Let's divorce

—SAMANTHA—

By the time I reached the city hospital, the pain was unbearable. Every movement sent a sharp sting through my face and hands, but I pushed forward, ignoring the concerned glances from the public and hospital staff.

A nurse guided me to a small examination room, where a doctor, a middle-aged doctor with kind grey eyes, carefully examined my burns. He applied a cool ointment over the affected areas, offering a reassuring smile.

“You’re lucky,” he said gently. “The burns aren’t severe. This ointment will help with the healing, and it shouldn’t leave any scars.”

I let out a shaky breath, nodding. “Thank you, doctor.”

He handed me the ointment. “Just be careful next time.”

Careful next time? I bit my inner cheek.

There was no “next time.” This wasn’t an accident. Georgia had thrown that tea at me on purpose, and everyone knew it.

I left the ward, cradling the ointment in my palm. My mind was a mess, clouded with pain, exhaustion, and the humiliation I had endured. I barely paid attention to where I was going, my feet moving on their own.

When I finally looked up, my heart stopped.

I was standing just outside Ophelia’s ward.

Through the glass window, I saw them.

Zeke sat on the hospital bed, his arms wrapped tightly around Ophelia. She was awake, her delicate frame trembling as she sobbed into his chest. He stroked her hair, whispering something soothing. His expression was one of pure concern, his entire focus on her.

A doctor stood beside them, checking Ophelia’s IV drip.

After a few moments, he frowned. "There's no sign of poisoning," he said slowly.

Silence.

Then Georgia scoffed. "Of course not. That little rat isn’t stupid enough to use something detectable."

I clenched my fists.

The doctor continued his examination, then sighed. "It looks like an allergic reaction."

An allergic reaction?

I clenched my fist. So it wasn't poison but an allergy?

The doctor continued to explain, “The lady must have eaten something she’s allergic to, which triggered the attack. But she’s stable now.”

Relief washed over the room. Lilian sighed dramatically, while Georgia patted Ophelia’s back like she was some fragile doll.

My mind raced. What was she allergic to?

"Shrimp," Ophelia whispered weakly. "I—I can’t eat shrimp…"

I stiffened.

Lillian gasped. "Oh my God! Ophelia, you should have said something!"

Ophelia shook her head, as if she was barely holding on. "I—I didn’t want to trouble anyone… I thought Samantha knew…"

I felt the blood drain from my face.

Is she crazy?

How would I have known?

No one had ever told me.

But before I could even process that thought, Georgia’s head turned and her sharp gaze landed directly on me.

Her face contorted with fury.

“You!” she shrieked, pointing a trembling finger at me. “You did this on purpose!”

The door burst open, and before I could react, Georgia stormed toward me, her expensive heels clicking against the floor. She didn't mind that people were watching us.

“You tried to kill Ophelia!” she spat, her voice echoing through the hallway. “You knew about her allergies, didn’t you?! That’s why you served her those scrimps! You wicked woman!”

I staggered back, stunned. “What? No! I didn’t—”

“You're lying,” Lilian sneered, stepping up beside her mother. “You had to know. There’s no way this was a coincidence.”

I shook my head frantically. “I had no idea! I just—”

“You need to apologize!” Georgia grabbed my hair so tight I winced painfully as she dragged me into the ward and threw me on the floor like trash.

It was utterly humiliating.

Ignoring the discomfort in my ankle, I turned to Zeke, my voice rising. "You never told me she was allergic!"

Zeke’s expression twisted with disgust. "Don’t try to pin this on me, Samantha! You’re the one who served her the food!"

"But I didn’t know!" I cried. "If I had known, I would never have—"

"Enough!" Georgia spat. "You’re nothing but a jealous, bitter woman who can’t stand that Zeke loves Ophelia instead of you!"

I felt like I had been punched in the gut.

Zeke didn’t say a word. He just held Ophelia, gently stroking her hair as she trembled in his arms.

Then he turned to me, his gaze like ice.

"You could have killed her."

Something inside me shattered.

I had spent years in this house, enduring their cruelty, their insults, their disdain. I had stayed because I wanted Amore to have a father.

But now, standing here, falsely accused, disgraced in front of everyone…

I realized something.

No matter what I did, no matter how hard I tried, they still saw me as filthy.

I turned my gaze back to the hospital bed.

Ophelia was watching me now, her tear-streaked face filled with heartbreak. But in her eyes—deep, deep within—I saw something else.

Satisfaction.

She had set this up!

Why?

And now, I was the villain in everyone’s eyes.

“She needs to go, Zeke!” Georgia’s voice rang through the hospital room, filled with rage. “Divorce that woman. Right now!”

My body tensed, my nails digging into my palms.

Zeke sighed, rubbing his temple. “Mother, calm down.”

“Calm down?!” Georgia snapped. “She tried to kill Ophelia! What more do you need?! She’s an embarrassment to this family—she always has been! End this marriage, Zeke. You have every right.”

I braced myself, waiting for him to agree. After all, wasn’t this what he wanted?

“I can’t,” Zeke muttered, his voice low.

Silence filled the room.

I turned to Ophelia, just in time to see the flicker of panic in her eyes.

There it is.

So this why Ophelia had staged this whole thing—to push him into divorcing me?

She had done all this, staged this entire scene, thinking it would finally be the breaking point. That Zeke would finally, get rid of me.

But she had forgotten something.

The reason why the Frost family marry me in the first place?

Georgia’s face turned red with irritation. “You can’t?! Zeke, what are you saying? You’re the heir of the Frost family! Who cares about a scandal? It wouldn’t be the first one, anyway! After all…” She sneered, her lips curling in disgust as she turned to me. “It was her dead sister’s fault that she chose to be a whore on her wedding night and got pregnant out of wedlock!”

My breath caught in my throat.

Pain.

Raw, searing pain surged through me.

I wanted to scream. I wanted to hit something. How dare she—

Zeke’s entire body tensed, his jaw locking as if he was trying to hold himself back. But even he couldn’t control his emotions this time.

Before I could react, his hand shot out, grabbing my arm roughly.

“Get up,” he ordered coldly.

He yanked me from the floor, dragging me out of the ward without another word.

His grip was tight, almost painful, but I refused to let him see how much it hurt. He pulled me down the hallway, away from prying eyes, until we reached a secluded corner near the emergency exit.

And then—

He shoved me against the wall.

I stumbled but held my ground, my heart pounding.

His blue eyes burned with frustration as he loomed over me.

“We should end this,” he said, his voice dangerously low. “You and I both know this marriage is pointless. Let’s just divorce.”

I met his gaze, unflinching. “No.”

His hands balled into fists. “Why are you holding on, Samantha? What are you gain from this?” His voice rose, filled with irritation. “I know you're doing this to stay closer to me. But listen, I will never love you. I will never accept you!"

I laughed.

A broken, tearful laugh.

Did he really think I wanted him?

I didn’t say it out loud. But deep inside, I knew the truth.

I wasn’t staying because I wanted Zeke.

I was staying because of something far more important. Amore.

Zeke scoffed, crossing his arms as he glared down at me. "You're truly shameless, Samantha. Clinging onto a man who was once meant for your dead sister? Do you have no dignity?"

I clenched my fists, my body trembling with anger.

"You think I want this?" My voice was sharp, laced with fury. "You think I enjoy being trapped in this miserable marriage with a man who never loved me?" I stepped closer, my eyes burning into his. "Swear it, Zeke. I want you to swear that if I leave, the Frost family will not pin everything on me! Will they not smear my name just to save their precious reputation?"

Zeke's expression froze.

The color drained from his face, and I knew—I was right.

If I walked away, they would make sure the world saw me as the gold digger. They would twist the truth, paint me as Gina, tarnish my reputation, and leave me with nothing!

But then, just as quickly as his shock came, Zeke regained his composure. He let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. "So what? No matter what, I'll divorce you. If you insist, I will use the legal way. This marriage was never meant to be yours." His voice turned cruel, filled with disgust. "After all, it was Gina’s fault she spread her legs shamelessly for a filthy thug."

I felt something in me snap.

I took a deep breath and lifted my chin. "Then go ahead," I said evenly. "Divorce me, Zeke. But if you do, I'll tell the whole world the truth. I'll tell them how you deceived Gina. How your family used me like a pawn to clean up their mess!”

For a moment, I expected him to panic. To show even a flicker of fear.

But instead—

Zeke chuckled darkly. His eyes glinted with amusement as he tilted his head. "And who will believe you, Samantha?"

I froze.

His smirk widened. "Who are you? What power do you have? What connections? Don't forget we are among the four powerful families in Skyline City. Pray to tell, who would ever listen to the word of a nobody like you against the Frosts?

My heart pounded.

I wanted to argue, to tell he was wrong. But I couldn't. Because deep down; I knew the truth.

I was nothing.

I had no power. No wealth. No influence.

Who would believe me?

“I believe you.”

A voice said behind me.

And we turned to look...