Chapter 3

The sterile scent of antiseptic still clung to my clothes as I walked into the private hospital room, a sickening familiarity. Edwardo sat beside Cassie' s bed, his posture rigid, his face etched with a concern that made my stomach churn. She lay there, looking impossibly delicate, a pristine white bandage wrapped around her forehead. Her arm, too, was in a sling, though I knew the injuries were far less severe than what Ben had endured. Yet, Edwardo hovered over her as if she were made of spun glass.

"Oh, Edwardo," Cassie whimpered, her voice barely a whisper. She batted her eyelashes, a performance I knew by heart. "It still hurts so much. And the nightmares... Ben Pena was so violent."

Edwardo' s hand, usually so guarded, gently stroked her hair, pushing a stray strand away from her forehead. "Shhh, darling. You're safe now. I promise. No one will ever hurt you again." His voice was soft, laced with a tenderness I had never heard directed at me. My heart ached, a deep, hollow pain.

Cassie nestled into his touch, her eyes subtly flicking towards me, a triumphant glint in their depths. Edwardo then looked at me, his gaze sharp, a clear warning. "Blair. You're here." His tone was flat, devoid of any warmth.

I gripped my purse, my knuckles white. My throat felt tight, as if a fist had closed around it. The image of Ben, pale and broken in his hospital bed, flashed before my eyes. This was for him.

"Yes, I am," I managed, my voice surprisingly steady. "I came to apologize, as you requested."

Cassie made a soft, wounded sound. "Oh, Blair, you don't have to. I know you're just upset about your brother. It's okay." Her words were saccharine, dripping with false concern, making my skin crawl.

"No, it's not okay, Cassie," I said, my eyes locking with hers. For a split second, her facade faltered, a flash of pure malice in her eyes. "My brother, Ben, has caused you great distress, and for that, I am truly sorry." The words tasted like ash. I forced them out, each syllable a blade twisting in my gut. "He should not have laid hands on you, regardless of the circumstances."

Cassie's lips curved into a smug smile. "See, Edwardo? She understands." She squeezed his hand. "Honestly, Blair, I feel terrible for you. Being married to Edwardo must be so difficult. He's so... particular. And you're so... normal." She giggled, a tiny, tinkling sound that grated on my nerves. "He always complains about how boring his marriage is, you know. Says you never understand him, never really see him."

My gaze darted to Edwardo. His expression was unreadable, but he didn't contradict her. He simply continued to stroke her hair, his eyes fixed on her face. It was a confirmation. Everything she said, everything I had suspected, was true. He had probably complained about me to her, painted me as the cold, unfeeling wife. The realization was a bitter pill to swallow. The humiliation was so profound, it stole my breath.

Just then, Edwardo' s phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, a frown creasing his brow. "Work call. Urgent." He stood, reluctantly, pulling his hand away from Cassie.

"But Edwardo," Cassie pouted, tugging at his sleeve. "Don't go. Stay with me. I'm scared."

"I have to, darling," he said, his voice still gentle. "It's about a major security breach. I'll be back as soon as I can. Just rest." He leaned down and kissed her forehead again. "And you," he said, turning his gaze to me, his eyes hardening. "Don't try anything. Ben is still under my custody. Anything happens to Cassie, and he pays the price. Understood?"

I nodded, my jaw clenched. He turned and strode out of the room, leaving the door slightly ajar.

The moment Edwardo' s footsteps faded, Cassie' s sweet facade crumbled. Her eyes, no longer innocent, glittered with malicious triumph. She pushed herself up slightly, her voice dropping to a venomous whisper. "Finally. He's gone. That was exhausting." She ripped off the bandage on her forehead, revealing perfectly clear skin. No injury. Not even a scratch.

My eyes widened. "You... you faked it all?"

She laughed, a harsh, grating sound. "Of course. Did you really think your precious Edwardo would believe you over me? He's utterly devoted. You're nothing but a placeholder, Blair. A glorified housekeeper." She sneered. "And the sooner you realize that, the better for everyone."

My blood ran cold. The depth of her manipulation, the audacity of her lies, was staggering. "You're a sick woman, Cassie."

"Oh, I'm sick?" She scoffed, her eyes blazing with a sudden, unhinged fury. "You're the one clinging to a dead marriage, pretending he cares. He hates you, Blair. He always has. He only married you because of some archaic debt. You're a financial crutch, nothing more." She swung her legs off the bed, her movements fluid and uninjured. "Now, get out of my sight. Your presence makes me want to vomit."

"I am his wife," I stated, my voice dangerously calm, the truth a bitter taste in my mouth. "Legally. You're just a mistress."

Her face twisted into a snarl. She lunged at me, her good hand flying out. Her nails, long and sharp, raked across my cheek, leaving a burning trail. "How dare you! I am going to be his wife! You're nothing!"

I stumbled back, clutching my bleeding cheek. The pain was sharp, but the shock was greater. This woman was a viper.

Before I could react, Cassie let out a piercing shriek. She threw herself back onto the bed, thrashing wildly. She clawed at her own arm, tearing at the pristine white bandage, leaving fresh scratches on her skin. "Edwardo! Edwardo! She attacked me! Blair attacked me!"

Just then, the door burst open. Edwardo stood there, his face thunderous, his eyes blazing with a terrifying rage. He saw Cassie, her hair disheveled again, her face contorted in fear, fresh blood welling from her arm. He saw me, standing a few feet away, my hand pressed to my own bleeding cheek.

He rushed to Cassie' s side, pushing me roughly aside. My head hit the wall with a dull thud, sending stars dancing before my eyes. I sank to the floor, my vision blurring. He didn't even glance at me. His entire focus was on Cassie.

"Cassie! What happened? Are you okay?" He cradled her head, his eyes filled with agonizing concern.

Cassie sobbed, pointing a trembling finger at me. "She... she came in here... and she attacked me! She called me names... she scratched me!" Her voice was laced with terror, a perfect performance.

Edwardo' s eyes, colder than ice, turned to me. "Blair. What have you done?" His voice was low, menacing, a storm brewing beneath the surface.

I shook my head, tears finally overflowing, mixing with the blood on my cheek. "She's lying, Edwardo! She scratched herself! She attacked me!" I tried to push myself up, but my body felt heavy, bruised.

He didn't believe me. I saw it in his eyes. He never would.

Cassie sniffled, pulling at Edwardo' s sleeve. "She... she said she was going to make sure I never saw you again. She said she'd ruin my life. She said... she said she wished I'd died in the fire."

My jaw dropped. The sheer audacity of her lies stole my voice.

Edwardo' s grip tightened on Cassie. He looked at my bleeding cheek, then at Cassie' s freshly scratched arm. He didn't even register the cut on my face. His attention was solely on her suffering. My pain was invisible to him.

"Is this true, Blair?" His voice was deadly quiet, a tremor of pure fury running through it. "Did you threaten her?"

"No! She's lying! She attacked me!" I cried, pointing at my own injured cheek. "Look at my face! She did this!"

Edwardo merely glanced at my cheek, then recoiled, a look of revulsion crossing his face. "You're bleeding, Blair. Get away from her. You're a contaminant." He pushed himself away from me, moving farther from my outstretched hand. His eyes narrowed. "Call security. Get her out of here. And make sure she pays for this."

"Pay for what?" I screamed, the injustice a burning fire in my veins. "For being your wife? For loving you? For existing?"

He ignored my questions, his attention already back on Cassie, murmuring reassurances. "Don't worry, darling. She won't touch you again. I promise."

My heart, already shattered, felt like it was being ground to dust. Three years of devotion, of enduring his cruelty, of believing in some distant, unattainable love. And it all ended here, with him believing a manipulative liar over his own wife, simply because he loved the lies more than the truth.

"Edwardo," I whispered, my voice raw with the pain of a thousand forgotten hopes. "After everything... after everything I've done... how can you be so cruel?"

He didn't look at me. His gaze was fixed on Cassie, his world revolving around her.

"I protected your name, your family, your secrets," I continued, my voice gaining a desperate edge. "I stood by you, even when you treated me like dirt. I believed in you. And this... this is how you repay me?"

He finally turned, his eyes piercing through me. "You want to talk about repayment?" He stood, towering over me. "You caused a scene. You attacked Cassie. You're a disgrace. The very sight of you disgusts me. Get out of my sight. Now." He barked at the guards who had just arrived. "Take her. And make sure she learns her lesson."

The guards, grim-faced, hauled me to my feet. My arm twisted painfully behind my back. A sharp crack echoed in the room. A searing pain shot up my arm. My vision swam.

"My arm!" I gasped, the pain momentarily eclipsing my emotional agony.

Edwardo merely glanced at the twisted angle of my arm, then quickly averted his gaze, a flicker of disgust for the blood on my face and clothes. "Get her out. Make sure she doesn't contaminate another inch of this hospital."

The guards dragged me out of the room, my feet barely touching the floor. The last thing I saw was Edwardo, bending over Cassie, his hand gently stroking her hair, his face a mask of devotion. And then, everything went black.