Chapter 8

Adeline Carter's POV:

That afternoon, I wandered aimlessly, trying to clear my head.

A sleek, expensive sports car pulled up slowly beside me. The window rolled down, revealing Alvin Thompson's handsome face.

He smiled, a gentle, disarming expression. "Adeline," he said. "What a coincidence. Would you like to grab a coffee?"

He was Brock's superior, after all. I couldn't bring myself to say no. I nodded and followed him to a quiet cafe.

As soon as we sat down, he pushed his phone across the table, open to a chat window.

My husband's name. Alvin's name. Those messages. The full text of Brock offering me up like a ritual sacrifice.

I stumbled home, my mind a chaotic blur. I opened the door to find Brock in the kitchen.

The table was covered in food-all my favorites. He grinned, a stiff, awkward expression. "Addie! You're back. Go wash up, dinner's ready."

There was a flicker of nerves in his eyes, a subtle unease I only noticed now. We sat at the table. Brock talked incessantly, a torrent of words. He complained about his boss, about how terrible his job had become.

"I can't get fired, Addie. The mortgage, the debts. We'll lose everything." His voice cracked, thick with self-pity. "I'm useless. I can't give you the stable home you deserve."

He gripped my hand tightly. "I promise, I'll work harder, I'll make more money, we'll have a better life, Addie. I swear." He looked at me with desperate, pleading eyes. "Trust me, my love. Everything I do, I do for our future."

"Addie, I love you. Truly, more than anything."