After 10 Years as His Secret Wife, I Married His Enemy

Joel hurried to my side and whispered, "Why don't you step outside for now? Dinner won't take long. You can set off fireworks with Johnny soon."

My blood ran cold. I walked out in a daze.

Before Joel recovered his memories, he'd played the hero on the street, rescuing Kay from a group of thugs harassing her.

That same night, the thugs came for revenge. I fought them off with everything I had, screaming for Joel to run. They broke both my legs and threw me into the river.

Ever since, I couldn't stand the cold. Joel used to hold my feet against his chest every night, worried I'd never get warm.

Now I knelt on the frozen stone steps, my thin clothes doing nothing against the wind.

Through the glass, I could see Joel and Johnny laughing. Johnny acted like a little adult, plucking the wine glass from Kay's hand.

"Mommy has a baby in her tummy. No more drinking."

Joel pressed his cheek to Kay's belly. "Happy New Year," he murmured.

Snow piled on my shoulders. It melted and seeped through my clothes.

By the time I was on the verge of passing out from the cold, the door finally opened.

Kay and Joel emerged hand in hand. She gave me my orders.

"Go help them carry the fireworks."

I staggered to my feet. As I passed Joel, my legs buckled and I pitched forward.

Joel's hand shot out instinctively—but Old Mrs. Gilbert cleared her throat, and he slowly pulled it back.

I slammed into the sharp edge of the steps. Blood flooded my eyes.

Johnny pinched his nose and backed away in disgust. "Beggar blood is full of germs. Grandma, make her leave."

My mind drifted to when Johnny was born.

He came early, so frail he looked like a kitten. It felt like he might stop breathing if I looked away for a second.

The doctors told me to prepare for the worst. I sobbed until I couldn't breathe, then dragged my still-bleeding body up the mountain to the temple everyone said granted miracles—crawling on my knees, bowing with every step.

After that, I couldn't let him out of my sight. I fed him, changed him, did everything myself.

And this was the child I'd traded my life for. The child whose veins carried my blood.

He called me disgusting. Beneath him.

I wiped the blood from my face and followed the other servants to carry the fireworks.

Joel saw my bloodied face. Something flickered in his eyes—a shadow of concern.

He took a few steps toward me, but Kay called out for him to come light the fireworks.

All across the neighborhood, the sky exploded with color. Festive. Joyful.

Joel had promised me this year. He said he'd sneak Johnny over so we could watch the fireworks together.

Now I watched the three of them laughing and chasing each other across the lawn. My fingers tightened around the safety lock in my pocket.

I stood alone in the snow, half my body frozen numb.

Then Johnny came running over with a small box, grinning with excitement.

"I have a present for you!"

I stared at his innocent smile, my heart melting despite everything. I pulled out the safety lock and held it out to him.

"Thank you. This is my gift for you."

He took it and urged me to open the box.

My fingers trembled uncontrollably. The moment I lifted the lid, a string of firecrackers exploded in my face.

Searing pain tore through my eyes. Someone shoved me hard, and I crashed to the ground.

"Stupid beggar! You're so dumb!" Johnny's laughter rang out.

Sparks flew around me. I smelled burning flesh.

I scrambled blindly to the side. Everything was a blur. When I tried to open my eyes wider, the pain cut straight to the bone.

"Joel, it hurts..."

"Take me to the hospital... I can't see..."

No one answered. The laughter faded into the distance until there was nothing.

I curled up in the snow. My hand brushed against something cold—the safety lock I'd given Johnny.

In the last moment before everything went dark, I felt myself lifted into a warm embrace.