005: A Sister's Venom

HANNAH’S POV

The cold, damp air of the cell clung to my skin like a suffocating shroud, intensifying the weight of the betrayal that had shattered my heart. Curled up in the darkest corner, I cried, the sobs ripping from my chest as though they could tear free the anguish that had rooted itself deep within me.

I had tried so hard to be strong, to pull myself together and face the pain with a steely resolve, but Coby's betrayal was too much to bear. His rejection was a wound I hadn’t seen coming—a knife thrust into my back by the very person I had trusted above all others.

I had loved him with every fiber of my being, sacrificing my freedom so he could become the Alpha. And now, here I was, left to rot in this cell while he ascended to power.

"Don’t do it; you might regret it!" Andrew’s warning echoed in my mind, the words that had seemed so unfounded now glaringly true. He must have known, must have seen through Coby’s charming facade to the cold, calculating heart beneath.

Oh, how foolish, how naive I had been to dismiss his concerns, to believe in love over the voice of reason. The tears streamed down my face until I thought I had none left to shed. My breath hitched as I wiped away the last of them, my fingers trembling as I sniffed back the remnants of my despair.

With a shaky exhale, I forced myself into a sitting position, leaning my head back against the rough stone wall. Continuing to cry over what was lost wouldn’t change my fate. I needed to think, to find a way out of this hellish nightmare and prove my innocence. But first, I had to reach out to the one person I was sure would stand by me—my sister, Vivian.

If there was anyone other than Andrew who would believe me, it was Vivian. But then again, as I paced the narrow confines of my cell, the darkness pressing in on all sides, I wondered why she hadn’t come to see me yet. Had she heard the news? Did she believe the lies being spun about me? The questions swirled in my mind. Or had she fallen sick? My questions were a relentless storm that only added to my unease.

Just as I began to lose myself in the turmoil, the sound of footsteps echoed down the corridor. I froze, my heart hammering in my chest as I strained to listen. Could it be her? Could it be Vivian finally coming to see me? I held my breath, the seconds stretching into an eternity as the footsteps drew closer.

I held my breath, hope flaring in my chest. Please, let it be Vivian. When the figure finally appeared before my cell, I nearly sobbed in relief.

"Vivian!" I cried, rushing to the bars, reaching out to grab her hands. The familiar touch grounded me, and for a moment, everything felt right. "Thank you for coming to see me," I whispered, my voice thick with emotion.

But Vivian remained silent, her face unreadable. Her eyes, usually so full of warmth, were cold and distant. A chill ran down my spine, and I hesitated. Was she upset? Disappointed? "Vivian, I'm so sorry," I blurted, my voice trembling. "Please, forgive me. It wasn't my fault."

She finally spoke, but her voice was icy—a tone I had never heard from her before. "What do you mean?"

I swallowed hard, feeling a knot of fear tighten in my chest. "It wasn't me who killed the servant," I said, desperation creeping into my voice. "I'm innocent, Vivian. I took the blame for Coby. He... he's the real culprit."

Vivian's gaze bore into me, her expression unchanging. The fear turned into a sharp pang of dread. Didn't she believe me? I had to make her see the truth. "I swear on our late parents' names," I pleaded, gripping the bars tightly. "Please, Vivian, believe me."

Her silence stretched on for what felt like an eternity before she finally nodded. "I believe you," she said, her voice softening just a fraction.

I exhaled a shaky breath, feeling a glimmer of hope. "Thank you, Vivian. With your help, I can prove my innocence. We can set things right."

But then her next words shattered me. "I believe you," she repeated, "not because you claim innocence, but because I know who the real killer is."

A wave of confusion crashed over me. "Yes, it's good you know Coby is the real killer," I said, trying to piece together what she was saying.

Vivian let out a low, humorless chuckle, and the sound sent a chill down my spine. "How naive you are," she said, her eyes narrowing with something dark and twisted.

My heart pounded in my chest. "What do you mean by calling me naive?" I whispered, dread curling in my stomach.

Vivian’s gaze turned cold, her lips curling into a sneer. "You're not just naive, but dumb enough to think Coby was the culprit when the real killer is standing right in front of you. I mean, how else do you think the guards showed up so fast?”

My eyes widen, “It was you! You told them!”

“Bingo!”

I recoiled, disbelief clawing at my chest. "No, that can't be true," I stammered, my voice barely a whisper. "Vivian, you're not a killer. You can't be."

Desperation clawed at me as I grabbed her hand through the bars, holding on as if I could pull her back from the edge of whatever madness had taken her. "Is Coby manipulating you? Is he making you say these things?"

Vivian yanked her hand away, her expression twisted with disdain. "Stop acting so dumb already," she spat. "I'm not being manipulated. Coby loves me. He’s announced me as his chosen Luna."

“What?” Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. Coby and Vivian? I stumbled back, the truth crashing down on me with brutal force. "Vivian, you're my sister," I whispered, my voice breaking. "You can't betray me like this."

Vivian's eyes blazed with hatred, a fury that I had never seen before. "You are no sister of mine," she hissed. "All I feel for you is pure hate and disgust."

Her words cut through me like a knife, each one slicing deeper than the last. I stared at her, the sister I had grown up with, the sister I thought I knew. How could she say these things? What had I done to deserve this?

"Why, Vivian?" I choked out, tears blurring my vision. "What did I ever do to make you hate me this way?"

Vivian's face twisted with anger, her voice laced with venom. "I hate everything about you," she seethed. "Your face, the sound of your name, everything. Our father saw you as his perfect little girl while I came in second as his stepdaughter. Even my mother preferred you to me. But where you really crossed the line was getting mated to the man I loved from the moment I set eyes on him. Coby is mine, and not even you could come between us."

I felt the tears I was fighting so hard to keep at bay spill over, but I fought to keep my voice steady. "Vivian, please," I begged. "We're family. Don’t do this."

She laughed then, a harsh, bitter sound that echoed off the cell walls. "Family? You are nothing to me. If you hadn’t ended up in jail, I would have gotten rid of you myself, just like that dumb maid who thought she could tattletale on me when she caught us kissing in his study that night."

The finality of her words crushed me, and I dropped to my knees, clutching my chest as sobs wracked my body. Vivian's laughter continued, a haunting sound that stayed with me long after she left.

I cried until I could barely breathe, the weight of betrayal from both my mate and my sister too much to bear. My vision blurred, and the room spun around me. Just before darkness claimed me, I heard someone calling out my name, but I couldn't hold on. Everything went pitch black as I slipped into unconsciousness.