Chapter 3
Aria's POV
After that night, I never went back to my parents' house.
Scarlett was fine. Like always. The next day she bounced right back, already planning her birthday party. I didn't want to go, but Mom's call came like clockwork. "Aria, you're coming tomorrow night. Be there. Period."
I held the phone in silence for a long time. Fine. One last time.
The night of the party, I walked into the luxury hotel.
Crystal chandeliers cast soft light. Champagne towers circulated through the crowd.
Scarlett stood at the center in a white gown, Nikolai beside her. Sharp suit, talking business with family heads.
I found a corner couch and sat, hand on my belly. The baby was restless today, kicking nonstop.
Don't worry. Almost over.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" The host's voice rang out. "Time for the birthday girl to open her presents!"
Scarlett started unwrapping. Tiffany diamonds. Hermès Birkin. Cartier bracelet—each worth a fortune. Every gift drew her signature "Oh my God" and applause from the crowd.
After the last one, she suddenly pulled out an elegant white box from under the table.
"One more. A special one." She carried it toward me. "Made this especially for you."
Guests turned to watch. Even Nikolai frowned, clearly caught off guard.
"Open it." Scarlett held it out, smile sweet. "I know how hard things have been. This is from my heart."
Mom and Dad came over, faces bright with expectation.
"Go on, open it. Scarlett worked so hard on this." Mom urged.
I stared at that box, dread rising in my chest. But under everyone's gaze, I took it and lifted the lid—
Six handmade dolls lay neatly on white silk.
Pink, blue, white—each with a tiny name tag pinned to its chest: Emma. Liam. Sophia. Noah. Olivia. Lucas.
The names I'd given my six miscarried babies.
My hands started shaking. My throat closed up.
A beat of silence. Then whispers started—"Those names..." "I heard Mrs. Konstantin..."
Scarlett's eyes filled with tears. "I know how devastated you must be... losing so many babies..."
Her voice cracked, tears rolling down. "So I spent two months making these by hand. I wanted you to know—even though those six babies never made it into this world, they'll live forever in our hearts..."
Sympathetic murmurs rippled through the crowd.
Mom dabbed her eyes. "Scarlett, you're so thoughtful."
I stared at those six dolls. They smiled up at me, grinning so bright, like they were mocking my stupidity.
I stood.
"Aria..." Nikolai sensed something wrong.
I grabbed all six dolls from the box and hurled them at Scarlett.
She screamed, staggering back.
Dead silence.
"Are you OUT OF YOUR MIND?!" Mom rushed to catch Scarlett. "Your sister does something this beautiful and you—how COULD you?!"
"Beautiful?" My voice shook. "She turned my dead children into DOLLS and gave them to me in front of everyone—you call that BEAUTIFUL?"
"Aria!" Dad's face darkened. "Scarlett was trying to help you find closure—"
"Closure?" I cut him off, staring at those six dolls on the floor. "Those were my CHILDREN. They're DEAD. What are their deaths to you people—craft materials?"
"I really didn't mean it like that..." Scarlett sobbed. "I just wanted—"
"Wanted WHAT?" I stared at her, tears finally spilling. "Wanted everyone to know I've miscarried SIX times? Wanted them all to think I'm a failure who can't even keep a baby alive?"
The whispers grew louder.
"Aria. Enough." Nikolai finally spoke, reaching for my arm.
I shoved him away hard. "Don't you DARE touch me!"
His face went ice cold.
"Viktor." His voice dropped. "Escort my wife upstairs. Let her rest."
Two guards in black immediately moved toward me.
"I can walk myself." I yanked free from their grip and turned to leave.
Behind me—Scarlett's crying, and Mom comforting her. "Don't cry, baby. This isn't your fault..."
The guards locked me in a room. Stood guard outside.
I sat on the couch, staring out at New York's skyline. Neon lights flickering. Traffic streaming endlessly. The city still bustling with life, but I felt nothing.
The baby kept kicking. One steady beat after another, like he was trying to comfort me.
I'm sorry, baby. Mommy lost it tonight. But Mommy just couldn't take it anymore. Those six dolls... those were your brothers and sisters... they didn't make it...
Tears came again.
I curled up on the couch, arms wrapped around my belly, like a child with nowhere to go.
Don't know how long passed. The lock clicked.
Nikolai walked in carrying warm milk, set it on the coffee table. "Drink. You haven't eaten all night."
I stared at that glass. Suddenly it seemed almost funny.
"Do you care about me, or the baby in my belly?"
Nikolai frowned. "Both. Aria, you overreacted tonight. Scarlett meant well—"
"Meant well?" I looked up at him. "Nikolai, if someone made a doll of your mother and gave it to you, would you think that was well-meaning?"
He froze, clearly not expecting that comparison.
"That's different—"
"How is it DIFFERENT?" I cut him off. "Those six children mean to me what your mother means to you. They were MY children. I nearly died for them. They're not craft materials."
"Aria—"
I grabbed the milk and smashed it on the floor. White liquid splattered everywhere.
"Get out."
Nikolai stared at me, jaw clenched tight. Finally, without a word, he turned and left.
Door closed.
Ten minutes later, the lock clicked again.
This time, Scarlett walked in.
Still in her white gown, makeup flawless, just slightly red eyes. When she sat on the couch and crossed her legs, all that fragility vanished completely.
"How'd the guards let you in?"
"They work for Nik." She smiled. "What do you think?"
I looked at her—this sister who'd been pampered her entire life.
"That video. You sent it to me on purpose."
"Bingo." Scarlett clapped. "Honestly thought you wouldn't figure it out until after the baby was born."
"Why?"
"Why?" She tilted her head. "Because you've been sitting in Mrs. Konstantin's seat for too long. Eight years. Time to give it back."
Eight years.
"What are you talking about?"
"Fifteen." She smiled. "I was fifteen when I met Nik at a party."
My fingers clenched.
"He was so hot, so dangerous." Scarlett stood, walked to the window. "After the party ended, he asked me out."
My breathing stopped.
"But I turned him down." She turned to face me. "I told him, 'Nik, if you really like me, go after my sister. She's so cold, so impossible. If you can win HER over, I'll believe you're serious.'"
"He took the challenge." My voice came out barely above a whisper.
"Yep." Scarlett walked up to me. "To prove himself to ME, he spent three whole years. The hero rescue in that alley, buying the building across from you, the big declaration at school—every single romantic gesture was to prove it to ME."
"And you," she crouched down to eye level, "fell for it like a complete FOOL. Thought you'd found true love. Thought he actually loved YOU."
I stared at her, voice trembling. "Karma's coming for you."
"Karma?" Scarlett burst out laughing. "Stop fooling yourself—"
Her words cut off abruptly.
A helicopter roared outside, getting closer and closer.
We both whipped around.
Next second—
BOOM.
The door exploded inward, wood splintering everywhere.
Five masked gunmen stormed in, black tactical gear, movements trained and precise.
"Don't MOVE!" The leader aimed his gun at us.
Scarlett screamed. "Who are you?! This is Konstantin territory—"
A rifle butt answered her.
She crumpled to the floor, unconscious.
"You." He pointed at me. "Come with us."
I tried to run, but another grabbed me. Before I could even react, something hard struck the back of my head.
Everything went black.
