"I. Will. Not." I met her eyes, each word deliberate. "Six years ago, I ran. This time, I won't back down. I'll protect my child and my life. No one's destroying that. Diana, go ahead and try."
"Then don't blame me." She smoothed her gloves, turning toward the door. Before stepping out, she stopped, giving me a meaningful look. "You think Paul feels guilty about you, that he's missed you these six years, right?"
"Remember that gala six years ago? When you ran off... where do you think Paul was?"
"He... he was looking for me..." My voice trembled.
"Looking for you?" Diana laughed coldly. "After the gala, in that lounge, Paul was passed out on that burgundy sofa. Dead drunk, holding me, begging me not to leave. We stayed there forfour hours. What you're holding onto now? Just a man I already had."
Diana watched my face go white, satisfaction spreading across hers. She said nothing more, just left behind a mocking laugh and walked out in her heels, head high.
I slid to the floor, eyes landing on Tommy's drawing on the wall. In it, Paul held my hand, his smile so real. But Diana's words were a thorn I couldn't pull out, buried deep in my heart. The doubts I'd buried started growing wild.
But I had no time to process the pain and doubt. No time to sink into negativity.
The real nightmare began without warning.
I'd just finished organizing the shift handover when the director's assistant knocked, looking grave. He held a printed letter, steps hesitant as he approached.
"Casey, I'm sorry. I have to tell you something." His voice was reluctant, full of helplessness. "The hospital just received an anonymous complaint accusing you of falsifying your credentials. We've worked together for years. The director and I know your skills. We don't want to believe this. But the hospital has rules. We have to follow protocol. So we're putting you on temporary leave pending an internal investigation. Once we have results, we'll proceed."
"Falsified credentials? How is that possible..." I protested. I'd earned my nursing license through my own effort and worked at this hospital for years without a single slip. The accusation was absurd.
I forced myself to stay upright and walked out of the hospital. The sunlight was blinding, the ocean breeze still gentle, but I felt frozen to the bone.
No time to think. I rushed to Tommy's preschool. My child was my only anchor now. I couldn't let anything happen to him.
But when I arrived at the preschool gate, Tommy came running out crying, small figure stumbling, knees visibly scraped and bleeding faintly, backpack strap broken and hanging from his shoulder, looking utterly wrecked.
"Mommy..." He cried as he threw himself into my arms, little body shaking, voice so choked he could barely speak.
My heart shattered. I knelt down, held him tight, wiping away tears and dirt from his face. "What happened, Tommy? Don't be scared. Tell Mommy what happened. Did someone hurt you?"
"Teacher said... not to fight with other kids. But they said you're a bad person..." Tommy sobbed, little face red from crying, full of hurt and confusion. "They said you broke up someone's family, that you're a homewrecker, that you lied to Daddy, that you're a liar... Mommy, is it true?"
In that moment, my heart broke into pieces, the pain suffocating. I held my trembling son, mouth opening, but no words came. All my defenses, all my hurt—they seemed so pale before a child's innocent, wounded eyes.
I brought Tommy home in a daze, didn't turn on the lights. The living room was dark. I sat on the cold carpet, and after getting Tommy to sleep, I looked at the pile of utility bills on the table, that chilling suspension notice, drowning in despair.
Diana's words echoed in my head over and over. She said I'd lose everything. Now she was making it real, bit by bit, even destroying my son's innocent childhood, making him endure such rumors at such a young age.
But what broke me most was what Diana mentioned about "that lounge six years ago."
Did Paul do something with Diana after that gala... The doubts I'd suppressed for six years spread like poison, consuming my heart, making me doubt myself. Was I too naive?In this cruel, cold world, could love alone hold up a family? Could it really stand against the Vincent Family?
After a long hesitation, I called Lina. "Lina..." The moment she answered, I broke down, all my strength crumbling, tears streaming uncontrollably. "I can't do this anymore... I really can't..."
Twenty minutes later, Lina burst through my door, didn't even take off her coat or shoes, just rushed to me and sat on the cold carpet, pulling me into a tight hug.
"Casey, my God, what happened?" Lina's voice was full of worry and heartache, hands gently patting my back.
I leaned into her, pouring out everything that had happened that afternoon.
"That goddamn woman! How can anyone be so vicious!" Lina shook with anger. "They think money and power mean they can do whatever they want? That they can just buy someone's future, destroy their life? It's too much!"
"Lina, I'm so tired, so scared." I clutched her clothes, tears soaking her sweater, voice exhausted. "I thought I could protect Tommy, protect our little family. But now I realize I can't even keep my job, can't even protect my child. Should I not have done this? Am I just bringing disaster to Paul by staying? Am I ruining his life?"
Lina gripped my shoulders, eyes firm, looking straight at me. "Casey, look at me! Don't talk like that, and don't give up! This is exactly what Diana wants—to see you doubt yourself, to make you back down on your own, so she can waltz in and take everything you've fought for, steal Paul, destroy your family! If you quit now, if you leave, then you really have lost. Then you've given her exactly what she wants!"
