The Billionaire's Forsaken Wife

Chapter 12

"It's Mina," Zyran choked out. His voice shook with panic. "She is at the hospital, she just tried to end her life."

The warm, romantic air in my office disappeared instantly.

Zyran no longer looked at me. His mind was already miles away, rushing to her side.

He shoved his phone into his pocket and turned toward the door.

"I have to go," he said quickly, grabbing the door handle. "I will call you later."

"Zyran, wait," I said, standing up from my chair. My heart pounded against my ribs.

He threw the door open and sprinted down the hallway. He didn't look back. He left me standing alone in my office, the promise of our happy weekend shattering into a million pieces on the floor.

I sat back down slowly, I looked at the glossy folder on my desk. Three years in Milan.

A bitter tear burned my eyes. Mina had done it again. Just when my husband finally looked at me, she pulled him back into her darkness.

I placed my hand gently over my stomach and took a deep, shaky breath.

I cannot let her win this easily, I thought. I need to see this with my own eyes.

I grabbed my purse, locked my office, and took the private elevator down to the parking garage. I drove myself to the city's VIP hospital.

The drive felt like a lifetime. When I reached the top floor, the hallway was quiet and smelled of strong bleach. A few of Zyran's security guards stood outside a private suite at the end of the hall.

They recognized me and stepped aside, opening the door.

I walked in quietly.

The room was large and bright. Mina lay in a big hospital bed, looking incredibly pale. A thick white bandage wrapped around her left wrist.

Zyran sat on a chair pulled as close to the bed as possible. He leaned forward, holding her uninjured hand tightly. His broad shoulders were hunched, and he looked completely broken.

"Why would you do this, Mina?" Zyran whispered. His voice was thick with pain. "Why didn't you call me?"

Mina slowly opened her big, brown eyes. Tears spilled over her eyelashes, making her look like a fragile, broken doll.

"I'm sorry, Zy-Zy," she sobbed weakly. "I just... I couldn't take it anymore. After the Gala, I saw the news, people were calling me terrible names. They said I was ruining your marriage and that I was a burden."

"You are not a burden," Zyran said fiercely, squeezing her hand. "Don't ever say that. I don't care what the media says."

"But it's true," Mina cried, turning her head away. "I saw the way you looked at Roosevelt on the red carpet. You kissed her, you love her. I am just in the way. I thought... if I just disappeared, you two could be happy. I just wanted to give you your life back."

I stood frozen by the door. My stomach turned with disgust.

She was a master manipulator. She wasn't even apologizing, she was using guilt against him, she twisted the narrative, making Zyran feel that his love for me was the reason she wanted to die.

And it was working perfectly.

Zyran's face tightened with unbearable guilt. He reached out and gently brushed a tear from Mina's cheek.

"Mina, look at me," Zyran commanded softly. "You are not in the way. I promised my mother I would protect you, and I promised you that you would always be safe with me. I am not going anywhere. Do you understand? I am right here."

A single tear slid down my own face. He was making his choice again, right in front of me.

I stepped forward, my high heels clicking on the floor.

Zyran's head snapped up. He looked surprised to see me. His grip on Mina's hand loosened, but he didn't let go.

"Roosevelt," Zyran said, his voice turning guarded. "What are you doing here?"

"I am your wife," I said quietly, walking to the foot of the bed. "I came to check on her."

Mina looked at me. For a split second, before Zyran could turn his head back to her, the tears in her eyes vanished. A cold, victorious smirk flashed across her face. Then, just as quickly, she hid behind her fake tears and whimpered, pulling her hand away from Zyran to hide under the blanket.

"Please," Mina whispered, trembling. "Please don't be mad at me, Roosevelt. I know you hate me. I know you wish I was dead. I tried to do it... I tried to make it easy for you."

"Stop playing games, Mina," I said firmly, crossing my arms. I refused to fall into her trap. "We both know exactly what you are doing."

"Roosevelt! That is enough!" Zyran shouted, jumping to his feet. He glared at me, his eyes full of anger. "Look at her! She is lying in a hospital bed with a bandage on her wrist, and you are accusing her of playing games? Do you have no human sympathy?"

"She is manipulating you, Zyran!" I argued back, my voice rising. "She did this today because you were finally coming back to me! She is trying to trap you with guilt!"

"Get out," Zyran said, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. He pointed to the door. "Get out of this room right now."

I stared at him disgustingly, the man I loved was completely blind.

"Fine," I whispered, my heart feeling hollow. "I will wait outside."

I turned and walked out the door, letting it close behind me. I stood in the quiet hallway, leaning against the cold wall. I covered my face with my hands and took deep breaths to calm my racing heart. I had to protect my baby from this stress.

After about ten minutes, the heavy door opened again.

Zyran stepped out. He closed the door behind him and ran a hand through his hair, he looked exhausted.

"The doctor is coming to check her vitals," Zyran said quietly, avoiding my gaze. "I need to go down to the pharmacy to pick up her new prescription. Don't go inside, just wait here."

"I won't touch her," I muttered bitterly.

Zyran sighed, turning away and walking toward the elevators.

I watched him leave. The hallway was completely silent.

Suddenly, the door to Mina's room clicked open.

Mina stood in the doorway. She wasn't crying anymore, she didn't even look weak or fragile. She looked perfectly fine in her hospital gown.

She leaned against the doorframe, crossing her arms and smiling at me.

"That was too easy," Mina mocked, her voice sweet. "I didn't even have to cut deep. Just a little scratch and a lot of blood and he came running like a loyal dog."

I clenched my fists. "You are sick

"I am smart," Mina corrected me, stepping into the hallway. "You really thought a weekend trip to a dusty cabin was going to save your marriage? He told me all of this already and as long as I am alive, Roosevelt, Zyran's heart will always belong to me. He feels responsible for my life now, you can't beat that."

"I don't have to beat it," I said, lifting my chin. "Eventually, he will see the truth about you. He will see the monster you really are."

Mina laughed. It was an evil, chilling sound.

"He will never see it," she whispered. "Because I am the victim and you are the cruel, jealous wife."

She looked down the hall, the elevator dinged. Zyran was coming back.

Mina's eyes flashed with a darkly

She quickly reached for the small medical cart outside the next room. She grabbed a pair of sharp, metal surgical scissors.

"What are you doing?" I asked, stepping back.

Mina looked into my eyes, giving me a wicked smile.

"I am making sure he hates you forever," she whispered.

Before I could process her words, Mina raised the scissors and violently dragged the sharp blade across her cheek, slicing her pale skin open.

"Ahhhh!" Mina screamed at the top of her lungs, dropping the scissors on the floor. Blood poured down her face.

She fell to her knees, grabbing her bleeding cheek. She looked past me, down the hall, crying in sheer terror.

"Zyran! Help me!" Mina shrieked, pointing a shaking finger directly at me. "She did it! Roosevelt tried to kill me!"

I froze in horror.

Heavy, frantic footsteps echoed down the hall.

Zyran ran around the corner and stopped dead in his tracks. He saw Mina bleeding on the floor, the bloody scissors at my feet, and me standing over her.

His eyes locked onto mine. The look of the pure hatred on his face sent a chill through me.