After the Betrayal, I Jumped

After my husband handed me over to kidnappers, I decided to kill myself.

But when I jumped from the rooftop, my husbands younger brother grabbed me tightly.

With an arm nearly torn apart, he dragged me back.

He cursed me for being insane, saying that not being chosen wasnt a reason to die.

I pried his fingers open one by one, watching panic and despair flood his face.

He didnt know that as long as I died, I could return to my real home.

I was kidnapped along with Nathan's first love, Isabelle.

After trying to win Nathan's heart for twelve years, he still chose Isabelle over me without hesitation.

Nathan quickly untied the ropes binding Isabelle, his eyes full of concern.

Beside them, Caleb, imitating his father, was gently rubbing Isabelle's reddened wrists and blowing on them occasionally.

"Aunt Isabelle, I'll blow on it and make it all better."

The three of them were so lovingly harmonious, completely forgetting about me still in the kidnapper's hands.

Even the kidnapper couldn't help but mock the scene.

"Your husband is lost in his romantic paradise. I guess he won't come to rescue you. Should I just kill you now?"

Watching the two of them escort Isabelle away, the Game System officially declared my mission a failure.

The ensuing punishment shocked me unconscious.

In my daze, I heard the kidnapper frantically trying to support my collapsing body.

"I was just talking tough! Did I really scare her that badly? Oh no, I better get her to a hospital quick. If something happens to her, I'm in big trouble."

Waking up in the hospital, I confirmed with the Game System in my head: As long as this body dies completely, I can go home, right?

After getting an affirmative answer from the system, I moved towards the window.

This hospital room was on a high floor, at least 50 feet up. Jumping from here would certainly be fatal.

I opened the window and leaped out.

An enormous sense of weightlessness hit me, and I instinctively reached out my hand. The howling wind stung my ears.

But I wasn't afraid. In fact, I was looking forward to death.

Just a little more, and I would be home - back to a world where someone truly loved me.

I closed my eyes, calmly waiting.

The next second, the falling sensation disappeared.

Someone grabbed my arm forcefully. The momentum of the fall caused my muscles to tear and stretch, sending waves of intense pain from my arm throughout my entire chest.

I opened my eyes, feeling like my arm might be broken.

The person who caught me was Ethan, Nathan's half-brother.

I looked up at the sweating young man and calmly said,

"Let go."

Ethan gritted his teeth and gripped tighter, using all his strength to pull me up.

He shouted, "Just because my brother didn't choose you? You're jumping off a building for that? Is your head filled with shit?"

I reached out, slowly prying his fingers off.

"Ethan, if I die, it'll make you happy, right? So, let go."

Ethan hated me.

Or rather, anyone close to Nathan didn't approve of me.

After Isabelle ran away for love, Nathan married me under family pressure.

They were convinced I was a homewrecker who took advantage of the situation.

They openly isolated, excluded, and ignored me.

Ethan was at the forefront of this treatment.

Using his status as Nathan's brother, he would strut into the family mansion and destroy all the baby's breath flowers I had planted in the backyard.

Knowing I was allergic to cat hair, he encouraged Caleb to adopt a stray kitten.

When I disagreed, he suggested Caleb cry about it.

The commotion filled the entire living room.

Ethan watched from the sidelines, suddenly playing the good guy and taking the high road.

"It's just a little cat. Let the kid have it if he likes it."

Caleb cried even harder, rolling on the ground and mumbling,

"Mommy is bad. I want the kitty."

I chased Ethan out along with the cat and patiently explained to Caleb that I was allergic to cat hair, so we couldn't keep a cat, but we could get a puppy instead.

After Ethan's manipulation, Caleb only had the cat on his mind and wouldn't listen. He kept hitting me, demanding I give him back the kitten.

This created a rift between Caleb and me.

Ethan seized the opportunity to continue badmouthing me to Caleb, causing the young child to learn to oppose me.

He was like a demon crawling out of hell, turning my life upside down.

I didn't die.

The commotion Ethan caused attracted the medical staff.

They worked together to pull me back up.

Ethan glanced at me, closed the window, and fell unusually silent.

His hands wouldn't stop shaking, with dark red marks covering his palms and fingertips.

"Chloe, I don't hate you as much as you think I do."

He lowered his head, his bangs hiding his eyes.

I thought I heard a hint of guilt in his voice.

Just as I was about to dig deeper, Ethan crossed his arms and lifted his head, reverting to his carefree demeanor.

He said nonchalantly,

"Is this another one of your tricks? Let me tell you, my brother won't fall for this 'push and pull' game. If you keep this up, you'll only make him sick of you..."

Ethan was lost in his own world, chattering away while the medical staff checked the equipment by the bed.

Taking advantage of this moment, I once again stepped towards the window and swiftly opened it.

Before I could step out, Ethan pulled me back.

After two consecutive suicide attempts, Ethan finally realized I wasn't just seeking attention but truly wanted to die.

He pulled me away from the window and, after making sure I was within his control, began to patiently counsel me, his attitude becoming gentler.

"Don't do anything stupid, okay? There are plenty of other men in the world besides my brother. Why are you so hung up on him?"

He coughed lightly, his cheeks turning red.

"I admit, my brother isn't a good husband, but you can get a divorce, you know? It's not worth dying for him. Maybe someone out there is secretly in love with you, and you just haven't noticed."