Blake disappeared after that, a chilling silence descending upon the hospital room. It was a strange kind of blessing, allowing me to heal, both physically and, slowly, emotionally, without his suffocating presence. The nurses, sensing my isolation, were quietly kind, bringing me extra blankets and warm tea. I used the solitude to process the raw, festering wounds of betrayal, to slowly, painfully, stitch myself back together. The anger simmered, a constant, low burn, but beneath it, a tiny spark of resolve began to glow.

Weeks later, when the doctors finally discharged me, I returned to the mansion, now more of a prison than ever. But as I approached the grand entrance, a stony-faced security guard blocked my path.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Hodge," he said, his voice flat, devoid of emotion. "Mr. Hodge has given strict instructions. You are not permitted to enter."

My blood ran cold. "Not permitted? This is my home!"

He shifted uncomfortably. "Mr. Hodge wishes for you to collect your remaining belongings and relocate to an apartment he has arranged. It is a generous allowance, Mrs. Hodge, considering..." He trailed off, clearly uncomfortable.

My jaw clenched. An apartment. An allowance. He was cutting me off, divorcing me in all but name, paying me off like a troublesome employee. His "generosity" was a gilded cage, a final insult designed to remind me of my utter dependence. The audacity of his control, even from afar, was sickening.

But a new fire ignited within me. Not anger, but a cold, hard determination. I remembered the blank divorce agreement, still tucked away in a hidden compartment in one of my packed boxes. He thought he could discard me so easily? He thought he could control my every move? He had another thing coming.

I pushed past the guard, my voice unwavering. "Step aside. I am still Amelia Hodge, and I will enter my home." My unexpected defiance clearly startled him. He hesitated, then reluctantly moved, unsure how to handle a wife who suddenly refused to be dismissed.

I marched into the house, every step a declaration of war. The silence was unnerving, broken only by the distant, high-pitched cries of the twins. As I headed towards the master suite, intending to retrieve the last of my personal items, I saw her.

Chyna. She was descending the grand staircase, wearing one of Blake's silk dressing gowns, a garment I had bought for him, a rich sapphire color that had once brought out the warmth in his eyes. It was too big for her, draping loosely, but the message was clear. She was playing house, openly flaunting her victory. My personal taste, my gifts, now adorned her. A cruel mockery.

My stomach churned, a bitter bile rising in my throat. I swallowed it down, forcing myself to ignore the searing pain of betrayal. I just needed to get my things. I hurried past her, my gaze fixed on the master bedroom door.

The room was different. Redecorated, as Chyna had promised. Less muted. More vibrant, with garish gold and crimson accents that screamed of new money trying too hard. I ignored it, my eyes scanning the familiar space for the hidden panel where I kept my most cherished possessions. The small box containing old letters, my mother' s locket, and, most importantly, the pre-signed blank divorce agreement.

My heart pounded against my ribs as my fingers fumbled for the latch. I pressed, pulled, then pressed again. Empty. The panel swung open, revealing nothing but bare wood. My breath hitched. Panic, cold and sharp, clawed at my throat. It was gone. Everything was gone. My throat tightened, my mind a blank, terrifying void.

Chyna, who had followed me, her footsteps unnervingly silent, spoke, her voice dripping with false concern. "Looking for something, Amelia? Did you lose something important?"

A cold dread settled over me. "Where are my things, Chyna? What have you done?" My voice was a shaky whisper, barely audible.

She smiled, a slow, predatory curve of her lips. She held one of the twins, Phoenix, in her arms. He was wrapped in a delicate, hand-stitched blanket. My eyes widened, my blood freezing in my veins. The blanket. It was my wedding veil. The heirloom lace, passed down from my grandmother, that I had so carefully preserved. And the baby's hat, a small, knitted cap I had made for my own unborn child, intricately woven with the initials "A.L."

"Oh, these?" Chyna cooed, her eyes gleaming with malice. She stroked the lace veil wrapped around Phoenix. "Blake thought they were too... sentimental. Too old-fashioned. But I thought they'd make lovely swaddling for the boys. Especially this beautiful lace. So delicate. And this little cap," she squeezed the baby's head playfully, "so sweet, I just had to put it on Orion. Blake said you had embroidered it with the most beautiful stitches. Such a pity it was just sitting in a box."

My chest burned, a searing inferno of pain and disbelief. My wedding veil. My unborn child's cap. Transformed into swaddling for her sons. The desecration, the sheer spite of it, was a physical blow. My vision tunneling, I felt a tidal wave of fury consume me.

With a roar that ripped from my throat, propelled by the deepest agony and rage, I lunged at her. "You bitch!" I screamed, tearing at the blanket, ripping it from Phoenix. "You monster! How dare you desecrate my memories, my children's memory!"

The baby, startled by my sudden movement, let out a piercing shriek. Chyna gasped, stumbling back, her eyes wide with feigned terror. Before she could react, my hand connected with her face, a resounding crack echoing through the silent house. "You are evil!" I shrieked, tears streaming down my face.

She collapsed, clutching her cheek, the baby crying hysterically. But as she fell, her eyes met mine, and for a fleeting moment, I saw it-not pain, not fear, but a flicker of self-satisfied triumph, a wicked glee. She had wanted this reaction. This performance.

Then, a harsh hand clamped down on my arm, yanking me back. "Amelia!" Blake's voice boomed, filled with a raw fury that surpassed even my own. He had appeared from nowhere, his face a mask of rage. "What the hell is wrong with you? You're out of control! Attacking my wife, hurting my child? You've gone completely mad!"

Chapter 7

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