Love Severed, Affection Faded

I expect none of this. My parents were supposed to be vacationing abroad, but they returned early to pick me up from the hospital with Kevin.

On the way home, Kevin kept the mood light. "Mom and Dad were so worried when they heard about your injury. They dropped everything and booked the earliest flight back."

He grinned. "Mom even got you some chocolate."

At his words, my mother pulled a box of white chocolate from her bag and placed it in my hands. "Yes, sweetheart. You need to regain your strength. Chocolate will help."

A sharp ache spread through my chest, bitterness welling up inside me.

Valentina was the one who loved chocolate. I had been allergic to it since childhood—I couldn’t have so much as a bite.

Yet my own parents and the man who had shared my bed for years, didn’t know that.

Fingers tightening around the edge of the box, I feigned a stomachache and closed my eyes, pretending to rest.

Just five more days and this charade would finally be over.

As the car rolled into the driveway, an excited voice rang out before it even came to a full stop.

"Mom! Dad! Kev! You’re back!"

The moment the car slowed, my parents rushed out, pulling Valentina into their arms, their voices overflowing with warmth and concern.

Kevin stood nearby, smiling at the heartwarming reunion—so caught up in the moment that he completely forgot to help me out of the car.

"Did you miss me?" Valentina suddenly threw herself into Kevin’s arms, tugging at his sleeve and pouting playfully.

Kevin’s expression stiffened as he instinctively glanced at me.

Seeing no reaction on my face, he gently pushed Valentina away and quickly explained, "Don’t misunderstand. Tina lived abroad with Damian—this is just a common greeting over there."

My throat was too damaged to speak, so I simply curved my lips into a faint smile and shook my head, signaling that I didn’t mind.

Valentina, however, pouted and stomped her foot. "That’s not just a greeting! I don’t act this way with everyone."

Kevin's face paled instantly. His eyes darted toward me in panic. Before he could say anything, I pretended not to notice and walked straight into the house.

Behind me, I caught his low, urgent whisper, "Tina, don’t make trouble. Just five more days. Be good."

I gripped the staircase railing and made my way upstairs. Kevin called after me with a few half-hearted reminders, but he didn’t follow.

***

The past few days in the hospital had drained me—endless tests, IV drips and exhaustion pressing down like a weight. As soon as I lay down, sleep took over.

By the time I woke up, it was dinnertime.

I got out of bed and headed downstairs, only to pause at the staircase when I heard my parents' voices.

"Back then, I really thought Damian was someone Tina could depend on, but he's actually an abusive bastard! If only she had chosen Kevin instead, none of this would have happened—"

"Enough," my mother interjected sharply. "What matters now is fixing this mess. Kevin, you said you’d send Ria in Tina’s place. Are you sure this will work? What if she resists or exposes the plan?"

Kevin placed a portion of vegetables onto Valentina’s plate, his voice steady. "She won’t. She won’t even have the chance to speak."

Their eyes met—soft, lingering, full of unspoken understanding.

Then, Kevin added, his tone turning ice-cold. "I’ll remove any obstacles standing in Tina’s way."

A brief pause. Then, with quiet finality, he said, "No matter the cost."

My father slammed his palm against the table. "Good! That’s exactly why I trust you with Tina. I know she’s in good hands. As for Ria…"

At the mention of my name, he hesitated, as if searching for the right words. But before he could continue, my mother cut in, her voice laced with resentment.

"She owes this to Tina! If she hadn’t been such a coward back then, Tina would never have been kidnapped! Now that Tina is finally back, it’s time for Ria to make things right."

Valentina was taken when we were both just two years old—far too young to understand anything. But instead of blaming themselves for not watching their child, they put the guilt on me.

And now, to protect Valentina, they were willing to cast me aside without hesitation.

Valentina dabbed at her eyes, her voice soft and full of hesitation. "I don’t want to hurt my sister, but…"

Kevin gently ran his fingers through her hair. "This has nothing to do with you, Tina. All you need to do is be happy."

Valentina’s eyes sparkled with delight and the dining room filled with cheerful laughter.

I had been standing too long and my legs gave out slightly. My knee knocked against the railing, making a faint sound.

"Ria, you're awake?" Valentina turned toward me with an expression of pleasant surprise, motioning for me to come downstairs for dinner.

A flicker of awkwardness and guilt crossed my parents' faces.

Kevin, however, reacted the most strongly. He rushed up the stairs in just a few strides, carefully steadying me. "Ria, when did you wake up?"

Swallowing the overwhelming bitterness and anger rising inside me, I simply gestured that I had just woken up.

The tension in his shoulders eased immediately and he quickly explained, "You were sleeping so soundly—I couldn’t bear to wake you for dinner."

"You're not upset, are you?"

A wave of nausea rolled through me. These people are wolves in sheep’s clothing. Devils pretending to be angels. I said nothing, only waving my hand dismissively and turned back into my room.

Kevin followed me to the door, even thoughtfully closing it behind me.

Laughter and conversation resumed downstairs as if nothing had happened. But I no longer cared.

Ignoring the noise, I pulled out my phone and checked the message I had just received.

"Everything is ready. In five days, Valeria will no longer be in this world."