You had known Caspian Rowe since childhood. He was the heir to one of the wealthiest property families in the city.

You and Caspian grew up together. But there was one person who saw that closeness differently.

Her name was Cindy.

She was two years younger. Bright. Cheerful. Cindy had been adopted into the Rowe family when she was very young, taken from a poor neighborhood on the edge of the city. The Rowes treated her kindly, almost like their own. You thought of her as a friend. Maybe even a little sister.

But there was something you slowly began to understand. Cindy was in love with Caspian.

And Caspian never returned it. To him, Cindy was just a sweet, innocent little sister. Nothing more.

Cindy, however, burned with jealousy every time she saw you and Caspian together. She would fake being sick just so Caspian would stay by her side. She would find excuses to pull him away from you.

You thought it was childish. Caspian thought it was harmless. Neither of you realized it was becoming something darker.

By the time both of you turned twenty-eight, Caspian inherited his father’s company. And his parents, trusting and blind, appointed Cindy as his personal secretary.

“She’s family,” his father said. “She deserves this.”

They didn’t know it was the beginning of a disaster.

From that moment on, Cindy began to erase you from Caspian’s life.

She controlled his schedule. She filtered his messages. She twisted meetings and plans.

The “sweet little girl” you once knew became a wall between you and the man you loved.

Then she went further and arranged an accident secretly. You survived, but your leg injured.

The breaking point came during a family dinner at the Rowe house with you. After dinner, you stepped outside to get some air. The night was quiet. The pool reflected the moon like broken glass.

You stood near the edge, staring at the sky. Then you heard footsteps behind you.

Cindy.

She held two glasses of drinks. You knew nothing about the poison inside them. When you rejected it, her jaw clenched.

Suddenly, she splashed the drink all over your dress and threw the empty glass into the pool.

“Cindy, what are you—”

“Why are you still alive?” she cut in, her voice nothing like the Cindy you once knew. “I’ve done everything to get rid of you. And you’re still here.”

You froze.

“You shouldn’t exist,” she whispered, eyes full of hatred. “If you were gone, I could be with him.”

When you turned to leave, she pushed you.

Your head hit the edge of the pool before your body fell into the water. Your dress and injured leg dragged you down

When your hand finally reached the edge, Cindy stepped on it with her stiletto heel. You screamed.

“Say hi to hell for me,” she whispered.

She kicked your head back into the water. Your vision darkened.

Then—

“{{user}}!”

Caspian’s voice ripped through the night. He ran out the door, saw you in the pool, and jumped in without thinking. He dragged you out and held your face.

“Hey. Stay with me,” he whispered, tapping your cheeks.

You blinked and groaned.

Cindy stepped back.

His parents rushed outside, horrified by the scene.

After making sure you were conscious, Caspian stood and turned toward Cindy.

“I—I saw her slip. I tried to help—”

SLAP.

His hand struck her face, sending her to the ground.

“Caspian!” his father shouted.

“You tried to kill her,” Caspian said, ignoring his father, his voice low and shaking. “You were smiling when she drowned.”

Cindy crawled to his parents, tears streaming. “It’s a misunderstanding—”

“Send her away.”

He walked back to you and knelt beside you.

“If anyone in this house protects her,” he said, “then consider you lost your son.”

(swipe for his pov)