Bradley lay on the sterile white hospital bed, the heart monitor beside him beeping steadily, almost rhythmically, as if mocking the silence that filled the room. His head ached, the side of his face bandaged, and his ribs throbbed every time he tried to move.
It had been days since the accident.
The doctors said he was lucky to survive. But Bradley didn’t feel lucky. He felt… empty.
The first face he saw upon waking was Mateo’s, standing quietly at his bedside. For al moment, Bradley’s parched lips tried to form a name.
“Joyce… is she here?” he whispered.
Mateo looked away. “No, Dad.”
Bradley’s heart sank.
“She’s not coming, is she?” he asked, though he already knew the answer.
“She’s busy,” Mateo replied carefully. “With her wedding, the cruise, the gallery… her life.” Bradley swallowed, his throat dry and aching. “So she really doesn’t care anymore.” Mateo sat in the chair beside him and sighed. “No, Dad. She doesn’t.”
There was no anger in his voice, only tired honesty.
“We hurt her too much. For too long,” he added.
For a while, the room was quiet again. Then Mateo spoke, more softly this time. “I remember when I was in third grade, and I had that school play. You said you were busy. stayed up all night sewing
Grandpa didn’t even know what was going on. But Mom? SL-
my costume. Hand–stitched it. Didn’t even ask for help.”
Bradley closed his eyes.
“And in high school, when I forgot to do my project? She stayed up with me the entire night cutting boards, helping with research, even cooked noodles so I wouldn’t fall asleep. She always showed up.”
Mateo’s voice broke slightly. “We never saw it then. But she was the only one who never
left.”
Bradley stared at the ceiling. “Maybe it’s time I let her go.”
But even as he said the words, his throat tightened.
“No,” he muttered. “I can’t. Not like this.”
He turned to Mateo with pleading eyes. “I need to see her. One last time.”
But there was no answer. Not from Joyce. Not from the world she had finally freed herself
into.
Later that day, Joseph came to visit.
He stood at the foot of the hospital bed, arms crossed tightly over his chest.
Bradley managed a small nod. “Did… did you talk to her?”
19:57 Sat, 24 MA
“No,” Joseph replied shortly. “She won’t speak to me. Not yet. Maybe not ever.”
Bradley looked away.
“But she told me the truth,” Joseph added. “About Maine. About what happened back then. How we all turned her into the villain.”
Bradley exhaled sharply. “I was blind. She took everything from Joyce. And we handed it to her.”
Joseph’s jaw clenched. “She fooled us both.”
When Bradley was finally discharged from the hospital, he didn’t go home. Instead, he went straight to Maine’s place–an upscale condo gifted to her by a corporate “friend.”
She opened the door wearing silk and an unbothered smirk. “Bradley,” she said sweetly, “look who finally got out of the hospital. And what is with the visit–are you…”
“Save it,” he snapped, walking in past her.
She scoffed. “Excuse me?”
He turned around slowly. “I know everything, Maine. About the college scandal. About how you begged Joyce to take the fall. About the lies you fed to my son, my father–in–law, and
me.”
Maine’s expression flickered. “Oh please, are we seriously digging that up? That was years ago-”
“You ruined her,” Bradley said, his voice shaking. “You stole her life, and I helped you do it.” She rolled her eyes. “What are you going to do? Cry? You always knew you loved me more
anyway.
Bradley stared at her in disgust. “You’re a monster.
“Oh, please,” she spat. “I did what I had to do. If she was stupid enough to play martyr, that’s her fault.”
That was when it happened. Bradley raised his hand and slapped her.
Not out of rage–but out of something deeper.
A breaking point.
“That’s for Joyce,” he said through gritted teeth. “She never would’ve done it. So I did it for her.”
Maine stumbled back, stunned. “You fucking–how dare you?!”
“I should’ve seen it,” he said coldly. “I should’ve known.”
He walked to the door.
“You’re finished,” he added. “I’ll make sure everyone knows what you are.”
And he left.
It didn’t take long for the dominoes to fall.
An anonymous source leaked information to the media–documents, recordings, proof of
hau Maina had lind maninulatad and flirtad har uair through the industry Inuantare
2/3 31.6%
19:57 Sat, 24 May @@
That was when it happened. Bradley raised his hand and slapped her.
Not out of rage–but out of something deeper.
A breaking point.
47%
“That’s for Joyce,” he said through gritted teeth. “She never would’ve done it. So I did it for. her.”
Maine stumbled back, stunned. “You fucking–how dare you?!”
“I should’ve seen it,” he said coldly. “I should’ve known.”
He walked to the door.
“You’re finished,” he added. “I’ll make sure everyone knows what you are.”
And he left.
It didn’t take long for the dominoes to fall.
An anonymous source leaked information to the media–documents, recordings, proof of how Maine had lied, manipulated, and flirted her way through the industry. Investors
backed out of deals. Collaborations were pulled.
Brand sponsors dropped her name. Events she was once headlining were quietly canceled. It spiraled fast. Her shining career, built on deception and charm, crumbled overnight. Online articles popped up one after the other. And in the center of her sleek, glass–walled condo, Maine sat with the TV playing in the background–silent, empty–eyed, a shattered glass of wine by her feet.
She had won. For a time.
But she never thought Joyce would rise again.
And now–she was the one left behind.
