solidify your inheritance, make sure you never have to worry about anything. He' s always looking out for you, our sweet boy."

My world tilted. My parents. They had worked their entire lives, building their company from nothing. Their fortune was modest compared to the Blakes, but it was hard-earned, built on integrity. They had poured everything into my future, into my stability with Ethan. Now, because of me, because of this monstrosity of a marriage, it was all at risk. The guilt was a physical ache.

I had to stop it. I would not let Ethan destroy my family.

Despite my still-broken leg, I discharged myself from the hospital. Leaning heavily on crutches, my body still weak, I made my way to Blake Enterprises.

"I need to see Ethan Blake," I told the receptionist, my voice trembling slightly.

She looked at me, a sneer playing on her lips. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Blake, but Mr. Blake is very busy. And he left specific instructions that you are not to be disturbed." Her tone was dismissive, contemptuous.

"I am his wife!" I shouted, a flash of my old fire returning. "I have every right to see him!"

She just scoffed. "And Ms. Johnston is his future. Her words are now part of our company's charter. You're effectively irrelevant here."

My heart hammered. Company charter? Kendall had that much power already? Panic set in. I tried calling Ethan, his assistants, anyone. All my calls went unanswered. I was shut out.

I failed. The contract was signed. My father' s money, my family' s future, was now in Ethan' s hands. And Kendall' s.

Just as I was struggling to accept defeat, the elevator doors opened. Ethan and Kendall emerged, side by side, radiating power and triumph. Kendall smirked at me, a silent victory dance in her eyes.

Ethan saw me, his expression darkening. "Audrey? What are you doing here? I thought you were still in the hospital." His tone was devoid of concern, only annoyance. He hadn't even known I was still there.

Then, my father appeared, walking towards the elevator, a broad smile on his face. He saw me, and his smile faltered. "Audrey! My darling, why are you so thin? Have you and Ethan been fighting?" His kind, worried eyes searched mine.

My father had a delicate heart. I couldn't tell him. Not now. Not when he was so happy, so proud of his "investment."

"Please, Ethan," I pleaded, my voice breaking, tears stinging my eyes. "Please. Don't let Kendall handle this project. Our family will be ruined. Please, protect my father. He' s put everything into this. Please, I beg you."

Ethan looked at me, his eyes cold and distant. "Audrey, don't be so petty. Kendall is brilliant. And she needs this experience more than your family needs a few extra pennies. She' s learning, growing. This is important." He then turned to Kendall, a soft smile on his face. "Isn't that right, my love?"

Kendall beamed, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "Of course, darling. I'm learning so much." She then leaned in close to me, her voice a low, vicious whisper. "Your family will lose everything, Audrey. Everything. And you have no one to blame but yourself."

A red mist descended. My family. My father. This venomous woman was going to destroy everything. I couldn't take it anymore. I lunged forward, grabbing at the contract in Kendall's hand.

"No!" I screamed, pulling with all my might.

Kendall shrieked, clinging to the document. We stumbled, losing our balance. The railing of the mezzanine, too flimsy to withstand our struggle, gave way.

We both tumbled over the edge.

I saw Ethan. His eyes, wide with horror. He reached out. Not for me. For Kendall. He grabbed her arm, pulling her back to safety. His hand, outstretched for a fleeting moment, passed right through me.

He chose her. Again.

The ground rushed up to meet me. A sickening crack. My right leg, already broken, twisted at an unnatural angle. The pain was blinding. Then, nothing. I blacked out.