Eve's POV

I gripped the cold railing of my father's yacht, my fingers numb as I stared at the moonlit horizon. The music and laughter from the party inside felt distant, like they belonged to another world. My grandmother's announcement—leaving the entire family empire to me—hung heavy in my mind, turning what should have been a night of celebration into something else entirely.

It wasn't just an inheritance. It was a burden, a responsibility I hadn't asked for. Out here, the sea felt endless, open, and free. But inside, where the party roared on, was a life I couldn't escape—a future I wasn't sure I wanted.

I shivered, but not from the cold. The weight of responsibility pressed heavily on my chest, mingling with an unease I couldn't quite place.

Behind me, the sharp clatter of heels against the polished deck cut through the quiet, sending a chill down my spine. I didn't turn. I didn't need to.

"Taking in the view, dear sister?" Alina's voice, honeyed and mocking, wrapped around me like a noose.

I sighed, my fingers tightening on the railing. "If you're here to argue about Grandmother's decision, save it. I didn't ask for this."

Alina stepped closer, the silver of her dress shimmering under the moonlight like a predator's scales. Her beauty was striking, but there was a sharpness to her gaze, a glint of malice that made my skin crawl.

"Didn't ask for it?" Alina's laughter was low and bitter. "Everything always just happens to land in your lap, doesn't it? My father, the family's love, the inheritance—always you. Never me."

I turned, meeting Alina's venomous stare. "You're being ridiculous. Grandmother made her choice. It wasn't mine."

Alina smirked, but the bitterness in her eyes lingered. "No, it wasn't. But tonight, I'm the one calling the shots."

Something metallic glinted in her hand, catching the moonlight. My breath hitched as the blade became clear—a knife, sharp and gleaming, gripped with unnerving calm in Alina's manicured fingers.

"Alina…" My voice was steady, but my pulse thundered in my ears. "Put that down. This is insane."

Alina tilted her head, her expression almost pitying. "Insane? No, darling. Insane is watching you steal everything I've ever wanted and pretending you didn't know. Tonight, I'm claiming what's rightfully mine."

I stepped back, the railing pressing against my spine. "Rightfully yours? This isn't justice. It's murder."

Alina laughed, cold and hollow, like the edge of a blade. "Justice, murder—does it even matter? You wouldn't understand. You've never fought for anything in your life. Everything you have—your safety, your perfect mother—was stolen by me, and you don't even know it."

"What are you talking about?" I demanded, my voice cracking.

Alina's smirk widened, her eyes glinting with triumph. "Oh, poor, naive Eve. Did no one ever tell you? Your perfect little mother didn't die in an accident. My mother made sure of that."

The world seemed to tilt beneath my feet. "What… what are you saying?"

"The crash?" Alina whispered, her voice sharp with venom. "It wasn't an accident. My mother planned everything. The call that pulled your mother away from your birthday? That was her trap. The crash was no coincidence—it was her solution to get what she wanted. She cleared the path for us, Eve—for me."

I staggered back, my mind reeling as memories long buried resurfaced: my mother's hurried goodbye, the screech of tires, the numbing grief that followed. "You're lying," I rasped, though the tremble in my voice betrayed my doubt.

Alina stepped closer, her smile cold and taunting. "Am I? Think about it. How quickly we moved in, how easily my mother took over. Do you really believe any of that just happened by chance?"

Rage boiled within me, burning away the shock. "You and your mother are monsters," I spat.

"Perhaps," Alina replied coolly, lifting the knife. "But monsters survive. And tonight, I will finish what she started."

Before I could react, Alina lunged. The blade found its mark, plunging deep into my abdomen. The pain was immediate and searing, stealing my breath as I gasped in agony.

"You…" I choked, my hands flying to the hilt buried in my stomach. Blood seeped through my fingers, warm and slick. "You stabbed me."

Alina sneered, pushing me closer to the railing. "Of course, I did. You've always been so stupid, Eve. Did you really think I'd let you walk away with everything?"

My legs buckled, and I slumped against the railing, my vision blurring. But even through the haze of pain, I refused to give Alina the satisfaction of seeing me break.

Summoning every ounce of strength, I gripped the knife's hilt and pulled, a guttural scream tearing from my throat as the blade came free. My blood dripped onto the deck, pooling at my feet. With the last of my strength, I flung the knife away, the clang echoing like a bell toll.

Alina laughed, crouching before me. "How dramatic," she cooed, brushing a strand of hair from my pale face. "But bravery won't save you now."

She grabbed me by the dress, hauling me up until we were eye to eye. "Any final words?"

My voice was faint but resolute, my gaze burning with defiance. "You'll regret this. I'll come back for you… bitch."

Alina's smirk deepened. "Rot in hell, sister."

With a vicious shove, she sent me over the edge.

My scream was swallowed by the night as I plunged into the icy sea. The water's impact knocked the air from my lungs, and the frigid cold wrapped around me like chains, pulling me under.

As the dark waves consumed me, my mind clung to a single, searing thought: This isn't the end.

And then, silence