My Sister Steals Everything I Wanted So I Give Her All

My younger sister, Zelda York, is a pretty little airhead. She's naive and always falling for other people's tricks. Frustrated by her lack of sense, Mom grabs her by the ear and lectures her again and again. "Lauren is smart. You should learn from her whenever you run into trouble." A light bulb goes off in Zelda's head. From then on, she becomes utterly devoted to me. She's convinced that whatever I have must be the best. When I'm eight, a severe allergic reaction leaves me fighting for my life. Just as I manage to pull out my allergy medication, she snatches it away. Right in front of me, she swallows every last pill and sticks out her tongue at me. "Lauren, don't think you can sneak off and enjoy the good stuff without me!" At eighteen, I experience my first crush and carefully write a confession letter to the most popular boy at school. The next day, Zelda slaps a photo of herself passionately kissing him in my face and gives me a cheeky wink. "Lauren, you have such good taste in men." At twenty-two, I work day and night conducting experiments and poring over data, finally earning a place in a PhD program. But on the eve of enrollment, I find myself locked inside the house. When Zelda calls, her laughter rings out like silver bells. "Lauren, the university you like is amazing! Everyone here is so brilliant. I'll definitely learn as much as I can from them!" At twenty-six, my parents throw a grand matchmaking event for me, giving me my pick of eligible bachelors. Zelda follows close behind me, her eyes darting around. She asks in a low voice, "Lauren, you have such a good eye for men. Who's your favorite here?" Chapter 1 My throat tightened as I looked at the greed and calculation in her eyes. With all eyes on me, I strode out of the ballroom in my crystal heels and casually pointed at a poor office worker clutching a trash can as he vomited. "Him," I said. The entire ballroom fell silent. My younger sister, Zelda York, froze mid-smile, and my parents stared at me in shock. I simply curled my lips into a smile. "I'll marry no one but him." My father, Damon York, flew into a rage. My mother, Isabella Parker, was so furious that she suffered a heart attack. I stared straight at Zelda, but she avoided my gaze. She pouted and said, "Lauren, so you can make a bad call after all." I smiled. "So you're not as stupid as I thought." The incident made headlines everywhere, leaving my parents trapped with no way out. Everyone egged me on, saying, "A York heiress never goes back on her word." On my wedding day, my father gave me the York family's harshest punishment. Ninety-nine lashes, to sever the bond between father and daughter. My mother thought I was too calculating, so she gave me an abacus as my wedding gift. "I can't believe how petty you are. Zelda was only trying to follow your example and make a better life for herself. Why couldn't you just let her be? "Lauren, you ruined your own life just to get back at Zelda. Are you happy now?" I said I was happy. A cool, detached voice came from behind me. "I won't let her regret it." I turned and met a pair of clear, tranquil eyes. I really did marry Nicholas Zane. He took me back to his rented apartment. In the three years we were married, he never gave me a reason to regret it. He may have been poor, but he was more driven than anyone I knew. Despite the York family's efforts to suppress him, it took him just three years to become a highly sought-after talent in the tech industry, with companies fighting to recruit him. The day we moved into the villa, he made it up to me with a marriage proposal. After slipping the ring onto my finger, he kissed my ring finger and said playfully, "A man who loves his wife thrives in life. Darling, thank you for choosing me all those years ago." Eventually, even the York family reached out with an offer of their own. The people I'd planted around Nicholas told me Zelda had been secretly trying to arrange private meetings with him, but he'd rejected her outright every time. He'd even given her a brutal tongue-lashing. He called her a despicable thief who wouldn't work for what she wanted and only knew how to covet what was mine. When I learned all this, the weight that had been pressing on my chest for years suddenly lifted. For a while, I thought I had escaped Zelda's curse. That was until Thanksgiving, when no matter how many times I called Nicholas, all I got was an automated voice telling me he couldn't be reached. Just as I was growing frantic, a message from Zelda came through. A photo of a wedding invitation bearing both her name and Nicholas's. Then came a voice message, dripping with sweetness. "Lauren, Mom was right. Whatever you set your sights on really is the best." I stared at Nicholas's name on the wedding invitation, a chill spreading through me. The wedding was today. My mind went completely blank, and by the time I came to my senses, I was already standing at the wedding venue. Beneath the glittering crystal chandeliers, Nicholas was kissing Zelda. "Nicholas..." My whole body trembled as I screamed and tried to rush onto the stage. "Nicholas!" Before any of the guests could notice, a pair of wrinkled hands clamped over my mouth and dragged me into a corner. Before I could even struggle, a sharp slap came crashing down across my face. My father glared at me furiously. "Have you lost your mind? You've ruined your own life, and now you want to ruin Zelda's, too?" My mother took my hand and tried to reason with me. "Lauren, we never wanted to deceive you. But Zelda has always been fiercely competitive. She always wants to be the best at everything. She said that if she couldn't marry the best man, she'd rather stay single for the rest of her life. "You know she's always looked up to you. If you like something, she likes it too. For Zelda's happiness, can't you let her have this one, just this once?" I didn't care what they thought. I kept my eyes fixed on Nicholas, who stood onstage with a smile on his face. "He agreed to it," my mother explained. "Zelda is carrying his child. They've been in love for a long time." So I'd been kept in the dark all along. So there was never any escaping it. Chapter 2 My mother placed the divorce agreement in front of me. "Sign them. Zelda has her whole life ahead of her. She can't be the other woman who breaks up someone else's marriage." She emphasized, "This is what Nicholas wants, too." The agreement contained 105 clauses, each one severing another tie between Nicholas and me. It covered not only our relationship but also the division of our assets. The agreement stated that I had no claim to any of Nicholas's assets. I was to walk away from the marriage with nothing. But the first project he could proudly put his name on was one I'd brought to life, visiting the site day after day and staying up night after night working on the plans. His original proposal was riddled with flaws. I was the one who went over it again and again, carefully refining every detail. He'd cheated on me and still expected me to walk away with nothing? He could dream on. I swallowed the bitterness in my mouth before speaking. "I'll sign, but the agreement needs to be revised." My father's voice turned cold. "What do you want?" I raised my eyes, a calculating glint flickering in them. "Since Nicholas was the one who cheated, he should walk away with nothing. Besides, Zelda and I are the only two daughters in the York family. It's only fair that I get half the family fortune, don't you think?" My mother was stunned and furious. "Your father and I aren't even dead yet, and you're already thinking about dividing up our estate? You—" I cut her off calmly. "I've always been calculating. Didn't you know that when you gave me that abacus?" My father's voice was low as he laid down his decision. "We'll welcome you back into the family and announce the division of our assets at the reception. But there's one condition: you must never interfere in Zelda's relationship." I smiled and agreed. "All right." The revised divorce agreement was drawn up quickly. I went through every clause carefully, making sure that even a basic car registered in Nicholas's name would be transferred into mine before signing the final page. After leaving the wedding, I called my doctoral advisor, whom I'd stayed in touch with over the years, and applied for a PhD position under his supervision. He was delighted. "I'd reserved a spot for you back then, but when the semester started, your younger sister showed up instead. You can't change your mind again this time." I tightened my grip on the phone and promised, "I won't change my mind. I'll report to you in seven days." I'd barely hung up when a voice tinged with coldness sounded behind me. "Where are you going?" I froze, then turned and found myself staring into Nicholas's dark, inscrutable eyes. "Where are you going?" He stepped closer, gripping my wrist tightly as he pressed me for an answer again. He was still wearing his perfectly tailored suit, a boutonniere pinned to his chest bearing the words "Groom: Nicholas Zane." "Who exactly are you to question me?" I met his gaze just as defiantly. "My husband, or my brother-in-law?" Nicholas's throat tightened as he asked, almost desperately, "What about you, Lauren? Throughout all these years of marriage, did you ever have even an ounce of genuine affection for me? "You only married me to get back at Zelda, didn't you? With so many eligible bachelors out there, why else would you have chosen me?" I curled my fingers into my palm but didn't deny it. "So what if I did?" He let out a bitter laugh, his tone somewhere between self-mockery and scorn. "They were right about you. You really do know how to manipulate people. "Today's wedding was nothing more than an act Zelda and I put on. She bet that you didn't love me, while I bet that you did. The moment you walk out of here, the divorce agreement you just signed will take effect. "If you can't appreciate me, there are plenty of people who will. Don't tell me you actually think I can't live without you?" Zelda came running out from around the corner. Her eyes were red, and she looked like a child who'd done something wrong as she bowed to me. "Lauren, I know you've always resented me for taking things away from you. But I've changed over the years you've been away from home. I just didn't know any better. I've always had to rely on you. Please don't hold it against me, okay?" Zelda was always like this. She'd take what she wanted, then act like the victim. All she had to do was shed a few tears and apologize, and I would always be the one expected to back down. My life, my love, my education, my future—everything had to take a back seat for her. Because I was smart and had good judgment, even if I missed my chance the first time, I'd get another. But she was a fool with nothing going for her but her looks. She could only have grown up properly because I'd always protected her and given in to her. And somehow, even my attempts to stand up for myself were twisted into schemes. She sniffled. "I was immature back then. Please forgive me..." "I don't blame you," I cut her off. For a moment, she looked completely blank. "It's fine. Whatever you want to take, go ahead." I patted her cheek almost affectionately, a malicious smile curling across my lips. "After all, you're nothing but a good-for-nothing who only knows how to pick through the trash. "I was wrong. We intelligent people who can think for ourselves really shouldn't stoop to arguing with trash." Chapter 3 Zelda's tears came streaming down her face. Nicholas stepped in front of her protectively. His gaze slowly turned cold as he looked at me. "Lauren, watch your mouth." I raised an eyebrow. "If you don't like what I'm saying, then maybe you shouldn't do such disgusting things." My parents noticed the argument and came outside. Their faces turned livid at my words. I deliberately flashed them a bright smile. "For Zelda's happiness, don't forget what I asked for." The York family's welcome reception was scheduled for three days later. Nicholas didn't come home once during those three days. All the bank cards in my possession had been frozen, and even the maid had been dismissed. He was using this to force me to admit I was wrong, while also making it clear just how determined he was to marry Zelda. In the bedroom, the gifts he'd given me were piled up like a small mountain. Their exquisite, luxurious packaging had once symbolized his love. Now, they were nothing more than cold numbers in my bank account. Before the York family's welcome reception, I packed up all the designer items Nicholas had given me and sold them off at bargain prices. I transferred the proceeds into a new bank account. Fifteen thousand dollars. A pitifully small sum, but still worth more than Nicholas's worthless love. On the day of the reception, I arrived right on schedule. Half the York family had arrived, but Zelda was nowhere to be seen. Nicholas sat beside Isabella, his gaze briefly sweeping over me. "Zelda's been suffering from severe morning sickness, so I'm here in her place. I didn't want her getting upset and putting the baby at risk." I simply nodded, not particularly bothered by the change. But my relatives were all too eager to stir up trouble. "Lauren, you've had it rough for so long. Do you even remember the rules of this household? When we sit down to eat later, don't stuff your face. Don't embarrass your parents." "Look at you. You're better than Zelda at everything, yet somehow you still can't measure up to her. How did you end up living such a pathetic life?" My father slammed his palm against the table, startling our relatives into reluctantly falling silent. "I invited everyone here today because I want you all to bear witness to something." As he spoke, he patted Nicholas on the shoulder. "Nicholas, I hope you'll forgive us. We love our daughter dearly, and that's why we've kept something from you about Lauren all this time." His voice was thick with frustration and disappointment. "Lauren's been cheating on you, and the child is already three years old!" The teacup slipped from my hand. I stared at my father in disbelief. "What are you talking about?" "Mommy!" A child's clear voice rang out from the doorway. A little boy in ragged clothes came running toward me, followed by a beggar who reeked of body odor. The boy threw himself into my arms, sobbing. "Mommy, why don't you want me anymore? I miss you so much. I'll be good. Please don't leave Daddy and me, okay?” The beggar's eyes lit up the moment he saw me. Shouting, "Honey!" he lunged toward me. Nicholas crushed the wineglass in his hand. He kicked the beggar aside, then turned his bloodshot eyes on me. "Lauren, is he your son?" I parted my lips, wanting to explain, but my throat felt constricted. I couldn't get a single sound out. Zelda rushed over just in time. She took Nicholas's hand, pleading with him to calm down. "Nicholas, please don't do this. If you need someone to blame, blame me." She choked back a sob, then gritted her teeth and said, "You're not the first man Lauren has manipulated in an attempt to destroy me." "Shut up!" Nicholas's expression darkened, his composure completely shattered. "I said, shut up!" "Nicholas, Zelda isn't lying." With a sigh, my mother took out a paternity test report and handed it to him. "See for yourself." Nicholas opened the report. The glaring figure of 99 percent stared back at both of us. "Zelda's always been a little naive. She just follows Lauren's lead and does whatever Lauren does. Lauren knew that, yet she still deliberately cozied up to a beggar just to set Zelda up. If we hadn't caught on in time, Zelda might actually have gone off with him. "We didn't want to air our family's dirty laundry, so despite how angry we were, we kept the whole thing under wraps. But now that you're part of the York family, you have a right to know. "We're here today for two reasons. First, to apologize to you. Second, to give you an explanation." My father shot me an angry look. "Lauren is cruel and malicious. She has harmed her own sister and led a scandalous personal life. She's unworthy of being called a York. From this day forward, she is no longer part of this family. The entire York family fortune will go to Zelda!" Chapter 4 Even though I'd long known how biased my parents were, I never imagined they'd go so far as to frame me for cheating with a beggar just for Zelda. Nicholas fixed me with a smoldering, tightly restrained glare. His voice was hoarse with the effort of holding back his rage. "Lauren, you schemed against me and humiliated me. Just how much do you despise me?" He gripped my wrist so tightly it felt as though he wanted to tear me apart. I looked into his bloodshot eyes, and my heart suddenly ached. I turned my head, took a deep breath, and explained, "I have nothing to do with them. Paternity tests can be faked. I'm not taking the blame for something I never did." "I've got proof!" Nicholas had kicked the beggar so hard he was barely alive. The moment he opened his mouth, he spat out a mouthful of blood. He pointed an accusing finger at me and said, "Lauren has a butterfly-shaped birthmark on her chest. Only someone close to her would know about it. "And my son looks almost exactly like her! You can see for yourselves!" At those words, Nicholas's expression darkened completely. Whispers and murmurs rippled through the crowd. "Sounds like what he's saying might actually be true. I can't believe someone would go so far as to sleep with a beggar just to manipulate someone." "What do you people know? Ms. Lauren is making an emotional investment. People at the bottom of society will be eternally grateful for even the slightest kindness and do whatever it takes to climb the social ladder." "Ms. Lauren certainly knows how to turn a small investment into a huge return. Her first attempt failed, but the second one worked. Everyone knows Mr. Zane started out with nothing and only climbed to where he is today thanks to Ms. Lauren. They say a man who cherishes his wife will prosper in everything he does. Mr. Zane, you'd better thank your wife properly. Hahahaha!" Zelda slipped her arm through Nicholas's and gently tried to reason with him. "Nicholas, if you don't believe me, take her to get a paternity test yourself. It'll be easy to find out whether the results were faked." Nicholas dragged me to the hospital. He didn't say a word the entire way. When he reached over to pull me out of the car, he covered his hand with a handkerchief. The results weren't even out yet, and he already thought I was dirty. I couldn't quite put the feeling into words. I just thought it was all so pointless. I obediently let the nurse draw my blood, then waited silently for the results. Half an hour later, the nurse apologized. "There was a problem with the equipment, so we couldn't complete the test. Would you like to come back another day, or should we run it again?" Nicholas said nothing. I held out my arm. "Let's draw blood and run the test again." But the equipment malfunctioned again and again. Even on the thirtieth attempt, it was still malfunctioning. The nurse glanced at my pale lips and the cold sweat beading on my forehead. She hesitated. "Maybe we should stop. Any more blood draws could put this woman's health at risk." "Keep going," Nicholas said coldly. "I don't care if you have to drain every last drop of her blood. I want those results today." The needle went into my vein again. I lost count of how many more times they drew blood. All I remembered was that when they could no longer draw blood from my wrist, they started taking it from the top of my foot instead. I had no idea how many needle marks covered my body. I was so weak that I couldn't even muster the strength to press a cotton ball against the needle marks. I wanted to ask Nicholas for help, but the moment I moved closer to him, he stepped away as if I were something filthy. As my consciousness began to fade, I saw a nurse hurrying over to speak to Nicholas. I couldn't make out what she was saying. Thinking the test had failed again, I numbly raised my arm, already streaked with blood. "Are you really that shameless?" Nicholas asked suddenly, his back still turned to me. "What?" The pages fluttering through the air smacked me in the face. I heard Nicholas's furious voice. "That child is your son. What more do you have to say for yourself?" I saw the test results confirming the biological relationship and went cold all over. "That's impossible!" "Lauren, are you still going to deny it?" At some point, Zelda had moved to Nicholas's side. She looked at me with a sweet smile. "You hurriedly sold off the gifts Nicholas had given you just to raise enough money to bribe the nurse and delay the test results, didn't you? "If Nicholas hadn't sensed something was wrong and arranged for a test at another facility, these results might never have come out." She leaned closer, bringing her lips to my ear. "Lauren, that inheritance you wanted is quite a prize, isn't it? All I did was say I liked it, and Mom and Dad went out of their way to make sure you wouldn't get a penny of it. So, do you still think I'm a good-for-nothing?" "Zelda!" I surged to my feet, grabbed her by the throat, and slammed her against the wall. Nicholas's gaze sharpened. He quickly caught Zelda, then shoved me to the ground with his other hand. "Get away from her! Don't you dare touch her!" A sharp pain shot through my abdomen. I clutched my stomach as a warm trickle spread beneath me. The sight of blood was reflected in Nicholas's stunned eyes. "You... you're pregnant?" Chapter 5 I lost consciousness completely. When I woke again, I was back in my bedroom at the York residence. A faint sound came from beside me. I slowly turned toward it, only to catch Nicholas looking away. Neither of us spoke. It was a long while before he finally broke the silence. "I've scheduled your surgery for three days from now. Who knows whose filthy blood this child carries? I'm not about to raise another man's baby." I didn't want to cry, but my eyes still burned with unshed tears. Nicholas and I had always loved children. At first, we were too poor to even consider having one. Later, we were so busy that we never had time to try for one. But when we renovated our home, we'd made sure to set aside two rooms for children. We used to imagine whether we'd have a boy or a girl, what we'd name them, and which elementary school they'd attend. This baby had been unexpected. If none of this had happened, perhaps this baby would have been the greatest surprise life could have given us. I closed my eyes, swallowing the pang of bitterness in my heart, and nodded. "Okay." "Your pregnancy has made Zelda feel very insecure." Nicholas took my hand and ran his fingertip over my wedding ring. "I didn't buy her a ring when we got married. She said she couldn't choose one herself because whatever you liked had to be the best. Her pregnancy has been complicated, so I need to keep her happy. You're not going to need this ring anymore anyway. Why don't you take it off and give it to her?” I nodded and said, "Okay.” But I'd worn the ring for so long that it fit snugly around my finger. Nicholas struggled for quite a while, but he couldn't get it off. I said, "There's soap in the bathroom. Try lathering some up before you take the ring off." He frowned. "No need." The moment he finished speaking, he grabbed my finger and gave it a sharp yank. A searing pain shot from my fingertip through my entire body. I heard the sickening snap of bone and cried out in pain, instinctively struggling to break free. Nicholas acted as if he hadn't heard me. He bent my finger back and forth, then wrenched the ring off. Cold sweat beaded on my forehead as I called after him. "Nicholas, my finger is broken. Please call a doctor for me." The only response was the dull thud of the door slamming shut. I tried to get help myself, only to discover that the door had been locked from the outside. I pounded on the door. "Is anyone there? Please, someone get me a doctor!" The maid answered impatiently, "Mr. Zane said you're not allowed out of this room until your surgery. He doesn't want you bringing bad luck to Ms. Zelda." After that, no matter how loudly I called out, no one answered me again. I drifted in and out of consciousness as a fever came over me. In the middle of the night, I heard hurried footsteps and frantic cries echoing down the hallway. I was about to open my eyes to see what was happening when a sudden force dragged me out of bed. Nicholas was seething. Without saying a word, he dragged me down the hallway. My skin burned as it scraped against the wooden floor. I had just started to struggle when Nicholas raised his hand and slapped me across the face. The blow left my ears ringing, and I was completely dazed. It wasn't until he forced me down onto a bed strewn with shards of broken glass that I realized what was happening. The glass tore into my back. The overpowering stench of blood made me gag uncontrollably. Nicholas looked down at me, curled up in a pathetic heap, his eyes cold and unfeeling. "Zelda has always had trouble sleeping. It wasn't until tonight that I discovered her mattress was covered in broken glass. You did this, didn't you?" I tried to explain. "I didn't..." He cut me off impatiently. "Enough! "You chose that bed yourself. You were the one who willingly gave it up for Zelda after she said she liked it. Who else could have done this but you? Lauren, you disgust me. "Since you enjoy scheming so much, I hope you enjoy getting a taste of your own medicine. "Zelda slept in this bed for three years. Now it's your turn to spend the next three years here." He ordered the maid, "Don't give her any medication, and don't let her escape." The maid followed his orders, using ropes to tie my wrists and ankles to the bedposts, stretching my limbs apart. A chill of terror ran down my spine and spread throughout my body. My hands and feet went cold. Nearly overcome with desperation, I screamed after him at the top of my lungs, "Nicholas, have you lost your mind? You're holding me against my will! You're deliberately hurting me!" But no one dared disobey him. My hoarse cries were the only sound in the otherwise silent room. Eventually, I wasn't even allowed to scream. The maid taped my mouth shut, explaining that Zelda was a light sleeper and my shouting would disturb her rest. But I was in so much pain. It hurt so much... Chapter 6 Time seemed to lose all meaning. The smell of blood lingering in my nostrils slowly gave way to the stench of rotting flesh. No one came into the room again. Tormented by thirst, hunger, and blood loss, I clung to life by sheer force of will. I counted each time the sky grew light outside my window. I knew that by the third dawn, Nicholas would take me to the hospital for an abortion. That would be my only chance to escape. I could barely sleep. Every passing second, my thoughts were consumed by pain. At last, the third dawn arrived. My vision was blurred by a haze of red. All I could make out was a figure untying the restraints around my wrists and ankles before placing a bowl of hot soup in my hands. Instinct took over. I threw my head back and gulped down the hot soup without a second thought. The scalding liquid blistered my mouth and throat, but compared with the torment I'd endured over the past few days, that pain was nothing. The faint feeling of fullness helped clear my head a little. I blinked, and at last, I could make out the face of the person standing before me. Zelda stood with her arms crossed, watching me with undisguised amusement. A mocking smile played on her lips as she asked, "Lauren, do you know what you just drank?" I swallowed, my stomach still crying out for more. It didn't matter what kind of soup it was. As long as it kept me alive, it was nectar from heaven. She twirled a strand of hair around her finger, looking utterly innocent. "It's an herbal soup. Lauren, do you think the baby inside you will hold on long enough to make it to the hospital?" I looked at her, my voice hoarse from not having spoken in so long. "There's no need. Nicholas never wanted this baby in the first place." Zelda suddenly burst out laughing. She clamped a hand around my throat, her eyes blazing with hatred. "He doesn't want the baby? Then why did he schedule all those prenatal tests for you? Why did he secretly ask the doctor whether a paternity test could be done before the baby was born? "You betrayed him. You're tainted. So why is he still willing to give you a chance?" I froze for a moment, but quickly pulled myself together. "Don't worry. Even if he wanted this baby, I wouldn't keep this burden." The dull ache in my lower abdomen grew more pronounced. After everything I'd endured over the past few days, I'd learned not to resist or call for help. I simply waited in silence for the ordeal to end. By the time Nicholas arrived, the pain had become so unbearable that I'd rolled off the bed. His gaze fixed on the hand pressed against my abdomen, now stained red with blood. Before he could even react, Zelda clutched her stomach and cried out that she wasn't feeling well. He instinctively reached out to steady her. She clutched his sleeve and burst into tears. "Nicholas, Lauren had the maid prepare some herbal soup to protect her pregnancy. I happened to stop by and saw her drinking it, so I asked for some too. But now my stomach hurts so much. What should I do?" Nicholas glanced at the bowl lying beside the bed and immediately understood what had happened. He scooped Zelda into his arms, his expression darkening. "How dare you use the bastard growing inside you to scheme against me and Zelda's baby? Lauren, if anything happens to Zelda, I swear I'll make you pay!" I didn't bother defending myself or arguing anymore. I simply lowered my head, feeling the little life inside me slowly slipping away. Then, dragging my feet, I made my way out of the villa, one step at a time. It took me a long while to adjust to the sunlight. When I could finally open my eyes, I caught a glimpse of my reflection in a puddle by the roadside and saw what I'd become. My hair was a tangled mess. My body was smeared with blood, and there wasn't a single patch of uninjured skin left. I left my wounds untreated, letting them fester and bleed. It wasn't until the following day that I received my divorce decree from the lawyer. After that, I took a cab to the police station, where I requested a forensic examination of my injuries and gave a detailed statement. With the officers' help, I got my wounds properly treated and managed to catch the last flight out of the country. Just before boarding, I accidentally picked up Nicholas's call. A barrage of accusations came pouring through the phone. "You were the one who set Zelda up in the first place, and you still have the nerve to call the police? What were you thinking? "Zelda can't handle any more stress. Go to the police station right now and tell them we'll settle this privately. In return, I'll let your own actions slide." He paused, then lowered his voice, coaxing me. "If you still love me, I can keep you, too. As long as you know your place, things can go back to the way they were between us behind closed doors." The boarding announcement came over the speakers before I could hang up. Nicholas heard every word loud and clear. His tone shifted, a hint of unease creeping into his voice. "Lauren, where are you?" "It doesn't matter anymore." I looked at my battered reflection in the floor-to-ceiling window and said calmly, "I'm not settling this privately, and I'm not making any deals with you." Nicholas, I stopped loving you a long time ago. As a flight attendant urged passengers to board, I hung up. The last message I received before turning off my phone was the official notice that my case had been filed.