Chapter 2 2

Kamala didn't knock. She didn't believe in privacy, at least not for people she considered the help. She threw the bedroom door open, the wood banging against the wall with a violence that made the crystal chandelier overhead tremble.

She stood in the doorway, wearing a pink Chanel suit that cost more than most people's cars. Her eyes scanned the room, landing on Iris and the black duffel bag on the bed.

"Finally," she sneered. She walked into the room, her heels digging into the plush carpet. "I was afraid you'd barricade yourself in here like a tick."

Iris continued to fold a black t-shirt, smoothing the fabric with precise, calm movements. She didn't look at Kamala.

"I'm talking to you," Kamala snapped.

She crossed the distance between them in three strides and kicked the duffel bag. It slid off the bed and hit the floor with a heavy thud.

"Oops," she said, her mouth curving into a cruel smile.

Iris stopped folding. She took a slow breath, counting to three.

"Pick it up," she said. Her voice was low.

Kamala laughed. It was a sharp, barking sound. "Or what? You'll clean my house aggressively? You're a felon, Iris. You're lucky my brother didn't call the police the day he found out about your little jail stint."

She stepped closer, invading Iris's personal space. She smelled of overpowering jasmine perfume and entitlement.

"Give me the keys," she demanded.

"What keys?"

"The Ferrari," she said. "The one Hunter let you drive to the grocery store. It's a family asset. You don't get to take it to whatever dump you're moving to."

Iris looked at her then. She let the mask slip, just a fraction. She let Kamala see the coldness in her eyes, the absolute lack of fear.

Kamala faltered for a second, blinking. But her arrogance was a reflex. She reached out and shoved Iris's shoulder.

"I said, give me the keys, you leech."

Iris's body reacted before her brain did. It was muscle memory, ingrained from years of training that predated her life as a housewife.

As Kamala's hand made contact, Iris shifted her weight. She caught Kamala's wrist. Her fingers clamped down over Kamala's radius and ulna, pressing into the pressure point.

"Ow!" Kamala shrieked, her knees buckling. "Let go! You're breaking it!"

"I'm not breaking it," Iris said calmly. "If I wanted to break it, it would already be broken."

Hunter appeared in the doorway. He looked from Iris to Kamala, his eyes widening.

"Iris! Let her go!"

Iris released her. Kamala stumbled back, clutching her wrist, tears springing to her eyes.

"She attacked me!" Kamala screamed. "Did you see that? She's crazy!"

She looked around the room for something to throw, something to hurt Iris with. Her eyes landed on the bedside table.

There was a small, wooden picture frame there. It was cheap, chipped at the corners. It held a faded photo of Iris's mother. It was the only thing of real value Iris owned in this entire apartment.

Kamala lunged for it.

"I'm going to smash this piece of trash," she hissed.

The air in the room changed. The temperature seemed to drop ten degrees.

Iris moved. She didn't run; she blurred. She stepped between Kamala and the table, her movement so fast it didn't register until she was already there.

She grabbed the nearest object to her right. It was a Ming dynasty vase, blue and white, sitting on a pedestal. Hunter had bought it at auction for three million dollars. He loved telling guests how much it cost.

"Don't touch the photo," she said.

Kamala froze, her hand hovering inches from Iris's mother's picture. She looked at Iris, and then she looked at the vase in Iris's hand.

"Iris," Hunter warned, stepping into the room. "Put that down. That's a museum piece."

"Is it?" Iris asked. She tilted her head. "It feels light."

"Iris, don't you dare," Hunter said, his voice trembling with genuine fear for the porcelain. He cared more about the vase than he did about the fact that his sister was trying to destroy Iris's mother's memory.

Iris looked at Hunter. She smiled. It wasn't a nice smile.

"Consider this the interest on four years of my life," she said.

She opened her hand.

Gravity took over. The vase fell. It seemed to fall in slow motion, tumbling end over end.

Crash.

The sound was explosive. Shards of blue and white porcelain flew across the room like shrapnel. A piece skittered across the floor and sliced through Kamala's stockings, scratching her ankle.

Kamala screamed, jumping back, clutching her leg as if she'd been shot.

Hunter stood paralyzed, staring at the pile of rubble that used to be his pride and joy. His face was pale, his mouth opening and closing like a fish.

Iris didn't look at the mess. She picked up her mother's photo and tucked it gently into the side pocket of her duffel bag.

She bent down and picked up the bag. She walked toward the door.

Kamala was sobbing on the floor, more out of shock than pain. Hunter was blocking the exit, staring at her as if she had grown a second head.

"You... you destroyed it," he whispered.

"Move," she said.

He didn't move. He looked angry now, the shock wearing off. "You're not leaving until we talk about paying for that."

She stepped closer to him. She was shorter than him, but in that moment, she felt ten feet tall.

"Hunter," she said softly. "If you don't get out of my way, the next thing that breaks won't be made of clay."

He looked into her eyes. He saw something there he had never seen before. A threat. A promise. And for the first time in their marriage, he was afraid of her.

He stepped aside.

She walked out of the bedroom, down the long hallway, and out the front door. She didn't look back.

She pressed the elevator button. Her heart was beating a steady, calm rhythm.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

She pulled out her phone and dialed Sienna.

"I'm downstairs," she said. "Come get me."