Chapter 1 ALINA'S POV " Why are you doing this ? " Pain coursed through my body as I desperately tried to crawl away from Seraphina . She was supposed to be my sister . Sure , I was adopted , but she had always showered me with love . Yet now , her eyes were were ablaze with hatred and disgust as she glared down at me. " Are you really that daft , or do you genuinely not get it ? " She sneered , her voice oozing with contempt as I looked up at her , my pain mingling with confusion . I had always done what she wanted . I had let her take credit for my jewelry designs for years . So why was she turning on me now ? " Please , just tell me what I..I did wrong . I promise I'll do better . " My words were a weak plea , cracking as hot tears streamed down my cheeks . " Ughhh ! " Seraphina kicked my outstretched hand away as if it repulsed her . " This is what I can't stand about you ! " She spat , her nostrils flaring . " You act all sweet and innocent with that porcelain face and those big , doe - like grey eyes , making everyone fall for you . " Her fists clenched , her whole body shaking with rage . " I hate you so much ! " " Why ? " I croaked , may voice barely above a whisper . My head throbbed painfully from where the cold , unforgiving wall of the abandoned warehouse . one of her goons had slammed it against " Why ? Why ? " She suddenly screamed , her voice raw with fury . " Because you stole my life ! " She spat the words like venom . " What ? " I gasped , my breath hitching in a mix of pain and confusion . " You stole eighteen years of my life ! " She hissed . " I was stuck in an orphanage while you were living the life that was meant for me ! I'm supposed to be engaged to Lucian , not your " Bitterness coated her every word , hands balled into fists beside her . My stomach twisted violently . What was she talking about ! It wasn't my fault she had gone missing as a child , and when Mom and Dad found her six years ago , they had treated her with nothing but love . And Lucian ? What did he have to do with any of this ? I didn't even like him . " Lucian ? " My brow furrowing in confusion . " You know I don't like him . If you wanted him , you should have just said so . I'm sure Mom and Dad would cancel our engagement and set you up with him- " Stop calling them Mom and Dad ! " She yelled , cutting me off . Her eyes were ablaze with raw anger . " They're my parents , not yours ! " She was breathing heavily , her rage palpable, before she continued . " Besides , do you really think Mom didn't try to break off your engagement ? Lucian was as stubborn as a mule , he wouldn't marry anyone but you ! " But I don't love him , " My voice was a whisper , desperation creeping into my voice as my heart raced . " It's Adrian I love ! " I searched her face , hoping , praying , that she would see that I never intended to take anything from her . " Oh God , how dumb can you be ? " She laughed maniacally , the sound sending chills down my spine , " Adrian doesn't love you , you idiot , he loves me . " Her words sliced through me like a knife , shattering my heart into a million pieces . " That's not true . " I protested , shaking my head vigorously , trying to ignore the throbbing pain in my skull. " Oh , but it is . " She smirked , her face twisted with cruel satisfaction . " All these years , he's just been using you . You were just too stupid to " No ! " I cried out , my voice trembling- " You should have listened to Lucian , you know ." Her designer heels clicked ominously against the cold concrete floor as she approached me . The sound echoed eerily in the empty warehouse . " He's been trying to protect you from us , but all you did was humiliate , insult , and betray him . " Suddenly , she grabbed my chin , her fingers digging into my skin as she forced me to look her in the eye . " You don't deserve him ! " She spat , shoving my head aside with revulsion . " You're lying . " My voice ice was barely above a whisper . I didn't want to believe her . I couldn't believe her . 1/4 6.25 AM Chapter 1 She scoffed , " Am I ? " Tilting her head mockingly , she continued " What reason do I have to lie to you when you're dying anyway My heart raced like a drum in my chest as I searched her face for any hint of a lie . But there was nothing . The cold , hard truth stared back at me from her eyes . Every word she uttered was genuine . But .. why ! " You know that little friend of yours , Talia ? " She continued , in a bored almost nonchalant tone , as if she were discussing the weather . " She figured out what we were up to , and well .. we had to silence her . " I gasped , my breath bitching in my throat as my eyes widened in pure horror . " What ? f * Talia was dead ? My fiery , red - haired best friend ? " You pushed her away and neglected her ," Seraphina shook her head with mock pity . " And even in the end , she wasn't lying . She was trying to save you She let out a bitter laugh , as if the thought of Talia's unwavering loyalty made her sick . " You know what her last words to me were ? Right before I plunged a knife into her chest ? " A wicked smile spread across her lips . She didn't wait for me to answer , " She begged me - not to hurt you ." Seraphina's voice turned sharp , her eyes flashing with a mix of anger and something that felt like resentment . " I really don't get why these people stay loyal to you when all you've ever done is treat them like shit " I felt my entire body go numb . " You killed Talia ? " I whispered , my heart clenching painfully in my chest . Tears blurred my vision as the reality sank in . I had thought she left the country . She told me she was going to be with her parents since I wasn't going to listen to her . The last thing I had said to her was for her to stay away from me and my business . I had told her never to show her face to me again . I had no idea she was dead . How could I have been so stupid ? I had been so focused on giving my loyalty to those who didn't deserve it while pushing away the only people who truly cared for me . As I struggled to process everything she was saying . Adrian walked in . Seeing him sparked a flicker of hope in my chest , fragile yet burning with desperation . " Adrian . " I called out , a small smile trying to break through the pain etched on my face . But what he did next shattered me completely . Adrian didn't even glance my way . He walked straight to Seraphina , pulled her to his chest by the waist and kissed her smack on the lips . My breath hitched in my throat . " No … " Is it done ! " Seraphina asked , beaming up at him as if I didn't exist , as if my whole world wasn't crumbling around me . How did I never notice that these two were having sex behind my back ? " Yes . " His response was smooth . " The moment he got the news that Alina was taken , the lovesick fool jumped into his car , speeding here like a maniac , completely unaware that the brakes of his car had been tampered with . It was a full - speed collision . He died instantly ." He held up bis phone , showing something to Seraphina . Please let that not be Lucian ? I hoped to God that it wasn't Lucian " Ooooh , that must have hurt . " She said , peering at the screen before bursting into laughter . Then , as if suddenly remembering I was still there , she turned to me with a nonchalant shrug . " Oh well . The last person on your side is dead . " " That's not true , " I whispered , feeling my last shred of hope splinter into nothing . " Lucian can't be dead . " 1 shook my head in denial . 2/4 Chapter 1 Lucian was a strong and stubborn man , he couldn't just die easily . Seraphina turned the phone toward me , and my stomach dropped . There on the screen was Lucian , his face bloodied and lifeless , as they zipped him into a body bag " No ! " I screamed , overwhelmed with agony . I had spent my whole life hating him , pushing him away , and yet … he died trying to save me He had done everything for me , even signing over his entire empire to prove his love . And what did I do ? I handed it over to Adrian . Adrian , who now stood beside Seraphina , looking at me with cold , indifferent eyes . Like I was a stranger . Like he had never known me at all . " Why are you doing this , Adrian ? " I cried , my voice breaking . " I gave you everything ! " Desperation clawed at my chest . " Why save me from drowning if you hated me this much ?! " I screamed , summoning the last of my strength A cruel laugh escaped his lips , " You think I saved you ? Lucian was the one who saved you that day , not me ." My breath hitched- " He was such a coward , Adrian said with a smirk . " Didn't even stick around for you to wake up , so I had to swoop in. " I stared at him , feeling my world tilt as memories from that day , six years ago , flooded back . Lucian . It was Lucian who had pulled me out of the water when Seraphina and her friends thought it would be funny to push me into the pool , knowing fully well that I couldn't swim . I remembered catching a glimpse of a retreating back , but when I woke up , it was Adrian sitting by my bedside . I had always thought it was him all along . But it had been Lucian . A sob caught in my throat , my chest tightening . " It was Lucian , " I whispered , my voice empty . " It's always been Lucian , Memories crashed over me , memories 1 had been too blind and stubborn to acknowledge . Whenever I found myself in trouble , Lucian was always there . Even when I pushed him away , yelled at him , and cursed him . I had made a terrible mistake . Lost in my swirling state of regret and despair , a sharp , acrid scent suddenly hit my nose .. Gasoline . I looked up in alarm . Adrian stood a few feet away , pouring gasoline onto the floor , the liquid pooling in thick , dark puddles around me . My blood ran cold . " No please don't . " I pleaded , trying to move , trying to stand , but my body wouldn't cooperate . I felt so weak . I was already losing blood from the stab wound in my stomach , my vision blurring at the edges . " You've taken everything from me . " I said weakly , my voice barely a whisper as I turned to Seraphina . " Aren't you satisfied ! " She met my gaze with a wicked grin . " No. " My breath caught in my throat . Chapter I " I'll only be satisfied when you no longer exist in this world ." She said , flicking a lighter on . The tiny flame danced in her hand , bright and hungry , merciless . Then , without a moment's hesitation , she tossed it in front of me . Flames erupted instantly , roaring to life as they spread around me , eagerly licking at the gasoline - soaked floor . I screamed as the fire reached my leg . g , searing my pale skin , " Please , help me ! " I cried out , my voice breaking as I struggled to breathe through the thick smoke that filled my lungs , scratching at my throat like a thousand fiery needles . But they didn't come to my aid . Instead , they just laughed , cold , heartless , and completely indifferent . As the flames wrapped around me , I watched them turn away , strolling out of the warehouse hand in hand , not even sparing me a backward glance I found myself praying to anything and everything I could think of . I prayed for a miracle , even though deep down , I knew it was futile . I wished , oh , how I wished I had made different choices . I wished I had treated the people who truly cared for me with more kindness . And as the darkness finally enveloped me , I wished upon the stars for a chance to go back and set things right . Then- Everything went dark . AD