Chapter 2

Eleanor POV:

The familiar scent of my home, once a comfort, now felt like a suffocating shroud. I dragged myself through the front door, exhaustion a heavy weight on my shoulders. Every step was a battle, every breath a conscious effort. I had spent hours driving, listening to the chilling recording on repeat, letting the venom seep into my veins. It was the only way to keep the façade intact.

"Eleanor, my love! There you are." Joshua's voice, sickeningly sweet, cut through the quiet. He emerged from the kitchen, a worried frown on his face. He moved towards me, his arms outstretched, ready for his usual performance of the doting husband.

I stiffened, a wave of nausea washing over me. The mere thought of his touch sent shivers of revulsion down my spine.

"I'm so sorry, darling. My meeting ran late. I should have been there to pick you up. How was the appointment?" He tried to draw me into an embrace, his hand reaching for my waist.

I subtly sidestepped him, feigning a sudden dizzy spell. "Just a bit tired, honey. Long day. The doctor said everything looks good, though." I managed a weak smile, my voice barely a whisper. The lie tasted like ash.

"That's wonderful news!" His smile was wide, too wide, his eyes gleaming with an unsettling mixture of relief and something I couldn't quite place. Expectation. He was already planning.

He led me to the dining table, where a lavish dinner was laid out. My favorite dishes. A desperate attempt at normalcy, at least for him. The rich aromas, once enticing, now churned my stomach. I felt a cold sweat break out on my forehead.

"I made your favorite pasta," he said, pulling out a chair for me. "You need to keep your strength up, for both of you."

I forced myself to sit, my gaze fixed on the plate. My appetite had vanished, replaced by a deep, gnawing emptiness. "It looks delicious, Joshua, but I think I just need to lie down. I feel a bit... off."

His brow furrowed slightly. "Are you sure, love? You seem a little distant today. Is everything alright?" He reached across the table, his hand covering mine.

I flinched, pulling my hand back as if burned. "Just exhausted, I promise. It's... a lot to take in." My voice was flat, emotionless.

He studied me for a moment, a flicker of suspicion in his eyes. Then, he brightened. "Ah, I know just what will cheer you up! I have a surprise for you. Come on."

He practically dragged me from the table, his enthusiasm feeling like a physical assault. He led me upstairs, down the hallway, and stopped in front of the door to the guest room. The one we always talked about converting into a nursery.

He pushed the door open with a flourish. The room glowed with soft, warm light. A freshly painted mural of fluffy clouds and cartoon animals adorned one wall. A brand-new crib, a rocking chair, and shelves overflowing with tiny clothes and plush toys filled the space. It was perfect. A picture-perfect nursery.

"For our baby, Eleanor," he said, his voice thick with what sounded like genuine emotion. "I wanted to surprise you. A fresh start. This time, everything will be perfect."

I stared at the pristine room, a hollow ache in my chest. He had done this. All of it. The innocent facade, the doting husband, the excited father-to-be. All while planning to betray me and kill our child. The sheer audacity of his deception was breathtaking.

He watched me, a hint of nervousness in his posture. "Do you... do you like it?"

I turned slowly, a ghost of a smile touching my lips. "It's beautiful, Joshua. Truly." The words were a bitter lie, but my voice held no tremor. I was a master of deception now, thanks to him.

His relief was palpable. He stepped closer, reaching into his pocket. "And I have one more thing." He pulled out a small, velvet box. Inside, nestled on a satin cushion, was a delicate diamond necklace. The pendant was shaped like a tiny, intricate cradle.

"It's from the Hunt family heirloom collection," he explained, his voice softer now. "My grandmother wore it when she was expecting her first child. I want you to wear it, Eleanor. A symbol of our new beginning. Our family."

He took the necklace out, his fingers brushing against the cool metal. He stepped behind me, his hands reaching for the clasp. I felt his breath on my neck, and a wave of pure revulsion washed over me. My entire body tensed, resisting the urge to recoil.

But I held still. This was part of the act. Part of the game.

He fastened the clasp, his fingers lingering on my skin. "There. It suits you."

I glanced at my reflection in the mirror, the diamond cradle glinting against my collarbone. A symbol of a stolen past and a future he would never have. A cold, hard realization settled in. This necklace. This exact necklace. I had seen it before. Not on his grandmother, not in some dusty family vault. It was a replica. A cheap imitation of a piece my adoptive mother, his mother-in-law, had once shown me. A gift from Benjamin, a subtle peace offering after their initial disapproval of our marriage. Joshua must have known I wouldn't recognize the fake, or he simply didn't care. The real one was worth millions. This one, likely a few thousand. He couldn't even bother to give me real family jewelry. He was mocking me.

My heart hardened further, a block of ice encasing the last vestiges of my love for him. He was not just a traitor, he was a petty, calculating miser.

I pulled away, turning to face him, my expression unreadable. "Joshua, there's something important we need to discuss." My voice was calm, steady.

He frowned, his momentary delight replaced by caution. "What is it, love? You're scaring me."

I reached into my purse, my fingers closing around the slim folder I had prepared. "Our divorce. I want one."

His eyes widened in shock. "What? Eleanor, what are you talking about? Is this because I was late? Is this about the miscarriages? I told you, we'll get through this. We'll have this baby, and then another. I'll make everything up to you." He tried to sound reassuring, but his voice was laced with panic.

My phone vibrated then, a sharp, intrusive sound. He glanced at it, a notification flashing on the screen. Harlow Miles. A text message. He quickly silenced it, but not before I saw the name.

"Sign these papers, Joshua," I said, my voice cutting through his stammering. "It's a separation agreement, for now. Just until I can think clearly. I need space." My voice was a careful balm, designed to soothe his paranoia. I knew he wouldn't read the documents thoroughly, not with Harlow's urgent message distracting him.

He hesitated, his gaze darting from the documents to his phone, then back to me. "A separation? Eleanor, you're being irrational. We're having a baby!"

"Exactly," I said, my voice colder than ice. "And I need to be calm and focused. This is just a temporary measure, to give us both some breathing room. My lawyer drew them up. Standard procedure." It was a lie. A beautiful, devastating lie. "If you love me, if you care about our baby, you'll sign them. For our peace of mind."

His eyes flickered to the phone once more. He sighed, a sound of frustrated resignation. "Fine. Fine, Eleanor. Just for now. But this doesn't mean anything. We're still together. We're still a family." He snatched the pen I offered, his signature a hurried scrawl at the bottom of the page. He didn't even read the title: "Patent Transfer and Dissolution of Partnership."

"Thank you, Joshua." I took the papers back, a triumphant smile blooming in my heart, though my face remained impassive. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I really do need to rest."

He was already distracted, his phone buzzing again. "I'll be right back, love. Just... a quick call." He practically ran out of the room, leaving me alone with the silence.

I stared at his signature on the document, a chilling sense of satisfaction washing over me. He had just signed away his entire company. Not just a separation agreement. This was the transfer of the Hunt Technologies' core patent, the very heart of his empire, to Jaylen Wilson's rival firm. And legally, he had just agreed to a full and complete dissolution of our shared assets, with me retaining full ownership of the technology I had brought to the table. He was going to lose everything. Every single penny.

I clutched the signed document, my hand still trembling, but this time from a thrill of cold, hard victory. This wasn't merely divorce. This was utter annihilation.

"You think you've won, Joshua?" I whispered to the empty room, my voice a silken threat. "You haven't even begun to lose."

I gazed at the diamond cradle around my neck. A cheap replica, a symbol of his deceit. I would wear it. For now. A reminder of the monster I was married to. A reminder of the vengeance I was about to unleash.