The day I married Seth Lambardi, the man who owned half the city's gold and every casino in sight, was the happiest day of my life. I loved him with a passion that burned brighter than the diamonds he wore. But that happiness was a fleeting flame, quickly extinguished by the harsh reality of our marriage.

Seth's love was a twisted, venomous thing. He had married me for revenge, a cold, calculated act fueled by the death of his mother years ago. The truth, a secret I carried in my heart, was that my twin sister, not me, had been responsible for the accident. To protect her, I endured his cruelty.

His words were like daggers, piercing my soul. "You're nothing but a cheap imitation," he'd sneer, his eyes cold and hard. His hands, rough and calloused, would leave bruises on my skin, the marks of his anger. He'd lock me in my room, a gilded cage where I was forced to confront my own shattered reflection.

He forced me to do things I hated, to become a weapon in his twisted game. He didn't care about my feelings, only about inflicting pain. He brought other women to our mansion, flaunting them in front of me, watching me crumble as tears streamed down my face. He made me clean the mansion, even though there were dozens of maids, just to break me further.

One day, I was sick, constantly nauseous, my stomach churning with a secret I couldn't hide. Seth knew. He grabbed my hair, his grip tight enough to make my scalp ache. "Get rid of this shit," he snarled, his voice laced with venom. He threw a handful of money at my face, a grotesque offering to erase the life growing inside me.

"Seth, please," I pleaded, my voice choked with tears. "It's not what you think."

He laughed, a cold, hollow sound. "Don't play innocent with me," he said, his eyes burning with hatred.

"Do it," he commanded, his voice a low growl. "Or I'll make sure you regret it."