The mansion felt cavernous, echoing with a silence that used to suffocate me but now felt like a balm. I walked through the empty rooms, a ghost in my own home, and began to pack. My belongings were surprisingly few, considering five years of marriage to a tech mogul. Most of what I owned had been chosen to please him, to fit the mold of Isabelle's ghostly presence.

I stopped at my closet, staring at the endless rows of designer dresses. Cream, pale blue, soft pink-all colors Isabelle favored. I pulled them out, one by one, tossing them into a donation pile without a second thought. This wasn't me. This was who I pretended to be, and that woman was gone.

Just as I was about to close the closet door, I heard the familiar sound of Holden's car in the driveway, followed by the tinkling laugh that used to send a cold dread through my stomach. Isabelle.

They entered the house, their voices animated, oblivious to my presence in the master bedroom. Holden's voice, deep and resonant, was laced with an easy familiarity he never used with me.

Isabelle called out, her voice annoyingly sweet, "Celeste, darling, are you here?"

I walked out of the closet, a plain black tee and jeans replacing the silk dresses. My face was impassive. "I am."

Holden seemed startled to see me. "Celeste. Isabelle just came over for a bit. She said she missed the dog." He offered a strained smile, a pathetic attempt at normalcy.

I just nodded, not bothering to validate his flimsy excuse.

Isabelle, ever the manipulator, knelt down and lavished attention on our golden retriever, Max. "Oh, Maxie, my sweet boy! Your mummy missed you so much!" She then looked up at me, a sly glint in her eyes. "You know, Celeste, it's so strange. Holden always says Max is like the child we never had."

Holden cleared his throat, a warning in his voice. "Isabelle, that's enough."

She pouted, feigning innocence. "What? It's true! He loves Max more than anything." She then turned her gaze back to Holden. "Holden, I'm still a bit shaken from yesterday. Do you mind if I stay over tonight? Just for moral support?"

Holden looked at me, a silent plea in his eyes. He still needed my permission, a relic of the "perfect wife" I had once been.

"Of course," I said, my voice calm, almost emotionless. "The guest room is ready. Or you can take the couch, if you prefer."

Their jaws dropped, simultaneously. They clearly hadn't expected me to agree, much less with such indifference. Holden looked utterly bewildered, while Isabelle's smug smile faltered.

"See, Isabelle? Celeste is being perfectly reasonable," Holden said, his voice tight, a hint of steel in his tone. "Don't cause any trouble." He then gave me a quick, apologetic glance before heading to his study. "I have a late work call."

He left, as he always did, leaving me alone with her.

Isabelle' s facade crumbled. She stood up, her eyes narrowing. "You think you've won, don't you? Playing the martyr. But Holden will always come back to me. You mean nothing."

I didn't respond. I just picked up a book from the shelf, a biography of a female diplomat.

Her eyes darted around the room, searching for a reaction, any sign of the old, insecure Celeste. When she found none, her anger flared. She snapped her fingers at Max. "Maxie, go get her! Show her who's boss!"

Max, usually a gentle giant, growled. He lunged, his teeth baring, and bit my leg. A sharp, searing pain shot up my calf. I gasped, stumbling backward, but I didn't cry out.

Isabelle clapped her hands, a triumphant grin spreading across her face. "Serves you right, you bitch!"

I looked down at the bleeding wound, then back at her, my expression still unreadable. "You know, Isabelle," I said, my voice low, "this house has state-of-the-art surveillance. Every corner. Every room. Even the garden."

Her smug smile vanished. Her face went white. She knew. She knew every manipulative word, every cruel action, had been recorded.

"I have no interest in you or your pathetic games," I continued, my voice gaining strength. "But if you ever touch me again, or harm this dog, I promise you, Isabelle, you'll regret it."

She stared at me, fear finally replacing the malice in her eyes. I turned and walked back into the bedroom, closing the door softly. I cleaned the wound, applied a bandage, and then, for the first time in months, I felt a deep, peaceful sleep claim me. I didn't wait for Holden. I didn't expect him.

Hours later, a choking sensation woke me. Smoke. Thick, acrid smoke filled the room, burning my throat and eyes. Fire. The house was on fire.

Panic, cold and sharp, pierced through my numbness. I scrambled out of bed, coughing, trying to find my way through the black haze. The flames were licking at the walls, roaring.

Just then, I saw him. Holden. He burst through the bedroom door, his face grim, his eyes wide with fear. A flicker of hope ignited in my chest. He came back for me. He was here.

He saw me, then he saw Max, whimpering by the bed. Without a moment's hesitation, he scooped up the dog, cradling him protectively, and turned to run out of the room.

He saved the dog. Before me.

I watched his retreating back, Max clutched safely in his arms. A hysterical laugh bubbled up from my throat, raw and painful, but utterly silent. The fire raged around me, heat searing my skin, but all I could feel was the icy realization that sliced through what little remained of my heart.

Even the dog meant more to him than I did.

Chapter 3

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