Chapter 4

I remembered holding a picture of a limited-edition graphics card—one of only ten in the world—and smiling at Chloe. "This is a masterpiece, but it's impossible to get. Chloe, do you think you could find one for me?"

Chloe had snuggled into my chest back then, whispering, "I'll get the whole set for you, I promise."

I had waited for a long time, but she never mentioned it again, so I assumed she forgot.

I never managed to get my hands on it.

But here, in Zach's apartment, the entire set was proudly on display.

The high-end gaming setup, the custom ergonomic chair, even the small collectible figurines—everything I had ever begged for was sitting here.

She had given all of it to him.

Chloe's phone rang, and she quickly hurried out of the apartment to take the call.

A moment later, Zach walked out of the bedroom, holding a plate of my favorite food.

I silently took the plate and started eating, mouthful by mouthful.

Tears silently streamed down my face.

Honestly, I had never hated him.

We had been brothers for over ten years. We had eaten cheap street food together and shared expensive dinners. I never expected us to end up like this over the same woman.

"Zach, do you still hate me..."

Before I could finish, a sharp, agonizing pain flared in my abdomen, forcing the words back down my throat.

I doubled over, cold sweat instantly drenching my back as my knees crashed onto the floor in front of him.

"Zach... call an ambulance..." I gasped.

But instead of helping, Zach lunged forward, his hands gripping my neck as his boot slammed hard into my lower abdomen.

"I'm sorry, Ethan," he hissed, his face contorting with malice. "But I have no choice."

"If you can still have kids, Chloe will never let you go. She'll stop taking her birth control pills and try to have another baby with you."

"She's pregnant with my child right now. I won't let anyone threaten my baby's future."

I shook violently, the pain in my gut turning into a white-hot scream.

But Chloe and I had never...

Unless... Zach was telling the truth.

The excruciating pain in my lower abdomen intensified.

That night wasn't a dream.

Chloe had slept with me, but she had treated me like Zach. And then, she took the morning-after pill.

I had thought it was just a fever dream.

But it was real.

She had fallen for Zach a long time ago.

That was why our child would never be born.

My mind flashed back to Chloe's first pregnancy, how carefully I had cared for her.

But when one of my business rivals sought revenge, Chloe had miscarried at seven months upon hearing the news.

The hospital floor had been covered in blood that day.

I had held her tight, her hot tears soaking my neck as she whispered, "It's okay, Ethan. We'll have another baby. As long as you're safe, nothing else matters."

I slammed my fist into the floor, the physical pain bringing back a sliver of my sanity.

I wanted to fight back, to save what was left of my pride.

But it was useless. Zach's hands clamped over my mouth, suffocating my screams. "I've been sleeping with Chloe this whole time. Since I'm the real heir, she wanted to make it up to me. She wanted to give me the life she promised you!"

"Every time I talked to you about my 'secret girlfriend,' I was laughing inside, wondering how you'd react when you found out it was Chloe. You stole my life, so you deserve to suffer."

His face twisted with sick satisfaction. "Don't blame me, Ethan. I have to destroy you before she starts feeling pity for you again."

"You enjoyed my life for over twenty years. You don't get a happy ending."

My consciousness began to fade.

In my haze, I remembered the first time I pressed my ear against Chloe's belly to listen for a heartbeat.

She had told me our life would be perfect, that we had a bright future, and that she would always be on my side.

Then, the scene shattered.

Chloe's cold face appeared, telling me how disappointed she was, asking how I could live so peacefully after stealing someone else's life.

I shook my head violently.

*Chloe, how could you believe him?*

But she didn't move. She only drifted further and further away into a sea of red.

When I opened my eyes again, I was lying in a cramped, pitch-black space. It was completely sealed.

Through a tiny ventilation slit, my eyes locked onto the words on the wall outside: *CREMATION CHAMBER 4*.

My heart stopped.

I was still alive!

I kicked the metal walls of the container frantically, screaming at the top of my lungs.

I didn't want to die!

My mind was terrifyingly sharp. If no one heard me, I was going to be burned alive.

Suddenly, the heavy metal lid was yanked open.

Fresh air rushed into my lungs. I gasped, grabbing the jacket of the person standing over me. "Help me..."

The two workers stared at me in absolute horror.

"He's alive! Oh my god, this guy is still alive!"

They used my phone to call Chloe, and I was taken to the waiting room to recover.

When Chloe arrived, Zach was hovering right behind her, his face dark.

But the moment Zach saw me, he immediately put on a confused, innocent act. "Chloe... I really didn't mean to. Our son's dog died, and I wanted to cremate it... I didn't know Ethan would hide in there because he was throwing a tantrum..."

Chloe glanced at me, the panic in her eyes instantly replaced by cold irritation. "Ethan, if you're done throwing your tantrum, come home with me."

Her very first words were an accusation.

"Zach was just stressed. He's been having a hard time lately. Don't hold a grudge over a misunderstanding."

I had been locked in a coffin, nearly burned alive.

And she dismissed all of it as me "throwing a tantrum."