Chapter 1

Megan only learned the truth on the brink of death. She had two husbands. One was Caspian Stone, and the other was his twin brother, Cedric Stone.

Both men had been devoted to the fake heiress, Arianna Maxwell. But when the marriage had been pushed onto Megan, the real heiress, the twins had secretly agreed to alternate weeks with her so neither felt shortchanged.

Megan would have lived her entire life in the dark if she hadn't fallen down the stairs and lost the baby. While drifting in and out of consciousness at the hospital, she overheard the three of them talking.

"You two are way too good to me," Arianna said, sounding almost touched. "You planned that fall just because I asked. If she wakes up and realizes she lost her baby after finally getting pregnant, do you think she'll be mad?"

Caspian lounged lazily in his chair, his dark eyes full of mockery. "She never deserved to carry our child. We gave her contraceptives long ago. Who would have thought she'd get this lucky?"

Cedric's eyes flashed with cold indifference. "She kept trying to seduce us, and we only gave in once in a while. I already instructed the doctor to remove her uterus. She'll never have another chance to get pregnant."

Arianna sighed regretfully. "What a shame. I still don't know whether the baby was yours or Caspian's."

It was in that moment that Megan finally understood the horrifying truth. She had unknowingly been their shared wife for seven years.

There was nothing more disgusting or infuriating in the world. Rage tore through her, triggering massive hemorrhaging, and despite the doctors' efforts, she was pronounced dead.

…

When Megan opened her eyes again, she was back on the night of her wedding to Caspian.

He noticed her staring at him strangely and narrowed his eyes. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Megan recalled what had happened five years ago. After the truth about her and Arianna's identities had come to light, the engagement between the White family and the Stone family had fallen on her shoulders instead.

Since she had been switched at birth, returning to the White family left her completely out of place, even in front of her biological parents.

The Whites were an elite family, and she was a girl from an orphanage who knew nothing about upper-class etiquette.

She embarrassed herself constantly, and many people looked down on her.

Caspian had always stood by her. When others mocked her, he stepped in front of her protectively. When they sneered at her, he shot back without hesitation.

She was like a delicate bird, drawn to the warmth hidden beneath his icy exterior. So when her parents asked which twin she wanted to marry, she chose Caspian without hesitation.

She never imagined he had only agreed on the surface. In truth, he never wanted her, and over the seven years of their marriage, he took turns sharing her with Cedric.

Megan felt a sharp pain in her chest. She swallowed the bitterness and muttered, "It's nothing."

Caspian gently stroked the top of her head. "Get some rest. I'm going to see Cedric for a bit."

Her heart sank, and her eyes widened in disbelief.

She remembered this moment from her previous life. Did that mean the man who spent her wedding night with her hadn't even been Caspian?

As she watched Caspian walk away, Megan clutched her chest to hold back the pain and quietly followed. Through the crack in the door, she heard him talking to Cedric.

"Tonight's your wedding night, and you're still coming here to switch with me?" Cedric asked, frowning.

"So what? Ari is the only one I love. Besides, the week is up. It's my turn today."

Cedric's frown deepened. "What about your wedding night? Are you seriously expecting me to take your place and sleep with Megan?"

Caspian motioned for Cedric to hand over his clothes and casually said, "Does it matter? Her eyes are damaged. She had drops this morning, and she can't even tell you from me. What difference does it make who sleeps with her?"

"You really are ruthless," Cedric said, handing over his clothes. "First, you staged the car accident to damage Megan's eyes. Then you acted all caring, giving her those daily dilating drops so she couldn't see clearly. Our rotation wouldn't have gone so smoothly otherwise."

"Grandpa made us marry her, then he warned us to treat her well and forbid any divorce. That's the only reason things got this messy," Caspian replied, straightening his collar with annoyance.

Megan's mind spun. The shock was so overwhelming that her body began to tremble.

After getting engaged to Caspian, she had been in a serious car accident that had nearly blinded her. He had never left her side, spending a fortune to develop medicine to restore her sight and personally applying her eye drops every day.

She had been touched by his devotion and had fallen even harder for him, never imagining it was all part of a cruel scheme. Worse, the man she had spent their wedding night with in her previous life hadn't even been him.

How could Caspian do this to her?

She fled the villa and called her senior, Andrew Parker.

"Andrew, I've made up my mind. I want to join you in the war zone and serve as an MSF doctor with the Global Aid Alliance for the next ten years."

Andrew's usually easygoing voice grew serious. "But Meg, didn't you say that you wanted to spend your whole life with Caspian?"

Tears streamed down Megan's face. "I don't love him anymore. Not now. Not ever."

If he didn't love her, then she was done. She refused to play their twisted game any longer.

Andrew sensed something was wrong, but he didn't push. "Okay. I'll wait for you at Lordshire Airport in 15 days."

Chapter 2

After ending the call, Megan returned to her bedroom and began sorting through everything Caspian had given her over the years.

There was a clay figurine that looked like her, ticket stubs from the movies they had watched together, postcards from their trips, and even the wedding rings engraved with both of their names.

After throwing all those once‑treasured items into the trash, she suddenly felt as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

When she walked back out, she saw Caspian and Arianna tangled together by the window of the study.

She had witnessed the same scene in her previous life and had even sighed back then about how close her sister and brother-in-law seemed to be.

Now that she knew the truth, the sight felt painfully ridiculous. It cut straight to her heart.

Arianna caught sight of her, smirked provocatively, and moaned, "That's too much. I can't take it!"

Caspian gripped her waist and thrust harder. "No. I only had you three times last week. I need to make up for it today."

Megan stopped listening. She turned and went back to her room, pretending to be asleep.

When Cedric quietly pushed the door open and saw her resting, he relaxed slightly and lay down on the other side of the bed.

…

The next morning, Megan went to a medical testing center with the eye drops and paid extra for expedited service.

Two hours later, she received the report and read that long-term use could seriously damage vision. She smiled bitterly.

For the next two days, Caspian stayed with Arianna while pretending to be Cedric.

Megan acted unaware and calmly handled all her preparations for leaving the country.

The following afternoon, she returned to the villa and caught Arianna and Caspian kissing in the living room.

Arianna shot her a subtle, provocative glance, though her face remained sweet and innocent. "Megan, Cedric planned a birthday party for me tonight. Why don't you come too?"

Megan immediately declined. "I'll pass."

It was her birthday too. Caspian had said he was on a work trip and had only asked his assistant to pick out a simple gift for her.

Now that he was pretending to be Cedric, he was going all out to throw a birthday party for Arianna.

Love and indifference really were that obvious.

Arianna's eyes instantly welled up. She bit her lip and looked pitifully at Caspian.

Caspian frowned and said, "Megan, Ari devoted 18 years to honoring your parents on your behalf. She invited you sincerely. Why would you reject her?"

Hearing him say her name sent a cold wave of irony through her. "Today is my birthday too."

Caspian, who was pretending to be Cedric, froze for a moment. But his expression quickly returned to indifference. "Didn't my brother give you an expensive necklace before he left on his trip? There's no need to be so petty, Megan. Don't ruin the mood."

Megan felt her heart go still. She nodded lightly. "Fine. I'll go."

…

The birthday party was held on a luxury cruise ship. The already stunning vessel had been decorated from bow to stern.

"My Love, Ari" was emblazoned across the ship's white hull.

Caspian stayed by Arianna's side as they welcomed the guests. His gaze on her was filled with a tenderness so deep it seemed to consume him.

When he saw Megan, he greeted her politely.

Megan lowered her eyes, hiding the mockery in her gaze, and quietly slipped into a corner.

Everything went smoothly until Arianna stepped onto the stage. Suddenly, the projector behind her flickered to life and played her private video, throwing the entire party into chaos.

"Megan, I know you hate me," Arianna cried. "But today is my birthday, and everyone here is my friend. How could you do this to me?"

Megan felt Caspian's cold stare bore into her and forced herself to stay calm. "It wasn't me. I didn't do it."

Arianna collapsed into Caspian's arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Megan, I saw you recording me. I reunited you with your parents, and I even stepped back from the engagement. What more do you want from me? If you hate me that much, fine. I'll end it. I won't stay here and be a burden to you."

Before Megan could react, Arianna pushed away from Caspian and jumped into the ocean.

Caspian's expression changed instantly. Without a second thought, he dove in after her.

Chapter 3

Five minutes later, Caspian got Arianna to safety. Seeing her pale face pressed against him, he shot Megan a look filled with barely concealed disgust.

"Megan, what did Ari do to deserve this?" he demanded. "Why are you hurting her?"

"I told you, I didn't! It wasn't me!"

She didn't even know where the projector controls were, let alone how to pull off something like that.

"There are only four of us in the villa! If it wasn't you, then who? Ari?"

Megan was about to argue that Arianna might have staged it herself, but Caspian didn't give her the chance. His dark eyes cut into her coldly, and he barked at the bodyguards, "Tie her up and throw her into the sea. No one is to pull her out until I say so!"

Megan struggled madly, but no matter how hard she fought, she couldn't match their strength. The men pinned her to the floor, bound her hands and feet with rope, and tossed her over the deck.

Her body crashed into the icy water, and the freezing waves swept over her, stabbing through her limbs like needles.

For a moment, Megan thought she was going to die. Then, in the next instant, the bodyguards hauled back and tied her to the deck, leaving her half-submerged in the water.

She lifted her head with great effort and saw Caspian walking away with Arianna in his arms. A heavy despair settled over her.

She stayed bound like that for three full days. During that time, she endured freezing water and scorching sun.

Her upper body had nearly dried out, while her lower half, soaked in the salty sea, swelled and turned pale. Her legs were covered with countless fish bites, some deep and raw.

The moment they laid her on the deck again, she blacked out. It took a full day and night. When she woke, the sharp sting of disinfectant filled her nose.

Caspian was at her bedside. When he saw her awake, he let out the faintest sigh of relief.

"Cedric was definitely in the wrong this time, and I already argued with him. But Meg, how could you do something like that? Don't you realize the whole city is talking about it? Everyone is laughing at Ari. I already told Cedric that once you're out of the hospital, you need to go and apologize to her properly."

The weight of his words cut straight through Megan's numb heart. She turned away, closed her eyes, and let the tears fall.

"Caspian, is this fun for you?" she whispered.

He had hurt her behind Cedric's mask. And even beneath his own, the pain he inflicted remained.

What had she done to deserve such cruelty?

Thinking she was only being stubborn, Caspian's eyes darkened, and he said firmly, "Meg, behave. Don't make this harder than it has to be."

Megan let out a bitter laugh and nodded. "Fine. I'll behave."

Only then did Caspian seem satisfied. He reached for the eye drops. "Well done. Here, let me help you with your eyes."

If she hadn't already known the truth, she might have been moved beyond words. Instead, a hollow chill spread through her chest. She met his gaze silently and let him drip the drops into her eyes, knowing she had already switched them beforehand.

…

Megan spent three days in the hospital. When she finally returned to the villa, Arianna was leaning against Cedric, her face streaked with tears.

Caspian frowned with deep concern as he pulled Megan forward, placing her squarely in front of Arianna.

"Meg, you know what to do. Apologize to Ari."

Megan dropped to her knees awkwardly. The still‑unhealed wounds on her calves sent sharp pain shooting through her.

Arianna's eyes glimmered with triumph as she sobbed and sniffled. "My reputation is ruined. What good will an apology do?"

Caspian's voice softened, the affection in his eyes obvious. "Then what do you want me to do?"

Cedric nodded. "What do you want, Ari?"

Arianna's eyes sparkled with triumph as she pouted and whined, "I want Megan's tiara."

The tiara had been Caspian's engagement gift to Megan, a priceless heirloom treasured by the Stone family for generations. It had once been shown online by the Stone family staff, causing a wave of envy among the public. Arianna had coveted it for a long time.

Without hesitation, Caspian commanded, "Meg, go get it for Ari."

He expected Megan to refuse. After all, the tiara was given to her personally by him, and she had always cherished it.

Just as he was about to figure out how to convince her, Megan muttered, "Fine, I'll get it."

Caspian froze, staring at her frail figure. A strange, unsettling twinge prickled his chest, but he dismissed it as a trick of his mind.

Chapter 4

The tiara was stored in a safe that only Megan's iris could unlock.

After taking it out, she brushed her fingers over the glass petals, and her gaze grew distant.

When Caspian had given her the tiara, she thought she had finally found a place to belong. She had held him tightly, crying tears of joy. If she hadn't lived everything all over again, she never would have seen the cold ruthlessness hidden beneath his gentle act.

Her heart was gone now, and the tiara meant nothing to her anymore. Still, she had no intention of giving it to Arianna.

Megan lowered her eyes, pushed her thoughts away, and walked downstairs with the tiara.

Just as Arianna reached for it eagerly, Megan raised her hand and slammed the tiara onto the floor. The pearl strands snapped, and the glass petals shattered across the tiles.

Arianna froze.

"Do you really think a thief like you deserves my tiara?" Megan asked, her calm voice carried a sharp bite.

Arianna blinked in shock, then her eyes reddened.

"Megan, if you didn't want to give me the tiara, that's fine, but how could you break it? How is that fair to Caspian?"

Caspian's anger rose the moment he saw the tears in Arianna's eyes.

"Meg, you've gone too far. Our family has strict rules. If you break an heirloom, you get 50 lashes. Cedric is right here. How do you expect me to take your side?"

Megan stayed calm. "I don't care. Go ahead."

When Caspian saw the dead stillness in her eyes, irritation surged inside him. He gave a cold order for the guards to carry out the punishment.

The whip cracked through the air and struck Megan hard.

She jolted. A sharp cry slipped from her throat, but she bit down and forced it back.

The whip's sharp cracks echoed through the villa. Only after the 50th lash did it finally stop.

When Megan collapsed on the floor, her back was covered in bleeding cuts. The blood had almost soaked the carpet beneath her. Even so, she never screamed or begged.

Caspian watched her shaking from the pain, and a sharp, suffocating irritation surged through him.

He carried her back to the room and called his private doctor.

"Meg, don't blame me. Cedric was here. I couldn't be biased."

Megan wanted to ask whether he truly couldn't protect her or if he was just venting on behalf of Arianna. But in the end, she stayed silent. It didn't matter anymore.

Caspian stayed by her side for the next three days. That morning, after helping her with her eye drops, he said he needed to stop by the office and told her to handle her follow-up appointment at the hospital alone.

Megan got into the car with the bodyguards, but halfway through the ride, she was ambushed and dragged into a private club.

Her kidnappers were three men with greasy, predatory looks. As soon as the door shut, they grinned and rushed at her, tearing at her clothes.

Horrified, Megan fought with everything she had. "Stop! What are you doing? Let go of me!"

They laughed, leering at her.

"Relax, Ms. White. We're just putting on a show. We won't actually touch you. Just cooperate, and we'll get our money sooner."

One of them stepped closer, smirking. "You hurt the woman Mr. Stone treasures and even leaked a video. You deserve to be punished."

Another circled her, grinning. "You're so obsessed with filming private videos. If you're that wild, what's the harm in letting us have a little fun too?"

Megan ran for the door, but they grabbed her by the hair and dragged her back.

They held her down, tore her clothes, forced her into degrading poses, and took photo after photo.

Megan struggled endlessly, kicking, hitting, and scratching, but nothing worked.

Three hours later, the torment finally ended. The men swaggered out, leaving her on the floor.

Shaking, Megan picked up a torn piece of fabric and wrapped it around herself, then broke down in sobs. The tears blurred her vision.

Suddenly, the door swung open. Caspian strode inside and lifted her into his arms. A hint of mockery flashed in his eyes, though his voice sounded gentle.

"Meg, don't be afraid. I'm taking you home."

Chapter 5

Megan was lifted into the car by Caspian. He pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head.

"Meg, this was Cedric's doing. He was mad at you for sending the private video of Arianna that pressured her to jump into the sea. I've already argued with him, and he said this ends here. He won't come after you again."

Megan's body trembled, her teeth rattling.

When Caspian's words finally sank in, a small wave of relief washed over her. She looked at him with wide, fearful eyes, like someone who had just woken up from a nightmare.

Caspian felt a sudden tightness in his chest. "Meg, I know you suffered, but Cedric didn't actually hurt you. If you keep holding onto this, you'll just make yourself seem petty."

Megan's heart ached until it went numb, and in that pain, a strange calm settled over her.

"Alright. I get it."

She let it go. She couldn't fight him, so she chose to leave him.

That night, Megan ran a high fever, and she shivered uncontrollably. Sweat soaked the sheets as the day's horrors replayed relentlessly in her dreams, trapping her in a nightmare she couldn't escape.

After jerking awake once again, she forced herself to her feet and went downstairs for water, only to overhear Caspian and Arianna talking in the next room.

"Caspian, you were so kind to me," Ariana said sweetly. "You knew I was upset about the video, so you had someone take Megan's private photos to get revenge for me. But if she ever finds out, won't she be devastated?"

"That's none of my concern," Caspian replied with a cold edge to his voice. "She brought it on herself when she smashed the tiara and made you upset."

Tears burned Megan's eyes as she rushed back to her room.

She had trusted Caspian, thinking Cedric was behind all her pain. She never imagined he would deceive her again.

The next day, Caspian insisted on taking her to an auction.

"I had the tiara repaired and gave it to Arianna, so I'll buy you a few pieces to make up for it," he said.

Megan had no desire to go. She didn't want anything from Caspian, and certainly not his gifts. Still, he left her no choice. He pulled her into the car and drove her to the auction.

…

The auction took place at Lordshire's most prestigious hotel. The place was filled with the city's elite.

Dressed in a designer gown with her black hair cascading over her shoulders, Arianna looked especially graceful and captivating.

When her eyes met Megan's, a hint of mockery flashed through them, but her voice remained sweet. "Megan, just tell me if there's anything you want. I'll buy it all for you as compensation."

People nearby whispered among themselves.

"Ari, what happened to your sister that you need to compensate her?"

"Ari is way too generous. I wish I had a sister like her."

"All of it? Ari, are you leaving us no chance at all?"

Arianna's laugh tinkled like silver bells. "My sister was so helpless yesterday. A few men captured her and dragged her into a private club…"

She hurriedly covered her mouth, acting as if she had misspoken. "Oh, did I say too much? Ignore that—I was just joking."

Her explanation only made things worse, and all eyes turned to Megan with suspicion and scrutiny.

Megan couldn't stand it any longer. She turned and hurried away.

Suddenly, a hand shot out and grabbed her shoulder, yanking her back.

It was Caspian.

Seeing her pale and distressed, his heart softened for a fleeting moment. However, the memory of Arianna crying helplessly quickly snuffed out any trace of tenderness.

"Meg, Arianna didn't mean anything by that. Who are you mad at? Do you even realize how it looks for her when you storm off like that?"

Megan let out a bitter laugh, clutching her chest. "And what about me? Am I just supposed to stand there while everyone stares and gossips?"

Caspian's words caught in his throat. "They don't know the truth and haven't seen the photos. What's the big deal if they just glance at you? Megan, stop being so petty."

Tears streamed down her face, and she laughed bitterly. "Petty? Caspian, can't you be any harsher?"

Caspian's expression darkened. "I'm not going to stop you if you want to walk away, but you know how vindictive Cedric is. If you make Arianna cry again, he'll spread your private photos and humiliate you in front of everyone. Think carefully before you act."

When she met his cold, unyielding eyes, shame and exhaustion crashed over her. She had no choice but to walk back into the auction hall.

Chapter 6

It wasn't long before the auction officially began, but the moment the first item appeared, Megan's vision went black, and she nearly fainted.

The first item up for auction was a nude photo of her.

Caspian had promised the photos were deleted. He had lied to her again.

The room erupted. Dozens of eyes locked onto Megan, full of contempt, ridicule, and cruel delight, pressing down on her like a suffocating weight.

"Private intimate photo. Starting bid: one million dollars."

Before the auctioneer even finished, someone raised their paddle.

"Two million dollars"

"Three million. A secret photo of the Stone family's daughter-in-law? Now that's a collector's item. I'm hanging it by my bed."

"Eight million. Don't bother trying to outbid me."

As the price climbed higher and higher, Megan bit her lip until she tasted blood. She looked at Caspian with desperation in her eyes.

"Caspian, please," she pleaded. "Help me, I'm begging you."

Under the lights, Caspian's gaze was cold and sharp.

He pulled her into his arms with a look she couldn't read. "Meg, I didn't bring my black card, and I don't have enough on me to compete. But don't worry—whoever gets it, I'll buy it back tomorrow for double."

Megan felt her heart hollow out. Her face drained of color as the last bit of light faded from her eyes.

She gave up.

In the end, the photo sold for ten million dollars.

Arianna smirked, and when the second item came up, she lifted her paddle without hesitation.

"I'll take it."

Gasps filled the hall.

A staff member approached respectfully and took the black card from Arianna's hand.

"Thank you, Ms. Maxwell. This item is yours."

Megan caught a glimpse of the black card out of the corner of her eye, and her chest tightened so painfully she almost laughed.

It was Caspian's card—the very one she had marked with a tiny red heart.

And in that moment, it hit her. She had never truly mattered to him.

He could be ruthless, yet strangely sentimental. He didn't hesitate to humiliate her by auctioning off her photo, all just to make Arianna smile.

For the next hour, Arianna got everything she wanted, and all the while, Caspian would glance at her with a gentle, doting expression.

During the interval, Megan quickly found an excuse to step out. Just as she reached the hallway, Arianna yanked her into the lounge.

Triumph lit up Arianna's face. "Pathetic," she spat. "So what if you smashed the tiara? Caspian still gave me his black card just to make me happy. And you? He wouldn't even help you get your nude photo."

Megan ignored her and headed for the door with a blank expression, but Arianna shoved her hard from behind, causing her to hit the floor with a painful thud.

Arianna stepped on the back of Megan's hand, grinding it under her heel. Megan's face twisted in pain.

"Bitch!" Arianna spat venomously, glaring at her. "I've hated you from the start. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been kicked out of the White family or had my engagement with the Stone family called off."

She let out a cruel laugh and continued, "Dumping you into the ocean, having you whipped, and auctioning off your nude photo were barely the beginning. One day, I'm going to throw you out of the Stone family and destroy you completely."

At that moment, the sound of Caspian's footsteps echoed outside.

Arianna's eyes gleamed with a calculating look. She grabbed a fruit knife on the table and stabbed herself.

Her piercing scream tore through the air, drawing everyone's attention.

Megan froze as she looked at Arianna sprawled in a pool of blood, staring back at her with a cold, triumphant smile that sent a deep chill through her.

Caspian rushed into the lounge. His face twisted with fury as he took in the scene.

He trembled when he pulled Arianna into his arms, then turned a chilling gaze on Megan.

"Megan White!"

"If I said it wasn't me, would you believe me?" Megan asked softly.

Caspian shut his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them again, all warmth was gone.

"Meg, I've covered for you more times than I can count, but you hold onto grudges too tightly. This time, I can't help you. I have to answer to Cedric. You stabbed Ari once, so you'll pay five times over. I'll have the bodyguards do it. You don't have a problem with that, do you?"

For a moment, Megan's heart simply stopped. Then a crushing pain swept through her, like her entire body had been run over and left hollow.

She staggered to her feet and grabbed a knife. "I don't need anyone else. I'll do it myself."

With both hands on the knife, she drove it hard into her abdomen. Blood spread across her clothes like red blooms on snow.

Her pale, delicate face stayed eerily calm. She pulled the knife out and stabbed herself again and again. Five times in total.

Then she let the knife drop to the floor and met Caspian's eyes calmly. "Is that enough?"

Caspian stared at Megan, now covered in blood, and felt his chest tighten. It was as if vines were coiling around his heart, making every breath a struggle.

He couldn't make sense of his own feelings. She had been vicious, repeatedly hurting Arianna. And yet, seeing her drenched in blood filled him with an unexpected, aching sorrow.

"Take her to the hospital too," he ordered the bodyguards, then turned and carried Arianna toward the ambulance.

Arianna's eyes widened in disbelief, yet the gaze she leveled at Megan burned with even more hatred.

Megan didn't see it. Her vision blurred, and her legs gave out. Darkness closed in, and she slipped into unconsciousness.

Chapter 7

Megan had no idea how long she had been unconscious. When she finally woke up, she found herself in a hospital room. Two nurses were chatting beside her.

"The two men in 608 are way too devoted. Ms. Maxwell only had a minor injury, and they still carried her to the bathroom."

"Seriously. She just tried to pour herself a glass of water, and they nearly lost it, terrified she might hurt herself again."

"Compared to that, this Megan girl is pitiful. It's been a whole day and no one's come to see her."

"Right? People really don't live the same life."

Megan pressed a hand to her chest. The heart that once tore apart in pain felt numb now. Her love for Caspian had finally burned out.

A moment later, Caspian walked in. He stopped when he saw her lying quietly on the bed.

In his memories, Megan had always been full of life. Whenever she saw him, her face would light up the room, and she'd smile warmly, lifting her arm in a silent request to be held. She used to call him by his name with such affection.

But at some point, her smile vanished. Now, whenever she looked at him, her eyes were still and unreadable, without a hint of emotion.

He began to wonder if his punishments had been too harsh lately. But if she hadn't been so cruel to Arianna, why would he have punished her at all?

Caspian pressed his lips together, poured a glass of water, and walked over.

"Ari's injuries are serious. I need to take care of her with Cedric these next few days. I hired a caretaker for you. She'll be here soon. If you need anything, just call her."

Megan didn't take the glass. She looked at him briefly and nodded. "Alright."

As he walked away, he couldn't help glancing back. Megan's eyes were closed. She was already asleep. Sunlight spilled across her face, making her look even paler than snow.

It had to be his imagination. She was alive. She loved him too much to just vanish.

Megan spent another day in the hospital. When she insisted on being discharged despite the doctor's warnings, she ran into Arianna, who had come to flaunt her victory.

Without a word, Megan opened the recording app on her phone.

"Arianna, what are you doing here? Did you come to laugh at me?"

Arianna looked her over, pleased with what she saw. "Yes. I wanted to see how pathetic you look."

"What do you want?"

"Leave the Stone family and return everything that should have been mine. If you don't, I'll make sure you end up just like before. Dead, if I have to."

Megan studied her quietly. "So you never loved Cedric or Caspian. Everything you did to set me up was just to push me out."

"Of course I loved them," Arianna replied with a smirk. "I loved their money, their status, everything they could give me. I loved having them wrapped around my finger."

"Okay. I'll do what you want. I'll leave the Stone family and Caspian."

With that, Megan turned and left.

During the first hour after she left, she went to the hotel where the auction was held and copied the video of Arianna hurting herself. She placed it in Caspian's study along with the report and the recording she had just made.

In the second hour, she took a cab to the airport and blocked every number belonging to Caspian and Cedric.

By the third hour, she boarded an international flight with Andrew.

As the plane lifted into the sky, she pulled out her SIM card, snapped it in half, and dropped the pieces into the trash.

"Goodbye, Caspian," she whispered. "I hope we never meet again."