For Her, He Destroyed Me

Rage twisted inside me, squeezing my heart like a vice.

Charlie answered a video call.

On the other end, Raine was sobbing. Pathetic.

"Charlie, is Madelyn still refusing?" Her voice trembled like she was the victim here. "If she exposes me, I won't blame her. They are her parents. But I never had a family... I just wanted to know what it's like to be loved. Is that so wrong?"

Charlie's grip tightened on his phone.

Raine sniffled dramatically. "If I'm going to be called a fraud today, I'd rather just end it all and jump off this building!"

Fake despair flashed in her eyes, but Charlie fell for it.

"Raine, don't say that! Don't do anything stupid—I'll take care of everything," he promised.

Then he picked up a knife.

And walked toward me.

"Madelyn, can you really stand by and let Raine die over this?"

A cold wave of dread crashed over me. I clutched my chest.

He hesitated for half a second, but Raine's voice rang through the restroom.

"Charlie, if my parents were still alive, do you think I'd be this desperate for love?"

His eyes hardened. He stepped closer.

"No, Charlie..." My voice barely came out. "You swore you'd never hurt me."

His tone was steady. "Raine's parents died saving me. I owe her."

"Madelyn, just this once... be good. I'll make it up to you. Twice over."

Someone grabbed my arms, pinning me down.

Charlie pressed the blade to my chest—right over my birthmark—and sliced.

Fire tore through my skin.

I screamed. The sound ricocheted off the tile walls.

Tears blurred my vision. My mind flashed back to all the times Charlie had traced this mark with his fingers, whispering promises.

"I'll help you find your parents, no matter what," he'd said.

Now, he was ripping away the only proof I had.

To make sure Raine had nothing to fear, he destroyed it.

I crumpled to the floor, shaking.

Charlie pulled me into his arms, voice soft. "Once Raine's recognition ceremony is over, we'll get married, okay? I'll give you the grandest wedding, make you the most beautiful bride. Even if you're not the Moore heiress, it won't change the fact that I love you."

His words slithered around me like a snake.

If he really loved me, would he do this?

Would he steal my identity, stop me from meeting my real parents, and slice my skin open just to keep Raine comfortable?

No.

He wasn't protecting me. He was just using love as an excuse to break me.

Now that the evidence was gone, Raine finally sighed in relief. Then, with faux concern, she asked, "Charlie, will Madelyn really be okay? No one will suspect me now, right?"

Charlie reassured her. "Raine, stop worrying. Your tattooed birthmark looks exactly like hers. Once the DNA test confirms you, no one will doubt it. Plenty of people try to fake connections to the Moore family. Without the birthmark, they won't believe her."

As he spoke, he filled a vial with my blood.

He had thought of everything for Raine. Not one second spent thinking about me.

The pain in my chest was nothing compared to the pain clawing at my heart.

Charlie turned back, urgent. "Madelyn, don't be upset. I'll find the best plastic surgeon to fix this. I won't let you have any scars before our wedding, I promise."

Raine's voice rang through the phone. "Charlie, come back. I don't feel safe without you."

Charlie glanced at me. "Stay here. Once Raine officially becomes the Moore heiress, I'll come back for you, okay? Be good."