Chapter 3

Kaya turned off the faucet. She grabbed a paper towel, gently patted her wet hand dry, and walked out of the kitchen.

She climbed the stairs and walked down the hall to the master bedroom. Her bedroom.

She pushed the door open and walked straight into the massive walk-in closet. She pulled open the bottom drawer of the built-in dresser and dragged out a white first-aid kit.

Kaya sat down on the velvet stool in front of her vanity mirror. She opened the kit, took out a tube of burn ointment, and squeezed a thick layer onto a cotton swab.

She stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her face was pale, her eyes hollow. She dragged the cotton swab across the angry red blisters on her hand.

Sharp, biting pain shot up her arm, the raw nerve endings screaming in protest as the cold gel touched the ruined skin. A cold sweat broke out across her forehead, and her stomach rolled with the intense, throbbing ache. She didn't flinch. Her facial muscles didn't move.

After applying the ointment and wrapping a light gauze around her wrist, Kaya opened the top drawer of the vanity.

Inside sat velvet boxes filled with diamonds, sapphires, and pearls. Every piece was a gift from Grady. Apology gifts for missing dinners. Anniversary gifts meant to maintain the illusion of their perfect marriage.

An hour ago, she cherished them. Now, they looked like chains.

Kaya pulled a large black velvet drawstring bag from the back of the drawer. She opened the jewelry boxes one by one, dumping the heavy necklaces and rings into the bag. Her movements were fast, mechanical, and precise.

The brass doorknob of the bedroom clicked.

Grady walked in. He didn't knock. He never knocked.

Kaya shoved the heavy velvet bag to the very back of the drawer and slammed it shut. She grabbed a wooden hairbrush from the counter and began pulling it through her long, dark hair.

Grady walked up behind her. He stopped a few feet away, his hands shoved deep into his trouser pockets. He looked at her reflection in the mirror. His brow furrowed.

He expected her to be crying. He had his speech ready.

"Listen," Grady sighed, his voice taking on that patronizing tone he always used. "Jasmine has always been clumsy. You know how sensitive she is. As her sister-in-law, you need to be more accommodating."

Kaya stopped brushing. She set the wooden brush down on the marble counter.

She stood up and turned around to face him. She looked straight into his dark eyes.

The corners of her mouth lifted into a flawless, beautiful smile.

"It's perfectly fine, Grady," Kaya said, her voice soft and sweet. "Why would I ever hold a grudge against her?"

Grady's mouth opened, but no sound came out. The rest of his lecture died in his throat.

Her smile was too perfect. Her voice lacked any trace of the usual underlying sadness or desperation. It was a terrifyingly empty compliance.

A sudden, sharp spike of genuine irritation flared in his chest. This wasn't her usual timid retreat; this was a blatant dismissal that grated against his ego. His eyes dropped to her right hand. The white gauze wrapped around her wrist stood out against her pale skin. A sudden, irritating itch of guilt flared in his chest.

He pulled his right hand out of his pocket and reached toward her. "Let me see the burn."

Kaya took a smooth, natural step to the left. She moved just out of his reach.

"I need to change for the family dinner," Kaya said, her tone light and conversational. She turned and walked back toward the closet doors.

Grady's hand hung suspended in the empty air. His fingers twitched. The unsettling feeling in his gut tightened into a hard knot. She had never avoided his touch before.

Before he could step forward, a small head poked through the half-open bedroom door.

"Grady?" Jasmine's voice was tiny, trembling. "I'm scared Grandmother is going to yell at me again. Can you stay with me until dinner?"

Grady looked at the closed closet door. He looked back at Jasmine. The habit of protecting his sister overrode the strange panic in his chest.

"I'm coming," Grady said. He turned and walked out of the room.

Inside the closet, Kaya leaned her back against the heavy wooden door. She listened to their footsteps fading down the hallway.

She let out a long, shaky breath.

Kaya reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. She opened the browser and typed: Top divorce attorneys Manhattan.

She scrolled past the sponsored ads. Her eyes landed on a name: Genevieve Atherton. Known as the Iron Lady of divorces.

Kaya took a screenshot of the contact information and moved the photo into a locked, hidden folder on her phone.

She walked over to her hanging clothes. She bypassed the dresses Grady liked and pulled out a high-necked, long-sleeved silk blouse in a deep emerald green.

She slipped the blouse on, buttoning it all the way up to her throat. It covered her collarbones perfectly, but the white gauze on her hand was still visible.

Kaya checked her reflection one last time. No tears. No weakness.

She opened the closet door and walked out into the hallway.

Agnes Novak, a young maid, was dusting the hallway table. She saw Kaya and immediately looked at her wrapped hand. "Oh, Mrs. Maddox. Does it hurt terribly?"

Kaya smiled gently. "It's just a scratch, Agnes. Don't worry."

She straightened her spine, lifted her chin, and walked toward the stairs to face the dinner table.