Chapter 3

He paused, his hand still on my back, his eyes narrowing almost imperceptibly. The mask of concern slipped for a fraction of a second, revealing the calculating politician beneath. He didn' t want me out of his sight, not now, not while I was his most valuable asset. His grip tightened almost imperceptibly, a subtle warning.

"Sarah, darling? This weekend?" He hummed, a sound of feigned contemplation, but his gaze was already darting around, assessing the public visibility of our current location. "I' m not sure, Kira. It' s a crucial time for the campaign. And you, with your... delicate condition. I worry about you being out of my sight."

He pulled me closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, his lips brushing my ear. "Besides, the fundraiser is just around the corner. We need you by my side, radiant and supportive. It' s for our future, my love." The possessiveness in his tone was suffocating, a silky threat.

I managed a soft sigh, my shoulders slumping just enough to convey disappointment without defiance. "Of course, Cannon. You' re right. It was selfish of me to even ask. My mind' s just not... quite right these days, I suppose." I forced a small, apologetic smile, letting my gaze drop to my hands, clasped demurely in front of me.

A wave of relief washed over his face, quickly replaced by his practiced concern. He patted my head, a patronizing gesture. "Don' t worry your pretty little head, sweetheart. You' re doing wonderfully. Just focus on staying healthy. That' s all that matters." He truly believed he had won, that his subtle manipulation had worked. His ego, vast and fragile, was easily appeased.

He then pulled a small, velvet box from his coat pocket, a sudden, unexpected gesture. "Here, a little something to brighten your day. You' ve been so stressed."

I opened the box. Inside lay a delicate silver necklace, a tiny, glittering charm shaped like a heart. It was pretty, in a generic, mass-produced way. But my eyes, trained to notice details, caught the faint price tag still clinging to its underside: a paltry amount compared to what he usually spent, and a price that screamed "last-minute airport gift shop." A hasty, thoughtless appeasement. He hadn' t even bothered to remove the tag. The bitterness tasted like bile in my mouth.

He thinks this is enough? My internal voice was a snarl. A cheap bauble to buy my silence, my complicity?

I looked up at him, my eyes, I hoped, sparkling with gratitude, not the burning inferno of my rage. "Oh, Cannon! It' s beautiful! Thank you, darling. You always know how to make me feel better." I leaned in, kissing his cheek, a traitorous act that made my skin crawl.

He beamed, puffed up with self-satisfaction. "Anything for my beautiful wife. Now, I really must get back to the office. Big day ahead. Remember, the fundraiser is Friday night. Look radiant. Stay close. And I' ll see you there, my love." He squeezed my hand, a final, possessive touch, then turned and strode away, his confident steps echoing down the pathway.

I watched him go, every fiber of my being screaming in silent protest. His love. A transactional currency, exchanged for my obedience, my body, my child. His future. Built on my shattered dreams. The "girl time" with Sarah was a lie I' d concocted on the fly, a desperate attempt to gauge his control. His refusal, his transparent excuses, only solidified my conviction: I was a prisoner in my own life, a carefully guarded asset.

And Britni. I pictured her, smug and triumphant. She likely saw herself as the rightful heir to Cannon' s ambition, the perfect, glamorous addition to his political dynasty. She probably believed she was replacing me, not just getting my baby. How wrong she was. Her "future responsibilities" would be a hollow echo in a shattered life, built on the ashes of mine.

As soon as his car pulled out of the driveway, I dropped the mask. My hands, still clutching the cheap necklace, trembled with suppressed fury. I ripped the heart charm from its chain, the flimsy silver snapping, and threw it into the nearest trash can with a violent, satisfying clang. It wasn't just a necklace; it was a symbol of his contempt, and I would not carry it.

I moved with a newfound purpose, my movements precise, economical. My small, discreet overnight bag was already packed, hidden beneath extra scrubs in my medical locker at the hospital. A burner phone, charged and ready, was tucked into my emergency kit. My finances were already secure, a separate, undisclosed account, a safeguard I had established early in our marriage, an instinctual act of self-preservation that now felt like prophecy.

I pulled out my burner phone, tapping out a quick, coded message to the contact I' d made weeks ago – a political journalist named Marcus Thorne, known for his relentless pursuit of truth and his disdain for corrupt politicians. The package is ready. Deliver on Friday, 8 PM sharp. No sooner, no later.

I received a swift, single-word reply: Understood.

A cold, hard smile touched my lips. Cannon would be at the fundraiser, basking in the glow of his imminent victory, surrounded by our "perfect family." He would be giving his triumphant speech, while I would be elsewhere, severing the last, most invasive tie that bound me to him and his monstrous ambition. And then, the world would burn.

I confirmed his itinerary one last time – the charity gala, the key speeches, the photo ops. He would be completely engrossed, completely oblivious. He was so confident in his control over me, over everyone. He would never suspect. It was a delicious thought, a bitter comfort.

I took a deep breath, smoothing down my dress. My reflection in the hall mirror showed a woman still pale, still bearing the faint shadows of exhaustion. But her eyes were different now. They held a steeliness, a cold, unwavering resolve. The Kira Doyle they knew was gone. Forever.

My primary phone buzzed. A text from my mother: "Darling, don't forget Friday night! Cannon's speech is going to be amazing. We're all so proud of you both. Make sure to get some rest, you need to shine!"

I didn' t reply. I simply deleted the message, watching the words vanish, leaving no trace. They were ghosts, irrelevant and powerless.

Francesca. My godmother. The name flitted through my mind. I hadn't seen her in years, pushed away by my parents who feared her influence, her sharp mind, her brutal honesty. She was the only one who had ever truly seen me, truly understood the intricate, suffocating web of expectations I lived under. A part of me, a small, hopeful part, wished I could reach out to her now. But this was my battle. My reckoning.

My taxi idled outside, a discreet black sedan. I slipped out of the house like a phantom, leaving no trace, no note. The autumn air was crisp, carrying the scent of fallen leaves and the distant hum of city life. It smelled like freedom, stark and cold.

The clinic was quiet, unassuming, tucked away on a tree-lined street. It looked like any other medical office, clean and professional. The scent of antiseptic filled the air, a familiar comfort. This was my sanctuary, the place where I would reclaim myself.

I sat in the waiting room, my hands clasped tightly in my lap. My breath hitched, a faint tremor running through my body. This is it. The final step. The ultimate act of reclamation.

The baby. The tiny life within me. A complex wave of emotions washed over me – not love, not hate, but a profound sadness for what could have been, for the innocent life caught in this web of deceit. It was a sacrifice, a surgical excision of a tumor that threatened to consume me whole. This was not a child born of love, but of manipulation. It was not meant to be mine. It was a transaction. And I refused to be part of it.

I closed my eyes, picturing Cannon, his charming smile, his calculating eyes. Britni, her smug, entitled gaze. My parents, their faces etched with disappointment, always for Britni, never for me. They had used me, commodified my body, stripped me of my autonomy. They had turned me into a breeding ground for their ambition.

Now, I would return the favor. I would rip their carefully constructed world apart, just as they had ripped apart mine. This was not just about revenge; it was about survival. It was about reclaiming my right to choose, my right to exist as more than a means to an end.

A nurse called my name. "Kira Doyle?"

I stood, my movements stiff, but my resolve unbending. My body, the object of their machinations, was finally mine again.