Chapter 2

Izabella's heart clenched. She kept her eyes down, afraid to meet Carson's gaze.

Her evasive, guilty look oddly pleased him. "You barely ate a bite before rushing off."

He stepped closer, leaving only a fist's distance between them. "What, jealous?"

Relief washed over her. At least he had not noticed the blood.

Izabella lifted her head and spoke calmly. "You misunderstood. How could a sister-in-law be jealous of her brother-in-law?"

She moved to step past him. The next moment, he grabbed her arm and slammed her against the wall.

Izabella struggled instinctively. "Carson, let me go..."

His hand clamped around her throat. He crushed his mouth against hers in a fierce kiss.

He kissed with urgency and hatred. Teeth clashed against teeth. He tangled his tongue with hers desperately, as if trying to steal every breath from her lungs.

His towering frame pinned her completely. No matter how hard she pushed, she could not budge him.

Izabella closed her eyes. Then she bit down hard.

"Hiss!" Their lips parted. A thin line of blood appeared at the corner of Carson's mouth.

He wiped it away with his thumb and raised an eyebrow at her. "Well now. You've learned to bite."

He leaned in closer. In her sudden panic, his voice turned colder than she had ever heard. "Why pretend, Izabella? It's not like we haven't slept together before. Last time you got drunk, you were plenty eager. Now you're playing the pure innocent?"

Izabella's breath caught.

This year, her birthday fell while Carson's parents traveled. Carson was away on business too. Izabella ordered a case of wine and drank steadily from day until night.

Numbed by alcohol, her mind grew hazy. She never imagined waking the next morning naked in Carson's arms.

Disgust and pain like never before nearly drowned her.

Even less did she expect that one reckless night would plant a seed inside her.

"Still reminiscing? Want me to help you relive it..."

As Carson leaned in again, a voice called from behind.

"Carson, where's your room? I want to see that ship model you told me about!" It was Margaret.

Izabella trembled, terrified he might do something reckless in front of Margaret. Fortunately, he straightened up. He took in Izabella's fearful expression and gave a cold laugh.

He turned, wrapped an arm around Margaret, and headed upstairs. "You like it that much? Then it's yours."

Margaret's voice rang with unmistakable delight. "Really? You're the best!"

From Izabella's angle, she clearly saw Margaret glance back and look deeply at her.

Izabella finally escaped Carson. She exhaled in relief, only to turn and find Madison Gilbert standing behind a nearby vase.

The older woman's gaze was dark and full of loathing.

Izabella shuddered and tried to explain. "Madison, I..."

"Get out and kneel!"

The garden held a long gravel path covered in sharp, jagged stones that could pierce skin and draw blood with the slightest misstep.

Whenever Madison grew displeased with Izabella, she ordered her to kneel there for an entire day.

Over two years, Izabella lost count of how many times.

She knelt skillfully now. Even the familiar sting of stones pressing through her thin pants into her flesh felt routine.

Perhaps mindful that Margaret remained in the house, Madison said little more. She only gave Izabella a cold sidelong glare. "Don't dream of what isn't yours! Get up when you know what you've done wrong!"