Betrayed and Broken by the Twin Brothers

The pregnancy report was still warm in my hand as I stood in my living room, imagining Killians face when he saw it. Today was his birthday partyhis family booked an entire garden venue, complete with lanterns and fireworks. I planned to show up before everyone else and surprise him with the news.

Killian, youre going to be a father. I had whispered it to myself at least ten times.

My phone rang. His name flashed on the screen.

I smiled instantly. Killian? Im on my way to

Amber, I cant make it tonight. His tone was rushed. Cold. Theres an important event happening at the office. Emergencies. Ill be stuck here for hours.

My heart fell. But its your birthday.

I know. Im sorry. Just go home, okay? Well talk tomorrow.

Something in me deflated, but I forced myself to be understanding. Okay. Just take care.

He didnt reply.

A soft click told me the call shouldve ended. But it didnt.

Because a second later, I heard him sighfollowed by the muffled voice of someone else.

Tell Mandie I cant stay long, Killian muttered. I need to deal with the wedding first. The bitch Amber keeps asking questions.

My breath stopped.

Mandie? A familiar name. A name I hadnt heard since high school. A name tied to ugly memories. Do we know the same Mandie?

Before I could process it, another voicealmost identical to Killians, but deeper, roughersnorted.

Your wedding or my wedding? Youre barely even here. Im the one warming your bed for you, twin brother.

Twin brother? I felt the blood drain from my limbs.

Killian spoke through clenched teeth. Shut up, Ken. You know Im only marrying her because of Grandmas favor. She saved her life once, and Grandma adores her and it was her final request to see me marry her.

My fingers tightened around the pregnancy report.

Ken let out a mocking laugh. Right, right. Marrying her for Grandma. Meanwhile youre too busy running to Mandie like an obedient lapdog. And, what I am? Always your stand-in.

I love Mandie, Killian snapped. You know that. And, you swore to me youd do everything for me if I made sure grandma would never bother you, so do this for me. Every word cut straight through me. Ive been trying to postpone the wedding until Grandma dies, he continued. But its useless. So fine. Ill just divorce Amber once Grandmas gone.

My knees weakened. Everything blurred.

Ken snorted. Or I can just be the real husband. I meanhow many times did I fuck her without her knowing?

My entire body went numb. Killian exploded. Shut up, Ken! I told you not to touch her. If Mandie learns about it, shell kill me!

Not my fault your fiance is too stupid to notice the difference between us, Ken said lazily. Oh, rightshes not even aware you have a twin brother.

My heart shattered so sharply it felt audible.

The call finally ended. My phone slipped from my shaking hands and hit the floor.

I stood frozen in my silent apartment, hearing nothing but the echo of those words. The pregnancy report crumpled in my palm. The air thinned. My chest tightened so violently I couldnt inhale.

Not now. Please, not now

Panic surged like a wave crashing over me. My vision pulsed. My hands trembled uncontrollably. I staggered toward the drawer where I kept my anxiety medication.

Just breathe, Amber. Just breathe.

I grabbed the bottle, fingers fumbling with the cap. Pills spilled into my palm. I swallowed onethen twotrying to steady myself.

But the moment the pills slid down my throat, something felt wrong.

Burning. Sharp. Like swallowing poison.

My stomach twisted. My chest tightened. The room spun violently.

WCwhat? I gasped, gripping the counter.

Sweat drenched my skin as nausea slammed into me. I stumbled backward, collapsing to my knees. My throat burned. My vision blurred.

Then came the retching. Violent. Uncontrollable.

I reached for my phone, but my fingers were too weak. Everything swayed.

The floor rushed up to meet meand everything went black.

The next sounds I heard were distant. Echoes. Beeping. Footsteps.

A voice pierced the fog.

This isnt her prescribed medicine, the doctor said urgently. This is wrong. Completely wrong.

Another voicemaybe a nurseanswered, Her records say shes been taking it for months. Her fianc brings her refills.

The doctor cursed under his breath. This dosage couldve killed her. Why is she drinking this? Does she know how dangerous

A pause. A heavy, sharp pause.

it seems someone wanted her dead.

A cold shiver crawled up my spine even though I couldnt move.

And then it hit me

Killian was the one who always brought me my pills.

Killian was the one who insisted on managing my prescriptions.

Killian was the one who said, Dont worry about it, Ill take care of you.

But now

Someone wanted me gone.

And Killian had always made sure I swallowed those pills.

My eyes fluttered open in terrorjust enough to see blurred hospital lights.

My hand weakly touched my stomach.

My baby.

My voice cracked in the darkness.

Killian what did you do to me?

I woke up to the faint smell of disinfectant and a harsh white light burning behind my eyelids.

For a second, I forgot where I was. Then the memory hit me like a truck.

My throat tightened as I blinked slowly, forcing my eyes open. A nurse noticed and hurried toward me.

Youre awake, she said gently. Let me call the doctor.

I tried sitting up, but a dull ache rolled through my body. My palm instinctively moved to my stomach.

The baby. Before the panic could rise, the doctor entered, flipping through my chart.

You fainted due to the wrong medication, he explained. But the baby the baby is still alive.

My breath hitched.

A part of me thought Id feel relief. Joy. Something warm. But all I felt was a hollow ache.

Because that baby I didnt even know who the father was.

Killian or Ken? And either way, the truth was poison.

The doctor watched me carefully. Do you want to hear the heartbeat later?

I shook my head.

His eyebrows lifted slightly. Ms. Hale?

My voice cracked. I want to schedule a termination.

He froze. You want an abortion?

Yes, I whispered. As soon as possible.

He took a slow breath, as if choosing his words very carefully. Amber with your medical condition, you know how difficult it was for you to conceive.

I said nothing.

If you go through with this, he continued, you may never be able to have a baby again. Are you absolutely sure?

My heart twisted. But I nodded.

He studied me for a momentsadly, almost sympathetically. All right. Ill schedule it in three days.

Three days.

Three days to erase the last tie I had to Killian. Three days to start over. Three days to finally breathe.

As the doctor left the room, I sank back against the pillow, my mind driftingslipping back into memories I tried so hard to bury.

Flashback, two years ago.

I was balancing two bags of cheap groceries and a pile of textbooks when I saw her fall.

Killians grandmother, Rosie. I didnt know who she was back thenjust an old woman clutching her chest on the sidewalk, gasping for air, her eyes wide with panic.

My instinct kicked in instantly. I sprinted over, letting my bags drop, and lowered her gently to the ground.

Maam, can you hear me? I asked, checking her breathing. Weak. Shallow.

A heart attack. I grabbed my phone, dialing emergency, while performing the steps Id practiced a thousand times in training. I stabilized her, kept her talking, monitored her pulse until help arrived.

By the time the ambulance doors closed, she was already squeezing my hand.

Dont let go, she had said with tears in her eyes. You saved me.

I didnt know then that she meant it literally. I didnt know that moment would reshape my entire life.

A day later, her family rushed into my lifeKillian included. He didnt pay much attention to me at first. He was polite, distant, always busy.

But his grandmother she clung to me.

Youre special, shed said. You saved me. Let me save you.

Back then, I was dirt poorliving in a cramped apartment with my sick mother, juggling shifts at the hospital while studying to become a doctor on a scholarship that could be taken away any moment.

I had nothing. No stability. No future I could hold in my hands.

So when Grandma suggested I marry her grandson I thought it was too good to be true.

A home. Security. A family. A chance to chase my dreams without worrying about food or medical bills.

And Killian he smiled at me. Warm. Gentle. Or at least, I believed it was warmth.

We spent two years waiting for the marriage ceremony. Two years of dinners, dates, soft conversations, his hand brushing mine. Two years of waking up beside who I thought was him.

Two years of believing he loved me. Now I knew it was never him.

It had always been Ken. Killians twin. The wrong brother.

And Killian The real Killian was in love with someone else.

Everything connected in a way that made me sick.

A soft knock pulled me back to the present. A nurse stepped in with a small plastic container. I brought you some water. You should rest.

I nodded gratefully and took a sip, though my stomach churned at even the slightest taste of anything.

My eyes fluttered closed. I let myself drift for a moment, drifting in that blurred space between exhaustion and numbness.

The peace lasted all of thirty seconds.

My phone vibrated violently on the bed beside me.

I reached for it, expecting a message from the doctoror maybe even Killian, pretending to care.

But the sender made my blood turn to ice.

Hospital: URGENT Patient: Maria Hale

My mother. My heart lurched violently. She was staying in the heart hospital center.

Just as I reached for my clothes, my phone vibrated again. This timeit was her.

I answered instantly. Mom? Mom, are you okay?

Her voice came weak. Thin. Like she was speaking through cotton. Amber sweetheart. Im okay, what about you?

Tears stung my eyes. Im fine, Mom. What about you? What happened? Why did the hospital message me?

She gave a soft, trembling laugh. I just wanted to hear your voice. I don't think I dont think I can wait for your wedding anymore.

My chest cracked open. Mom, dont say that. Pleasedont talk like

Listen to me, she whispered. Each breath sounded heavier than the last. Youve always been so strong, Amber. Stronger than me. Stronger than anyone I know.

Mom

Im so proud of you. Her voice wavered, but she forced the words out. And I love you. More than anything. You hear me?

A sob tore up my throat. I love you too. Dont hang up, pleasedont hang up.

Im sorry, baby.

The line went dead.

Nono, no, noMom! I screamed into the static.

I ranout of the room, down the hall, out the hospital doors. I barely registered the nurse calling after me. I just moved. My legs were jelly, my vision blurry, but I forced myself into a cab and begged the driver to go faster.

The ride felt endless. Every second pressed agony into my chest. When I finally reached the hospital and stumbled into the ICU, the nurse on duty looked up.

One glance at her expressionand the world fell apart.

Amber she whispered gently, stepping toward me. Im sorry. Your mother she didnt make it.

My mothers funeral felt like a blur I walked through without really existing. I stood beside the coffin like a broken shadow, staring at the woman I had loved more than anyonenow cold, still, gone.

My mind kept replaying her last phone call. Her voice. The goodbye she tried to make sound gentle even while she was dying.

Every inch of me felt hollow.

Killian didnt show up. He didnt call. He didnt text.

So, I also didnt let him know that my mother died. He didnt know I collapsed. He didnt know I was pregnant. He didnt know I scheduled an abortion.

He didnt care or he would if he wanted to. And I was a fool for not even realizing that.

By the time I returned home, the silence in the apartment felt like a physical weight. I folded my mothers old sweater against my chest and sank to the floor, crying until my throat burned.

I didnt know how long I stayed like that.

Hours. A whole night. Until the door opened.

Killian walked in, cheerful and bright like nothing in my world had fallen apart.

Amber? he called lightly. I brought something for youGrandma said youd like it.

He carried shopping bags. Expensive brands. Perfume. Clothes. Things I used to love before everything shattered.

He didnt even notice how swollen my eyes were. Or how pale Id become. Or the funeral card still sitting on the counter.

He only smiled. I missed you.

I stared at him, numb.

He sat on the couch and casually pulled out wedding brochures. So the garden venue or the hotel ballroom? Grandma wants us to finalize things soon.

I stared. He kept flipping pages. Also I talked to a friend of mine who knows someone in London. They can help you get into a good medical program there.

I blinked slowly. London?

He nodded enthusiastically. Yeah. Great schools. Amazing opportunities. You always dreamed of becoming a doctor, right? You should go.

And leave? I whispered.

He shrugged. Its long-distance, sure, but well manage. Maybe its good for you. You can focus on your career. And well

He smiled faintly. That way, I can focus on the business.

I snorted. If this were before, I would be happy, but now I know that he just wanted to dispose of me. So he could hand me over to Ken whenever he needed to play pretend. So he could throw me away quietlywithout Grandma watching.

I clenched my hands in my lap. Do you want me to leave?

His silence answered everything. Something inside me crackednot with pain, but with clarity.

I nodded slowly. Ill think about it.

He brightened instantly. Good. Good. I really think London will be perfect for you.

Perfect for him.

He stood, brushing imaginary lint from his suit. By the way, I want to introduce you to someone. Two people, actually.

My breath stilled. He opened the door wider.

And there he was. Ken.

I recognized him immediatelysame face, same eyesbut the smirk ruined any resemblance to Killians gentle act.

Amber, Ken said with an exaggerated smile. We finally meet properly.

I couldnt breathe. My palms turned cold. My stomach twisted violently.

Killian beamed proudly, oblivious. This is my twin brother. I havent introduced him earlier because he travels a lot and honestly, Grandma and he didnt get along, and it was just now that he finally decided to see Grandma and apologize for being an asshole.

My chest ached with silent rage.

But thenThen she stepped into the doorway.

The girl who made high school and college a living hell for me.

The queen bee who strutted through hallways like she owned the worldand destroyed anyone who didnt fit into it.

She spread scandals about me, whispered lies, mocked my thrift-store clothes, and led her friends into cornering me in bathroom stalls just to hear me cry.

She humiliated me in front of crowds, called me names, shoved me into lockers, and made sure everyone knew I was the poor charity case.

She bullied me so relentlessly that I developed the anxiety and depression I still fight every day.

She looked flawlessred lips, perfect curls, designer dress. She gasped dramatically and rushed toward me with open arms.

Amber! she squealed. Oh my God, its been forever!

I froze. Her arms wrapped around me.

And in that moment, every instinct in me recoiled. My spine stiffened. My skin crawled under her touch.

She pulled back just enough to study my face.

Her smile faltered when she saw I didnt return the hug. A small pout appeared on her lips.

Oh, come on, she said lightly, tilting her head. You still dont like me? Then she let out a soft, fake laugh. Shouldnt I be the one scared of you? Considering you used to bully me?

My breath hitched.

Killians head snapped in my direction. Bully you? Amber, what?

Mandie blinked innocently, placing a hand on her chest as if she were the victim. Oh right, she added sweetly. I guess she never told you. We used to be friends until she hurt me!

I shoved Mandie hard. She stumbled backward, gasping.

"You're the one who hurt me!" I shouted, my voice breaking. "You ruined my life!"

I didn't wait for a response. I turned and ran out of the apartment, my vision blurring with tears.

Behind me, I heard Killian's voice, sharp and angry. "Amber!"

But I kept walking. I couldn't breathe. Couldn't think. My chest felt like it was caving in.

I'd barely made it down the hallway when Killian caught up, his hand gripping my arm and spinning me around.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" he hissed.

"I can't" My breathing turned shallow. Panic clawed up my throat. "My anxietyI can't be around her"

"Your anxiety?" Killian's eyes were cold. Hard. "You mean your excuse? Your way of avoiding responsibility?"

"Killian, please"

"Mandie told me everything," he cut me off. "About how you bullied her. How you made her life hell in school. And now you have the audacity to play victim?"

The world tilted. "She told you what?"

"That you tormented her for years. That you spread rumors about her. That you made her feel worthless." His voice dropped, deadly quiet. "I know what you did, Amber. And frankly? You disgust me."

Each word was a knife to my chest. "That's notshe's lying"

"Is she?" He stepped closer, his face inches from mine. "Because from where I'm standing, you're the one acting crazy. Pushing her. Screaming at her. While she's done nothing but try to be civil."

Tears streamed down my face. "Killian, you have to believe me"

"I don't have to do anything," he snapped. "What I need is for you to go home, reflect on your behavior, and come back ready to apologize. To Mandie. For everything."

"I won't"

"You will." His grip on my arm tightened. "Or we're done. Your choice."

He released me and walked back into the apartment, leaving me standing alone in the hallway, shaking and broken.

Two days later, Killian texted me.

Wedding dress shopping. Tomorrow. 2 PM. Mandie will be there. You two need to work this out. She is my friend and an important person in my life.

I stared at the message until my vision blurred. He was forcing me to spend time with her. With the woman who destroyed me. And I had no choice. Because without Killian, without Grandma Rosie, I had nothing.

So I went.

The bridal boutique felt like a tomb. Killian and Mandie were already there when I arrived, standing close together, laughing about something.

When Killian saw me, his expression turned flat. "You're late."

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

Mandie smiled sweetly. "It's okay, Amber. I know you're going through a lot." She touched Killian's arm. "Should we start?"

Throughout the entire appointment, I felt like a ghost. Mandie picked out dresses for me to try. Killian barely looked up from his phone. When I stepped out in the first gown, Mandie tilted her head.

"It's... nice," she said. "But maybe something less plain? This is Killian's wedding too."

Killian nodded without looking. "Try another."

By the third dress, Mandie was openly criticizing. "The neckline is unflattering. Your posture is terrible. Are you even trying to look like a bride?"

I said nothing. Just changed into the next dress like a doll being dressed and undressed.

"Amber," Killian finally said, his voice sharp. "Are you going to participate? Or just stand there like a mannequin?"

I met his eyes in the mirror. "What do you want me to say?"

"I want you to stop sulking," he snapped. "Mandie is trying to help. The least you could do is be grateful."

"I am grateful," I lied.

"Then show it," he said coldly. "Because right now, you look jealous and petty."

The words hit like a slap. Mandie placed a gentle hand on his arm. "Killian, it's okay. She's just overwhelmed."

He softened immediately when he looked at her. "You're right. I'm sorry you have to deal with this."

I felt something crack inside me.

At the jewelry store, it was worse. Mandie picked out rings, modeled them, gave her opinions. Killian listened to every word. When I tried to speak, he cut me off.

"Mandie has excellent taste. Just let her handle it."

So I stood there, silent, while another woman chose my engagement ring.

The bridal shower was held at Grandma's estate. I arrived hoping for a moment of peace, but Mandie was already there, charming everyone, especially Grandma.

"Amber saved my life once," Grandma told the guests, smiling at me. "She's a remarkable young woman."

For a moment, I felt seen. Valued.

Then Mandie stood, raising her glass. "To Amber and Killian. May they find the happiness they deserve."

Everyone toasted. Grandma took a sip of her champagneand suddenly swayed. Her glass slipped from her fingers and shattered.

"Grandma!" I lunged forward, catching her as she collapsed.

Chaos erupted. Someone called an ambulance. Killian appeared, his face white with panic.

"What happened?" he demanded.

"I don't knowshe just collapsed"

Then Mandie stepped forward, her voice trembling. "I saw Amber near Grandma's drink earlier. She was... doing something to it."

The room went silent. All eyes turned to me.

"What?" I breathed. "NoI would never"

"I didn't want to say anything," Mandie continued, tears in her eyes. "But I can't stay silent if Grandma's in danger."

"You're lying!" I screamed.

Killian grabbed my arm, his grip bruising. "Did you poison my grandmother?"

"No! Killian, please"

"ANSWER ME!" he roared.

"I didn't do anything!" Tears streamed down my face. "I love GrandmaI would never hurt her"

But he wasn't listening. His eyes were wild with rage. "Get out," he said, his voice deadly quiet. "Get out of my sight before I do something I regret."

"Killian"

He leaned close, his breath hot against my ear. "You are nothing without me. Nothing without my family. Without us, you're just a poor girl with a sick mother and no future." His words were poison. "So remember that the next time you think about crossing me. Because I can take everything from you. Everything."

I woke up to white walls and the steady beep of machines. My body felt heavy. Wrong. Like something vital had been carved out of me.

"Ms. Hale." A nurse appeared beside my bed, her expression sympathetic. "You're awake. How are you feeling?"

I tried to speak, but my throat was raw. Dry. She handed me water. I drank slowly, fragments of memory crashing back.

The locked room. The darkness. The walls closing in.

Killian's voice outside the door: "Stay in there until you're ready to admit what you did."

I'd screamed. Begged. Pounded on the door until my fists bled. My claustrophobia had kicked inthe walls shrinking, the air thinning, my chest constricting until I couldn't breathe.

I'd collapsed. And then... nothing.

"The baby," I whispered suddenly, my hand flying to my stomach.

The nurse's face fell. "I'm so sorry. You miscarried. The stress and trauma to your body"

The rest of her words faded into static. The baby was gone. I should've felt relief. I'd scheduled an abortion anyway. But instead, I felt hollow. Empty. Like the last piece of me that mattered had been ripped away.

"There's someone here to see you," the nurse said gently.

Before I could respond, the door opened.

Killian walked in, his expression unreadable. He stood at the foot of my bed, hands in his pockets, studying me like I was a problem to be solved.

"You're awake," he said flatly.

I said nothing.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Grandma's stable. No permanent damage. The doctors said it was just a reaction to her medication."

Still, I remained silent.

"Amber." His voice hardened. "I need you to do something. For Grandma. For us."

I finally looked at him. "What?"

"Apologize," he said. "To Mandie. To Grandma. For everything."

A bitter laugh escaped my throat. "Apologize?"

"Yes." He stepped closer. "Grandma still wants this wedding to happen. She still believes in you. God knows why." His eyes narrowed. "So you're going to apologize to Mandie for your behavior. You're going to apologize to Grandma for the stress you caused. And you're going to pull yourself together."

Each word was a knife.

"And if I don't?" I whispered.

His smile was cold. "Then you lose everything. The wedding. The support. The life you've built. Everything."

I stared at himthis stranger wearing the face of the man I thought I loved.

"Okay," I said quietly.

He blinked, surprised. "Okay?"

"I'll apologize," I said. "I'll do whatever you want."

Something flickered in his expression. Relief, maybe. Or satisfaction. And he walked out.

Later that day, Grandma Rosie visited. She shuffled into the room with her cane, her face pale but kind. When she saw me, her eyes filled with tears.

"Oh, Amber," she whispered, sitting beside my bed and taking my hand. "My sweet girl. I'm so sorry for everything you've been through."

The kindness broke something in me. Tears spilled down my cheeks.

"I didn't hurt you, Grandma," I choked out. "I swearI would never"

"Shh, I know." She squeezed my hand gently. "I know, dear. You saved my life once. You would never harm me."

Her words were a balm to my shattered heart.

"But Killian" I started.

"Killian is confused," she said softly. "He's under a lot of stress. But he loves you. And this wedding will happen. I'll make sure of it."

I wanted to tell her the truth. About Killian. About Ken. About Mandie. About everything. But no, not yet as I planned to ruin them before I'm gone.

So I nodded. "Okay, Grandma."

She smiled, relief washing over her face. "That's my girl."

I whispered, "I'm sorry, grandma."

After she left, I lay in the hospital bed, staring at the ceiling.

And for the first time in weeks, my mind cleared. I'd been so focused on survivingon enduringthat I'd forgotten something crucial.

I had a choice.

Over the next two days, I worked quietly.

I requested my medical records. The ones showing the wrong medication Killian had been giving me. The ones proving someone had been slowly poisoning me.

I called my bank and discovered that Killian had been transferring small amounts from the joint account Grandma set up for us. Money meant for our future. Money going straight to an account under Mandie's name.

I dug deeper. Found photos. Receipts. Hotel bookings under Killian's name with Mandie listed as his companion.

And then I found the most damning evidence of allan old email chain between Killian and Ken, their plan to useme because their own grandma favors me more than them.

My hands shook as I read. Every word confirmed what I already knew but couldn't bear to accept.

I'd been a pawn. A tool. A means to an end.

And they'd all been playing me.

I also made sure to include the pregnancy test, the paper proving I lost the baby, and my mother's certificate. All which he never cared.

On the third day, I made a phone call.

"Professor Chen?" My voice was steady. Calm.

"Amber!" His warm voice came through the line. "It's been months! How are you?"

"I'm calling about the volunteer program," I said. "The medical mission to Africa. Is the position still available?"

A pause. "Yes, actually. We lost our last volunteer, so we're still looking for someone. But Amber, that's a two-year commitment. Minimum. Are you sure"

"I'm sure," I interrupted. "I want to go. As soon as possible."

The wedding day arrived with perfect weatherclear skies, golden sunlight, everything Grandma Rosie had dreamed of.

I stood in my apartment, staring at the wedding dress hanging on the closet door. Pristine white silk. A dress chosen by someone else. For a wedding that was always a lie.

My phone buzzed. A message from Killianor maybe Ken. I couldn't tell anymore. Didn't care anymore.

Car will pick you up at 2 PM. Don't be late.

I didn't respond. Instead, I picked up my suitcasealready packed, already waitingand called a cab.

"Airport, please," I told the driver.

As we pulled away, I took one last look at the apartment. At the life I was leaving behind.

I felt nothing.

At the airport, I checked in for my flight to Nairobi. First leg of my journey to the medical mission in rural Africa. Two years. Maybe more. Maybe forever.

"Your flight boards in two hours, Ms. Hale," the attendant said cheerfully.

Two hours. The exact time my wedding was supposed to start.

I found a quiet corner in the terminal, pulled out my tablet, and opened the livestream link Grandma's assistant had sent to all the guests.

Wedding of Killian Harrington and Amber Hale

Live Now

I clicked it.

The garden venue appeared on screendecorated exactly as Grandma wanted. White roses everywhere. String lights. An elegant arch covered in flowers.

Guests filled the seats. I recognized Killian's relatives, family friends, business associates.

And there, in the front row, sat Grandma Rosie. Her face glowing with joy despite her frail health. Her hands clasped together in anticipation.

My chest ached.

The music started. The processional. And then he appeared.

Killianor Ken, I realizedwalking down the aisle in a perfect tuxedo. He smiled at Grandma, waved to guests, played the role of the eager groom.

But his eyes were empty. Mechanical.

The officiant took his place. "We are gathered here today..."

I watched my supposed to be husband stand at the altar, waiting for a bride who would never come.

Waited for someone to realize I wasn't there.

But minutes passed. The camera focused on Grandma. On the livestream, the event coordinator hurried toward Grandma, carrying the white box. She leaned down, whispering something.

Grandma's face shiftedconfusion, then concern. She reached for the box with trembling hands.

The camera stayed on Ken at the altar. He checked his watch, frowning. Guests began to murmur.

"Where's the bride?" someone whispered, loud enough for the camera to catch.

Grandma opened the box. Pulled out the documents.

I watched her face change. Confusion turned to shock. Shock turned to horror.

She read page after page, her hands shaking violently. Her face drained of all color.

"No," she whispered. The microphone barely caught it. "No, this can't"

Ken noticed the commotion. He stepped down from the altar, walking toward her. "Grandma? What's wrong?"

She looked up at himreally looked at himand something in her expression shattered.

"Who are you?" she asked, her voice breaking.

Ken froze.

"Who are you?" she repeated, louder now. She stood, clutching the papers. It seemed that due to Ken always being away, she truly couldn't distinguish between the two of them. Ken was also good at imitating Killian's behavior that he even fooled me!

"Where is Killian? The real Killian?"

Gasps rippled through the crowd.

Ken's face went pale. "Grandma, I can explain"

"You've been lying to me," she said, her voice cracking with betrayal. "Both of you. All this time."

She swayed. Stumbled.

"Grandma!" Ken reached for her, but she jerked away.

"Don't touch me," she gasped. Her hand flew to her chest. "Don't"

Her knees buckled. She collapsed. Screams erupted. Guests rushed forward. Someone shouted for an ambulance.

The camera shook, caught glimpses of chaospeople crying, shouting, crowding around Grandma's unconscious body.

Ken stood frozen, his face ashen.

And somewhere, I knew Killian was with Mandie, completely unaware that his world was burning down.

"Final boarding call for Flight 237 to Nairobi."

The announcement jolted me back to reality. I closed the tablet, my hands numb.

Grandma had fainted. Maybe worse. Her weak heart couldn't take the shock.

Guilt twisted in my stomach. But beneath it was something else.

Relief. She knew the truth now. She'd never force me to marry a man who didn't love me. She'd never unknowingly bless a union built on lies.

I stood, shouldering my bag, and walked toward the gate.

As I handed my boarding pass to the attendant, my phone exploded with messages.

Killian: WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?

Killian: WHAT DID YOU DO?

Killian: GRANDMA COLLAPSED BECAUSE OF YOU

Killian: YOU'RE GOING TO REGRET THIS

Ken: Amber, please. Call me. Grandma's in the hospital.

Unknown numbers. Relatives. Friends.

All of them demanding answers. Hurling accusations. Begging me to come back.

I turned off my phone.

"Enjoy your flight, Ms. Hale," the attendant said warmly.

I stepped onto the jet bridge, my heart pounding.

Behind me was everything I'd ever knownthe life I'd built, the people I'd loved, the dreams I'd clung to.

Ahead was the unknown. A new country. A new purpose. A chance to become someone who wasn't defined by the men who broke her.

As the plane taxied down the runway, I looked out the window one last time.

The city grew smaller. The life I was leaving behind faded into the distance.

And when the wheels left the ground, I finally let myself breathe.