I tried to distance myself, but Tristan found me in the library a few days later. That was when he told me the truth—the engagement had been arranged, but not specifically for Maddy. It was just an understanding between the families, and now, with my return, everything had changed.
As Tristan’s call with Adrian ended abruptly, I heard Madilyn’s soft, tearful voice in the background. “Tristan, I don’t feel well. Can you come see me?”
“Maddy, calm down,” Adrian murmured, his voice full of the same gentle coaxing he always used with her.
And there it was again—that familiar, icy numbness spreading through me. I had been missing for days, buried beneath the earth, but Adrian’s only concern was for Madilyn, the daughter they had raised in my place.
I let out a bitter laugh as I watched Tristan shut off his phone without a word. Even now, he stayed by my side. Even when everyone else had moved on.
After three days of relentless efforts, Tristan finally found my body, but the sight was unbearable. My nose and mouth were clogged with soil, and the first signs of decay had already set in. Overcome with grief, Tristan collapsed beside my corpse, his hands trembling as he tenderly cleared away the dirt. His movements were slow, as though he feared even the gentlest touch might cause me to vanish completely.
I heard Tristan’s choked voice calling my name, his sorrow palpable. “Aliyah… Why did you try to please them? They owe you, not the other way around!”
"I wished I stopped you from going..." he sobbed.
The rescue team quickly notified Lauren, who arrived almost immediately. Her face turned pale at the sight of my decayed body, and she nearly retched from the stench and horror. Paul, her husband, gently patted her back, trying to shield her from the painful reality.
“Don’t look, honey. She’s gone. Let’s just find a cemetery and lay her to rest,” Paul said softly, though his tone was cold.
Lauren nodded, her face carefully controlled, hiding any hint of guilt. After all, she had been the one who insisted that I join the ill-fated expedition in the first place.