Chapter 3
Benjamin let out a sigh of relief. “And it’s for the best that your mother can’t dance anymore. Now she won’t be competing with your Aunt Candice. Becoming a prima ballerina is Candice’s dream. You have no idea what I’ve sacrificed to make her happy p>
He paused, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “I even made myself a pawn in my own game p>
*A pawn in his own game p>
Rebekah listened, a sharp, suffocating pain spreading through her chest.
Eight years ago, Candice had appeared on their doorstep, and Rebekah discovered she wasn’t a Fletcher by blood. Rebekah’s fiancé at the time had publicly broken their engagement, threatening to run her out of the city before turning around and marrying Candice.
Overnight, Rebekah became a laughingstock. Her adoptive parents and friends treated her like an imposter who had stolen what was rightfully Candice’s,
accusing her of clinging to the Fletcher family’s wealth.
It was Benjamin who had found her at her lowest point.
“Rebekah,” he had said, “marry me. From now on, I’ll be your rock p>
Overwhelmed with gratitude, she had married him, believing he was the man she was destined to be with. For him, she had turned down an offer from a world- renowned choreographer abroad. Later, she heard that Candice had become that same choreographer’s star protégée, eventually rising to become the nation’s prima ballerina.
At the time, she hadn’t thought much of it. But now, she saw Benjamin’s hand pulling the strings behind the scenes.
No wonder she had always felt a distance between them, a part of him forever out of reach, even when he was kind to her after their marriage.
It had all been a meticulously crafted trap, designed to ensure Candice’s dreams came true.
What a brilliant pawn he had been.
Rebekah laughed silently, tears streaming from her eyes.
What a fool she had been. For eight years, she had been played by the same person, over and over again.
For them, she had given up her own dreams. When Shawn’s health was fragile, she gave up dancing to become a doctor. When she couldn’t win her husband’s heart, she tried every way she knew to make him happy.
And all this time, she thought the problem was her.
Her tears soaked the pillow. She tried to lift her hand to wipe them away, but it was as useless as a wet noodle, flopping back onto the bed. The men in prison, afraid she wouldn’t tcooperate, had severed the tendons in her right hand. She would never hold a scalpel again.
She was a surgeon. She had worked her way up to Chief of Surgery, all with that hand.
Now, because of a delayed operation, it was all gone.
*Crash p>
The glass of water on the nightstand fell to the floor with a jarring shatter.
The conversation outside stopped. Benjamin rushed in, a flicker of panic in his eyes as he gathered her into his arms. “Rebekah, you’re awake. The surgery was a success. Are you in pain p>
His brow was furrowed, his handsome, cold features etched with concern.
If she hadn’t heard his words moments before, she would have been moved.
Shawn also rushed to her side, his voice thick with emotion. “Mom, are you thirsty? I’ll get you some water p>
Before, this would have been her vision of happiness. A doting husband and a thoughtful, mature son. Now, their hypocrisy was nauseating. She was a pathetic, laughable fool they had played for years.
A sourness rose in her throat. Every part of her body ached. She lowered her
head, forcing back the tears, and managed a pale, broken smile.
Seeing her like this, Benjamin’s voice wavered.
He looked down, and when he looked back up, his eyes were rimmed with red. “Rebekah, does it hurt somewhere? Should I get the doctor? Don’t worry, promise will nd the person who framed you. won’t let you suffer in vain p>
A single tear slid from the corner of Rebekah’s eye. She trembled, a chill seeping
deep into her bones.