Realisation

After walking away from Rigel, Sierra ran towards the poolside, where it was less crowded. She couldn't take it anymore. The amount of heartbreak and pain she had been experiencing in the last two years were insane. This was not what she expected to happen after she married the man of her dreams. How could he treat her like that? 

She tried to hold back the sob that was going to escape her lips while angrily wiping away her tears. She really hated Rigel at the moment for hurting and humiliating her like that. However, she couldn't blame him either. It was her fault. She was stupid and delusional. He had clearly told her that he didn't want to marry her and stop the marriage but she didn't listen. She stubbornly refused his request and proceeded with the wedding, thinking she could change his mind and make him fall in love with her after the wedding. 

But she failed. She couldn't even make him spare her a single glance, let alone fall in love with her. Even though she was always present in front of his eyes, he still looked for her sister. 

“I was looking for you.” A sudden, familiar voice snapped Sierra out of her thoughts. She quickly wiped away her tears before turning around to face the person. 

“What do you want?” She asked without hiding the hint of hostility in her eyes. If Ophelia was surprised with her tone, she didn't show it on her face. She simply smiled at Sierra, which provoked her further. 

“What did Rigel talk to you about?” Ophelia asked, taking a closer step toward her. She was clearly trying to intimidate Sierra, which made her clench her teeth. She really hates this woman. Why did she have to return and ruin everything? 

“I didn't know I had the obligation to tell you about the conversation between me and my husband.” Sierra answered, her expression blank. Her words seemed to completely surprise Ophelia for a moment, but she quickly recovered from them. 

“Your husband?” She questioned, raising her eyes at Sierra mockingly. Sierra could see a hint of anger and hatred in Ophelia’s eyes, even though she tried to mask it. 

“Yes.” Sierra replied confidently. She wasn't going to let her win this time. However, Ophelia’s next words completely crushed her confidence. 

“Does he even consider you his wife, Sierra?” She scoffed before bursting into chuckles. Sierra’s face paled as she was unable to respond to Ophelia’s question. Ophelia dropped her smile before looking at Sierra. 

“Look, I know that you were forced to take my place because of Papa and marry Rigel. I'm ready to forgive you for that but it's time for you to step down, Sierra. Give him back to me.” Ophelia demanded while crossing her arms over her chest. Her expression told Sierra she wasn't going to take no for an answer. 

“What if I refuse?” She still dared to look into her eyes challengingly. She wasn't going to give up on him just because Ophelia asked. She knew that even though Rigel didn't love her he at least cared about her and she was okay with it. 

“Do you really think you have a choice, Sierra? Rigel doesn't love you; he loves me. Sooner or later, he's going to divorce you and come back to me.” Ophelia taunted, laughing at her foolishness. 

“No! He doesn't.” She replied stubbornly, refusing to believe her. However, deep down, she already knew what she said was nothing but true. Rigel was going to leave her because of Ophelia sooner or later. 

“Wanna figure out who he loves?” Ophelia was challenged with a cunning smile playing on her red lips as she took a few steps towards Sierra. 

“Huh? What do you mean?” She looked at Ophelia in confusion while taking a step back. A shiver ran down her spine, seeing the dangerous glint in her eyes. Sierra didn't even notice Rigel, Aiden, and Maya walking towards them from behind. 

“I'm going to prove to you who Rigel loves and cares the most between us two and after you find the answer, you will have to return what belongs to me.” Ophelia leaned forward before whispering in Sierra’s ears. She furrowed her brows in confusion, not realizing she had already reached the edge of the swimming pool. 

“What are you?" Sierra was unable to finish her sentence because the next moment, Ophelia deliberately tripped on her own two feet before pushing Sierra into the pool along with herself. 

Splash! 

They both fell into the water with a loud splash while gaining everyone’s attention. Sierra felt her heartbeat almost stop when a gush of water entered her mouth and nose. She tried to stand and get out of the water but couldn't. She didn't know how to swim. 

“Rigel! Help!” Ophelia shouted at the top of her lungs while pretending to drown in the water. Her sudden scream grabbed Rigel’s attention from Rigel, who was talking to her sister. He instantly turned around before glancing at the pool.

“Ophelia!” Rigel shouted her name before jumping, running towards the pool and jumping inside to save Ophelia. 

“Rigel!” Sierra, who was struggling to stay afloat, managed to shout Rigel’s name when she noticed him running towards the pool. A sudden ray of hope lit inside her heart. However, her hope was crushed as soon as she realized Rigel swam towards Ophelia, not her. He was saving Ophelia, who knew how to swim, instead of her, who didn't know how to swim. 

“Oh my God! That's Sierra! She too fell in the water!” Maya shouted in panic when she heard Sierra’s voice and spotted her drowning figure inside the pool. Aiden’s eyes widened in shock as he too rushed towards the pool. 

“Sierra!” Aiden shouted before jumping inside the water to save Sierra, who was now almost on the verge of drowning. She had already stopped struggling and was giving up. 

“Oh God! They both fell into the water! Somebody, please help!” Maya shouted in horror, trying to call for help while looking at the pool. 

“Ophelia! Are you okay?” Rigel, who had already pulled Ophelia up, asked in concern as soon as they both were on the edge of the pool. 

“Ye-ah!” Ophelia nodded while coughing. Rigel was about to say something when he heard Maya shouting that Sierra was still in the water. For a moment, his face paled as he snapped his head toward the other side. Aiden was pulling an unconscious Sierra up. Rigel’s face instantly paled as he tried to get up.

“Rigel! I was so scared!” Ophelia cried out, hugging Rigel tightly and stopping him from moving. 

“It's okay. You are safe now!” Rigel said this while trying to pull Ophelia away from him to go to Sierra. 

“Sierra!” Rigel heard Aiden’s voice shouting her name while trying to wake her up. Rigel immediately tried to 

“No! Rigel! Don't go! Sierra knows how to swim. Stay with me; I'm scared, please!” Ophelia deliberately clinged on to Rigel while crying, not letting him move for a second. Rigel sighed as he glanced at Sierra, who seemed to have already gained consciousness. 

On the other side, Aiden laid an unconscious Sierra on the floor carefully after pulling her out of the swimming pool. 

“Sierra! Sierra! Are you okay?” He patted Sierra’s cheek while pressing her chest to get rid of the water inside her. 

“Check her breathing first.” Maya suggested anxiously. Aiden immediately checked Sierra’s breathing. 

“She's breathing.” He sighed in relief while trying to wake her up. After a few seconds, Sierra finally woke up, coughing vigorously. 

“Sierra!” Maya looked at her worriedly. Sierra slowly got up with the help of Aiden. She was completely drenched while shivering due to the cold. 

“Are you okay?” Aiden asked worriedly, touching her arm. 

“I'm fine!” She nodded after glancing at him. 

“Thank god! But how did you two fall in the water together?” Aiden sighed in relief before asking. He couldn't understand how the two of them could fall into the water at the same time. 

“My feet slipped.” Sierra lied, her eyes glancing at the two people a few meters away from her. There, her husband was hugging her sister and consoling her after saving her from the pool. Her heart filled with coldness as she stared at them with a piercing gaze. Her inside was filled with bitterness. 

“You should have come near the pool when you didn't know how to swim.” Aiden sighed, scolding her lightly for being careless.

However, at the moment, Sierra didn't really care what he was saying. Even though she was saved from drowning, a part of her already died in the water when the man she loved jumped to save her sister. Ophelia was right! Her husband really didn't give a fuck about her, let alone love her.