Tanya’s scream ripped through the air, loud enough to make my ears ring.


    “Don’t provoke her,” a firefighter warned again, but Jace waved him off.


    Jace knew, just like I did, that Tanya didn’t actually want to die. This was all a show, a desperate act


    to make everyone believe she was at her breaking point.


    Sure enough, after her outburst, she shot a wild look at Jace and me. “You think I’m bluffing, don’t


    you? You think I’d never actually jump, that this is just about money. Well, today, I’ll show you–


    either I’m serious, or this is all just a game.”


    She took another step back, inching closer to the edge.


    My heart raced. Even if she didn’t want to die, one wrong move, and she would. The whole thing


    was way


    too real.


    I nced at her swollen belly. I didn’t know exactly how far along she was, but it had been over six


    months since Jace and I broke up. That baby had to be at least six or seven months in.


    Tanya might be ying some twisted game, but that baby? Totally innocent. My chest tightened with


    pity. But pleading with her wouldn’t help. If anything, it’d just give her more power.


    I decided to hit where it hurt–her greed. “Go ahead and jump. Everyone here will see it’s your


    choice. It’ll be ruled as suicide, and you’ll get nothing. All your ns? Gone. Everything you’ve


    schemed for? Over. You’ll lose it all, including the love of the man who died for you.”


    Tanya’s eyes widened, and her face twisted with grief. I already have nothing,” she sobbed.


    “Desmond’s parents don’t acknowledge me. My own family’s disowned me.”


    There it was. Her world had crumbled. No family, no support from Desmond’s parents. She was


    desperate, clinging to anything.


    Even her own brother had betrayed her.


    “If you don’t want me to jump, give me Jace,” she demanded, her voice trembling. “Let him marry


    me.”


    I almostughed. Like Jace was some prize I could just hand over.


    The sad thing was, she actually believed Jace rejecting her was my fault. That if I wasn’t in the


    picture, he’d choose her.


    “You’re wrong.” I said, keeping my voice steady. “I’m not scared of you jumping. If you do, this


    whole mess ends, and we all move on.”


    A firefighter near me shot me a shocked look, clearly not expecting me to be so blunt. But I wasn’t


    here to baby Tanya.


    Tanya, on the other hand, looked furious, her body shaking. “You’re evil! You want me to die so you


    can take Jace back!”


    Her logic was so twisted, it was almost funny. Did she really think I still wanted i


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    She must’ve thought people wa


    Chanter


    I want


    power or money. Didn’t she get that once she’d tainted Jace with all her lies and drama, I wouldn’t


    him back even if she wrapped him up and handed him over?


    Still, I needed to keep her talking. If she stayed focused on me, maybe the firefighters could inch


    closer and grab her before it was toote.


    I shrugged, ying along. “You’re right. If you jump, I can have Jace back. I’ll be the wife of the


    RiverwaveCorp’s CEO, living in luxury.”


    “Don’t you dare!” she screamed, her face red with anger. She clearly wasn’t willing to let me have


    Jace, not even in death.


    I couldn’t help but wonder where this intense hatred for me came from. We hadn’t even crossed


    paths until she stole my fiancé. Why did she hate me so much?


    “If you don’t want to give him up, stop with this whole life–or–death act,” I said, keeping my voice


    calm. “If you’re so strong, fight for him like a real woman. Don’t go around threatening to end it all.”


    “Fight?” She let out a bitterugh. “How can I fight you? You’ve got ten years of history with him. His


    parents already see you as their daughter–inw. What do I have topete with?”


    At least she knew she couldn’t win. If only she’d realized that sooner, maybe she wouldn’t be


    standing on this rooftop, broken and desperate.


    “I’ve lost everything.” Tanya whispered, her voice cracking. “I just wanted a better life. What’s so


    wrong


    with that?”


    Her energy was fading, and her words were barely above a whisper now. She wasn’t entirely


    wrong. Wanting a better life wasn’t a crime. But what about everyone she’d hurt? Did their pain


    mean nothing?


    Her fa?ade was crumbling. I could see the firefighters inching closer from both sides.


    I held my breath, silently praying they’d reach her in