At a friends' gathering, we're all playing Truth or Dare. Since Austin Ramos has lost the round, he chooses the "Truth" option.

"Elsa and I have a child together."

I whip around to stare at him in disbelief, my body already frozen from the news.

Everyone knows that Elsa is my dearest sister, whereas Austin is my newly-married husband.

His tone is casual and calm. It's also coated in a slight hint of nonchalance.

"I had too much to drink three years ago. Elsa looked super sexy in her skimpy clothes, and I couldn't hold myself back. I didn't think she'd get pregnant right away."

He dips his head while chuckling softly. Soon, his words take on a different meaning.

"Elsa is definitely sexier than a certain someone here, and she's definitely interesting in bed. On top of that, she's capable of making me a father, unlike a certain infertile woman here."

I can only look at Elsa, whose cheeks are heavily flushed. She lowers her head and dares not look at me the whole time.

Yesterday, Elsa had wished me happiness with red-rimmed eyes. She told me that she'd plan the grandest wedding for me.

Austin puts down his glass before adding lightly, "There. I've said my piece."

Almost immediately, everyone falls silent and turns to look at me.

"But why?" I asked, having to force those words out of me.

If Austin Ramos and Elsa Frost fancied one another, why did Austin want to be with me and marry me? Not only that, but why did he choose to come clean right now and put me in such a difficult position?

Austin actually breathed a sigh of relief when he saw me on tenterhooks. "It's not Elsa's fault. I was the one who asked her for it in the first place. She kept it from you because she was terrified of losing you, or worse, that you'd despise her.

"However, I'm done living a life like this. I want our family of three to be able to live together openly, not live in a way where all we're doing is to accommodate you."

He sounded so righteous, his eyes brimming with nothing but guilt toward my younger sister, Elsa. Yet, just yesterday, he was weeping with joy because we were getting our marriage registered.

After a brief silence, he continued, "Serene, you wouldn't want your younger sister and your niece to have to live such secretive lives forever, right?

"Don't worry. We are still family, and I will still treat you well in the future."

When I heard all that, I shook with fury.

"Austin, you are a bastard!" I leapt to my feet and grabbed my purse, slamming it right on his face. "Do you even have a heart? How could you utter such disgusting things?"

Everyone was stunned. They exchanged glances with one another, too afraid to say a word.

Elsa, who had been silent the entire time, grabbed my hand immediately once she noticed that I was swinging my purse at Austin a second time.

"Rennie, just put the blame on me if you must!" she exclaimed, her tone desperate and submissive.

"That one time three years ago was really the only time anything ever happened. Nothing ever happened between him and me again after that! As you know, I haven't been in the best of health since I was a kid.

"I only kept the child because the doctor advised against an abortion. I really never had the intention to split you both up!"

I looked down at her. The tears brimming in her eyes made her appear extremely pitiful. I would have believed her if I hadn't actually noticed the fresh hickey on her neck.

While I reached out and touched it, I questioned in a sarcastic voice, "Are you still trying to deceive me even at this point, Elsa?"

All color drained from her face instantly.

I couldn't comprehend why she, of all people, was the one who betrayed me. We lost both our parents when we were kids. So, we were everything to each other.

When I told her I was seeing someone, her very first reaction was to add him as a friend on social media and dig up everything she could on him.

"What's so great about him? How dare he try to take my elder sister away from me?"

I took her phone from her, utterly amused when I scrolled through her messages of criticism toward Austin.

After that, whenever I wanted to go on dates with Austin, she would pepper him with endless warnings, worried I'd be taken advantage of. Whenever the three of us went out together, she always forced Austin and me to distance ourselves from one another.

"Don't you dare come close to Rennie so long as I'm here!"

I laughed at her for always being so jealous, simply assuming that she was reluctant to let me go.

Yesterday, she even ordered a gold necklace for me, saying that she wanted to plan the most spectacular wedding for me now that I had found my happy ending.

I thought I was the happiest person in the whole world, blessed with a husband and a sister who loved me above all else.

But reality came crashing down on me.

Elsa shook her head repeatedly and defended, "This is just a mosquito bite. Don't overthink it, Rennie!"

Suddenly, she turned and glared fiercely at Austin. "Why did you have to reveal that? Didn't we already come to an agreement?"

"That's enough!"

I shoved Elsa's hands away.

"How shameless, all of you! Quit that act now, both of you."

With a swing of my hand, I landed a loud smack on her cheek. All of a sudden, Austin shoved me aside to steady Elsa as she stumbled from the smack.

"What is wrong with you, Serene? Yes, we wronged you all these years, but was it necessary to hit your sister? For three years, she has done nothing but accommodate you. Hasn't she done enough?

"Whenever we go out, she caters to your every want. She eats whatever you feel like eating and goes wherever you want to go. She has even sat on roller coasters with you even when it took a toll on her heart!

"Since our child was born, she has spent more time with you than with our child. She lived in fear that you would find out the truth and abandon her. Even today, our child thinks her nanny is her mother!

"How could you be so unforgiving toward her when she loves you this much? You've really gone too far!"

Austin's every accusation echoed loudly in my mind.

Those dishes I ordered according to their preferences and the vacations I planned in order to make their wishes come true… At the end of it all, I was the one at fault.

Upon gathering herself, Elsa gave Austin a shove out of nowhere. "Don't tell Rennie off like that…" she protested in a shaky voice.

"She wasn't the one who wronged us. We wronged her—"

Before she could finish her sentence, her eyes closed, and she collapsed to the ground.

"Elsa!"

Austin scooped her up with one swift move and dashed out the door without even turning back.

Chaos ensued in the private room. Some started making calls, and some packed their things up, while some yelled out for others to call 911.

Meanwhile, I stayed rooted to the spot. I couldn't hear what anyone was saying. Everyone's voices were reduced to nothing but a constant buzz in my ear.

Soon enough, everyone left, and I was left alone in the room. I sat down on the couch and pulled out a medical report from my purse. It showed that I was four weeks pregnant.

I was reminded of the rivers I cried in that corridor at the hospital when I got my hands on this report. It was all because I noticed the look in Austin's eyes three years ago when he looked at other children. His gaze was so soft, and he even mumbled to himself, "What an adorable kid."

He'd even talk about his plans for his children in the future.

That was when I knew he had a desire to have children. However, the doctor diagnosed me with an underdeveloped uterus, which made the chances of conceiving naturally extremely slim.

Over the last few years, I had been to every hospital in the city and consumed so much medicine that I lost my sense of taste.

Every month, I'd keep track of my ovulation dates, check my body temperature, have my blood drawn for hormone tests, and have ultrasound scans to examine my follicles.

Austin had no idea all these were happening. I wanted to give him a surprise when I actually conceived successfully.

Finally, I made it happen. My initial plan was to announce the good news today, right here, right in front of everyone.

But there was no need for that anymore. Austin had become a father a long time ago.

I closed my eyes, breaking down completely in tears. After I finally exhausted myself from all the crying, I ripped the medical report to shreds and rang up an attorney I was closely acquainted with.

"I want to file for a divorce."

After finalizing the details with my attorney, I made an appointment with the hospital for an abortion. With three days left before the procedure, I returned home to pack my bags.

The moment I stepped through the doors, I saw the laptop that was still sitting there in the living room. Before Austin and I headed out for that gathering, we were still snuggled up together on the couch, trying to pick the outfits we were going to wear at our wedding ceremony.

Now, only hours later, everything had changed.

Austin arrived home right after I packed my valuables up. A tinge of panic crossed his face when he saw my suitcase.

"Do you want to get a divorce? I will not agree to it. I only said what I said so that Elsa and our child will not have to continue living in the shadows."

I took a deep breath, fighting back the urge to throw up.

"Austin, what makes you think I can tolerate living alongside your little family of three? As you are aware, there is nothing I loathe more than unfaithful men."

He was well aware of the fact that my mother uncovered proof of my father's affair while they were in the car. Hot-tempered as she was, she snapped and lost all reason, engaging in a relentless argument with my father in the car.

Too distracted to pay attention to driving, my father smashed the car through the guardrails in the end. Both my parents died at the scene. I was 16 years old, while Elsa was ten at the time.

Austin's expression shifted, but he quickly regained his composure.

He defended, "But it's different with Elsa. She's your younger sister, and you are having trouble conceiving. Why not just raise her child as your own? Don't you think she has suffered enough for your sake the last three years?"

I started to tremble violently with rage when I heard that. I opened my mouth to tell him about my pregnancy, wanting to find out how he would react when he heard the news.

But… I decided to let it go.

"Serene, I gave up my right to be a father because I chose to be with you. Now that I've finally found a way for us both to have what we want—"

"Stop. You're making me sick!" I cut him off with a fierce scream, those useless tears filling my eyes once again. I grabbed my suitcase and rushed toward the door.

"You and I are over for good. I'm writing off the last eight years with you as a total loss," I said.

After being momentarily stunned, Austin yanked me back, pinning me in his arms forcefully. Suddenly, the scent of Elsa's perfume wafted up my nose.

As he forced himself to hide his panic, he softened his tone significantly. "Serene, you are still the one I love the most. I will treat you better moving forward and double my efforts in making up to you. Please don't go, okay?"

His warm breath brushed against my neck, and yet, my heart felt completely cold.

Just then, there was a soft click at the door. It was the sound of the door being unlocked. Then, Elsa pushed the door open and entered.