Chapter 3

When I returned to the Martin villa, a sharp, shrill cry cut through the quiet afternoon.

My heart seized. I ran toward the sound, my steps quickening with a terrible sense of dread.

In the backyard, one of the servants was beating my dog, a golden retriever named Sunny.

"Stop!" I screamed, rushing forward and throwing myself between the servant and my pet.

Sunny whimpered, trembling, and crawled into my arms. I held him tight, my body shaking with rage. "What are you doing?" I demanded, my voice sharp.

I ran my hand over Sunny's fur, feeling the welts already forming. My heart ached.

"I told him to do it."

Kylee's soft voice came from behind me. She walked over, Evertt at her side. She clutched her chest, her face a mask of fear.

"He jumped on me, Helen. I almost fell. What if something happened to the baby?"

Evertt frowned, his cold eyes landing on me. "Sunny can't be around Kylee now that she's pregnant."

A chill went through me.

"He's never hurt anyone," I argued, my voice tight.

"He's an animal," Evertt said flatly. "He could hurt her. He could hurt the baby." He gave a slight nod to the servant. "Get rid of it."

I clutched Sunny tighter, my voice pleading. "No, please. I' ll send him away. Just don't hurt him."

For a moment, Evertt's cold gaze wavered, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by the same detached indifference.

"No."

"Evertt!" I cried out, the name slipping out in my desperation and anger before I could stop it.

He didn't flinch. He remained perfectly still, his face an unreadable mask.

The servant pried Sunny from my arms. Another servant held me back, his grip like iron.

The sounds that followed were a nightmare. The thud of the stick, Sunny's terrified yelps, the servant's harsh shouts.

I sank to the ground, a raw, guttural sob tearing from my throat.

Evertt wrapped an arm around Kylee' s shoulders and led her away, not sparing me a single glance.

"Let' s take a walk, honey," I heard him say softly to her. "You shouldn't let this upset you."

I don't know how I made it back to my room.

I sat on the edge of the bed, my gaze sweeping over the space that was once our sanctuary. Photos of Evertt and me. His favorite books on the nightstand. The cashmere throw he bought me.

I used to find comfort in these things. Now, they were just monuments to a lie.

I picked up a framed photo of us, tracing the outline of his smiling face.

"You're so cruel, Evertt," I whispered, my voice breaking. "You have her now. You couldn't even leave me my dog."

The pain was still there, a dull ache in my chest, but the overwhelming urge to die was gone. It had been replaced by something else. Something cold and hard.

I pressed the call button for a servant.

A young maid appeared at the door.

"Pack up everything in this room that belonged to Mr. Martin," I said, my voice calm and empty. "And throw it all away."

The maid looked confused.

"Is there a problem?" I asked, my tone leaving no room for argument.

She shook her head quickly and began to work.

The noise brought Evertt to my door. He pushed it open, his face dark with anger.

"What do you think you're doing?" he demanded, his voice low and dangerous.

The maid froze, looking from him to me.

I offered him a small, chilling smile. "I'm cleaning."

"Who gave you permission to touch his things?" he snapped.

"You did," I replied evenly. "You're always telling me to move on. So I am."

I gestured around the room. "And since Kylee is pregnant, I've decided to start fresh. Getting rid of all this... stuff... feels like a good first step."

He stared at me, his eyes narrowed, searching my face for something. There was a flicker of confusion, of unease.

"You're really letting go?" he asked, his voice laced with suspicion.