A Love That Was Never Mine

After the video exposing my sister Issa Acosta’s plot against me was revealed, my parents and my fiancé, Henry Nolan, stood firmly by my side, making me feel loved and safe.

I confidently handed over all the evidence to them, trusting them to handle it. However, they told me that after Issa was kicked out of the house, she died in a sudden car accident, and I believed them.

That was until five years into my marriage, when I accidentally saw Issa—the woman who was supposed to be dead. She was holding a little boy, clinging tightly to Henry’s hand.

"Henry, if it weren’t for you and my parents, I’m afraid Zoe would’ve thrown me in prison. Thankfully, my parents destroyed the evidence and even opened a jewelry design studio for me. To avoid suspicion, you even sacrificed your own marriage. Thank you for everything in the past five years.”

"Think of it as me atoning to Zoe on your behalf. As long as you and Bear are happy, that’s enough for me."

So, what I thought was a happy family was nothing more than a giant lie—a scheme concocted by my parents and Henry.

My parents, my husband, and Issa were the real family, and I? I was just the fool who had been deceived for five long years.

Whether it was family or love, none of it was real, and I don’t want any of it anymore.

At the hospital, Henry Nolan gently held the little boy's hand, his gaze soft.

"All these years, you've lived a more glamorous life than even her, the real daughter. Just be careful not to let Zoe find out."

Issa Acosta smiled sweetly and snuggled into Henry's arms.

"Henry, if it weren't for you, that vicious woman, Zoe, would've surely sent me to jail."

Henry frowned slightly but didn’t push her away. Instead, he turned his head toward the little boy beside him, his eyes softening as he ruffled the boy’s hair.

"Let’s not talk about that. As long as Bear’s fine after seeing the doctor, that’s all that matters. His birthday’s coming up in a few days. Your parents and I will attend the party under the guise of honoring you."

The little boy, clueless about the adult conversation, simply clung to Henry, playfully begging for attention. The three of them looked like the perfect happy family that drew envious stares from people nearby, including me.

I stood frozen in shock around the corner, leaning against the wall for support before I eventually slid to the floor, utterly devastated.

Issa was never thrown out of the house, never punished, and certainly never died in that car accident. For five years, she had been living a life of luxury, more comfortably than me—the real daughter and the victim. Now, she had even had a child with my husband.

My biological parents, my husband, everyone I held dear… They were all part of Issa's scheme, playing with my life for her sake. What I thought was my happiness was nothing more than a cruel, elaborate lie.

I collapsed to the ground in despair and, without thinking, answered the phone that suddenly rang.

"Zoe, the butler said you left for the hospital again today. You haven't rested in days! Come home and take a break. You don’t look well, and it's worrying me." My mom’s gentle, concerned voice came through, as warm as ever.

However, now that I knew the truth, listening to her only made my heart sink into a pit of ice. My mom wasn’t worried about me. She was just afraid I'd run into Issa and discover everything.

I muttered a few replies, telling her I was at a conference on children’s health on the first floor of the hospital. As expected, she panicked, urging me immediately not to wander around and to have Henry look for me.

Five minutes later, Henry arrived, out of breath, his tone more accusatory than caring.

"Why didn’t you tell me you were coming? You’ve been working nonstop the past few days. You’re going to wear yourself out. You look terrible. Let me take you home to rest."

His gaze was evasive, and the guilt on his face was unmistakable.

He nervously asked, "You ran into a lot of familiar faces here, right? Did you see any old friends or classmates?"

I clenched my fists so tightly that my nails dug into my skin, the pain helping me force a smile.

"No. I just missed you, that’s all. Let’s go home. Mom said she made chicken soup for us."

Henry’s frown quickly relaxed after he heard my denial.

On the way home, he smiled and chatted with me, his tone warm and attentive, as if I hadn't just witnessed his betrayal. However, no matter how hard he tried to act, I could no longer see any love in his eyes.

What I thought was a perfect marriage was just Henry’s way of atoning for his sins. How much must he love that family to be willing to sacrifice his marriage for it?