What Blooms From Burned Love

Bruce had barely left when Julie jumped in. "Suri, don't get the wrong idea. Bruce only let me stay 'cause he's worried about the baby. I swear, I'll stay out of your way."

Tears rolled down her cheeks, but Suri's voice stayed steady. "I know the baby's his. And I know who you are—the girl from that scandal five months ago, right?"

Julie froze. Her smile twitched, then vanished. Suri caught the shift instantly.

"You knew?" Julie asked.

Suri let out a cold laugh. That fake sweetness? Gone.

"So since we're being honest..." Julie's voice dropped into a sneer. "You can't have kids. You're aging out. Men are all the same—you'll get used to it. Oh, and guess what? Bruce says he loves how I am in bed. Says you're like a corpse. Total buzzkill."

Suri's chest tightened.

She could still hear Bruce's vow in her head.

'I swear to love only Suri in this lifetime. Whether she can have children or not, she's the only one I'll ever love. I will never let her down.'

Five years. That promise didn't even make it past five years.

"Fine. If that's how it is, I'll make it easy." Suri held up the divorce papers. "Here—"

Before Suri could hand them over, Julie dropped to her knees, clinging to Suri's legs.

"Please, Suri! Don't kick me out. I'll leave after the baby's born, I swear!"

Tears streamed down Julie's face. Suri froze, unsure what to say—then Bruce walked in.

He saw Julie on the floor and his face twisted. He rushed over, yanking her up.

"What are you doing down there?"

Before Suri could answer, he snapped at her, eyes blazing.

"If you didn't want her here, you could've told me! Why pull this behind my back? She's eight months pregnant—how could you make her kneel?"

His words hit like a slap. No chance to explain.

Watching him shield Julie, Suri's throat clenched. Like she was choking on her own silence.

"No, Bruce, you got it wrong," Julie said softly. "Suri didn't do anything—I just lost my balance."

But he wasn't listening.

"Lost your balance? Then why are your eyes red? Why are you crying?"

He pulled her into his arms, glaring at Suri, his voice shaking.

"Suri, believe it or not, she is my cousin. And I don't care if you accept it—she's staying. She's eight months pregnant and drained. You've never been a mother, so you wouldn't get it. Try being more considerate."

Never been a mother.

Of course. The ones closest to you always know exactly where to stab.

Suri let out a laugh—but tears spilled down her cheeks anyway.

"Bruce, do you even remember who I lost that chance for? Huh?" Her voice cracked. "I'll give you one more shot—who is she? Still sticking with the 'cousin' story?"

Only then did something flicker in Bruce's eyes.

"Suri, I didn't mean it like that. You're overthinking. She IS my cousin..."

Julie jumped in. "Suri, please don't be upset. Let me make you some tea. Don't blame Bruce, okay?"

She walked over with a teacup—then tripped. The cup shattered. Tea splashed everywhere. Julie hit the floor and started scooping up the shards, slicing her hand open.

Bruce freaked and scooped her up, racing upstairs.

"Don't move! Who told you to serve her? You didn't do anything wrong—stop apologizing! Julie, you're pregnant. You can't treat yourself like this!"

Julie cried in his arms. "But I'm nobody... I'm not like Suri."

"What's that got to do with anything?" Bruce snapped. "You're having a baby. That's what matters."

Their voices trailed off upstairs.

Suri stood in the shadows. Blood slid down her shin, but she didn't feel it.

A shard from the broken cup had sliced her leg deep.

But Bruce hadn't even looked her way. It was always Julie. Only Julie.

Her mind flashed back—to the day she saved him, nearly hit by a car.

He'd held her hand, crying like a kid. "Suri, if you survive this, I swear I'll never let you get hurt again."

Pain pulsed through the cut, sharp and unforgiving.

Suri crouched down and cried, silent and alone.