Chapter 7

Two massive security guards, dressed in sharp black suits, pushed through the crowd of executives at the door. They marched toward Eldridge, who was still sitting on the floor, staring in disbelief at the scene unfolding before him.

The guards grabbed Eldridge by the upper arms, hauling him to his feet with rough, professional efficiency.

"Let go of me!" Eldridge shouted, struggling against their iron grips. "Are you blind? I am Eldridge Hall! You work for me!"

The guards didn't even blink. They tightened their hold, preparing to drag him out.

Ava stood by the desk. She pulled a wet wipe from a dispenser and gently, almost tenderly, dabbed at the coffee stains on Bird's arm. She didn't look at Eldridge.

The executives whispering in the hallway shook their heads.

"Poor Mr. Hall," one of them muttered. "His wife has completely lost her mind. The stress must have broken her."

Bird leaned heavily against Ava's side. She looked at Eldridge, her eyes brimming with fake tears, but her voice was loud enough for everyone to hear.

"El, please," Bird whimpered, tugging at Ava's sleeve. "Don't hurt her. She's just confused. I forgive her."

Eldridge stopped struggling. He felt a cold, hard knot form in his stomach. He looked at Bird, seeing past the tears, past the soft pink sweater, straight into the rotting core of her character.

"Your acting is pathetic, Bird," Eldridge spat, his voice trembling with a rage so deep it made his teeth ache. "Do you really think he doesn't see right through you?"

Bird's breath hitched. For a fraction of a second, genuine panic flashed in her eyes. But she immediately buried her face in Ava's chest, letting out a pitiful sob.

Ava patted Bird's back. She looked up, her eyes locking onto Eldridge's.

"You are not only vicious, you are deeply unwell," Ava said, her voice dropping to a terrifying, icy register. She looked at the guards. "Get her out of my sight. Now."

The guards yanked Eldridge backward. His loafers dragged across the thick carpet.

They hauled him out of the office and down the long, glass-walled corridor. Employees peeked out of their cubicles. Some held up their phones, recording the spectacle. Others covered their mouths, hiding their laughter.

Eldridge let his head drop forward. His hair fell over his face, hiding his burning cheeks.

He had spent his entire life building an image of untouchable power and dignity. Now, he was being paraded through his own company like a rabid dog. He felt the malicious, judging stares piercing his skin like needles.

For the first time, he understood the stories Ava used to tell him. The stories of how she was mocked at charity galas, how the other wives whispered about her, how she felt stripped naked and put on display. He had always told her she was being overly sensitive.

Now, the humiliation was a physical pain in his chest.

The guards shoved him into the service elevator. The metal doors slid shut, cutting off the stares. The heavy breathing of the guards in the confined space made Eldridge feel incredibly vulnerable and small.

Back in the CEO's office, the doors closed. The crowd dispersed.

Bird looked up at Ava. The tears magically stopped. She reached up and adjusted Ava's tie, her fingers lingering on the silk.

"Eldridge," Bird said softly, her eyes shining with devotion. "No matter what happens, no matter how crazy she gets, I will always stand by you. My heart is yours."

Ava felt a wave of bile rise in the back of her throat. She forced herself to smile. She reached up and gently wiped away a stray tear from Bird's cheek.

"I know, baby," Ava said, her voice low and hypnotic. "You are the smartest woman I have ever met."

Bird beamed, completely missing the razor-sharp sarcasm hidden beneath the compliment. She thought she had won.

The service elevator reached the ground floor with a ding.

The guards pushed Eldridge out into the massive, marble-floored lobby. They walked him to the revolving glass doors.

Outside, the sky had turned a bruised purple. A torrential downpour was hammering the streets of Manhattan.

"Please leave, ma'am," one of the guards said, his voice devoid of emotion. "Don't make us call the police."

Eldridge took a deep breath. He straightened his spine, trying to salvage whatever dignity he had left. He walked through the revolving doors.

The moment he stepped onto the sidewalk, a gust of freezing wind and heavy rain slammed into him. The thin trench coat was soaked through in seconds. The cold seeped directly into his bones.

He stood on the pavement, shivering violently. He reached into his pockets. Empty. He had no wallet. No credit cards.

He looked at his reflection in the dark glass of the building. A frail, soaking wet woman stared back at him. The sheer absurdity and helplessness of his situation crushed him.

A yellow cab sped past, hitting a deep puddle near the curb. A wave of filthy, freezing street water splashed up, soaking his legs and ruining his shoes.

Eldridge closed his eyes. The rain washed over his face. He finally admitted it to himself: he had been horribly, unforgivably wrong about what Ava endured every day.

Suddenly, a vibration buzzed against his hip.

He reached deep into the inner pocket of the trench coat and pulled out a cheap burner phone. Ava must have left it there.

The screen lit up. A text message notification popped up.

Sender: Stepmother Felicia.

Eldridge swiped the screen open. The words on the screen made the blood in his veins turn to ice.