CHAPTER 1

Ruby's POV.

“Sign the divorce papers,” Logan threw the divorce papers at me with a sharp, dismissive gesture. The papers fluttered through the air before landing on my lap. I sat there in my wheelchair, feeling a deep, unsettling shock. 

“You know I don’t appreciate this kind of joke,” I said, trying to laugh, but my voice trembled. It was a special day; how could he be so cruel as to end our marriage now?

“This isn’t a joke,” Logan’s voice was harsh and cold. “Just sign the damn papers. It’s over between us.”

As I looked up at him, the coldness in his eyes hit me like a punch to the gut. He wasn’t kidding; he was serious. 

“Stop staring at me with that pitiful look and just sign it,” Logan’s tone was icy, his words cutting through the room. 

His detachment and finality left me numb, struggling to grasp how everything had happened so quickly.

“It’s our fourth wedding anniversary,” I said, my voice breaking as my heart raced uncontrollably. “You can’t do this. You can’t just divorce me.”

The pain of what was happening was overwhelming. I couldn’t believe that Logan, the man I had shared my life with for four years, could be doing this to me. My chest felt tight, my heartbeat pounding so hard it seemed like it might burst out of me. Tears streamed down my face, the weight of our years together blurring my vision.

“No… No… This can’t be real, Logan. Please, call off this prank and let’s just celebrate our anniversary. Please,” I begged, clinging to the hope that this was all just a cruel joke.

Logan’s voice was cold and unyielding. “I told you, it’s not a prank. Why are you making this so dramatic? I’ve gotten everything I wanted from you. It’s over.” His words were harsh as he declared. 

“Look, I don’t want any more of this drama,” Logan said, his voice dripping with disdain. “The company is mine now, thanks to you. You’re just a burden, and frankly, you’re more trouble than you’re worth.”

His words struck me like a dagger, piercing through my chest with a searing pain that was almost physical. It felt as if my heart was being torn apart.

“No... Please don’t do this to me,” I cried out, as I tried reaching for him but ended up collapsing onto the floor and crawling toward him in desperation. 

The agony inside me was overwhelming, but I couldn’t stop myself from reaching out.

As I got closer, Logan took a step back, his face a mask of irritation. He clearly wanted nothing to do with me. I looked up at him, my tears mingling with the dust on the floor.

Logan thrust his hands into his pockets, his eyes boring into me with a cold, contemptuous glare. His frustration was evident, and he seemed to resent even the sight of me.

“Why are you so stubborn?” he yelled, his voice echoing with anger. “You’re just being selfish. Can’t you see that I don’t want you anymore?”

I struggled to speak through my tears, the pain and betrayal evident in my voice. “You were comfortable with me for all these years, and now you don’t want me?” 

“You can’t divorce me. I’m your wife. No… no, I can’t sign it. We’ve been married for four years; you can’t just end it like this,” I said, my voice filled with desperation. But before I could continue, Logan cut me off.

“Four years… wow,” he said with a mocking chuckle.

“I wasted four years of my life with someone who can’t even give me a child,” he spat out, his words cutting deeply.

“All you do is make me push your wheelchair. That’s all you’ve been to me,” he yelled angrily.

“But… I thought you loved me,” I said through my tears, my heart breaking with each word. “You can’t do this to me.”

“Love?” Logan’s voice was cold and dismissive. “Our marriage was never about love. I married you to take over everything in the company. And guess what? I succeeded,” he said with a cruel laugh.

“You can have the company. I don’t care,” I said, pleading with him, hoping against hope that he might reconsider. 

“I just want you to be with me.” I was desperate, clinging to the last shred of hope that he might change his mind and not completely end the marriage.

“What could I possibly do with you anymore?” Logan said dismissively. “I’ve found someone better, someone I actually want to spend my life with.”

His words hit me like a punch to the gut. First, the divorce, and now he was telling me he had someone else. 

“Who could that be?” I stammered, barely able to process his betrayal.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps approaching. I turned to see who it was and froze in shock. My younger sister, Sophie, was walking toward us with a smug expression on her face. 

She casually wrapped her arm around Logan and looked at me with cold disdain. “Hello, sis… I see you’ve got the papers. Why don’t you just sign them so Logan and I can start living the life we’ve always dreamed of?” Sophie said, her tone dripping with contempt.

“Sophie! What… What are you doing? Get your hands off my husband!” I managed to say, my voice trembling with anger and disbelief.

“What if I don’t?” Sophie shot back defiantly. “Are you going to stand up and hit me?” Her words, combined with Logan’s mocking laughter, left me feeling humiliated and helpless. They laughed at me, and their derision made me feel even more isolated and ashamed because of my condition.

I had loved Logan deeply. Four years ago, I had put aside my own plans just to be with him. But now, faced with this cruel twist of fate, all I could think about was how our lives had changed so drastically after the accident.

I was seriously injured and became crippled, but luckily for him, he was fine. However, after two years, he suddenly became distant, not coming home on time, and sometimes not coming home at all.

I wasn’t bothered about it because I thought it was his company that was making him come back late, and I guess I was right. His company went bankrupt, and I helped him.

I let him take over part of Grey's group company. I was in control of everything, but with my condition, I knew I wouldn’t be able to handle it well. That’s why I gave everything to Logan, because I thought he loved me. 

I was in disbelief, realizing now that Logan had been plotting all this time.

“Please…” I whimpered, my voice full of anguish.

“Oh, just stop this and sign the papers. It won’t take long,” Sophie said with a sneer, picking up the divorce papers and hitting them against my head.

“How could you do this to me? You’re my own sister!” I cried out bitterly.

“Sister?” Sophie laughed cruelly. “I was never your real sister. I was adopted, and your father kept it a secret. Killing him was actually a brilliant idea.”

“What? You killed Father?” I gasped, struggling to get up and confront Sophie, but my weakened body wouldn’t cooperate.

“Oh, stop being so pathetic,” Sophie said coldly. “He wasn’t the only one we’ve killed.”

Her words made my heart race as I tried to grasp the enormity of what she was saying. Sophie turned to Logan, who smiled back at her before looking down at me with a cold gaze.

“That’s right,” Logan said with chilling detachment. “Your grandmother also died because of us. And don’t ask why—she was just a thorn in our side.”

My eyes widened in horror as I tried to process their betrayal.

“But you… you just wouldn’t die even after the accident on our wedding day,” Logan said with a hint of frustration. “I regretted that you survived.”

“But you were in the same car with me. How did you cause the accident?” I asked, my voice trembling with confusion and anger.

“You think?” Logan sneered, his face twisted with disdain.

“You caused the accident. You wanted to kill me on our wedding day. How could you be so evil?” I shouted in pain, struggling to make sense of his betrayal.

“Let’s just get this over with,” Sophie said to Logan with a sense of finality. “I’m tired of this drama.”

“Fine, if that’s what you want,” Logan said with a forced apology. “I’m sorry, Ruby. It’s time for you to join your father.”

A wave of dread washed over me as I watched them move toward the door. Logan reached into his pocket and pulled out a lighter. My fear intensified as he flicked it on and threw it onto the floor.

The flames quickly began to spread, engulfing the house. I was paralyzed with terror and helplessness, unable to escape the fire because of my condition. 

The fire roared around me, and the smoke filled my lungs as I struggled to breathe and escape the unbearable heat.

“Help!” I screamed, but the thick smoke choked my cries, making it hard to breathe.

I felt myself growing weaker, my strength fading as the flames roared around me. My vision blurred, and then everything went dark.

*****

“Ughhh!!” I gasped as my eyes flew open, revealing a ceiling I didn’t recognize. I tried to make sense of my surroundings, the last thing I remembered being the fire consuming my house.

“What is happening?” I mumbled to myself, my voice trembling. I looked down and saw that I was still in my wedding dress, adding to my confusion and fear.

Panic began to rise within me as I struggled to understand what was going on. 

Just then, the door creaked open, and Sophie walked in with a chillingly familiar smile.

“What is she doing here?” I panicked as I glared at her in shock.