Chapter 2

The next day, I overheard them again. This time, they were in the garden, their voices drifting through the open window of the library where I was pretending to read.

"My birthday is next week, Ethan," Geneva whined. "You promised you'd throw a party for me. A real one. Where everyone knows who I am."

For years, Ethan had told me his birthday was in October. We always celebrated it, just the two of us, with a quiet dinner. He said he hated big parties. Another lie. It turned out his real birthday was next week, the same as Geneva's.

My body went rigid. A sharp pain shot through my chest, making it hard to breathe. All those "intimate" celebrations were just a way to keep me isolated, to keep his real life separate from the sham he built with me.

"Of course, my love," Ethan's voice was syrupy sweet, a tone he hadn't used with me in years. "Anything for you. We'll announce our relationship. It's time everyone knew you are the true Mrs. Mcclure."

I wanted to scream. I wanted to throw the book in my hands through the window and watch it shatter. But I held on, my knuckles white.

Later that day, Ethan's secretary called. Her voice was strained, overly cheerful.

"Mrs. Mcclure, Mr. Mcclure is hosting a large party at the estate next Friday. He wanted to make sure you were prepared."

"Thank you," I said, my voice hollow.

The night of the party, the estate was transformed. Fairy lights twinkled in the trees, music drifted from a live band, and hundreds of Silicon Valley's elite milled around the pool, champagne flutes in hand. It was a scene of opulent celebration, and it felt like a funeral.

Geneva made her grand entrance on Ethan's arm. She wore a stunning red dress that shimmered under the lights, a diamond necklace that I recognized as one Ethan had given me a few years ago sparkling at her throat. She looked every bit the lady of the manor.

People swarmed them, offering congratulations and compliments. "What a beautiful couple!" "Geneva, you look radiant!" "Ethan, you're a lucky man!"

She basked in the attention, her laughter echoing across the lawn. Ethan stood beside her, his arm possessively around her waist, a proud smile on his face. They kissed for the crowd, a long, passionate kiss that made my stomach turn.

I stood in the shadows of the veranda, a ghost at my own husband's party. I felt a pressure building in my chest, a scream trapped in my throat. I had to hold it together. Just a little longer.

Ethan finally saw me. He strode over, his smile gone, his eyes hard. He grabbed my arm, his fingers digging into my flesh.

"I need you to do something for me," he said, his voice low and threatening.

He dragged me towards the center of the party, to a small stage set up for announcements.

"When I get up there with Geneva," he hissed in my ear, "I'm going to announce our engagement. I want you to stand at the side and lead the applause. I want you to look happy for us."

My heart stopped. He wanted me to applaud the woman who had stolen my life, who was celebrating on the ashes of my happiness.

I looked into his cold, merciless eyes and saw the truth. This was a test. A power play. He wanted to break me completely.

For a moment, I said nothing. Then, a strange calm settled over me.

"Okay," I said, my voice barely a whisper.

He looked surprised, but pleased.

In that moment, I let him go. I let go of the seven years of love, the seven years of lies. I let go of the man I thought he was. He was dead to me.

Just then, Leo ran up to us, his face alight with excitement. He was holding a brand-new, expensive-looking toy robot.

"Daddy, look what Geneva bought me!" he shouted, completely ignoring me.

My heart, which I thought couldn't break any further, splintered into a thousand more pieces. Last month, for his birthday, I had spent weeks hand-carving a set of wooden animals for him. He had taken one look at them and thrown them in the trash, saying they were "stupid and cheap."

"That's great, son," Ethan said, ruffling his hair.

Leo then turned to me, his eyes demanding. "It's Geneva's birthday. What did you get her?"

Before I could answer, Geneva glided over, her eyes landing on the simple silver locket I wore around my neck. It was my mother's. The only thing I had left of her.

"Oh, that's a pretty necklace," she said, her voice dripping with faux sweetness. "It would look so much better on me."

Ethan's eyes flickered to the locket. For a split second, I saw a flash of hesitation. He knew what it meant to me.

But then Leo, ever the spoiled brat, lunged for it.

"Give it to her!" he screamed, his small hands grabbing the delicate chain.

The chain cut into my skin as he yanked. Pain, sharp and sudden, shot through my neck.

"Leo, stop!" I cried out.

But he didn't. He pulled harder, a cruel smile on his face.

I looked at Ethan, a silent plea in my eyes. He just watched, his face a cold, unreadable mask.

With a final, vicious tug, the chain snapped. The locket fell into Leo's hand.

My hand flew to my neck, where a thin line of blood was already welling up.

With a heart completely shattered, I looked at Geneva. Her eyes were gleaming with triumph as Leo proudly presented her with his prize.

"Here, Geneva," he said.

"Thank you, sweetie," she cooed, taking the locket and fastening it around her own neck. It looked obscene against her red dress.

Leo looked confused for a moment, as if he expected a bigger fight. Ethan's face was unreadable, a flicker of something uneasy in his eyes. But then he saw Geneva's happy smile, and his expression relaxed.

I didn't say a word. I just turned and walked away, my back straight, my head held high. I went to a quiet corner of the garden, pulled out my phone, and booked a one-way ticket to a country on the other side of the world. My flight was in two hours.

I was almost free.

But as I stood up to leave, Geneva appeared behind me.

"Leaving so soon?" she sneered. "The party's just getting started."

She stood at the top of the stone steps that led down from the veranda to the garden. I was at the bottom.

"I have nothing to say to you," I said, my voice flat.

"Oh, but I have plenty to say to you," she said, taking a step down. "I just wanted to thank you. For everything. For your husband, your home, your son..." She gestured to the locket. "And for this."

She took another step, her smile widening into a malicious grin.

And then, she "tripped."

She let out a theatrical scream as she tumbled forward, her arms flailing. She didn't fall down the stairs. She fell into me.

Her body hit mine with the force of a battering ram. The impact sent me flying backward. My feet tangled beneath me, and I fell.

My head hit the stone-paved ground with a sickening crack. A burst of white-hot pain exploded behind my eyes, and then, a wave of blackness threatened to pull me under.

The last thing I saw before I lost consciousness was Geneva, clutching her ankle and screaming, "She pushed me! Elaine pushed me down the stairs!"

Ethan was rushing towards her, his face a mask of concern. Leo was right behind him, his eyes wide with fake horror.

They ran right past my bleeding, broken body, their only concern for the woman who had just tried to kill me.