Chapter 3 It Isn't Over

• Taylor’s heart thrashed against her ribs, the heavy clink of the dangling handcuff against her wrist a reminder of the nightmare she was living.
• "Stan..." Mira murmured softly, her fingers gently tracing his cheek. "You married my sister," she whispered.
• Stan smiled bitterly.
• " yes... I married her" he steeped closer "it's the only way to stay close to you, Mira. Every single time I looked at Taylor... I wished she were you."
• Taylor stumbled back a half-step, her breath catching in her throat.
• "Mira, please," Stan begged, his voice tight with desperation. "You shouldn't marry Mr. Knox."
• Mr. Knox. The name sent a chill through Taylor. He was the most powerful shareholder in the country, the head of the wealthiest conglomerate in America. The Gale family had been desperately trying to claw their way into his inner circle through Mira for months, but the man had been entirely untouchable.
• "Mira, I will divorce her," Stan pressured, clutching her hands. "I’ll divorce her right now for you."
• "It's too late, Stan," Mira replied smoothly, though her eyes were cold. "I love Mr. Knox, and I am going to marry him."
• Taylor felt her chest hollow out.
• This was the end of everything she believed in. Her marriage, her sanctuary, her husband—all of it had been a hollow, sickening lie.
• Suddenly, Mira’s eyes flicked past Stan's shoulder. Her gaze locked directly onto Taylor, standing frozen in the shadows.
• A sLow smile spread Mira's lips.
• "Then prove it," Mira whispered to Stan.
• Without a second of hesitation, Stan pulled Mira into his arms and kissed her deeply.
• Mira kept her eyes wide open, staring directly at Taylor over Stan's shoulder. She slowly moved her fingers through Stan’s hair, deepening the kiss, her eyes gleaming with triumphant malice.
• Taylor's fists clenched so hard her nails bit into her palms. She had married Stan believing he loved her. She had built a life with him, only to find out she was nothing more than a placeholder for her step-sister.
• Taylor turned and dashed down the corridor. She didn't look back.
• She burst through the exit doors of the building and into the cool night air.
• "Stop her!" her stepmother’s voice shrieked from the lobby behind her. "Don't let her escape!"
• Taylor sprinted to her car, her hands shaking violently as she fumbled with the keys. She scrambled into the driver's seat, slammed the door, and turned the ignition just as the police officers rounded the corner of the building.
• She jammed the car into drive and hit the gas, tires screeching as she peeled out of the parking lot.
• Her mind raced faster than the engine.
• The spare diamond...
• The appraisal certificate...
• The original purchase records...
• "They're still in the safe," she whispered fiercely to herself, tears blurring her vision as she sped down the dark, winding road.
• There was a single natural diamond she had hidden away. If she could get to her room, she could bring it to the police. She could show them her real financial records—the ones her stepmother had tried so hard to bury. She had the proof. She just had to reach it.
• Ahead, the traffic light turned sharp, mocking red.
• Taylor slammed her foot onto the brake pedal.
• Nothing happened.
• Her eyes widened in sheer terror. She pumped the pedal again, forcing her weight into it.
• Still nothing. The pedal sank uselessly to the floor.
• "No, no, no... please, no!"
• The speedometer climbed higher and higher, the car hurtling down the dark hill out of control.
• Suddenly, her phone buzzed in the console. An unknown number flashed on the screen.
• With shaking hands, she swiped to answer, desperately grasping at any lifeline. "H-hello?!"
• "Taylor?"
• A deep, unfamiliar male voice echoed through the speaker. It was commanding, yet laced with sudden urgency. "Where are you?"
• "Please help me!" Taylor sobbed, her voice cracking as she gripped the steering wheel with one hand, trying fruitlessly to steer around a sharp bend. "The road... please help me! My brakes are gone! I... can't stop!"
• Beep.
• The line abruptly went dead.
• At that exact second, a massive cargo truck rounded the curve ahead, occupying both lanes.
• The truck's horn blared, a metallic scream that filled the cabin. Taylor looked up, her face illuminated by a blinding pair of oncoming headlights.
• BOOM!
• The sound of twisting metal and exploding glass shattered the night. The impact threw Taylor violently forward, her body slamming hard against the steering wheel as the cabin collapsed inward.
• As the world spun into a chaotic frenzy of noise and pain, a final, quiet tear rolled down her cheek.
• The sky slowly faded to black.