She Took the Blame and Died Alone

Synopsis

After my twin sister, Veronica Nunez, accidentally killed someone on stage, my uncle, Jaxton Nunez, didn't blink before pushing me out to take the fall. My fiancé, Kolson Sawyer, went online and posted, swearing up and down that I was the one on stage. For four years, I was blacklisted, bullied by newcomers, and my throat was destroyed by boiling water. Day and night, the torment never stopped until I found out I had a terminal illness. With little time left, I finally managed to survive until my contract expired. "Edith, after you're out, keep your head down and stay out of the spotlight," they warned me. After my contract ended, I didn't go home. Instead, I started over under a new name on Mistral Isle, thousands of miles away, taking whatever work I could find in a dusty old record shop. I bought myself a burial plot. I thought I'd never cross paths again with the three people who ruined everything for me. But then, one day, a figure holding a black umbrella stopped in front of my tombstone. "Excuse me, does anyone ever come to visit this grave?" My hand, wiping the tombstone, froze. Hearing that familiar voice again, I felt unreal, like a ghost from my past had suddenly appeared. The cold rain tapped against the umbrella. I didn't look up, my voice emotionless. "No one comes. The owner has no family." Jaxton paused for a second and then, recognizing me, let out a low chuckle. "Do you have any idea how long I've been searching for you? Edith, do you have a heart?" I looked up. It had been so many years since I last saw him. He was rocking a perfectly tailored suit, his watch gleaming, his presence almost overwhelming. Meanwhile, illness had left me gaunt. Seeing the anger flicker in his eyes, I couldn't help but think how ironic it all was. "Did Veronica get herself into trouble again? And now you want me to take the blame for her?"