Chapter 3

Andrew' s smile disappeared completely. "What did you say?"

"I said no, Andrew. I' m not cooking."

Gabby scoffed. "See? She' s always so difficult. This is why you can' t be with her."

Andrew' s face flushed with anger. He stepped toward me, his voice low and menacing. "Don' t make a scene, Madisyn. Just cook the damn dinner."

"I' m not your chef. And this isn' t my house anymore, remember?"

He shoved me. It wasn' t hard, but it was enough to make me stumble back against the counter. The edge dug into my spine.

"You' re doing this on purpose to upset her," he hissed.

Gabby escalated the situation immediately, her voice rising to a shrill cry. "She' s trying to ruin everything, Andrew! Make her stop!"

He grabbed my arm and dragged me toward the pantry. "You' ll stay in here until you learn how to be a supportive wife."

He shoved me inside and the door slammed shut, the lock clicking into place. I was left in the darkness, the smell of spices and dust filling my lungs. I slid down the wall to the floor, my whole body trembling.

Hours later, the door opened. I thought it was Andrew, coming to his senses.

It was Gabby.

She was holding a metal ice bucket.

"Still sulking? You' re so pathetic," she sneered.

Then she tilted the bucket, and a cascade of ice and freezing water drenched me. The shock of the cold was so intense it stole my breath.

Something inside me snapped.

I lunged forward, grabbed the empty bucket from her hands, and swung it back at her. It caught her on the side of the head with a dull thud. She shrieked, stumbling backward.

Andrew rushed in. He saw Gabby clutching her head, crying hysterically. He didn' t ask what happened. He didn' t even look at me.

His face was a mask of pure rage. He lunged at me, grabbing a fistful of my wet hair and yanking my head back.

"You crazy bitch! What did you do?" he roared, his face inches from mine. "You' re lucky she' s so forgiving. Now you' re going to apologize to her, and you' re going to cook that dinner, or you can get the hell out of my house right now."