The End of a Dream

A Marriage of Lies

I thought for a moment before nodding. "Alright, I choose to die in a car crash three days from now."

Forcing my emotions into order, I walked out of the lounge only to hear the nurses chatting in the hallway.

"Dr. Kinsey treats his wife so well! He's been with her through every checkup during her pregnancy, and after the birth, he hasn't left her side for even a moment."

"He really is the perfect husband. I heard that the day Mrs. Kinsey gave birth, Dr. Kinsey was crying with worry outside the operating room. And when he learned it was twins, he nearly jumped out of his chair from excitement."

Their words followed me as I stopped outside the VIP ward.

Through the door, I saw Wayne cradling a baby carefully in his arms. The overflowing love in his eyes nearly blinded me. His friend's words echoed in my mind—Naomi now had both a son and a daughter. But because of that car accident, I would never have children of my own.

After soothing the baby, Wayne turned back to the woman in bed with all the tenderness in the world. "Naomi, does your back still hurt? If you feel any discomfort, you have to tell me."

"Thank you, Wayne. The medicine you brought really helped. But… it was Arden who went through all that trouble to get it. She won't be angry with me for using it, will she?"

Naomi had always been like this—effortless with her words, quick to reap every benefit, then acting the perfect innocent, throwing sly little barbs my way.

Wayne looked at her gentle expression, his voice full of pity. "Of course not. If it helped you, Arden's effort wasn't wasted."

Just then, the nanny arrived with a tray of food. She opened the door wider, and Wayne and I locked eyes. A flicker of surprise crossed his face. "Arden, your arm is still injured—what are you doing out here? Don't get the wrong idea. Naomi is being discharged today, so I came to see if she needed help."

I clenched the empty medicine box in my hand and forced my voice steady. "I'm fine. I just came to ask how the medicine worked."

At my words, Wayne dropped his gaze, unable to meet my eyes. Naomi, on the other hand, sipped her soup and smiled smugly."Arden, you came just in time. I was about to thank you. It must've been exhausting to travel so far abroad to get this medicine, but it worked wonderfully!"

Naomi's back had been injured giving birth to twins, and the medicine was known to be especially effective for healing bones and easing pain.

Ignoring her triumphant expression, I pretended nothing was wrong and nodded. "Good to hear that it worked. I only came to get some air; I won't disturb you two."

Wayne, thinking I was upset, wheeled himself after me to explain.

Seeing the panic on his face almost made me laugh. His legs had long been healed, yet he paraded his devotion to Naomi with the medicine I risked my life to find—only to turn around and act so tender with me. It was sickening.

"Don't worry. I'm not unreasonable. Go handle your work."

Relief washed over his face as he pressed a kiss to my forehead. "You really are the best, Arden. As long as you're with me, I don't care if my legs never recover."

But Wayne, I no longer wanted to stay by your side.

…

After Naomi's discharge, we returned home. I took my medicine and fell into a heavy sleep.

Wayne never came back that night. Gareth, his father, had called him to the family home, and he stayed there. The next morning, he picked me up to attend the banquet celebrating Naomi's return.

The moment I stepped through the Kinseys' doors, Elena's expression turned cold. She was Wayne's mother. "Hmph. To think you, a barren woman, have the audacity to show yourself! What an eyesore!"

The rest of the Kinsey family, who had never liked me, joined in with their sneers.

"That's right! Both daughters of the Sharpe family, yet your sister gave us children while you did nothing!"

"You not only ruined Wayne's legs, but you can't even bear him a child. You're nothing but a curse to this family!"

Their words, dripping with malice, were nothing new. This was how the Kinseys had always treated me.