Chapter 2

I woke up to the sterile smell of antiseptic and the dull, rhythmic beep of a machine. My first sensation was an ache, a hollow emptiness in the core of my body. It was a physical pain, but it echoed a much deeper loss.

Mark was sitting in a chair by the bed, his head in his hands. He looked terrible. His expensive suit was rumpled, his hair was a mess, and his face was pale with exhaustion. When he heard me stir, he looked up, his eyes red-rimmed.

"Ava. You' re awake," he said, his voice hoarse.

I ignored him. There was only one question in my mind, a desperate, terrifying question.

"The baby?" I whispered, my own voice a dry rasp.

He flinched, unable to meet my eyes. He reached for my hand, but I pulled it away.

"Mark. The baby."

"We can try again, Ava," he said, his voice thick with false reassurance. "The doctor said you' re young, healthy. We' ll have other kids."

The words were meaningless. They didn' t fill the void inside me. They only made it colder, sharper.

My baby was gone.

A sob escaped my lips, raw and ugly. It turned into a scream of pure agony.

"You did this!" I shrieked, the sound tearing at my throat. "You killed our baby!"

"Ava, please, calm down," he said, trying to soothe me. "It was an accident. The stress..."

"The stress?" I laughed, a bitter, broken sound. "You mean the stress of finding my husband with his assistant? The stress of seeing my anniversary gift on her neck? That stress?"

He had no answer. He just stood there, looking helpless and guilty.

Just then, the door creaked open. Chloe peeked in, her face pale and tear-streaked. She looked small and scared, wrapped in one of Mark' s oversized jackets.

"I... I just wanted to see if she was okay," she stammered, looking at Mark.

Mark' s expression softened instantly. He went to her, his voice gentle. "You shouldn' t be here. You need to rest."

The sight of his tenderness toward her was like another knife twisting in the wound.

"I' m so sorry, Ava," Chloe said, her eyes welling up with tears that looked perfectly rehearsed. "I never meant for any of this to happen. I told Mark it was a mistake..."

"Get out," I said, my voice low and trembling with rage.

She flinched, looking to Mark for protection.

"Ava, don' t," Mark said, his tone turning sharp. "She' s been through a lot, too. She' s scared."

"Scared?" I repeated, my voice rising. "She' s scared? Get her out of my room! Now!"

"Stop yelling at her!" Mark' s voice was suddenly harsh, protective of Chloe. "It' s not all her fault!"

That was it. The final break.

"You, too," I said, pointing a shaking finger at him. "Get out. Both of you."

He stared at me, his mouth opening and closing, but no words came out. He looked torn. But then Chloe let out a small sob, and his choice was made once again.

He turned his back on me and led her out of the room.

The door clicked shut, leaving me in silence. But I could still hear them in the hallway.

"It' s okay, baby, I' m here," Mark' s voice, muffled but clear. "Don' t cry. It was my fault. I' ll make it up to you. I' ll buy you that bag you wanted."

The words were a final, brutal confirmation. I was no longer his priority. I was an obstacle, a problem to be managed.

I lay back against the pillows, the tears streaming down my face, silent now. The emptiness inside me was a vast, cold desert. I was completely alone.

Then I remembered. Not completely alone.

Daisy. My sweet, loyal Daisy was at home. She would be waiting for me, her tail wagging, her warm body a comfort in the coldness of my life. She was the one pure, good thing I had left.

The thought of her gave me a sliver of strength.

I reached for my phone on the bedside table. My fingers were clumsy, but I managed to dial the number. I had to get out of here. I had to get away from him.

My lawyer picked up on the second ring.

"Ava? Is everything okay?"

"I need you to draw up the papers," I said, my voice surprisingly steady. "Divorce papers."

There was a pause on the other end of the line. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," I said, looking at the empty doorway where my husband had stood. "I' ve never been more sure of anything in my life."