Chapter 2 2

The morning sun sliced through the gaps in the heavy velvet curtains, illuminating the dust motes dancing in the air. Iris was already dressed. She wore jeans and a simple gray sweater, clothes she hadn't touched in three years.

Francisco stirred. His hand reached out across the sheets, seeking the glass of water that was usually placed on his nightstand. His fingers hit empty wood.

He sat up, blinking against the light. He saw her sitting in the single armchair in the corner. A nondescript canvas duffel bag sat at her feet.

He rubbed his temples, his voice rough with sleep. "Where are you going dressed like that? We have the polo match at noon."

"I'm not going," Iris said. Her voice was steady, devoid of the soft lilt he was used to. "Mr. Zimmerman."

Francisco paused. His hand stilled on the duvet. "What kind of mood is this? Is this because I didn't dance with you last night?"

Iris stood up. She walked over to the bed and extended a piece of paper. "This is my resignation letter. Consider it a preview of the divorce papers."

Francisco didn't take the paper. He laughed, a short, incredulous sound. "Resignation? You think this is a game of house?"

"Since I'm an employee receiving a 'performance bonus'," Iris said, watching his face, "I assume I have the right to resign."

Francisco's pupils contracted. The realization hit him. She had heard.

He didn't apologize. He didn't look ashamed. Instead, his expression hardened into arrogance. "So? You think you're underpaid? Annalise brings billion-dollar contracts to the table. What do you bring, Iris? Clean shirts?"

The words were small, sharp daggers. Iris felt them puncture her chest, but she didn't bleed. Not anymore.

"So I decided to leave the shirts to you," she said. "And keep the dignity for myself."

She bent down and picked up the canvas bag. It was light.

Francisco gestured wildly at the room, at the walk-in closet filled with seasons of couture. "You're taking that? What about the gowns? The jewelry? The diamonds in the safe?"

"Props for Mrs. Zimmerman," Iris said, looking around the room as if she were a stranger. "Not belongings of Iris Potter."

She walked to the nightstand. She twisted the pink diamond ring off her finger. It left a pale indentation on her skin, a ghost of a shackle.

She dropped it onto the mahogany table. Clink. The sound was final.

Francisco threw the covers off, standing up. He was angry now, a vein pulsing in his neck. "You walk out that door, don't expect me to send a car for you. You'll be crawling back in an hour."

"Don't trouble yourself," Iris said, her hand on the doorknob. A fleeting image of a bloody night in Macau flashed through her mind-of this same man, unconscious and bleeding out as she worked frantically to save him. The irony was a bitter pill. He owed her his life, and he was haggling over a car service. "I don't need a ride."

She walked out. She didn't look back at the man who was staring at her with a mixture of rage and confusion, waiting for her to break.

In the hallway, she almost collided with Annalise. The woman was wearing a silk robe that cost more than Iris's entire college tuition. She had clearly just come from the guest wing. Or somewhere closer.

Annalise looked at the canvas bag, her eyebrows shooting up. "Going on vacation?"

Iris stopped. She looked Annalise up and down. "I'm making space. I suggest you change the sheets. I don't like people using my leftovers."

Annalise's mouth opened, but no sound came out. The shock of the retort froze her.

Iris walked past her, down the grand staircase. The house was silent. The butler, standing by the front door, looked at her with sad eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, but Iris shook her head gently.

She stepped out the heavy front door. It closed behind her with a dull thud that vibrated through the soles of her sneakers.

Francisco stood at the bedroom window, watching the small figure on the massive driveway. He lit a cigarette, his hands shaking slightly. "She won't last three days."

Iris took a deep breath. The air was cold, biting, and smelled of the ocean. It tasted like freedom.