His Guilt, Her Freedom

At their nine-year anniversary party, Annis's husband brought his pregnant mistress home. He told Annis to move her things to the guest room and play hostess.

"She's carrying my son," he said. "Be a good girl."

But that wasn't the worst of it. A few days later, his mistress had "complications." She needed a transfusion. She had a rare blood type-the same as Annis's.

He had his men drag Annis to a private hospital. She had a severe heart condition, and the doctor warned him that a full transfusion could stop her heart. Her husband simply waved him off.

"Do it," he ordered. "I'm assuming full responsibility."

He forced her to sign the papers, saying, "You owe me this, Annis. After all I've given you."

As her blood drained away, her heart monitor began to scream. But his mistress called for him from the next room. He left Annis on the table, snapping at the doctor to "speed it up" before rushing to her side.

The nine years of love she had for him died right there in that hospital bed.

But she didn't die. She survived. And she waited.

On his grandfather's 80th birthday, in front of his entire powerful family, a courier arrived. He wasn't carrying a gift. He was carrying a package from Annis, containing signed divorce papers and the official medical report detailing exactly how her husband had tried to kill her.

Chapter 1

The crystal champagne flute felt cold in Annis Myers's hand. It was supposed to be a celebration, their nine-year anniversary party. The penthouse buzzed with the laughter of Dominick's friends, the clinking of glasses, and the low thrum of music.

But the party had ended for Annis the moment Dominick Reyes walked in.

He wasn't alone. On his arm was Chastity Daugherty, his new junior analyst, her hand resting possessively on her swollen belly. The pregnancy was obvious.

Chastity was glowing. Dominick was smiling, a king in his castle. He brought her straight to Annis.

"Annis, darling," Dominick said, his voice smooth and casual, as if he were discussing the weather. "Chastity is feeling a bit tired. She'll be staying with us from now on."

Annis stared at him, her face a blank mask.

He continued, oblivious or just not caring. "You can move your things to the guest room. And make sure Chastity has everything she needs. She's carrying my son, after all. Be a good hostess."

His words hung in the air, each one a separate, deliberate blow.

A wave of nausea hit Annis, but she pushed it down. She had been preparing for this. For months, she had seen the signs-the late nights, the lingering scent of another woman's perfume, the growing distance in his eyes. She had hoped she was wrong. But she had prepared for the worst.

She gave a small, calm nod. Then she turned and walked toward their bedroom.

Behind her, she heard Dominick's friend, Jake, laugh. "See? What did I tell you? She's a doormat. Always has been."

Dominick's voice was full of arrogant amusement. "I'll give her three days. She'll cry in the guest room, then she'll be back to folding my shirts. Bet you a hundred bucks."

Their laughter followed her down the hall. Annis closed the bedroom door, her hands steady. She didn't pack. Everything was already packed. Two suitcases sat by the door, filled weeks ago. She picked up her purse.

She didn't spare a glance for the room they had shared for nine years. It wasn't her home anymore. It was just a cage.

As she walked out of the bedroom and toward the front door, she ignored the stunned faces of the party guests. Dominick saw her, and his smile faltered.

"Where do you think you're going?" he demanded, stepping in front of her.

"I'm leaving, Dominick." Her voice was quiet but firm.

He scoffed. "Don't be dramatic. Go to the guest room and cool off."

"No."

He grabbed her arm, his fingers digging into her skin. "Take off that bracelet."

His gaze fixed on the delicate, valuable platinum chain on her wrist. It wasn't just jewelry; it was her mother's only legacy to her. The memory was sharp and painful: her mother, on her deathbed, placing the cool metal into Annis's hand. She had made Dominick promise, right then and there, that he would cherish and protect Annis for the rest of his life. With this single, cruel demand, he was not just taking a piece of jewelry; he was shattering that sacred vow completely.

"Why?" she asked, her voice still level.

"Chastity has been having nightmares," he said, his expression turning cold. "She says it's because she feels guilty about you. Seeing that on your wrist will only make it worse. She needs it more than you do."

The cruelty of it was breathtaking. He wanted to strip her of everything, even this final, sacred memory. Annis looked past him, at Chastity, who was watching with a small, triumphant smile. That look, combined with the ghost of Dominick's broken promise, gave her a final, chilling strength.

She looked Dominick in the eye. "You're right. She does need it."

Annis walked over to Chastity. She unclasped the bracelet from her own wrist. "I wish you and the baby well," she said softly, her voice devoid of emotion.

She held the precious chain out to Chastity. But instead of taking it, Chastity's hand shot out and snatched it. With a malicious smirk, she deliberately and forcefully slammed the bracelet against the sharp corner of a glass table.

There was a sickening crack. The platinum chain snapped, and the priceless diamond at its center fractured. The pieces of the shattered heirloom scattered across the floor. One tiny shard of metal flew up, nicking Chastity's arm.

A thin line of red appeared on her skin.

"Oww!" Chastity shrieked, clutching her arm. "My baby! She hurt me! She's trying to hurt my baby!"

Dominick's face contorted with rage. He rushed to Chastity's side, examining the tiny scratch as if it were a fatal wound.

"Are you okay, sweetheart? Is the baby okay?" he cooed, ignoring Annis completely.

Annis almost laughed. The scene was so absurd, so perfectly Dominick. She remembered her own pain, her own loss, and his complete indifference. The contrast was a bitter pill.

Dominick whirled on her, his eyes blazing. "What the hell is wrong with you? Look what you did!"

He grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her forward. "Apologize. Now."

His grip was like iron. He forced her down to her knees. The impact sent a sharp pain through her kneecaps as they hit the marble floor. He looked down at her, his face filled with disgust.

"You always have to make a scene, don't you?" he hissed. "Apologize to Chastity."

Annis looked up at him. She had apologized for nine years. For his moods. For his mistakes. For existing in his world.

This would be the last time.

She turned her head to Chastity, who was now being tended to by a frantic Dominick.

"I'm sorry," Annis said, her voice a dead monotone. "Is that good enough for you?"

Dominick's face flushed with anger at her tone. "You little-"

Just then, the paramedics he must have called in his panic burst through the door. Dominick immediately dropped Annis, his attention snapping back to his pregnant mistress.

"She's pregnant! My son could be in danger!" he yelled, guiding them to the couch.

Annis slowly got to her feet, her knees aching. No one looked at her. No one cared.

She walked out the door without a backward glance. Outside, a black sedan was waiting, just as her old college friend, Haven Harper, had promised.

She got in the car and didn't look back.

The next day, Annis was at a hotel near the airport when two of Dominick' s men showed up at her door. They were polite but firm. Mr. Reyes requested her presence.

It wasn't a request.

They brought her back to the penthouse. It was quiet now, the remnants of the party cleared away. Dominick was waiting for her in the living room, his face a mask of cold fury. Chastity was nowhere to be seen.

"Chastity is at the hospital," Dominick said without preamble. "The stress from last night caused some complications. She' s bleeding."

Annis remained silent.

"She needs a blood transfusion," he continued, his eyes locking onto hers. "She has a rare blood type. The hospital' s supply is low." He paused, letting the words sink in. "It' s the same blood type as yours."

A cold dread washed over Annis. She knew what was coming.

"You will go to the hospital and you will give her your blood," he stated. It wasn' t a question. It was an order.

"Dominick, you know I can' t," she said, her voice barely a whisper. "My heart condition..."

She had a pre-existing arrhythmia, a condition that made any major medical procedure, including donating a large amount of blood, risky. He knew this. He had been with her at the specialist' s office.

He waved a dismissive hand. "The doctors are exaggerating. It' s a minor risk. Chastity and my son are at a major risk. You will do this."

"The doctors will never approve it," she said, clutching at that straw of hope.

"They don' t have to approve it. I' ve already made the arrangements. My doctors are waiting. You will sign the consent forms." He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a low, menacing growl. "You owe me this, Annis. After all I' ve given you for nine years."

Annis looked at his merciless face and felt something inside her finally snap. It wasn' t anger. It was a chilling sense of finality. If this was the price of her freedom, she would pay it.

"Fine," she said, her voice hollow. "I' ll do it. On one condition."

He raised an eyebrow, surprised she would dare to bargain.

"After this," she said, "you and I are done. You let me go. You never contact me again."

A cruel smile played on his lips. "You think you can survive without me? Fine. If it gets you to cooperate, you have a deal."

He thought she was bluffing. He thought she' d come crawling back.

At the hospital, a private wing had been prepared. The doctor looked nervous. "Mr. Reyes, her condition... a full transfusion is highly inadvisable. It could induce cardiac arrest."

"Do it," Dominick ordered, his voice like ice. "I' m assuming full responsibility. Just get it done."

The doctor looked at Annis with pity, but he was on Dominick' s payroll. He nodded grimly.

Annis lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling. They strapped her down. The needle went into her arm. She didn' t flinch. She just closed her eyes, a strange sense of peace settling over her. This was the end of her life with him.

"Don' t worry, Annis," Dominick' s voice came from beside her. He was trying to sound soothing, but it was just another performance. "You' re doing the right thing. I' ll make it up to you."

She didn' t open her eyes. She didn' t want to see his face. She felt the blood draining from her, a slow, weakening pull. Her heart began to flutter erratically. The monitor beside her started beeping faster.

"It' s just a little discomfort," Dominick said impatiently.

Then, from the next room, Chastity' s faint voice called out, "Dominick? I' m scared."

Dominick was on his feet in an instant. "I' m coming, baby."

He glanced back at Annis, his face now annoyed. "Can' t you speed this up?" he snapped at the doctor. "She' s barely complaining."

"Mr. Reyes, her vitals are unstable! Any faster could kill her!" the doctor protested.

It was Annis who spoke, her voice weak but clear. "Do it. Go faster."

She wanted it to be over. She wanted to be free.

Dominick looked at her, a flicker of something-anger? confusion?-in his eyes. But Chastity called his name again, and he was gone.

The world started to go grey. The beeping of the monitor became a distant hum. Annis let the darkness take her.

She woke up in a different hospital room. She was weak, so weak she could barely lift her head. A nurse was adjusting her IV drip.

Dominick came to see her a few days later. He brought a bouquet of expensive, scentless lilies.

"You' re looking better," he said, placing them on the bedside table.

Annis tried to sit up. He moved to help her, but she flinched away from his touch.

He frowned. "Still being difficult?"

"I need my phone," she said, her voice raspy.

"Why?"

"I want my phone, Dominick."

He pulled it from his pocket and tossed it onto the bed. "Don' t think that little deal we made means anything. You' re still my wife. You' ll come home when you' re discharged." He was already turning to leave. "Chastity needs me."

Annis watched him go. She felt nothing. No anger, no sadness. Just a vast, empty space where her love for him used to be.

As soon as the door closed, she picked up her phone. Her fingers trembled as she dialed the number.

"Haven?" she whispered when he answered.

"Annis! I' ve been so worried! I' ve been calling, you haven' t been answering. What happened? Are you okay?" His voice was a torrent of concern.

Tears welled in her eyes for the first time. "He found me, Haven. He did something... something terrible."

She told him everything. The transfusion. The threat.

There was a heavy silence on the other end of the line. Then Haven' s voice came back, tight with fury. "I' m booking a flight right now."

"No, not yet," Annis said, interrupting Haven' s frantic planning. "I need a few more days. I have to get my passport and my real documents from the penthouse. I have to do this myself."

There was a pause. "Annis, it' s too dangerous."

"I know," she said. "But it' s the only way. Just... be ready."

Dominick visited her again the next day, his mood strangely cheerful. He didn' t seem to notice the new resolve in her eyes. He was too wrapped up in himself.

"Chastity is feeling much better, thanks to you," he announced, as if she should be grateful for the praise. "I' ll be taking her home tomorrow. You can come home in a few days."

He was so sure of himself, so certain she had nowhere else to go. He thought her little social circle consisted of a few wives of his business partners, women who would drop her the second she was no longer Mrs. Reyes. He had no idea about Haven, her one true friend, a man he' d met once at a college reunion and dismissed as a nobody farmer.

In the days that followed, Dominick didn' t visit. He was too busy playing the doting father-to-be. A mutual acquaintance, still unaware of the split, forwarded Annis a link to a society blog. There was a gallery of photos: Dominick and Chastity at a charity gala, his arm wrapped protectively around her; Dominick and Chastity shopping for baby furniture, his smile wide and genuine.

He posted a picture on his own Instagram. It was him and Chastity, their hands intertwined over her belly. The caption read: "My whole world. Can' t wait to meet our little man."

Annis stared at the picture. Then, with a steady hand, she typed a comment.

"Congratulations. I wish you both a lifetime of happiness."

Her phone immediately rang. It was Dominick. She let it go to voicemail. He called again. She silenced her phone.

A few days later, she was discharged. She called a cab and went to the hospital exit, her small bag clutched in her hand.

And there they were.

Dominick and Chastity were just leaving the OB-GYN clinic on the ground floor. A nurse was walking with them, beaming.

"You are going to be such a wonderful father, Mr. Reyes," the nurse gushed. "The way you care for her is just so beautiful to see."

Dominick preened under the praise. Chastity looked at him with adoration.

Annis froze, the air knocked out of her lungs. The scene transported her back five years. She had been in this very clinic, in a different room, bleeding. She had just lost their baby. Dominick had been there. He hadn' t held her hand. He hadn' t spoken a word of comfort.

He had just looked at his watch and said, "Can they hurry this up? I have a meeting."

The memory, sharp and brutal, cut through the fog of her weakness. That was the man the world saw as devoted.

Dominick spotted her then. His smile vanished, replaced by a scowl. "Annis? What are you doing here? I told you I' d send a car for you."

Chastity clung to his arm, looking at Annis with a mix of pity and triumph. "Oh, Annis, you poor thing. You look so pale. Dominick, we should take her home with us. She shouldn' t be alone."

It was a performance of kindness, sharp and cruel.

"Of course, baby," Dominick said, stroking Chastity' s hair. "Annis, get in the car. We' re going home."

Annis looked at them, the perfect happy couple. And she got in the car.

She had to get her passport. It was her only way out.

The ride to the penthouse was silent. Annis sat in the back, Chastity' s expensive leather diaper bag sitting on the seat beside her, a blatant symbol of her replacement. Chastity chattered happily in the front, pointing out things in shop windows, and Dominick responded with indulgent murmurs.

It was a perfect domestic scene. A perfect lie.