One

KAIDA REED POV 

My husband was killing me.

I blinked, then forced a smile as my gaze locked onto those of Lucien in the mirror. 

"You look as beautiful as ever, Kaida," he said, stopping behind me to press a quick kiss to my cheeks. "I brought you your tea. Just a week more and you should be back to normal."

I nodded, taking the drink from him. "Thank you. You treat me so well. I am so lucky to have you by my side, aren’t I," I asked while searching his face for any trace of regret. All I saw was his practiced perfection. 

I stared into the cup, my heart beating erratically. I knew the tea was poisoned. I’d seen him with my very eyes pouring the powdered substance in, and yet...

I raised the cup to my lips and gulped down the bitter contents.

He watched me drink, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he smiled softly.

"That’s my good girl," he praised, then wrapped his arms around me. "Have you stopped coughing yet?"

I nodded, my gaze dropping to his hand, the ring on his finger glinting in the light.

It was our promise of forever. Too bad it was all a lie.

If I knew it was going to end like this, would I have vowed to love him until death do us part? It was too late for regret, especially since I was dying.

"Yes. I feel so much better," I lied.

"I’m glad to hear that," he kissed the corner of my mouth, then sighed. "You don’t know how bad I’ve had it without you these past few weeks. I was so scared, you know. If I lose you, I don’t think I can ever move on. I’ll probably die too."

I rubbed at his hand, heat burning behind my eyes. "Don’t say that. I’m going to get better, and we’ll be happy just like we’ve always been."

He nodded, then straightened.

"I have to leave right now. Will you be okay all by yourself?"

I nodded. "Yes. I’ll be fine."

His gaze softened. "I love you. Always."

I fought the tears that threatened to spill. "I love you too. Always."

He smiled, gave a little wave, and walked out of the room.

I exhaled sharply, the tears I had been trying to hold back spilling down my cheek.

"You love me? You want me to go back to how I was? So why the hell are you trying to kill me!"

My chest felt stuffy, and the bitter taste of the tea lingered in my throat.

I wiped at the tears, my movement jerky and furious.

No, I was the fool. 

I’d literally thrown myself at him from the moment I set eyes on him. He was my out-of-the-ordinary. My first and only love.

I gave up everything for him. And even when he treated me horribly, I bore it all, because I was willing...willing to love him even if he never loved me back.

Then like an answer to prayers, he changed. He started to treat me well. He was everything I’d dreamed of, and more. And because of that, I forgot all the hurtful things he’d ever done.

I should have known better. 

Lucien only started to treat me well as soon as I got sick.

But I only got sick because he was poisoning me.

Seeing it with my own eyes for the first time had been demoralizing. So much that I thought I hallucinated it.

I told myself, there was no way a man who loved and treated me so well would want to kill me. Then I started to get sicker and sicker after each tea he served. 

I tried to go to the doctor, but despite showing his worry, he vehemently refused. He said he was going to take care of me and that I probably just had the flu.

I loved and trusted him, so I agreed until I got worse. Then I went to the doctor behind his back—I shouldn’t have. 

Just as I suspected, Lucien had really been poisoning me. The doctor said I wasn’t going to make it unless I started treatment immediately. 

I didn’t.

Now, I drank the poison willingly. If I were destined to die, it would be perfect to go by the hands of the man I loved and lived my whole life for.

But I needed to know why. I needed to know why he was killing me when he said he loved me with such fierce passion in his eyes.

I needed to know where I went wrong—What I did wrong. I needed to know why he was breaking his promise to love me forever.

I got up, noticing how much thinner I’d gotten. "How did you let it come to this..." I asked myself, my gaunt red eyes staring back at me. I sucked in a breath then raised my chin, my hands clenching.

Yes, I was a shadow of the girl I was once, but I was still Kaida Reed; I should at least hold my head high.

Grabbing my purse, I walked out of the room.

The driver was waiting at the door.

"Ma’am?" He looked surprised to see me, but I couldn’t blame him. For some months now, I haven’t gone out anywhere.

"Take me to the company. I don’t feel like staying home today."

"What?" He stuttered, his eyes darting around wildly. "Sir Lucien told me to make sure you stay home and rest. He said you’re very sick".

"I’m not, so let’s go."

He hesitated, his eyes darting around before locking onto mine. "I am sorry ma’am, but you can’t go to the company."

I scoffed. "What? I can’t go to my own company?"

Sweat dotted his hairline. "Sir Lucien said—"

"It seems you forgot that I am your employer, and not Lucien, Mason," I cut in, then exhaled. "Are you really going to stand there and tell me what I can or cannot do?"

"You really can’t go to the company, Miss Kaida. Lucien would kill me if I took you there. But—but, I can take you anywhere else. If you need some fresh air—"

"Fine!" I snapped, cutting him off. It wasn’t his fault for not listening to me. I was the one who put Lucien in charge of everything. I was the one who told all my workers that his word was law and never to be disobeyed. I was the one who gave him the power to imprison me. 

"Take me to Helena’s, or am I also not allowed to visit my sister?"

He scratched at his neck. "Of course you are ma’am, but—"

"I don’t want any excuses. Let’s go," I said, and he hurried to get the car door.

I entered, then stared off into the distance, my blood boiling hot in my veins. 

God, I hated that my life had come to this. How did everything go so wrong?

The drive was short, and as Mason pulled into Helena’s driveway and stopped, I couldn’t help but notice that something was off.

Yanking off my seatbelt, I got out of the car and then walked toward the familiar-looking car parked in the driveway.

I stared at the house in front of me, then back at the car.

What the hell was Lucien doing in my sister’s house?