Chapter 2

The scent of cheap perfume, sickeningly sweet, still clung to the plush leather of Jarvis' s car, a phantom presence that spoke volumes without a single word. His Fender bass, my old friend, lay forgotten in the backseat, gathering a fresh layer of snow dust through the window. It felt like a symbol of everything that had been neglected, everything that had been allowed to fade.

Jarvis drove with practiced ease, his hands, the same hands that performed intricate surgeries, now gripping the wheel, guiding us through the thickening snow. I watched him, a stranger occupying a familiar space.

"Do you remember," he began, his voice soft, almost a plea, "your father telling me I had hands made for surgery? He said I had a gift."

I looked at him, then back out the window. "I remember." My voice was flat.

"He was so proud when I got into Johns Hopkins. Said I was destined for greatness." He paused, a wistful quality to his tone. "He always saw something in me, something I didn' t even see myself."

He didn't need to say more. I knew the story by heart. My father, the renowned Chief of Surgery, had taken a young, ambitious Jarvis from a disadvantaged background under his wing. He' d seen potential, raw talent, and an almost desperate hunger for success. He' d opened doors for Jarvis that would have remained firmly shut for anyone else.

The car filled with the melancholic strains of an old indie rock song, a band we used to love in college. The same band I'd been in. My throat tightened.

"Carmel," he murmured, his eyes momentarily flicking to mine in the rearview mirror. "It feels like a lifetime ago, doesn' t it? All those dreams, all that... future."

"It was," I said, cutting him off before he could wallow further in his carefully constructed nostalgia. "And that future included you and Chrissy, didn' t it? Right around the time you decided Gracie needed a tutor."

His grip tightened on the wheel. His knuckles, already white, pressed harder against the dark leather.

I remembered Gracie' s report card, a sea of C' s and D' s, her usually bright eyes clouded with frustration. She was a dreamer, my Gracie, more interested in drawing fantastical creatures than algebra.

"We need to do something, Jarvis," I' d said, holding the crumpled paper. "She' s struggling."

He' d waved a dismissive hand. "Kids go through phases. She' ll catch up."

But I persisted. "No, not this time. She needs help. A tutor."

He' d agreed, almost too readily. "I know just the person. A bright young nursing student. Chrissy Lee. She worked at the hospital reception for a while. Very articulate, good with kids, needs the extra cash."

He described her in glowing terms, practically a saint. Young, eager, respectful. Chrissy had arrived, a vision of youthful innocence in pastel sweaters and a shy smile. She' d been deferential, almost timid, always thanking me profusely for the smallest favors.

"Oh, Mrs. Oneill, this is too kind," she' d whispered when I bought her a new coat for the winter. "You' re like an angel."

An angel. A snake in angel' s clothing, more like. A viper I' d welcomed into my home.

I' d seen it all eventually. The lingering glances, the "accidental" touches, the late-night texts. And then, the nanny cam footage. My heart had shattered into a million pieces, not just for myself, but for the naive fool I had been. She was tutoring Gracie, alright. Tutoring Jarvis on how to betray his wife, how to dismantle a family piece by piece, right under my nose.

The car veered slightly, pulling into the familiar tree-lined drive. Our drive. The house stood, elegant and imposing, framed by the falling snow. Everything looked the same. The manicured lawn, the tasteful holiday decorations twinkling on the porch. But nothing was the same. The house was just a beautiful shell, hollowed out by deceit.

The front door opened before Jarvis could even put the car in park. Mrs. Oneill stood there, a frail figure in a hand-knitted shawl, her eyes wide with a mixture of confusion and relief.

"Carmel, my dear!" she cried, her voice trembling. She rushed forward, bypassing Jarvis completely, and enveloped me in a tight, desperate hug. Her scent, a comforting mix of lavender and old lace, filled my senses. "You came back! I told them you would. Where have you been? That strange girl... she' s been trying to take my things. She said I didn't need this anymore." She clutched a worn photo album to her chest.

My eyes met Jarvis' s over her shoulder. His face was a mask of shame and regret.

Then, from behind Mrs. Oneill, a vision emerged. Chrissy. She was wearing my silk robe, the one Jarvis had bought me for our anniversary last year. It hung loosely on her petite frame, a cruel parody of elegance. Her hair was damp, as if she'd just showered. A coy, almost triumphant smile played on her lips as she looked at me, then at Jarvis.

"Oh, Mrs. Oneill," Chrissy purred, her voice dripping with fake concern, "you shouldn't be out in the cold. Come inside. And Carmel," she added, her gaze sharpening, "welcome home. It's been a while."