You Killed My Only Reason to Stay

Nobody would believe that I, Sienna, the glamorous CEO's wife in the eyes of outsiders, couldn't even scrape together two decent outfits in my closet after three years of marriage.

And no one knew that every single cent I spent in private—from my brother's life-saving medical bills down to a pack of tampons—had to go through my husband's childhood sweetheart and personal assistant via a so-called corporate expense approval system.

I lived like a beggar, groveling for scraps under his assistant's watchful eye.

It wasn't until my critically ill brother's life-saving funds were maliciously rejected, turning my only remaining soft spot in this world to ashes, that this absurd marriage finally came to an end.

...

"Sienna, your brother Leo's account is severely in arrears. If we don't immediately get a hundred thousand dollars in surgical fees to unlock the reserve blood bank and imported emergency equipment, we can't proceed with the resuscitation. His cardiopulmonary functions are failing rapidly." The attending doctor's voice was laced with anxiety.

I looked down, staring at my phone screen through blurred, tear-filled eyes.

On the screen was the internal company expense system.

Right next to the line that read "Emergency Medical Expense Application — $100,000," the red "Pending Approval" status felt like a rusty, blunt knife slicing open my throat.

I had to go through a corporate expense workflow to get a hundred thousand dollars to save my little brother's life.

Three years ago, desperate to pay for Leo's astronomical leukemia treatments, and with our parents long dead, I gritted my teeth, gave up my soon-to-be-completed Master's degree in Archaeology, and signed a foolproof, indentured-servant-like prenuptial agreement to marry Rowan.

He was a phenomenally arrogant and controlling man who was absolutely certain that a woman from my lower-class background married him solely for his money.

So, when Chloe—his childhood sweetheart and assistant—complained to him with red, teary eyes right after our wedding, claiming she was "afraid Sienna would bleed you dry without limits," and suggested that all my spending go through the corporate approval system, Rowan agreed without a second thought.

I took a deep breath, desperately swallowing the coppery taste of blood rising in my throat, and dialed Chloe's number.

It rang for a long time before she picked up.

"Chloe, I submitted the $100,000 medical expense request three days ago. Why is it still sitting 'Pending Approval'? Leo is in the ER right now. The doctor says he's going to die. I'm begging you, just click 'Approve' in the system right now."

"Oh my, Sienna, don't yell. You startled me." Chloe chuckled. "Didn't you just request a budget of two hundred thousand last week? Why do you need more money already? The company's money doesn't just grow on trees, you know."

"That two hundred thousand was a compensation and maintenance fee you forced me to apply for, claiming my shoes tracked mud from outside and ruined his rug!"

Last week, I had tried to go through Chloe to find that carpet-cleaning company, begging her to refund that maintenance fee so I could use it for Leo's emergency.

Instead, she laughed in my face, flagged my account for "poor moral conduct" in the system, and instantly froze everything—including my measly $300 monthly food allowance.

"Sienna, I'm just following the rules," Chloe said.

"Chloe! You're murdering my brother right now!"

"Oops, Rowan is calling me. As for the approval, I'll take a look at the workflow tomorrow when I clock in."

The call was disconnected.

I was shaking uncontrollably, my tears finally breaking through the dam.

And I immediately dialed Rowan's number.

It was the first time I had initiated a call to him in three years. Normally, to avoid being a nuisance, I rarely contacted him.

It rang over a dozen times.

Just when I thought he'd definitely ignore it, the call connected.

"Rowan..." I gripped the phone. "I'm begging you, please tell Chloe to approve that hundred-thousand-dollar request. Leo's failing. He's really failing..."

From the other end came Rowan's extremely impatient sigh. "Sienna, are you done throwing your little tantrum yet?"

"Chloe just told me everything. You demanded two hundred thousand last week for a designer bag, and today you're using Leo's illness to blackmail me? Do you think just because you spin a random lie, I have to give you bottomless access to my bank account?"

"I'm not lying! Leo is in the ICU, and the doctor just issued a critical condition notice! Rowan, this is my brother's life!" I screamed in absolute despair.

"Enough!" Rowan's voice turned freezing cold, dripping with disgust and disdain. "Chloe said Leo's condition has been perfectly stable. Chloe and I grew up together; she's always gone by the book. As long as your request is legitimate and properly documented, she'll naturally process it and the request will be processed through the usual approval chain."

"Rowan, I beg of you, for the sake of—"

The cold dial tone felt like a sledgehammer, ruthlessly smashing my heart into pieces.

Right at that moment, the doors to the Intensive Care Unit pushed open.

The attending doctor walked out, looking utterly exhausted. He pulled off his mask, and the look he gave me was filled with regret and profound sympathy. "I'm sorry. Because we couldn't initiate the emergency equipment in time, the patient's heart just stopped. We did everything we could."

I stood frozen in place, the phone slipping from my numb fingertips.

I didn't scream. I didn't collapse to the floor. And I didn't cry. I just stood there, looking at the frail boy who used to smile at me.

Leo was hooked up to a ventilator, and those once vibrant amber eyes had lost all their light.

"Sister... don't beg them anymore... I'm not afraid of dying, really. I don't want the treatment anymore, and I don't want you to swallow your pride for my sake anymore. Go live your own life."

Those were the last words Leo had left for me.

He was my only living relative in this world. He was the sole reason I had thrown away my dignity, abandoned my dreams, and endured three years of living like a dog in that luxurious mansion.

I reached out and gently touched my brother's cheek.

The icy chill traveled from my fingertips through my entire body, yet it miraculously and utterly extinguished whatever remaining fear and weakness I harbored in my heart.

"Rest easy. Nobody can use you to threaten your sister ever again, Leo," I murmured softly.

I straightened up and looked down at the massive diamond ring on my left ring finger—the ultimate symbol of my status as a billionaire's wife.

The ring belonged to Rowan's mother. Rowan had once warned me: "Wear it, and always remember your place. Everything you have is given by me."

Expressionless, I slid the ring off my finger.

Since my brother was gone, I had absolutely no reason left to stay in this sickening cage.