edges. A cold sweat broke out on her forehead, and the chattering v

She stared at her reflection in the ornate mirror. Her face was pale, her eyes haunted. This wasn't

m the adjoining sitting room, a room rarely used

pped. She kne

but she could see them clearly. Bennett had Aria pressed against

ing the diamonds at her own throat. "What if Kel

st her lips. "She won't. She believes every word I say. And even if she did find

al. It was the contempt. He saw her as a fool. Pliable, trusting, and easy to deceiv

he man she loved didn't respect her. He didn't even see her as an equal. The fou

k back out into the glittering party, the mask

eks. Aria caught her eye and, to Kelsey's shock, made her w

tness. The cake was a beautiful mango mousse, decorated with fresh sli

at her side as if on cue. His smile was tight, a command

emember. It wasn't that he was actively trying to kill her. It was worse. He had simply forgotten. Forgotten the frantic hospital visits, the epi-pens, the nights he'd spent watching her breathe just to be sure.

ard edge to it now. "It's just a piece of cake. Don

cally. "Oh, it's my fault," she whimpered, tears welling in her eyes

he turned back to Kelsey. He picked up a fork, cut a piece of the cake, a

ping for air after accidentally eating a pastry with mango puree. She remembered Bennett, his face pale with terror, kneeling by h

s mind so full of his mistress that there

k from his hand, and calmly, deliberately, ate the piece of cake. She swallowed the

xpression quickly relaxed into one of satisfaction. He had won. H

ey's over Bennett's shoulder. Then, she clut

face a mask of terror for the baby that didn't exist. "I'm taking you to

ightening in her throat, a fire spreading across her skin. No one noticed as she turned an

to the nearest

ked, her eyes full of professional pity as she s

voice a hollow whisper

nd, she could see them. Bennett had brought Aria to the same hospital, to a private room down the hall

ent tear. "Don't you worry about a thing," he murmured, his voice

r. The nurses on the floor were whispering, commenting on

he truly was now: a man who didn't just want a replacement, he had already replaced he

om, Kelsey knew she had to make it of