On Valentine's Day, Gabriella Watson spent 24 hours straight inside Fred W. Symmes Chapel, sitting in the same pew, clutching her rosary, whispering prayers until her voice went hoarse and her body ached.

She did it because her husband, Daniel Durke, and their son, Jerome Durke, claimed they weren't feeling well. They swore if she prayed hard enough, they'd start to feel better.

Exhausted, she caught a red-eye flight home. Midway through, her phone buzzed with a message from an unknown number. "Your husband's marrying his stepsister today. Your son's the ring bearer."

Gabriella rolled her eyes at the cruel prank and typed back, "Impossible. My husband and son love me."

But when she finally pulled up to the estate, she saw it with her own eyes—Daniel, in a tux, sliding a ring onto his stepsister's finger as she stood radiant in a wedding dress.

Jerome clapped and grinned. "Thia, now you're my real mom! I don't have to live with that naggy woman anymore!"

Gabriella felt the world tilt. The rosary slipped from her hand and scattered across the ground.

***

"You promised—if I wanted to, you'd take me away. Now, I'm willing to go with you.

"Gabriella, you can't take back what you said. Are you sure you don't want Daniel and Jerome?"

"Yes. I don't want them."

Gabriella hung up. A few yards away, Daniel and Cynthia Moreau had just finished a heated kiss.

Her first instinct was to hide. She darted behind the rose wall, clenching her fist so tightly her skin throbbed with pain.

All this time, when she'd nearly ruined her body praying and stayed up through the night begging for the health of the people she loved, they were secretly throwing a lavish wedding for Cynthia.

The excuse about being "unwell" had been a lie. They'd been making a fool of her all along.

Most of the guests were Daniel's friends. Applause swelled around them.

"Man, Danny is so romantic. Seven or eight years apart and they get back together—I'm tearing up."

"Right? There's no blood between them. They were forced apart. Thia's had it rough. Thank God Danny stood by her, kicked Gabriella out, and made this huge wedding on Valentine's Day—so perfect."

"Yeah. Danny might've cared for Gabriella, but she could never take Thia's place. Gabriella's petty, and she ruined her looks. It's no wonder her husband and son hate her. She just won't go away. What a manipulative woman."

Every word landed like another blow. Gabriella felt her blood go cold.

The wedding march looped. Daniel held Cynthia, who was sobbing, and his eyes were softer than she'd ever seen.

"Thia, eight years. I finally get to do this—have a dreamlike wedding with you."

Cynthia choked back tears into his shoulder. "Danny, I never thought I'd be with you again in my lifetime. All the suffering—I can forget it now."

Daniel's look was full of protectiveness. "Don't worry. I'll take care of you. I'll protect you forever."

Jerome grinned and hugged Cynthia's leg. "Thia, can I call you 'Mom' now? You're getting married to my dad."

Cynthia smiled softly and said, "Yes, but keep it a secret from your mom, okay? If she finds out, I might get kicked out."

Jerome's face hardened. "Hmph. If she bullies you, I'll make her pay. I'll send her to the loony bin!"

Hot tears streaked down Gabriella's face. She couldn't believe it—the son she raised would put his own mother in a psychiatric hospital for Cynthia.

Daniel grabbed the mic and warned the crowd, "Please keep this between us. Gabriella is petty and holds grudges. I'm worried she might do something to Thia."

"Don't worry, Danny. We're all backing you and Thia—our lips are sealed!" someone called.

Cynthia gave a guilty look toward Daniel. "She'll come after me if she knows."

Daniel soothed her, "I owe you this. I can't put your name on the marriage license, but I'll protect you. Gabriella won't dare touch you."

"Dad and I will be your knights, Mom Thia. No one will make you sad!" Jerome declared.

Then the crowd funneled into the estate's ballroom and started the opening dance.

Gabriella's legs gave out. She sank onto the lawn.

She remembered the first time she met Daniel—he was a mess, living on cigarettes and booze, many times close to jumping into the river.

She'd brought him to therapy, taken care of him for two years, and handled everything until he had life in him again.

She knew there was someone else in his heart, so she stepped back and disappeared for a while.

Daniel had searched the world for her. He even waited outside the B&B she stayed at for three days, begging her to come back.

He'd poured his heart out. "Gabriella, you gave me a second life. Marry me."

She'd believed his sincerity and trusted he'd love her above all else.

They were married for six years and had Jerome.

She never expected that when Gabriella returned, Daniel would so quickly drift back to his first love.

Even her son wanted Cynthia as his mother more than he wanted her.

Her devotion had become a joke—discarded and despised like trash.

Gabriella's eyes were too dry for tears. She watched the sky fill with pink heart-shaped balloons and felt a hollow chill at how blatant Daniel's romance with Cynthia was.

At least in five days, she would disappear from this city for good—out of their sight, out of their problem.

Gabriella was about to leave when someone stopped her.

"You—go run the bath for the bride. After she showers, she's spending the night with Mr. Durke. Don't mess this up!"

It was one of the staff, treating Gabriella like a new hire.

She'd just come down from the mountain. The cold had cracked her face, so she'd bundled up tight to hide it, and no one recognized her as Daniel's wife.

She tried to refuse, but the worker grumbled and shoved her up to the second floor.

Every hallway was lined with Cynthia's portraits. Everywhere Gabriella looked there were camellias—Cynthia's favorite. That's when Gabriella realized just how far Daniel had gone to pamper someone else.

The wedding was lavish. Any woman would be jealous.

In the bathroom she moved on autopilot, filling the tub with hot water. Just outside, the suite was decked out for the honeymoon, and the thought of it made her cry again.

A giant wedding photo showed Daniel and Cynthia locked in a passionate kiss.

The thought hit her—while she'd been sick from the altitude, he'd been taking bridal photos with Cynthia.

While she'd been praying for his well-being, he'd been writing sappy vows to another woman.

Suddenly Daniel burst through the door with Cynthia in his arms. They couldn't even wait to get to the bed. They started making out in the entryway, tearing at each other's clothes.

The spray of water blurred the glass. Gabriella's hand tightened on the showerhead until it trembled.

Daniel's voice came out rough, thick with desire. "Thia, I've waited for this day so long."

Cynthia sounded a little crushed. "But you still married Gabriella and had a child with her. I'm not blaming you—I'm just... sad. Our first night isn't with each other."

Daniel smiled, indulgent and soft. "You know, back then I missed you so much. Gabriella showed up at the right time. She wasn't pretty like you, didn't flirt the way you do, and her voice wasn't as sweet, but she worked hard and treated me well. In the moment I thought trying it with her wasn't a loss.

"And our first time? It wasn't gentle. I was wasted, and I mistook her for you. You're the one I want—you're irreplaceable."

Cynthia's face lit up, and she kissed him eagerly.

Gabriella watched them through the frosted glass, feeling as if someone was cutting her open.

She remembered how Daniel once treated her like a treasure—calling her his salvation, his love he couldn't turn away from.

Now, in front of Cynthia, she was the desperate fool.

He'd turned off the lights the first time, been tender but fierce at the same time, whispering, "I love you. I want to have you forever."

Only now did Gabriella realize his mind had been on Cynthia the whole time.

She wiped her face, kept her head down, and stepped out. "Sir, the bath is ready. I'll be going."

She squeezed out the words, not wanting to witness what would happen next.

They were down to the last scraps of clothing.

Daniel said in a low voice, "From now on, call Gabriella 'Mrs. Durke.'"

Gabriella flinched, closed her eyes, and answered like someone resigned to a sentence, "Yes, Mr. Durke and Mrs. Durke. Congratulations on your marriage."

Cynthia laughed, all charm as she lounged on the bed. "Danny, don't be so mean. She did witness the wedding—give her something, a little tip."

Daniel pounced and bit her lip playfully. "Call me honey, not by my name."

Gabriella stood frozen, hollow inside, as Daniel carelessly tossed a wristwatch at her.

"Take this downstairs. Serve the new Mrs. Durke well."

Cynthia squealed. "Isn't that the watch Gabriella designed herself for you? You're just giving it to a servant?"

Daniel chuckled. "It's our wedding day—give the staff a gift. Later we'll say it got lost. Gabriella won't make a fuss. She always brings me those random little presents. I can't treasure them all."

Gabriella pressed the watch into her palm, numb. She pushed open the door and ran out.

They'd been together two Valentine's Days now. For three months she'd apprenticed with a craftsman to design and build that one-of-a-kind watch for Daniel.

He wore it everywhere afterwards—it was his profile pic, his show of affection. Friends teased him for being sentimental, and he loved it.

Now, on Valentine's Day, he'd tossed that watch to a servant like trash and crawled into bed with another woman.

Gabriella wandered the street in a daze and, when she couldn't bear it anymore, hurled the watch into a roadside trash can—along with the foolish, naive version of herself she'd once been.

By the time Gabriella got home, she was soaked from the downpour, her body burned with a terrifying fever.

In the living room, Jerome was glued to his game console—the latest model, a gift from Cynthia.

"Why are you back so soon?"

His tone wasn't concerned for her health. It was a surprise that she'd returned early, worrying it might interrupt his dad and new mom's wedding night.

Gabriella blinked, slightly dazed. "Yeah... I just got back. I'm going to rest."

Jerome froze. Normally, she would never let him stay up late gaming. But tonight, she hadn't even taken the console.

He settled in comfortably on the floor, diving into his game with full intensity.

Gabriella set the two rosaries on the coffee table and turned toward the stairs.

"Running all the way there just to bring back this? Is this supposed to make me and Dad feel better? Looks cheap... not even close to the full gaming setup Thia got me."

Even though Jerome spoke softly, she heard every word.

This time, she didn't respond. She went straight to her room, curling under the covers to warm her freezing body.

That night was filled with nightmares. Gabriella almost thought she wouldn't wake up.

When she did, Daniel's worried face hovered over her. "Honey, you're awake! You scared me to death.

"Why'd you come back early from the mountains? Why didn't you call me to pick you up? Look at you—forty-degree fever! I nearly went weak at the knees hearing this."

Gabriella listened to his tender tone, tasting only bitter irony.

Now she could see through Daniel's fake mask straight into the rot underneath.

"I thought sleeping it off would help. It's nothing serious," she said evenly.

"Nothing serious? What if something happened to you? What about Jerome?

"I'll take care of you these days. Don't even think about getting out of bed."

His tone was indulgent yet scolding, impossible to read.

Soon, a rosary fell from his hands. "I saw this on the coffee table. You got it for me and Jerome, right? I've heard these are powerful but hard to get. You went through so much—I love you.

"I made sure Jerome always carries his, and I'll do the same. Never losing it. It's all your effort."

Gabriella's voice went cold. "What about the watch I gave you?"

Daniel was caught off guard, but his expression stayed smooth. "It's at the office. My assistant's holding it for me."

Gabriella's lashes flickered. She didn't push further, letting her question hang in the air like a trap.

Daniel leaned down to kiss her forehead. She turned away in disgust, the memory of him kissing Cynthia flashing through her mind.

His kiss missed, freezing him for a split second.

"What? Feeling unwell? I can call a doctor."

"I'm fine. Just a little dizzy. I want to sleep," she said, closing her eyes, making it clear she didn't want to continue the conversation.

Daniel brushed it off, assuming her reaction was just the illness.

Then the phone rang. Jerome's voice came through, "Dad! Mom passed out! Come quick!"

"What happened? I'm on my way! Tell her not to be afraid!"

Daniel bolted, unaware that every word of his earlier conversation had been heard by Gabriella.

That afternoon, Gabriella got out of bed to handle her discharge paperwork.

The doctor gave her an unexpected blow.

"Ms. Watson, you're already over three weeks pregnant. I recommend staying a few more days to rest—there's been some signs of a threatened miscarriage."

Gabriella stared blankly at the report. Pregnant? Now?

Turning a corner, she caught a familiar voice.

"Mom Thia, you're having a baby, right? Yay! I'll be the best brother ever!

"Dad, are you so happy you're acting silly?"

Cynthia gently tugged at Daniel's cheek. "Did you hear? The doctor said you're going to be a dad."

Daniel's eyes were red, and he hurriedly scooped Cynthia into his arms.

"I love you, Thia. Thank you for bringing this life into the world. I'll love you both without reservation."

The report slipped from Gabriella's hand and fluttered to the floor.

She was pregnant at the same time as Cynthia. How absurd.

She didn't even need to ask Daniel what he thought. She couldn't keep this baby.

And she feared that, like Jerome, the baby would hate her, wanting another woman as their mother.

Gabriella turned back and scheduled a procedure with the doctor for a few days later.

That night, Daniel finally returned home, drenched in sweat.

He dropped to one knee, taking Gabriella's cold hand. "I had to run into the office for something urgent, and when I got back, you'd already discharged yourself. You rushed home while still sick... Don't scare me like that, okay?"

Gabriella's expression was blank as she stared at the floor. "I'm fine now. Staying in the hospital was uncomfortable, so I came back."

Daniel's unease eased slightly, though he still probed. "Did something happen on the way? You seem off lately."

"Nothing. You're overthinking."

He was about to speak again, but Gabriella buried herself in her phone.

"I'll make you a pot of seafood chowder," Daniel said. "You probably haven't had much appetite with the cold. This will be good for you."

Rolling up his sleeves, he went into the kitchen, preparing the meal with practiced ease.

Gabriella remembered when Daniel had only drunk alcohol and refused to eat—she had gone to endless lengths to get him to eat, including making this chowder.

Once he learned how, he'd started making it for her anytime he could.

Back then, she had thought their love could last a lifetime.

Her phone chimed—Jerome had dragged a "reluctant" Cynthia into the house.

"Jerry, don't do that. Your mom's sick. Your dad's taking care of her; that's his job. I can't be here—your mom wouldn't like it."

"Why wouldn't she? I want you here, so you're here! With Dad and me protecting you, she won't dare kick you out!"

Normally, Cynthia wouldn't have dared to show up at Gabriella and Daniel's home so boldly.

This time, her confidence came from the baby in her belly.

Jerome shoved Cynthia onto the couch, sticking his tongue out at Gabriella like a defiant child. "I want Thia to play with me. You can't kick her out!"

Cynthia smiled, her expression unreadable. "Sorry, Gabriella. I'll just stay a little while, then I'll go. Don't want to ruin Jerry's fun."

Gabriella snapped back sharply. "If you didn't want to come, why can't you let go of my son? Cynthia, you've been waiting for this day a long time, huh? All that pretending—I'm exhausted just watching."

Cynthia wasn't expecting Gabriella's bluntness and hesitated, unsure how to respond.

Then she leaned back lazily. "Gabriella, the bathwater was perfect. We even lingered in the tub after."

Gabriella's stiffened, frozen in place. She realized that night Cynthia had known the servant was her all along and deliberately made Daniel reward her, humiliating her on purpose.

Daniel came out carrying the chowder. Sensing the tension, he quickly defended Cynthia.

"Honey, Jerry likes Thia. She's just here to play with him. Don't overthink it.

"And she wanted to see how you're feeling, just chat a bit."

Gabriella ignored his half-hearted explanation, turning toward the stairs. "It's fine. You guys do what you want. I need to rest."

Daniel didn't notice her mood anymore. His attention was entirely on Cynthia.

From downstairs, laughter and chatter floated up. Gabriella stared into the distance, calculating the time until she could finally leave.

The next day, Gabriella went into the office.

The HR manager looked at her, hesitating. "Ms. Watson, are you sure you want to resign? The CEO doesn't know yet. He didn't pay attention when he signed. I can still—"

"I'm sure. I'm resigning. His signature's enough," she said.

After finishing a quick handover, she started packing up her office.

Everywhere she looked were little gifts from Daniel, matching mugs, soft seat cushions, a pair of matching keyboards, even framed family photos...

Memories of happiness slowly turned to ash in her hands.

Suddenly, the HR manager ran in, panic written all over her face. "Ms. Watson, you need to check the company website. Something's happened..."

Gabriella pulled it up and froze. At the top of the homepage, a scandalous headline screamed, "Cynthia Moreau's Nude Photo Leak".

The images were brutal. Cynthia, disheveled, was surrounded by strangers forcing her to drink, striking her, and pulling at her clothes.

A video played below, showing her being humiliated over and over.

"Who would post this?" Gabriella muttered to herself.

It was clearly a relic from Cynthia's time abroad.

There was no way she'd do this herself.

Gabriella was about to leave when Daniel appeared, carrying a sobbing Cynthia.

The first words out of his mouth were like a knife to her chest. "Gabriella, this was you, wasn't it?"

Gabriella felt her blood turn cold. Her voice came out strained. "Daniel, do you actually think I did this?"

His eyes cut into her like a blade, piercing her already aching heart.

"You just got to the office, and this happens. How am I supposed to believe you?"

He had someone bring up security footage—showing her going to talk to her assistant, Linda Davis.

Gabriella tried to explain. "I just gave Linda some instructions on the next steps for work."

Then Linda walked in, head down. Facing Daniel, she said, "Ms. Watson asked me to post the photos and videos... said she wanted Cynthia to be humiliated, to make everyone despise her."

Gabriella screamed, furious. "Linda! I never told you to do that!"

She couldn't believe the person she trusted most at work had betrayed her.

Daniel snatched the family photo from her desk and smashed it to the floor, fury radiating off him.

"Gabriella! How dare you go after Thia like this! You know how I feel about her growing up abroad, how I hated that I wasn't there to protect her. And now... you've destroyed her again!"

Cynthia collapsed in his arms, crying so hard she was almost fainting.

"Danny, I stayed clean! I didn't let anyone touch me! And now... the whole world thinks I was violated. How am I supposed to live?"

"Why do you hate me so much, Gabriella? I'm barely surviving, and this... is this what you wanted?"

Gabriella stared at the obvious trap and let out a hollow, bitter laugh.

In Daniel's eyes, her innocence meant nothing compared to Cynthia's tears.

At that moment, Jerome stormed in, furious. "You're so cruel! Why would you post Thia's photos? You're a terrible woman! And you'll pay for hurting her!"

Before Gabriella could react, Jerome grabbed a vase from the desk and smashed it into her head.

"Apologize to Thia!" he shouted.

Gabriella couldn't dodge. The vase hit her square on the forehead, blood gushing down past her eyes.

"Ms. Watson!" the HR manager gasped, too shocked to move closer.

Daniel froze for a second too, but seeing innocent Cynthia in his arms, his face hardened again.

This was what Gabriella deserved. He couldn't show mercy—she needed to learn her lesson.

"Apologize. A sincere apology to Thia," Daniel said coldly.

Dizzy and bleeding, Gabriella's last sight before collapsing was Daniel's smug satisfaction—and her son looking up at Cynthia, waiting for praise for his righteous judgment.

When Gabriella woke up, she was plunged into darkness.

The blood on her forehead had dried, crudely bandaged like someone had half-heartedly cared.

Voices came from outside the room—Daniel's voice.

"Thia, you didn't deserve that. I never expected Gabriella to treat you that way, leaking your photos. But she's still my wife. I can't just throw her in jail."

"So your plan is to starve her for a few days as punishment? Honestly, I'm fine... I'm used to being pushed around. I can handle it."

"Don't be ridiculous. No one is allowed to hurt you anymore. Not even Gabriella."

Then, Jerome started scheming. "Why don't we lock her up from now on? Chains or something? That way, she can't hurt anyone again."

Gabriella felt her heart freeze. She stared blankly at the ceiling. Her own son wanted to chain her up. The words cut her deeper than any knife.

Daniel's voice cut sharply. "Jerry, that's your mother. What are you even saying?"

Then, his tone softened as he turned to comfort Cynthia. "If Gabriella keeps acting out, I'll put her in one of the vacant apartments outside town. Someone will watch her, and you can focus on bringing our baby into the world safely.

"To make sure she can't run off, I'll have a doctor give her something to keep her asleep most of the time. She won't be able to hurt anyone."

Cynthia sniffled, deeply touched. "Thank you, honey."

Jerome clapped excitedly. "Yes! Then I don't have to see her every day. Heck yeah!"

And just like that, Gabriella became a walking corpse. Days without food or water left her barely standing.

Daniel put her in the car. Cynthia sat in the passenger seat as they drove out of the city.

His voice was cold, emotionless. "Gabriella, when you've thought things through, I'll come get you. This time, you went too far. Thia didn't press charges, so you should at least be grateful."

Gabriella ignored him, closing her eyes, sinking into a deep, exhausted sleep.

Cynthia feigned kindness. "Gabriella, we'll come see you often."

Daniel chuckled. "Gabriella, maybe you should take a page from Thia's book—learn to be more forgiving."

"Ugh... Daniel, you're disgusting."

Suddenly, a truck came barreling toward them. Daniel barely had time to react, yanking the wheel hard.

In the last second before impact, he threw himself over Cynthia without a thought.

The deafening crash shook the world around them. Gabriella felt a sharp pain in her abdomen, the slow, terrifying slip of life from her body.

Bystanders gathered, sirens blared.

Through the haze, she saw Daniel cradling unconscious Cynthia, shouting for help.

"Someone save my wife! She's pregnant!"

All three were rushed into the ambulance. Daniel never once looked at Gabriella.

At the hospital, a nurse's urgent voice cut through the chaos. "There's only one OR. Who goes in first?"

"My wife—she's carrying our baby!" Daniel shouted.

The nurse hesitated. "The other woman is pregnant too. What do we do?"

He glanced at Gabriella, pale and fragile, realizing she was pregnant as well.

Less than a second later, he carried Cynthia into the only operating room. "Save her first. Let's deal with the rest later."

Gabriella watched the doors close, leaving Daniel's resolute back behind.

Weak, she closed her eyes. Time blurred until someone finally wheeled her away.

When she woke again, the doctor told her the baby was gone.

No sorrow. No joy. She pushed herself out of bed and insisted on leaving.

Passing a room, she saw Daniel meticulously helping Cynthia with her recovery.

Jerome held Cynthia's hand, crying. "Mom Thia, please wake up soon."

She glanced one last time before taking the elevator down.

Gabriella dialed a number. "I'm ready. Come get me."

Half an hour later, she slid into a limited-edition stretch Lincoln and vanished from the hospital, leaving Daniel and Jerome's world behind forever.

That night, Daniel smoked alone in the lounge when his phone rang.

"Mr. Durke, this is the New York City PD. Your wife, Gabriella Watson, drove off a bridge this afternoon. We haven't recovered the body yet. Can you come to the scene?"

At the same time, a doctor, grave-faced, pushed through the door. "Mr. Durke, Gabriella is your wife, right? She just had a car accident and lost the baby. How could she leave the hospital on her own? She needs to rest properly, or she may never be able to have children again."

The cigarette dropped from Daniel's hand. A thunderous noise rang in his mind.