Chapter 2

I jerked my head up, utterly stunned, and only then noticed my parents had also come into the room.

Far from looking shocked, they both avoided my eyes in silent agreement, lifting their teacups and pretending to sip their tea.

The successive blows made me feel dizzy.

“You want a divorce?” My fingernails dug deep into the flesh of my palms until it stung.

“It’s only temporary.” Marcus softened his tone, slipping on that tender, helpless act he was so good at. “Ivy’s taken a turn for the worse. A spiritual healer said a wedding would bring her good fortune to pull her through this rough patch. I’ll go through a sham marriage with her for just one month, and we’ll remarry the second she’s stable.”

The whole thing was utterly absurd. I glanced toward my birth parents, desperate to find even a shred of support.

“Have some mercy on your sister, Valentina!” My mother rushed to speak, her voice thick with self-righteous guilt-tripping. “Ivy’s been frail her whole life. You’ve had every luxury handed to you growing up, yet you’ve always picked fights and bullied her. All we’re asking is to borrow your husband for a single month—can’t you make one tiny sacrifice?”

My father furrowed his brows and tapped his cane hard against the floor, irritation oozing from every word. “Quit being so selfish. It’s nothing but a show, we’re not taking him away for good.”

“Besides, you look deathly pale lately. Use this break to hand the Ghost formula and production lines over to Marcus to manage. You can finally rest and recover properly.”

Every word sliced at the last thin thread of familial affection I had left, dull rusted blades carving my heart to shreds. They’d stolen my marriage, drained the life’s work I’d built from scratch, and wrapped it all up as something they were doing for my own good.

Once upon a time, I would’ve fought tooth and nail, sobbing and demanding to know why they’d always favored that adopted girl over me. Now, the metallic tang of blood rising in my throat only struck me as ridiculous.

“Fine.” I picked up the pen without the slightest hesitation and scrawled my signature across the page. “I’ll head upstairs to grab the Ghost access key.”

I practically fled up the staircase the second I turned away.

Back in the master bedroom, I locked the door behind me and collapsed onto the floor, wracked by violent retching fits.

All that came up were clots of dark red blood. My internal organs were rotting away, and without Eden holding the deterioration at bay, the damage was accelerating exponentially.

Shaking, I pulled a powerful painkiller syringe from the desk drawer and drove the needle straight into my thigh without hesitation. The cold liquid flooded my vein, barely muffling the agony that felt like it was tearing my soul apart.

Once the worst of the pain faded, I was left with a terrible, razor-sharp clarity.

I sat with my thoughts for a long time, then stood, a ruthless glint flickering in my eyes that I didn’t even recognize myself.

I walked over to my desk, fingers flying across the keyboard to lock in a hidden program. Once finished, I pulled a black USB drive out of my encrypted workstation, then twisted open my safe to retrieve an elegant velvet box.

When I walked back downstairs, every trace of turmoil had vanished from my face.

I held out the USB to Marcus, whose eyes lit up with unrestrained greed. “This holds all Ghost’s core coding.”

“Oh, and this is for you.” I slid the velvet box to the center of the coffee table. “A wedding gift for Ivy.”

I opened the lid, revealing a syringe filled with shimmering rose-gold fluid.

“I named this Aphrodite, my newest compound.” I smiled sweetly at Marcus. “Didn’t you say Ivy’s been complaining her skin looks dull for her gala gown fittings? This formula revives cell vitality instantly. She’ll look flawless, the most stunning bride tomorrow night.”

Marcus’s breath hitched with excitement, and he pulled me into a tight hug reeking of Ivy’s perfume. “I knew you’d be reasonable, Valentina. Thank you, on Ivy’s behalf.”

My parents sank back against the sofa, visibly relieved, warm smiles spreading across their faces at last.

“You’ve finally grown up and seen reason, our dear girl,” my mother nodded repeatedly, relieved. “A family ought to get along like this. Ivy will be overjoyed when she sees this.”

I let him hold me, my gaze icy as I stared at the wall clock, a hollow, cold curve tugging at my lips.

“Don’t mention it,” I whispered to the room full of fake, smiling faces. “Congratulations on your wedding.”

That beauty shot really did work wonders, temporarily crafting breathtaking radiance.

But all beauty came with a devastating price tag.

They’d robbed me of my only shot at survival.

Over these final three days, I’d craft a gift just for them.

A present they’d carry with them, filled with unending regret, for the rest of their miserable lives.