"Thallium poisoning doesn't leave the body naturally, and it's undetectable in standard tests. Audrey shouldn't have lasted this long. Are you sure you gave me the right dose?"That voice—it was Heather!Though her words were hushed, Audrey heard every syllable with crystal clarity.Audrey froze, her mind reeling. After countless hospital visits and inconclusive tests, she never imagined Heather was behind her mysterious illness. What had she ever done to deserve this? Was Duncan really worth destroying another person's life?"Look, I'm marrying Duncan today, and Audrey needs to be out of the picture. Permanently. I don't care how you do it—just make it happen!"Heather angrily ended the call, only to turn and find Audrey standing right there."What did you hear?" Heather's face drained of color, panic flashing in her eyes.Though weak, Audrey's voice was filled with fury. "Everything! It was you all along! You wormed your way into Quartet Enterprises just to poison me!""Fine,
Before Audrey could react, Heather rushed to Duncan, her body trembling. "Duncan, I'm terrified! Audrey tried to kill me because she doesn't want us to marry. She almost pushed me out the window!"Audrey stared at Heather, her blood boiling as she watched the lies unfold. "Heather, when will you stop? How long will you keep up this act? You poisoned me with thallium! That's why I've been sick. You deserve to rot in hell, to die in the gutter! You're the one who should die, Heather!"Consumed by rage she had never known before, Audrey lunged forward.Duncan, hearing Heather's cries, hurried over. He saw Audrey's face contorted with fury, looking wild and unhinged. Without hesitation, he grabbed Heather and roughly shoved Audrey away.Audrey crumpled to the floor."Audrey, one minute you're dying, the next it's poisoning. Can you ever tell the truth? All those blessings earlier—just another act, wasn't it? You wanted me to call off the wedding and marry you instead, right?"It was
In the grand cathedral, Duncan stood tall in his crisp white tuxedo, looking every bit the prince charming from a fairy tale. Yet his face was devoid of joy despite being the groom. Beside him, Heather beamed radiantly, as stunning as a cover model.The who's who of high society filled the pews, marveling at the opulent decor. But just as Duncan was about to slip the ring onto Heather's finger, a commotion erupted outside."Duncan! Where's Audrey? What have you done with her?" Josh's voice boomed through the church. Audrey had told him she was ready to leave, but when he had gone to find her earlier, she had vanished. The evasive answers from the Millington staff had only fueled his suspicions.Duncan, bewildered by the sudden interruption, asked, "Audrey's missing?"Josh grabbed Duncan's lapels, barely containing his rage. "Don't play dumb! Audrey went to see you. She can't see, so she couldn't have gone far. If she's missing, you must have done something!"Duncan's heart skipped
"I have more pressing matters to attend to," Duncan said as he strode out, his steps resolute, as if nothing could deter him.Heather, the proud Leverton heiress, knew all too well the consequences of Duncan's departure. If he walked out now, she'd become the laughingstock of the city’s elite, and worse, the entire Leverton family would be fodder for gossip columns.Desperately, Heather clung to Duncan's arm as whispers from the guests filled the air. The patriarchs of both families were approaching, adding to the chaos.Josh, watching Duncan leave without hesitation, let out a bitter laugh before heading for the door himself. He had to find Audrey. Whatever happened to these people was none of his concern.But after a few steps, he heard footsteps behind him. Duncan had indeed followed. Audrey still mattered to him, though it was too late for that now.Audrey was already gone.Even so, if Duncan wanted to search, Josh wouldn't stop him. One more person meant one more chance. He
Josh had no time to deal with Duncan’s frantic shouting. He grabbed passersby, asking if anyone had seen Audrey, but every answer was the same—no one had seen her. In just a few short hours, it was as if Audrey had vanished into thin air.With no other choice, Duncan checked the security footage. The video showed Audrey, hands outstretched, struggling to move forward. Sometimes she bumped into trees, sometimes into people, all the while leaving a trail of blood behind her. The sight was like a knife slowly cutting through Duncan’s heart, piece by piece.It was undeniable—she was really bleeding, and she really couldn’t see.It was all true.The footage showed Audrey making her way to the bus stop, where she didn’t get on a bus but instead sat down behind the sign, unmoving. A crowd had gathered around her, and someone had called for an ambulance. But before it arrived, she had left. She refused everyone’s help.Duncan rushed back to the bus stop and followed the direction in which
"You're going to be fine, Audrey. I won't let anything happen to you. We have so much life ahead of us. You can't leave me now," Duncan whispered, cradling Audrey in his arms. She felt so fragile, and the metallic scent of blood was overwhelming."I'm... I'm sorry, Duncan. I can't stay with you anymore. I'm so tired... so cold... I can't hold on." If she could, she would have stayed, but fate had other plans. Her hand rested on her stomach, tears streaming down her face as her voice grew weaker. "Our baby... I'm sorry. I couldn't bring you into this world. I'm so sorry..."Baby? Duncan's gaze fixed on Audrey's abdomen. She had been carrying their child. But now... the child was gone.The pain in his heart was unbearable, as though it were being ripped apart. How could the world be so cruel?Even in his anguish, Duncan knew he had to stay strong. He gently rested his chin on her forehead, whispering, "It's okay. We can have another child. As long as you're safe, that's all that matt
Just as Josh was about to turn away, two sleek SUVs pulled up in front of Duncan. Out stepped the Millington and Leverton family members, along with a fuming Heather.Janet, Duncan's mother, stormed forward and slapped him hard across the face. "You ungrateful brat! Walking out on Heather in the middle of your wedding—what were you thinking?!"Duncan said nothing, silently enduring Janet's tirade.Heather approached, but when she saw Duncan cradling Audrey's lifeless body, her face twitched. Had Duncan figured everything out? Or had Audrey said something before she died?"Duncan, you...""Audrey's back. Heather, I won't marry you. It's over." Duncan's voice was cold, robotic.Janet froze, finally noticing Audrey in Duncan's arms. The color drained from her face. Audrey was dead.Duncan's father, Seamus, along with Heather's parents, approached. They knew about Audrey, Duncan's ex-girlfriend. A year ago, she had run off with another man after taking Duncan's money. But why was sh
Back at the Millington estate, Duncan gently bathed Audrey and dressed her in clean clothes, as if she were still alive. In his mind, she wasn't gone—no matter how many times people told him that Audrey was dead and would never return, he refused to believe it.Duncan's long fingers combed through Audrey's silky dark hair, his voice soft and tender, as though she could still hear him. "Audrey, if you're tired, just rest. I'm here with you. I used to hate you for betraying me, refusing to listen to any of your explanations. I didn't give you a chance to speak. But now... I don't hate you anymore. I want to hear your side, and then we can uncover the truth together, okay? I can't live without you. I made a terrible mistake before, and I'm sorry... I'm so sorry."This usually composed man cried like a child as he held her.His tears fell onto her face, and he gently wiped them away, again and again, endlessly.When Janet and Seamus returned to the estate, they found their son asleep o