adn't left the room since morning. She had sat in the armchair by the window, the crumpled c

urned. Of cou

fused. Not because he wanted her, but because he wanted to hurt her.

wed at her. If you de

d, but she knew what she had to do. If he wouldn't let her go with words, she would give

re, in a moment of desperation she had almost forgotten. Now, she opened the laptop, the

a single penny. S

. The house felt cavernous, every echo a reminder of how small she was within

t open witho

hand. He didn't look up, but she felt his awareness of her presence in the sudden te

laced the divorce agreement

he papers drawn up

words in her head all day. Please sign them.

k, moved to the stack of papers, and then, slowly, to he

the pages. He didn't read a word. When he reached the last page, he held it up,

priceless Persian rug at her fee

h sarcasm. "Already moving on to your next target?" He leaned back

foolishly, that he might see the document, see that she was asking

just let me go?" she asked, her voic

he desk until he was standing directly in fro

voice a low growl. "You wanted to be Mrs. Winters. Well, you got i

ieved she had married him for money. After a year of trying to

. Her shoulders slumped as she walked toward the

doorway,

t night all day-every glance, every word, every silence. And then, a

ass of

ust a moment while she straightened the covers on his side of the bed. And in that moment

in, dear. Do yo

e. But now, standing in the doorway of her hus

ng right there. Right

t Winters down. The words, once dismissed as overbearin

ood ra

she

it had taken root, she couldn't shake

ickly out of the study, her pace accelerating unt

he floor. She felt his eyes on her back-not just dismissive,

he estate kept for staff use were on a hook by the door. It was the first time since her weddi

fumbled for her phone and dialed Dottie. The call w

ad tightened

Queens felt like crossing into another world. Here, the houses were close together, the lawns were small,

all to become the perfect corporate wife. She had learned about wine pairings

like a criminal. To be a p

needed answers. She needed to know if the person who r

est two-story home that suddenly felt alien and threatening.

powerful purr-made her turn. A black Bentley, identical to the on

's side do

nters st

n like Ernst Winters didn't drive himself across boroughs on a whim. He must have seen somethi

her in whatever sch

r, looking utterly out of place on this quiet suburb