All the same.

Evelyn's POV

"C-Clara," I stuttered when the couple did not stop their obscene act. "What... What's the meaning of this?"

She ignored me for a while and I grew angry.

"Clara, stop this right now!"

She sighed, tossed me a scathing look before disentangling from her lover. Naked, she climbed off the bed and strutted toward me.

The last time I had seen her, her skin had been so pale and white. Now she looked so vibrant, it was confusing.

"I thought you were sick. I thought you had the disease," I whispered, backing away with each step she took toward me.

"Oh, please." She scoffed. "May the goddess forbid. I am hale and hearty as you can see."

Roman approached the room then. He shoved me aside, causing me to fall to the ground while he laughed cruelly.

"The gig is up, Clara?"

"I got tired." She shrugged while I looked on in disbelief. "For how long was I supposed to pretend to be sick? She already married the Alpha in my place, so what's the point?"

I gasped, struggling to rise on my feet. "That was why? You were pretending to be sick so I would have to marry Cyrus?! How could you do that to me?!"

She smirked, shoving me in the shoulder. "Don't act like you didn't want to. I saw the way you looked at him with beady eyes. It was disgusting. Besides, everyone knew the Alpha was in love with Roanna and anyone who married him would be subjecting themselves to a life pf misery and a loveless marriage. Who else should suffer that ill-fate if not you?"

It was all her fault, I realized with dread. The look of mockery on their faces told me I had been a fool and I had been played by them all.

Father wanted power and had used me to get all he wanted. Roman wanted the sick satisfaction of seeing me cry. Clara wanted escape. They had all used me.

Tears burned the corner of my eyes, and I struggled to hold them back.

"Ew, she's going to cry," Clara scoffed in disgust. "Get rid of her, will you, brother?"

"Happy to do so," Roman cackled and grabbed me by the hair.

I sobbed, screaming and kicking as he dragged me brutally down the stairs. My bones thudded against the floor. I screamed in pain when we reached the door, and he hauled me out of the house.

I coughed, spitting as I struggled to rise up from the ground. Roman bent on his knees then, whispering.

"You wouldn't be suffering like this if you just let me take care of you."

He grinned, stroking my hair lightly. "I'll bet I can do better than that goody two shoes you married."

"You're a monster!" I spat at him, face stained with tears. He smacked my face then, causing my head to explode in pain before storming back into the house.

I sat there for a while, sobbing into my dress. The pain and hurt from the wounds on my body could never compare to those on my heart.

I had trusted Clara. I had thought she was my ally. I had risked my life and health for eight months, coming back to this hell so I could take care of her.

She had been lying to me all this while.

I should never have trusted her. Clara, Roman, my father, Cyrus – they were all the same.

All the same.

Tired and weak, I dragged myself out through the gates and stumbled when I saw that my driver had left me. Fresh tears rolled down my cheeks.

How would I get home now?

"Are you okay, ma'am?" A man asked.

I looked up to see blue eyes staring at me with worry. I shook my head, unable to speak. My head felt light and my body trembled. The stranger frowned, looked around and asked.

"Who did this to you?"

"My..." My voice trailed off as my vision darkened and I fainted.

When I woke up, there was a loud beeping sound that constantly irritated my ears. I found myself on a hospital bed, staring up at the ceiling with a drip attached to my arm.

A nurse walked in, a kind look on her face. She offered a glass of water and then called the doctor in.

"What's going on?" I asked weakly.

"You fainted, ma'am. A man rushed you in some hours ago. I'll prescribe some salve for the wounds, but you'll have to be careful not to use any medicine for now, because of the baby. "

My heart skipped a bit. I had suspected that I was pregnant when I hadn't seen my period twice in a row. This was almost the third month since Cyrus had touched me for the first time.

And the very last.

He had been gentle, amazing, and glorious that night. But the next morning, reality splashed cold on my face when he told me it was a mistake.

I glanced down at my belly, a small smile curving my lips. He would treat me better. If he knew I was pregnant, he would definitely care more, a little bit more for me.

"Thank you, Doctor," I croaked. "How do I settle the bill?"

"The man who brought you here already paid for it.” The nurse said cheerily.

I could barely remember the stranger. I didn't even know his name. But I was grateful that he had arrived when he did.

After a few more checkups, I was discharged. I took a cab back to the palace and had one of my maids fetch my purse so I could pay him off.

I had to tell Cyrus the good news tonight. He hated me, but he couldn't hate his child, our child, right?

Despite the ache in my bones and the painful bruises I had, I made dinner and set up the dining room.

I had told him he had to have dinner with me tonight.

He would come.

While I waited, my phone pinged with a text. It was Raven.

And on the screen was a picture of Cyrus hugging her from behind, smiling into the camera.

She did this often, to humiliate me.

Another wave of tears hit. I threw the phone on the dining table helplessly, sobbing. Why was he with her? I was his wife.

I was mated to him. He did not get to treat me like this.

My phone pinged again with a text and I tried to ignore it, thinking it was from Raven. I guessed I must like to torture myself because I reached for the phone again.

But it wasn't a text from Raven.

It was from an unknown number and it contained only one word.

"Run."