Chapter 6

Esther stared at the doctor, her tears falling onto the cold floor. She had no choice. For her parents, she would do anything.

She walked to the adjoining VIP suite. The door was ajar. Inside, Julian was gently massaging Katia' s feet as she reclined on the bed.

He glanced up as Esther entered, his expression cold. "Behave," he warned.

Esther met Katia' s smug, victorious gaze. For a moment, she wanted to scream, to rage, to tear this woman apart. But she thought of her parents, bleeding and broken in the next room. This humiliation was the price of their safety.

She lowered her head.

"I' m sorry," she said, her voice barely a whisper. She bit her lip so hard she thought it would split open.

Julian looked at Katia. "Is that good enough for you?"

Katia smiled graciously. "Of course. I accept your apology, Esther."

"Don' t let it happen again," Julian said to Esther, his tone that of a master admonishing a disobedient pet.

Esther turned and walked away, her body feeling impossibly heavy.

There won' t be a next time, she thought. I swear it.

She arranged for her parents to be treated. She sat by their bedside, her eyes red and swollen.

"I' m so sorry," she cried.

Her mother, her face bruised, reached out and took her hand. "It' s not your fault, my dear. You need to leave him. Start over."

"He won' t let me go," Esther whispered.

"Then you run," her father said, his voice weak but firm. "You run and you don' t ever look back."

Esther nodded, a new resolve hardening in her heart.

While her parents recovered, she secretly arranged for them to be moved to a safe, undisclosed location. Then, she returned to the penthouse for the last time.

She built a fire in the large stone fireplace. One by one, she threw in the mementos of their life together. Photos, love letters, the dried rose from their first date. She watched as the flames consumed their shared history, turning eight years of love into ash and smoke.

By the time she was finished, it was evening. Julian' s secretary called.

"Mr. Mcgee requires you to attend the annual hospital charity gala with him tonight."

Esther wanted to refuse, but she knew it would only cause more trouble. One last night. She could endure one last night.

She got into the car Julian had sent. He was in the back seat, with Katia nestled against his shoulder. Katia was wearing a breathtaking designer gown and a pair of stunning diamond and sapphire earrings.

Esther recognized them immediately. They were the Mcgee family heirlooms, passed down through generations, meant only for the wife of the Mcgee heir.

Katia smiled sweetly. "I hope you don' t mind me coming along, Esther."

Julian answered for her. "She doesn' t mind," he said, his eyes daring Esther to object.

Esther stayed silent, her gaze fixed on the passing city lights.

Julian seemed pleased by her compliance. As they arrived at the gala, he leaned over and clasped a heavy diamond necklace around her neck.

"Do you like it?" he asked, his breath warm against her ear.

Around them, people were whispering. "Look at them, so in love." "Julian Mcgee is the perfect husband, always spoiling her."

He preened under the praise, his smile widening.

Esther felt the cold weight of the jewels against her skin. They felt like his love-heavy, cold, and fake.

The auction began. People donated expensive items for a good cause. Katia, eager to be the center of attention, stood up.

"I' d like to donate these earrings," she announced, touching the Mcgee heirlooms.

A gasp went through the crowd. Everyone knew what those earrings were. They looked from Katia, to Julian, and then to Esther, their faces filled with pity and morbid curiosity.

Katia shot Esther a look of pure, triumphant malice.

Esther remained calm. She simply waited.

Just as the auctioneer was about to start the bidding, a man in a sharp suit walked onto the stage. He was from the trust that managed the Mcgee family assets.

"I' m sorry," the man said, taking the earrings from a confused Katia. "These earrings are part of the Mcgee Family Trust. They are legally the property of Mrs. Esther Mcgee and cannot be sold or gifted by anyone else."