Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1. Liora always believed that home was the one place that would never betray her. That belief had grown since her childhood, that ultimately, someone would accept her, not reject her. That belief remained with her to this day, until she opened the door to the Vale family home and found her husband, Adrian Vale, standing in the middle of the living room. Adrian's usually calm face was now pale. His jaw was clenched. His dark eyes stared at Liora without blinking, as if searching for an answer he had not yet asked. "Come in," he said flatly, without the warmth that usually filled the house. Liora swallowed hard. The tension was palpable from the moment she stepped onto the cold marble floor. Usually, Adrian would greet her gently, take her bag, or simply touch her shoulder as a sign of longing. Today, nothing happened. Only a thick silence hung in the air, filling every crevice. Liora forced a smile. “Adrian? What’s wrong? You look—” Brak. Her husband threw a thick folder onto the glass table between them. Papers and photos scattered as if they had been waiting to destroy her life. Liora's eyes froze when she saw one of the photos lying upside down. She picked it up. And her heart seemed to stop beating. It was a photo of herself. A photo of her sitting with a man named Ethan Ward, a business rival of the Vale family who had been feuding with them for years. In the photo, they appeared to be chatting in a cafe. From a bad angle, their closeness looked like something far more intimate. Too close. Liora's face turned pale. Her legs went weak. "This... what is it?" Adrian didn't answer. Her husband just folded his arms, staring at her with a face as cold as the marble beneath their feet. "This is proof," he said finally. "Proof that you're cheating." Liora shook her head quickly, her hands trembling. "No. It's not like that. Adrian, listen to me first. I can explain."“Explain?” Adrian stared at her sharply, his voice rising. “How do you explain your gentle expression in front of that man? The man who destroyed our family business?” The words “our family” pierced Liora’s heart. She was transfixed by the photos, photos that captured moments, twisted meanings, and turned the situation into a seemingly perfect lie. “This is a trap,” she whispered. “Someone took the photos from the wrong angle. I never—” “Enough!” Adrian snapped, his voice loud enough to echo. Liora felt her chest tremble. Her husband had never yelled at her like that. Even in their worst arguments, Adrian had always held back. But today, he seemed like a stranger. Someone who didn't want to hear her, who might not even know her. Footsteps sounded from the second floor. Adrian's large family descended slowly, as if watching a drama they had been waiting for. Marlene Vale, Adrian's aunt who had disliked Liora from the start, spoke first. "I was right after all," she said smugly. "I told you from the beginning that this woman was not fit to be part of our family." "She has no self-awareness," replied Uncle Robert, Adrian's father's brother, mockingly. "She was given a good name, but she uses it to insult us." Liora hugged herself. "Please... don't talk like that. I didn't—" "Oh, Liora..." came a soft voice. Serena Aldridge, Adrian's childhood friend. The woman who always seemed too close to her husband and secretly liked Adrian. She walked gracefully as if she were performing on a big stage. With a fake sad face, she approached Adrian and touched his arm. "I can't believe you could do this to him," Serena whispered softly. "I always believed you were a good person, Liora... but it turns out you really hurt him." Liora held her breath. "Serena, don't pretend. You know I couldn't possibly—" But Serena bowed her head and cried. Her tears fell perfectly, as if they had been prepared for this moment. All eyes immediately turned to Serena with pity. And in an instant, Liora became the antagonist in a story she didn't write. "Get out of this house," Adrian said coldly. Liora stared at her husband in disbelief. "Adrian, listen to me. For God's sake, listen to me. I never—""How long are you going to lie?" he hissed. "How long are you going to twist the facts? Do you think I'm blind?" With a rough movement, Adrian grabbed something from the table. Liora's passport. He slammed it against Liora's chest. It fell and opened on the floor, revealing the page with her photo. "The host doesn't need a traitorous guest," he said. "Grab your things. Today." As if that weren't enough, Adrian's mother, Eleanor Vale, stepped forward. Her index finger pointed directly at Liora's face. "We've had enough. You're just a burden. Leave before we drag you out." The pain came suddenly, piercing deeper than Liora had expected. Her body shook violently. Her eyes filled with tears. But she did not cry. The wound was too deep to simply melt into tears. "Adrian..." she called out for the last time. But her husband's eyes no longer recognized her. Liora's world collapsed. Her breathing was heavy. Her voice was gone. Her body felt like it was floating because the pressure in her chest was too great. Suddenly, something throbbed sharply in her stomach. The pain came without warning, hitting her so hard that her knees buckled. "Liora?" someone's voice sounded distant. The floor beneath her faded. Voices echoed. Then everything went dark. --- When Liora opened her eyes, she was on the living room sofa. She faintly heard the panicked whispers of the Vale family. "She fainted!" "Call the doctor!" "She's faking it," someone said. "She's always looking for attention."But a stranger's voice was clear. Dr. Sanders, the Vale family doctor. "She's pregnant," he said flatly. Silence immediately enveloped the room. Pregnant. The word echoed repeatedly in Liora's head. She wanted to smile. She wanted to cry. She wanted to say that it was good news. That it should have been a happy moment. That Adrian should have hugged her, not pushed her away. But when she saw her husband's face, all of that disappeared. "The baby..." Adrian said softly, as if he were talking about a curse. "It's not mine." Liora was shocked. "How could you think that?" "Because I know you slept with my enemy!" he snapped, pointing to the photos. The words hit her harder than anything. The baby in her womb seemed to tense up, feeling the pain. "I won't let you disgrace this family again," Adrian continued. "Get out of my life. Now." Dr. Sanders tried to calm the situation, but Adrian wasn't listening. Liora tried to get up, but her body was too weak. She held her stomach as she slowly stood up, limping toward the door. No hand stopped her. No voice called her back. Outside, a light rain fell, dampening her hair, as if trying to erase her traces from that place. --- Liora walked aimlessly. The streets seemed to spin. Her breaths were short. She held her stomach, trying to calm the baby who didn't even know what kind of world awaited him. "Please... be strong with me..." she whispered. Car lights flashed from the left. Too close. Too fast. Too bright.Liora stepped back, but her legs were weak. The car braked suddenly, its horn piercing the cold air. She almost fell, her body swaying. And for a moment, Liora looked at the Vale family home from a distance. The large door was now tightly closed, as if shutting out all the memories she had once cherished. In an instant, she made her decision. "I won't go back," she whispered. She held her stomach. The rain was getting heavier, but her resolve was growing stronger. “My baby and I will live. But not with them.” Her steps moved away, one by one. Leaving the luxurious house without looking back. The house no longer called her name. And Liora swore she would never utter their names again.