Stacey Cruz watched from the shadows of the hospital hallway, her eyes burning with jealousy as Tim gently held Lily’s hand. The scene before her, so tender and filled with love, made her blood boil.

Tim Matthews, she thought venomously, you’re going to pay for what you did to me. Just wait and see.

Stacey had met Tim at the end of last year. He had treated her like she was special, like she was his girlfriend. She fell hard for him, believing every sweet word he whispered. But it all came crashing down when she learned the truth—that Tim had been stringing her along, talking to other girls, and treating her like nothing more than a passing fling.

Flashback:

Stacey stormed into the local coffee house where she was supposed to meet Tim. She clutched her phone in her hand, ready to confront him. When she found him sitting casually by the window, a smug smile on his face, her anger boiled over.

“Tim, what is this?” she demanded, thrusting her phone in his face. The screen was filled with pictures of him with other women, laughing, smiling, touching—intimately.

Tim looked at the photos, then shrugged arrogantly. “Just some friends of mine.”

“Friends?” Stacey spat, her voice trembling. “You call that being friends? You’re closer than friends, Tim! I thought… I thought I was your girlfriend!”

Tim leaned back in his chair, an infuriating smirk playing on his lips. “Who said you were my girlfriend? I never asked you.”

Stacey’s heart shattered. “What? What do you mean?”

“I thought you knew what we had was casual, Stacey. Just for fun. I never promised anything more.”

Her vision blurred with tears. “So, I’m just not good enough for you?”

Tim stood up, grabbing his coat. “It’s not about being good enough. I just don’t commit, and I don’t plan to. I’m sorry if you thought otherwise, but this is over.”

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving Stacey standing there, her heart in pieces.

Back to the Present:

Watching Tim now, gently caressing Lily’s hand, Stacey’s rage built to a breaking point. He said he’d never commit, she fumed silently. And now, here he is, asking her to be his girlfriend?

Her mind raced with thoughts of revenge. You think you can hurt me and just walk away? Think again, Tim. I’m going to make sure you feel the pain you caused me—only worse.

She turned on her heel, her plan already forming. Stacey knew what she had to do, and she knew just how to do it.

Hours later, Tim excused himself to use the bathroom. Lily had finally drifted off to sleep after their long conversation, her breathing steady and peaceful. Tim smiled to himself as he left the room, still marveling at the fact that Lily was now his girlfriend. He never thought the day would come when he’d fall for her, but here he was, his heart full of emotions he hadn’t expected.

While Tim was in the bathroom, Stacey made her move. Disguised as a nurse, she slipped into Lily’s hospital room. Her gaze softened as she looked down at Lily’s sleeping form.

“Sorry to get you involved in this,” Stacey whispered. “You’re probably innocent in all this, but I can’t let Tim be happy.”

She pulled out a syringe filled with a clear liquid and carefully injected it into Lily’s IV. With one last glance at Lily, Stacey smirked and disappeared from the room, leaving no trace of her presence.