Chapter 2

The silence in my apartment didn't last long. Less than twenty minutes after I hung up on Chloe, a furious banging erupted at my front door. It wasn't the polite knock of a neighbor, it was the heavy, percussive slam of someone trying to break the door down.

I didn' t need to look through the peephole. I knew who it was.

I walked calmly to the door and opened it. Chloe stood on the other side, her face a mask of rage. Her perfectly styled hair was slightly disheveled, and her expensive silk blouse was wrinkled. Behind her stood two large men in black suits, her personal bodyguards, looking impassive and ready for orders.

"Where is he?" she spat, trying to push past me.

I stood my ground, my hand firm on the doorframe. "Hello, Chloe. It' s been a while."

Her eyes narrowed at my calm demeanor. It wasn' t the reaction she was expecting. She was used to me being flustered, apologetic, and weak.

"Move," she commanded, not to me, but to her men.

The bodyguards stepped forward, their size alone a threat. One grabbed my arm, wrenching me away from the door with practiced ease, while the other held me firmly in place. They shoved me back into my own living room, and I stumbled, catching myself on the arm of the sofa. The feeling of being manhandled, of being powerless in my own home, was sickeningly familiar, but this time, my fear was replaced by a cold, calculating anger. I let them hold me, watching the scene unfold as if I were a spectator.

Chloe stormed into the apartment, her eyes scanning every corner with a frantic energy. "Liam! I know you' re here! Get out here right now!"

She tore through the small space like a hurricane. She ripped open the closet door, throwing my clothes onto the floor. She looked under the bed, behind the curtains. She even checked the small pantry in the kitchen, knocking over a box of cereal that spilled across the linoleum. Her search was pointless, and she knew it, but her rage needed an outlet.

I watched her, a faint, mocking smile on my lips. Liam wasn't here. I knew exactly where he was. He was at a discreet hotel across town, in bed with her best friend, Olivia.

When she finally stopped, breathing heavily in the middle of the wreckage she had created, she turned her furious gaze back to me. "Where is he, Ethan? This isn' t a game."

"Oh, I think it is," I said, my voice even. The bodyguards tightened their grip on my arms, but I didn't flinch. "But you' re looking in the wrong place. You came all the way here to find your husband?"

I let out a short, humorless laugh.

"You should try calling your best friend. Olivia. I' m sure she knows where he is."

The name hung in the air between us. Chloe' s face went from red with anger to pale with shock, then back to a deeper, more dangerous shade of crimson. She strode across the room and stood directly in front of me, her body trembling with fury.

"What did you just say?" she hissed, her voice low and threatening.

"You heard me," I replied, looking her directly in the eye.

She reacted just as I knew she would. Her hand flew up and she slapped me hard across the face. The sound echoed in the small room. Her long, manicured nails scraped my cheek, leaving behind four thin, red lines. The sting was sharp, immediate. I could feel the warm trickle of blood.

In my past life, this was the moment I broke. The physical assault, combined with the false accusations, had shattered my composure. I had yelled, I had protested my innocence, which only made me look more guilty.

This time, I didn't. I just stood there, the mocking smile never leaving my face. I could feel the bodyguard' s grip falter for a second, surprised by my lack of reaction. I turned my head back slowly to face her, letting her see the blood on my cheek.

"Is that all you' ve got, Chloe?" I taunted.

I wanted her to lose control. I wanted her to escalate. The angrier she got, the more mistakes she would make. And I would be there to document every single one of them. Deep inside, a dark satisfaction began to bloom. This was just the beginning of her downfall. Let her burn it all to the ground. I would be waiting in the ashes to collect what I was owed.