Chapter 6
The world spun violently as Emily tumbled down the stairs, her body crashing onto the hardwood with a sickening thud.
Pain exploded through every nerve ending. Warm blood trickled from her forehead, blurring her vision.
At the top of the staircase, Lucas and Lily stood side by side, smirking.
“That’s what you get!” Lily clapped gleefully.
“You shouldn’t have trashed our cake!” Lucas pulled a face, taunting her.
Emily struggled to sit up, blood dripping from her chin and spattering the floor.
She stared at the two little devils, unable to reconcile them with the babies she’d once fought tooth and nail to bring into this world.
The front door slammed open.
“What the hell happened?” Ethan’s voice rang out, low and sharp. Sophia followed close behind him.
The moment the kids saw them, their expressions flipped like a switch. Tears welled up as they rushed forward.
“Daddy!” Lily wailed. “Mommy threw away our cake and told us she doesn’t want us anymore!”
JEthan’s gaze landed on the ruined cake in the trash can… then shifted to Emily—bloodied, bruised, barely standing.
His brow tightened. “Emily, what the hell is wrong with you?” His tone was pure ice. “Why are you always at odds with your own children?”
He took a step closer, his voice cutting. “You really said that to your kids? You think you deserve to be called their mother?”
Emily braced herself against the wall and slowly stood, blood soaking the collar of her blouse.
Then she looked straight at him—and laughed.
“In your eyes… have I ever deserved anything?” Her voice was hoarse, almost broken. “Wasn’t I always just the baby machine you needed?”
Ethan’s pupils flared, his jaw tight.
Emily wiped the blood from her face. “If Sophia’s the wife you actually want, and if the kids already treat her like their mom, then fine. I’m done. You can have your perfect little family!”
Silence choked the room.
Ethan’s expression darkened, like he was seeing her for the first time.
“Don’t forget,” he said quietly, his tone like steel, “this marriage was never about love. It was a corporate merger–nothing more.”
“You expect me to give you love?” He gave a cold laugh. “Sorry. That was never part of the deal.”
Emily let out a bitter laugh+and then the tears came, uninvited, unstoppable.
Of course. He was right.
She’d been stupid–so damn stupid–to think she could pull a god down from his pedestal.
Ethan had been pulled down once, but not by her.
She’d always known that.
“Ethan, that’s enough…” Sophia murmured, slipping her hand into his. “The kids are scared. Let’s just take them upstairs.”
Ethan stared at Emily for a beat longer. Then he scooped up one child in each arm and turned away without another word.
Emily stood motionless, blood still dripping to the floor.
She regretted everything.
Regretted marrying him.
Regretted giving birth to those children.
She had made her bed in the past life. In this one, she’d burn it and build something new.
From now on, she lived for herself- and no one else.
Chapter 6
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Three days later, it was Lucas’s birthday.
Ethan had gone all out, as usual–rented the entire top floor of Sterling Heights‘ most luxurious hotel. Crystal chandeliers scattered prisms of light across the room. A champagne tower shimmered under the spotlight. The whole place screamed opulence.
Emily stood alone in the corner, watching as her children clung to Sophia like she was their whole world. One on each side, they giggled and twirled around her like happy little birds.
They didn’t even look at Emily. Not once.
Ethan stood nearby, tall and elegant, champagne glass in hand. His gaze drifted toward Sophia again and again, his expression soft–softer than Emily had ever seen in all the years they were married.
“I swear, Mr. Caldwell’s never changed,” someone whispered behind her. “After all these years, it’s still Sophia he loves.”
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Chooter 6
Emily could hear the whispers loud and clear, even over the music and clinking glasses.
“I went to college with Ethan and Sophia,” a man in a tailored suit was saying, lowering his voice with theatrical secrecy. “Back then? He was obsessed with her. Practically proposed before we graduated.”
“No wonder,” someone else said with a knowing hum. “A guiding star never fades. Even if she’s not the wife, she’ll always be the one he loves most.”
A third voice chimed in, mockingly. “Some women claw their way into a rich man’s life, have his kids, and think that’ll earn his love. But in the end, they just end up alone.”
They didn’t even bother lowering their voices.
Emily stood still, the icy words curling around her like smoke. They didn’t sting anymore. Her heart had frozen over long ago.
She took a slow breath, straightened her spine, and turned toward the elevators.
As the doors were about to close, a perfectly manicured hand slid between them.
Sophia stepped in gracefully, heels clicking against the marble floor, a smirk tugging at her crimson lips.
“The mandatory counseling period ends in three days,” she said sweetly, staring straight into Emily’s eyes. “You’re going to keep your word and walk Jaway, right?”
Emily pressed the button for the ground floor. “More than anything, I want out of this.”
Sophia’s smirk deepened. “Don’t worry–I’ll take care of this family for you.”
She tilted her head slightly. “Ethan and the kids don’t want you around anyway. Give it some time–they’ll forget you ever existed.”
The elevator began to descend. Emily didn’t respond.
Then-
Boom.
A violent jolt rocked the cabin, The lights flickered, then went out completely.
“AHH!” Sophia shrieked, fumbling for her phone in the dark. “Ethan! Help! The elevator’s broken–we’re trapped!”
Emily had slammed into the metal wall. A sharp pain split her forehead, hot blood running down her cheek.
Time blurred. Somewhere above, voices echoed down.
“Anyone in there? Can you hear us?” A rescuer’s voice rang through the elevator doors.
“Help us!” Sophia cried, pounding on the door. “My leg’s stuck!”
With a screech of metal, the rescue crew began to pry the doors open. A blinding beam of light cut through the darkness.
One of the rescuers peered inside, face tightening in concern. “Mr. Caldwell, both women’s legs are pinned by the warped frame. We can only pull one of them out right now. Who should we get first?”
Through her hazy vision, Emily saw Ethan standing behind the crew with Lucas and Lily.
His gaze landed on Sophia.
And without a second of hesitation, he said, “Get Sophia out first.”
“Yeah!” Lucas shouted, clutching the rescuer’s arm. “Save Sophia first!”
“Please, hurry!” Lily sobbed. “She’s hurt!”
The rescuer hesitated. “Mr. Caldwell, with all due respect, the other woman’s injuries appear more severe. We recommend-”
said save Sophia,” Ethan cut in coldly. “Don’t waste time.”
The crew exchanged looks. One of them sighed, then reached for Sophia.
Emily barely had time to blink before the crew lifted Sophia out- and the elevator frame immediately gave a sickening creak and collapsed around her.
CRASH.
