Chapter 1
While Jason Shaw was helping my elder sister Vivian Wade run away from her wedding, I collapsed at home, nearly losing my baby.
When I woke up, my desperate messages still hadn't been answered.
When I checked their IP addresses, they were already in the Antarctic Circle.
Vivian had been missing for twenty years. After she was found, my parents kept pushing her to get married.
She said yes, but every single time, she'd change her mind at the last minute and have Jason crash the wedding.
By now, this was the fifth time.
When I got into a car accident, Jason was off helping Vivian ditch her wedding.
When the company was in crisis and I passed out from working overtime, Jason was still out there helping Vivian ditch her wedding.
Even when I was about to lose my baby, Jason was still busy helping Vivian ditch her wedding.
After everything, Jason just gave me a simple explanation. "That childhood engagement was always meant for Vivian, not you. I can't help but feel like I wronged her by marrying you. She's suffered enough. I just want to see her happy."
Every time I snapped, my parents would give me the same warning.
"Your father and I only ever wanted one child. If Vivian hadn't gone missing, we never would've adopted you. With your heart condition, you'd probably be dead by now. If you dare to compete with her, you're nothing but a heartless traitor."
The doctor advised me.
"Ma'am, your pregnancy is unstable, and your heart condition is serious. You need to stay calm and avoid stress."
But for me, that was almost impossible.
The stabbing pain in my chest was relentless, tormenting me every moment.
So I told the doctor, "Please schedule an abortion for me."
It was just an endless cycle of Vivian ditching her weddings, and everyone else endlessly making excuses for her.
I was done watching that.
*****
"Ma'am, have you really thought this through? The baby is already two months old, and all the tests show it's perfectly healthy. Are you sure you want to end the pregnancy?" the doctor said.
I hesitated.
Jason and I grew up together.
We'd been married for three years, trying for a baby for a whole year, and now, finally, I was pregnant.
It would be a lie to say I didn't want this baby.
My phone buzzed. I grabbed it right away, hoping it was Jason texting me.
But it was my mom, sending me an order.
[The Lawson Family is here to stir up trouble. I'm bringing them to the hospital now. When they arrive, you apologize and take the blame. Say it's your fault for not keeping Jason in check.
[Don't let this affect Vivian. Protect her reputation, understand? If you don't, your dad and I will kick you out of the company and out of the Wade Family! Then you'll see how it feels to be homeless.]
I could practically hear the cold, merciless tone in her voice just from reading her words.
I've lost count how many times I've heard this speech, three months ago with the Johnsons, six months ago with the Lewises, a year ago with the Dawsons.
Every time Vivian bailed on her wedding, Jason and I always ended up taking the blame.
Jason didn't care about his reputation. He didn't mind being called fickle or unfaithful.
And I got dragged into it, becoming a joke among everyone we knew.
They called me "the most useless wife in the world."
My husband ditched me for someone else, and I was left to deal with all the fallout.
Jason was off on romantic adventures with Vivian.
I had to pay out of my own pocket to apologize and smooth things over.
Facing those powerful people and business partners who'd lost face, I had to take the blame, get yelled at, even deal with their anger, and I just had to suck it up.
But this time, I wasn't going to take the blame for Vivian anymore.
The door was flung open with a loud bang.
It was my parents, plus the Lawsons, whose son Vivian had been engaged to.
My parents wasted no time, pointing at me as they spoke.
"Mr. and Mrs. Lawson, this is all Vera's fault. She failed to keep an eye on Jason, and that's how he ended up taking Vivian away. My precious Vivian is completely innocent.
"Vivian is the sweetest, most obedient girl. If it weren't for Jason, she never would've even thought about running away from her wedding."
My mom shot me a look. "Go on, apologize to Mr. and Mrs. Lawson for what Jason did!"
I stayed silent.
My mom stepped right up to me and poked her finger into my chest.
Her eyes were cold and full of warning, like she was saying, "Did you forget who gave you a new heart and kept you alive?"
I did owe them my life. I would just give it back to them.
But no matter what, I wasn't going to admit fault anymore.
I did nothing wrong.
I nearly shouted, "I did nothing wrong! Vivian was the one who asked Jason to help her run away from the wedding.
"Jason's the one who can't get his priorities straight and deserves the blame. And Vivian is definitely not innocent. If you want to hold someone accountable, go find her, leave me out of this!"
Before I could even finish, a slap landed hard across my face.
A sharp smack echoed in the room.