5 The banquet hall went dead silent. I thought I'd misheard-until the kids repeated it, loud and clear. "Mommy threw it!" Yep, Olivia saw everything!" Their sweet little voices carried the cruelest lie. And with it, the last flicker of attachment I had for this family died. "I didn't! If you don't believe me, check the cameras- Enough!" Benjamin cut me off, sharp as a blade. They're just kids. Why would they lie? And why would Sophia frame you with her most precious bracelet? You keep making a scene, refusing to admit fault. Time to pay for what you've done." His voice was ice. "Ella, get that bracelet. Don't come back until you find it." Benjamin never backed down once he decided. The bodyguards moved at once, expressionless. They seized me, ignored my struggles, and shoved me into the freezing lake. The bottom was a tangle of weeds and jagged rocks. My half-healed wounds split open, fresh blood burning in the cold water. I don't know how long I searched. By the time my numb fingers closed around the bracelet, my hands were white and wrinkled. Soaked to the bone, I dragged myself ashore. Shivering, bedraggled, I held out the bracelet. Benjamin didn't even glance at me. He went straight to Sophia. My strength drained away. I collapsed onto the icy grass. Two soft voices floated above me. "Bro, Mom looks so bad. Did we go too far?" "Nah. Dad said we have to help Aunt Sophia no matter what. We're just doing what he told us." "Oh, right. Anyway, Mom loves us. She'll be fine. Let's go find Aunt Sophia..." Their voices faded as darkness swallowed me whole. When I woke, I was alone in a hospital bed. Two nurses were cleaning my wounds, chatting without lowering their voices. "Marriage really is a second life. Look at her-covered in injuries, burning up with fever, and nobody cares." "Mrs. Carter though? Different story. Her bracelet got wet, and Mr. Carter booked out an entire VIP floor. Flew in experts from all over just to fix her puffy eyes." "Right? Her husband dotes on her, and those kids! One peels lychees for her, the other tells her stories. So sweet. Having both a boy and a girl really is a blessing." Then they noticed my open eyes-and clammed up. Silence. My phone buzzed. A message from Benjamin: [Use this time to reflect in the hospital.] The contrast between being loved and unloved was brutal. But my heart barely pricked. No sadness. No anger. Just emptiness. A hunger to leave. Chris, Benjamin's assistant, came to pick me up the day I was discharged. 1231 0.8% He parked outside an upscale club. "Mrs. Carter, Mr. Carter is waiting inside." I didn't suspect a thing. For years, I'd gone to countless events with him. I headed to the private room Chris mentioned. At the door, strange sounds leaked through the crack. I froze, thinking I'd made a mistake. But when I peeked inside- A man sat with his shirt half open, moaning as he touched himself. Beside him, Sophia lounged calmly, mussing her hair and pinching red marks into her neck. The whole scene was sick. Dangerous. Every instinct screamed: Run! I spun around- Too late. Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!