Chapter 1

1

My sister was being bullied by her roommate. She acted in self-defense, but it left the other girl in critical condition.

My husband, Uriah Lane, was the only witness who could save her. But he refused to show up in court to fulfill a decade-long pact with his first love.

I knelt on the floor, clutching his hem and begging him to testify.

He shoved me away with pure disgust in his eyes. "Can you stop trying to compete for my attention for once? This ten-year anniversary only happens once."

"Is your sister really going to die just because I don't go? Besides, I wasn't the only one there. Stop trying to guilt-trip me."

Because no one testified for her, my sister was sentenced to three years. Her depression spiraled in prison, and she ended her own life in total despair.

With my only family gone, I felt my heart go cold. I was finally done with my husband.

Later, he came crawling back to me in tears, claiming he regretted everything.

……

"The defendant, Sienna Gold, is found guilty of intentional assault. Given the severity of the victim's injuries, she is sentenced to three years in prison."

I couldn't believe it. My sister had been condemned just like that.

As the guards began to lead her away, I lunged forward. A police officer grabbed my arms and pinned me to the floor.

I stared at Sienna with wide eyes. She looked back at me through a veil of tears, her lips moving silently. "Take care, sis," she mouthed before disappearing from sight.

The moment I walked out of the courthouse, I wiped my face. I opened my phone only to see a photo Uriah had just posted. It was a selfie with his first love, Shannon Chase.

Uriah was beaming with a kind of happiness I had never seen in our five years of marriage.

During our marriage, he had no patience for me. He always looked at me with contempt, complaining that I smelled like grease from my diner.

He constantly compared me to Shannon, who ran a successful law firm.

I knew he didn't love me. He only married me to spite her years ago.

But I never expected him to be this heartless.

Before the trial, I had knelt at his feet. "Uriah, please, I'm begging you to save my sister. The testimony will be quick. It won't take much of your time."

Uriah didn't care about my pleas. He kicked me away like I was trash.

"A ten-year reunion only happens once. Stop being so selfish. Learn when to stop picking fights with Shannon for my time."

"There were other witnesses. Is your sister really going to die if I don't go? You're just a manipulative brat. You're nothing."

Sienna had treated him like a real brother. Every year, she bought him better gifts than she bought me.

Uriah was a college professor who saw the whole incident. Yet, he refused to help, even though he knew Sienna was a sweetheart who would never start a fight.

The damage was done. I pushed down the agony, turned off my phone, and decided to find a better lawyer for an appeal.

I searched online and found a high-end firm. As I was about to call a cab, four burly men suddenly surrounded me. They covered my mouth and dragged me into a secluded corner of a nearby park.

"My daughter is in a coma because of your sister," one of them hissed.

"You had the nerve to claim she was innocent in court? I won't feel better until I break you."

It was the father of Sienna's roommate. His eyes were like daggers as he delivered a brutal kick to my stomach.

I nearly blacked out from the pain. I forced myself to look at him through gritted teeth.

"My sister did nothing wrong. Your daughter was a bully. She's in that hospital because of her own actions."

"Oh, still got a big mouth, huh? Get her, boys. Teach her some respect."

He waved his hand, and the others swarmed me. They rained down punches and kicks, showing no mercy. I heard the sickening crack of my own bones over the dull thud of their boots.

"I'm telling you, this isn't over. This is just the beginning."

Once they were satisfied, the man glared down at me one last time before they all fled.

The taste of copper filled my mouth. My body was screaming in pain as I tried to reach for my phone to call an ambulance. Just then, it rang.

It was Uriah.

"You've got some nerve. Why did it take you so long to answer?"

"Forget it. I don't have time for your games. Get to the diner and whip up five dishes. Have them couriered to the Four Seasons immediately."

"Make sure they're low-oil and low-sodium. Shannon is used to fine dining. she can't handle your greasy trash."

Uriah's voice felt like a serrated blade sawing at my heart. I couldn't tell what hurt more anymore―my broken ribs or my soul.

He didn't care about the verdict at all. He just took it for granted that I would serve him like a slave.

I cut the call, unable to listen to his indifferent voice for another second.

My vision blurred. The world went dark, and I collapsed into the dirt.