Chapter 2

My stomach cramped painfully from all the fear I'd been feeling. Survival instincts took over, and I forgot about my dignity. I begged him to let me go, but I still couldn't grab onto Joshua's sleeve as he coldly walked away.

He shoved me aside, like tossing me away just to show his devotion to his favorite girl, Sarah.

He looked down at me from above.

"You love playing games with Sarah so much? Then stay here and let this place knock that rich lady attitude right out of you," he said.

I stared helplessly as the plane got farther and farther away, the fear of being abandoned wrapping around my heart.

Now I truly saw him for what he was.

Forced by circumstances, on my way to the embassy, I was dragged into a slum by rebels and tormented. Even then, I kept hoping Joshua would have a change of heart and come back for me.

But he never showed up.

I suffered unspeakable abuse, coughing up blood and begging for mercy, but it wasn't enough. I didn't survive.

Whatever. Honestly, death was a relief for me.

Just as I was fading out, the image of that satellite phone watch popped into my head.

It was one of the few gifts Joshua had ever given me.

I'd always kept mine close, but he probably didn't even remember where his was anymore.

Still, with trembling hands, I desperately tried dialing the number.

It actually connected, but then the call was instantly cut off.

Again and again, I managed to get through, only for the call to be disconnected every single time.

Finally, on my last desperate attempt, I heard Joshua's soft, caring voice on the other end.

"Sarah, why are you out of bed? Didn't the doctor tell you to rest and not do anything that might hurt the baby?"

That was my last breath. I died.

If only he'd come for me in time.

I would've survived.

A bomb blew the slum to hell, landing right where I was.

My body was blasted apart, limbs everywhere, and even my face was just a bloody blur.

Joshua said, "Go get Madelynn and bring her back. Tell her to be nicer and have her make a nice dinner for Sarah as an apology. I don't want her causing trouble and making everyone upset. She's still Mrs. Jones."

Joshua gave the order to Harvey, his face completely expressionless. Harvey just nodded and didn't say another word.

Joshua suddenly remembered something and walked into the bedroom.

Sarah seemed a bit off and let out a dramatic "ow." When Joshua turned to look at her, she rubbed her belly and whined sweetly.

"Joshua, when Madelynn comes back, don't be so cold to her, okay? She may not have done anything spectacular, but she's worked hard taking care of you all these years. I'm hoping she'll be good to our baby too," she said.

Joshua pulled her into his arms, his hand tenderly stroking Sarah's belly.

He said, "She wouldn't dare treat you badly! She was so jealous of your pregnancy that she went behind your back and ripped up your passport, just to keep you from coming with us. If you hadn't been so hurt that you tried to end it all with the baby, I would've never known how deep her jealousy ran."

Joshua was seething with anger, but for Sarah's sake, he swallowed it down and kept his cool.

I drew in a cold breath, shuddering inside.

Last month, when Joshua was out on a business trip, Sarah was strutting around, barking orders at the staff like she already owned the place.

"One day, I'm going to run this house. So what if she's got a kid? She'll just have to deal with it, no matter what," she shouted.

I thought she'd lost her mind. I'd poured my heart into keeping this family together. No way was I going to let her push me around like that.

When she saw I was pissed, she went out of her way to push my buttons.

She said, "You actually think Joshua planned that honeymoon for you? Seriously? That's a joke. He had me get my passport ready ages ago and said he wanted the three of us to go see the ocean together. You're just a prop, there for show!"

I'd had enough. I told Harvey to kick her out.

But out of nowhere, she ripped up her own passport, started screaming and rolling on the floor, and smashed several of Joshua's favorite porcelain pieces.

She still wouldn't quit. After her whole dramatic act, she sent Joshua a long, emotional message, accusing me of looking down on her and claiming she couldn't go on living.

Then she climbed up to the villa's fifth-floor terrace, threatening to jump and putting on a whole show for attention.

She said, "Joshua, I honestly don't know what I did to make Madelynn hate me this much. She won't even admit me and the baby exist, and now she's trying to ruin every moment I could have with you.

"If we hadn't missed our chance back then, I wouldn't be stuck here, forced to play the role of your 'sister', always getting treated like I don't matter, never having a real place in your life. I'm so tired of it. I can't stand being invisible and ignored anymore!"

Joshua rushed back like his life depended on it, and when he saw Sarah so shattered, he was absolutely gutted.

Joshua actually cried that time. "Sarah, I'm so sorry. This is all on me..."

Honestly, I had mixed feelings. She managed to turn a single passport into a full-blown melodrama, like something straight out of a tearjerker romance.

It was just a vacation. Was it really worth all that life-or-death drama?

It wasn't until Joshua dumped me in the middle of a war zone that I finally understood that there was a clear line between loving someone and not giving a damn.

Joshua said, "Madelynn, Sarah's already had it rough enough. Her depression isn't too bad right now, but if you keep pushing her and she gets worse, I swear I'll make you pay for it!

"Just so you know, being Mrs. Jones is only because I let you have that title. Now I want you to give in to Sarah, and you have no right to pick a fight with her. Consider this your warning: if you can't swallow your pride and apologize, then forget about coming back to the country."

Right now, Joshua was glued to his phone, waiting for that desperate, pleading call from me, hoping I'd beg him for help.

Too bad for him, that call was never coming.