To Die Before His Very Eyes

I stared at her, utterly confused, as Victoria held out her phone with a trembling hand.

On the screen were screenshots from our chat: a stream of vicious, hateful comments sent from my account, spanning her entire pregnancy.

But I hadn't spoken to her privately since the day I cut ties with my family.

"How could you be so vicious? Just because you're miserable, you think you can torture your own sister like this?"

My father, Robert, was the first to charge over, slapping me hard across the face. My mother, Elena, stared at me, her eyes filled with nothing but hatred and disgust.

The surrounding relatives erupted in a chorus of curses:

"I knew it! Her body's broken and so is her mind! Vicious enough to go after her own pregnant sister!"

"Exactly! Someone like her should have died on the road in that crash! Poor Gabriel, getting stuck with such a toxic woman."

I instinctively looked to Gabriel.

For three years, he had been the one person who stood by me, who shielded me from the world's malice.

But this time, he didn't defend me. Instead, he gripped my wrist, his voice sharp with accusation.

"Scarlett Morgan! How could you do something so vile?"

"Will you only be happy when you've dragged everyone down into the mud with you?"

"Apologize to Victoria. Now! Stop dragging innocent people into your misery!"

How could I forget? When it came to a choice between Victoria and me, he would always choose Victoria.

I lifted my chin, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall.

"Why should I apologize for something I didn't do?"

"You say she's innocent, Gabriel. But I'm asking you, is she really? Are you?"

A flicker of something—guilt?—crossed Gabriel's face before he shook his head, as if to deny it.

"Scarlett, stop being delusional! You're making me seriously question why I ever pitied you enough to marry you!"

I smiled, a brittle thing that hid the tears burning my eyes.

You don't have to question it anymore, Gabriel. And you don't have to pretend to be devoted.

Soon, we won't be husband and wife anymore.

Without Gabriel's protection, I was quickly swarmed by insults and curses, hounded out of the hospital room.

I escaped to the women's restroom to pull myself together.

A moment later, the door swung open, and Victoria walked in, her arms crossed.