Sacrificed 1

My husband was a mob boss. When his brother, Ralph Gildon, died, he took his sister-in-law as another wife. I may have been his lawful wife, but his heart was never mine—it was hers.

He praised me as his perfect wife in public, having no qualms about forcing me to drink countless shots on his behalf. Yet, he once chopped off a man’s hand, all because the man offered his sister-in-law, Vanessa Snider, a sip of fruit wine.

He posted my photos online, proclaiming he wanted the world to see my beauty, all while keeping Vanessa hidden away.

Predictably, his enemies saw the photos and kidnapped me. I called him for help, but he said, “Rosa, Vani is pregnant with my child. Her safety is my priority now. I’m sure it’s what Ralph would have wanted.

“Just hang in there. I’ll come for you after her morning sickness lets up.”

He never came. For an entire year, my captors violated me again and again, leaving me with a broken leg.

When I finally escaped and stumbled home, bloodied and broken, I found my daughter locked in a dog cage, scavenging for food while clinging to my photograph.

Meanwhile, my husband, his face glowing with joy, was hosting a celebration for his new son—the child he had with Vanessa—and announcing that they were getting married.

With tears in my eyes, I gathered my emaciated daughter into my arms. “We’re leaving, sweetheart,” I whispered. “He never deserves to be your father.”

***

When I rushed into the courtyard of the Gildon’s mansion, my husband, Elliott Gildon, was slipping the emerald ring—the symbol of the Gildon family hostess—onto Vanessa’s finger, his eyes filled with affection.

Then he announced to everyone they’d get married in three days.

Vanessa, cradling their one-month-old son, leaned into him with a bashful smile. They were the perfect image of a blissful couple.

As Elliott turned with a smile, his gaze accidentally locked with mine.

My face was covered in blood. Yet, he still recognized me after so many years of marriage.

He instinctively tried to stride over, his eyes brimming with joy. “Rosa…”

But just then, Vanessa clutched his sleeve, whispered, “Elliott…”

Her voice had a pleading edge. Elliott realized something and paused abruptly, the words dying on his lips.

The joy in his eyes melted away, replaced by a mix of guilt and unease.

The guests, who had been offering their blessings, saw me covered in blood and dirt, and their eyes were instantly filled with contempt. “It’s a big day for the Gildon family. Who is that filthy creature? What a jinx.”

Just then, another murmured, “Wait. Am I the only one who thinks she looks a bit like Mr. Gildon’s late wife, Rosalind Osborne? But didn’t he say she was kidnapped and killed by one of his enemies a year ago? Vanessa became his rock through his grief, and that’s why they fell in love and even had a baby boy. Only then did he finally move on.”

I couldn’t help but let out a cold laugh. Late wife? Who said I was dead?

“Is she really Rosalind? She didn’t die? Does that mean… Vanessa is the homewrecker?”

“Rosalind is still alive, yet Vanessa eagerly slept with Mr. Gildon—her late husband’s brother, no less. My, my…”

Vanessa heard their whispers clearly, and her face went pale. She shot a resentful glance at me, a clear sign that she had recognized me, too.

Tears welled up in her eyes. She made a move to take off her ring, saying with a trembling voice full of hurt, “You heard what they say, Elliott. You should take this ring back. And cancel the wedding. I’m just a widow… I can’t have my reputation tainted like this. All I want is to be with you and our son.”

Her little charade worked perfectly, breaking Elliott’s heart. He swiftly slipped the ring back onto her finger and reassured, “Don’t be silly, Vani. You gave birth to the Gildon family’s heir. That’s a contribution no one can ever take away from you. You deserve all of this—the ring, your place as the lady of the house, everything.”

My eyes widened in utter disbelief. What a bastard! Elliott had promised me that our daughter would be the sole heiress to the Gildon family!

And that emerald ring—it wasn’t just a symbol of the family’s hostess. It was the very ring he held when he proposed to me.

To prove his devotion, he had even carved the letter “R” into it, for my first name, Rosalind.

My gaze locked onto the ring, and a sharp pang of anguish shot through my entire being.

The “R” had been erased without a trace, replaced by a stark, mocking “V”—for Vanessa.

Suppressing the pain, I was just about to reveal my true identity when Elliott stepped in front of me. His words hit me like a thunderbolt, freezing me in place. “Rosa is dead. This woman is nothing but a beggar. And I will deal with anyone who dares to slander Vani again.”

I gaped at him. “Elliott… what did you just say? Who am I again?”

A flicker of hesitation crossed his eyes. He then leaned in close and whispered, “Rosa, you heard the whispers. If I admit who you are now, Vani’s reputation will be ruined.

“Ralph entrusted her to my care. I can’t let her suffer. You’ve always been kind and understanding. Just… bear with it for now, alright?”

Then he signaled to the butler to take me away, not even granting me a second glance. Before he turned around, he added pitifully that I could have some of their leftovers, calling it a charitable gesture—after all, it was the celebration for his one-month-old son.

The guests’ blessings echoed through the hall once more. They were praising Elliott and Vanessa for being such a perfect match.

All that lingered in my heart was desolation.

Having worked for the Gildon family for years, the butler, Aaron Sutton, naturally recognized me. He had a maid prepare clean clothes for me and led me to a guest bedroom so I could shower.

I was baffled. The guest bedroom? Why?

Despite Aaron’s attempts to stop me, I walked toward the master bedroom and pushed the door open.

The room that had once belonged to Elliott and me was now entirely different. Not a single trace of me remained.

All the decor was to Vanessa’s taste, and even our wedding photo had been replaced by theirs.

Elliott had once sworn he’d fall asleep with our wedding photo as his last sight every night and would never take it down, even when he was eighty. But clearly, he had changed.

I stood motionless, staring at the affectionate smiles on their faces in the photo, tears streaming down my cheeks.

Was this why he had never come to my rescue? He didn’t want me to stand in their way?

Aaron sighed, wanting to offer some words of comfort, but none came. He simply didn’t know what to say.

Staring blankly at the crib in the room, I asked, my voice eerily calm, “Where’s my daughter?”

Aaron hesitated, not wanting to tell me. But I kept pressing him.

Finally, he relented and told me she was in the storage shed in the backyard.

It was filthy, cold, and damp. What was she doing there?

When I found my daughter in the storage shed, a blinding, white-hot rage swallowed my vision. Immediately, an icy chill surged through me.

I stood frozen, unable to believe my eyes.