Return to Sender: Heart Not Included

I arrived at the hospital and waited for my number to be called. While waiting, Gwen sent me a video.

I knew I shouldn't watch it, and I should just delete it. However, I couldn't help but take a look.

The video began to play. Gwen was straddling Yale and kissing his neck. He held her head in his hands and looked to be enjoying her kisses.

The moans in the video stabbed at my heart. It hurt so much.

Then, Yale flipped them over. Pinning Gwen under him, he kissed her.

I could see a faint purplish pentagram-shaped birthmark on his back. In that moment, my world collapsed.

Only Yale had that birthmark. There was no way I could be mistaken. If I still held onto any delusions before, then this birthmark was undeniable proof of his deception.

Feeling a faint movement in my belly, I decided to give Yale one more chance.

I called him. If he rushed over and told me the truth, I would choose to forgive him for the child's sake. I would forgive everything he had done—the lies, the staged death, and even his betrayal.

The moment the call connected, Yale said, "I'm sorry, Sasha, but I can't come pick you up. Have the driver bring you home."

He was slightly breathless, and there was an urgency in his tone. He sounded as though he were in a hurry to hang up.

Just as I was about to speak, I heard a low, sensual whine.

"Quinn…"

Gwen spoke loudly and with no attempt to remain hidden. She was provoking me over the phone. Then, the call was cut off, and I heard a beeping tone.

I smiled bitterly as I put my phone away. After speaking with the doctor, I entered the operating room.

With his own hands, Yale had destroyed his final chance to make things right. I swore that the next time he heard from me, it would be a fatal blow.

By the time I arrived home from the hospital, Yale was already waiting in the living room. Still, he wore the mask of Quinn and played the role of brother-in-law, acting generous toward me.

"Didn't you say you were going shopping after the checkup? Why have you come back empty-handed? Didn't see anything you like? That's alright. Tomorrow morning I'll take you to an auction. The items being auctioned off are rare and expensive. You'll probably find something you like," he said.

Walking closer to me, Yale finally noticed my bloodshot eyes and tear-stained face.

"You've been crying again… I know you miss Yale a lot. I miss my younger brother too. You're carrying his child, and with the child at your side, it should ease your grief a little. For the child's sake, you have to take good care of yourself."

I looked up into Yale's blue eyes. They were still shining, like they always had, full of sincerity. These eyes had once drawn me to him. Now, all I felt was irony.

Without responding, I brushed past Yale and returned to my room. Only 24 hours remained until I left. I hoped that when the news reached Yale 24 hours later, he wouldn't regret what he had done.

…

The next day, at the auction.

Everyone from high society was here because there were rumors that a rare item was up for bid.

Yale had brought both me and Gwen to the auction.

The very first item up for bid was the emerald ring he had proposed to me with.

"Have you lost your mind, Sasha? How could you auction off the engagement ring my brother gave to you when he proposed? I remember you telling me it was your most treasured gift and that it symbolized your life. But now you're throwing it away like it's garbage without even batting an eye?" Yale shouted.

Everyone present had heard him. In an instant, the entire auction hall fell silent.

I turned and looked at him coldly. My eyes held no warmth or affection. It was as though he were a stranger to me.

In a plain tone, I replied, "Because Yale is dead. I want to forget him. And the first step is to get rid of everything he had left me."

Yale's expression turned furious. He opened his mouth as if to explain something, but the words caught in his throat. Still, he kept up his "Quinn" facade.

Fine. Let's see how long he could keep up this act.

Yale grabbed my hand. His gaze was pleading and even a little pitiful. It was as though he were hoping to see a hint of reluctance or lingering love for him on my face.

"E-Even so, you can't sell the ring. It's a symbol of his love for you. If he knew you sold it off so easily, he would be heartbroken… He'd be devastated…" Yale stammered.

"Yes, he loved me, and I loved him too. But that's in the past. He's dead now, so he won't ever know about this. And over these past few days, my love for him has almost been completely drained…

"I've spent this time thinking things through, and all of you were right. I shouldn't keep wallowing in grief. I should forget him and start a new life," I said.

My words made Yale shake. A hint of panic flashed across his eyes. He could feel something slipping away.

Clutching my hand, he desperately wanted to explain something. However, Gwen stopped him and whispered a few words into his ear. Whatever she had said made him drop the conversation.

I glanced at them coldly.

See? I had given Yale another chance to tell the truth.

Yet, even after saying such harsh words, he still refused to come clean. Fine, he can keep wearing that mask.

I turned and left, returning home. There were still five hours left until the time I had agreed on with Mom. Once I arrived home, I packed up all my belongings and burned them.

I didn't want to leave Yale with anything to remember me by. I wanted to make sure he regretted it. I wanted him to be filled with sorrow and anguish.

…

As evening approached, Gwen pushed open my bedroom door.

She looked radiant, her complexion rosy. Her makeup was even perfectly done. She didn't look at all like someone with terminal cancer who supposedly only had a month left to live. In fact, Gwen looked to be in good health.

Like before, she was wearing the same style of nightgown and even the same perfume as me. With her arms crossed, she stood in the doorway like a victor.

"You must've seen that video, right? I'm sure you didn't miss the birthmark either. So, you know the truth now, don't you?" Gwen said.

She watched me with a gleeful smile on her face, as though waiting to see me break down.

"In other words, he's not actually your brother-in-law. And I'm not your sister-in-law either. Why do you still look so calm? Are you hiding how you feel, or are you pretending not to know? Unwilling to face the cruel truth?" she taunted.

"Let me tell you. I'm not going to die in a month. I'll be staying by his side as his wife. As for you? If you choose to stay, you'll have to watch him be with me, sleep with me, and eat with me," Gwen added.

Then, she looked at me smugly with the air of someone who had already won.

"I know you were testing him at the auction today, but you saw how he reacted. You said you didn't love or care about him anymore. You also said you were going to auction off the symbol of your love for each other. Even so, he didn't react at all.

"What does that say? It says he doesn't care about you anymore. Give up, Sasha. You may have loved each other once, but now, he belongs to me!" she exclaimed.