"You're leaving this house tonight.""
I whispered the words so softly that Ethan almost didn't hear me.
He stood across the dining room table, staring at the thick stack of cash between us and the sealed white envelope beside it.
For a moment, neither of us moved.
Then I smiled.
Not the kind of smile I wore when Marcus was watching.
This one was colder.
"What's wrong, Ethan?""" I asked, tilting my head.
"You look nervous."""
Ethan's jaw tightened.
"Why is there so much money on the table?"""
"Because I thought we could have an honest conversation."""
"Then why is there an envelope with my name on it?"""
I glanced at the envelope.
His name was written across the front in black ink.
ETHAN COLE.
Twenty-three years old. Marcus's only son. The boy who had spent the last six months making it clear that I would never truly belong in his father's house.
I had been married to Marcus for eighteen months.
Eighteen months of pretending to enjoy Ethan's visits, pretending not to notice the way he watched me, and pretending I didn't hear him telling his friends that I was nothing more than a gold digger with expensive taste.
But tonight, I was going to make sure he regretted every word.
"Open it," I said.
Ethan didn't touch the envelope.
"What's inside?"""
"Something your father needs to know."""
"Then give it to him."""
I laughed quietly.
"You're still pretending you don't understand?"""
"Vanessa, I don't know what you're doing, but I'm not interested."""
He turned toward the hallway.
I picked up the cash and moved it closer to him.
"Three hundred thousand dollars," I said.
Ethan stopped.
His eyes dropped to the money.
"What?"""
"Three hundred thousand. It's all here."""
"Where did you get that?"""
"Does it matter?"""
"Yes, it matters."""
He stepped closer, looking at the bundles.
I watched his expression change.
Not greed.
Suspicion.
He looked at the envelope again.
"Is this a setup?"""
My smile disappeared.
"Careful."""
"Did you steal this money?"""
I let out a sharp breath.
"That's an interesting accusation."""
"Then explain why you put it here."""
"Because I wanted to give you a chance."""
"A chance to do what?"""
I leaned across the table.
"Take the money and disappear."""
Ethan stared at me.
Then he laughed once, without humor.
"You're unbelievable."""
"I've been very patient with you."""
"You're the one who keeps trying to turn Dad against me."""
"Your father loves me."""
"He's my father."""
"And he's my husband."""
The silence that followed was almost satisfying.
Ethan looked toward the staircase.
"Does Dad know you're doing this?"""
"Your father doesn't need to know everything."""
"Then I'm calling him."""
I reached for his phone.
He pulled it away.
"Don't touch me."""
I stepped back, pretending to be frightened.
"Excuse me?"""
"I said don't touch me."""
His voice grew louder.
"You can't keep making things up and expecting Dad to believe you!"""
I looked at the money.
Then at the envelope.
Then at the expensive red silk dress I had chosen specifically for tonight.
Everything was ready.
"You're making a terrible mistake," I whispered.
Ethan shook his head.
"No. I think you're finally showing me who you really are."""
I grabbed the front of my red dress.
And tore it.
The fabric ripped with a loud, ugly sound.
Ethan froze.
"What the hell are you doing?"""
I pulled the neckline farther apart, letting the torn fabric hang from my shoulder.
Then I knocked a glass from the table.
It shattered against the marble floor.
Ethan stepped backward.
"Vanessa!"""
I stumbled against the dining chair and began screaming.
"Help! Somebody help me!"""
"What are you doing?"""
I slapped my own cheek.
Hard enough to leave a red mark.
Then I grabbed the edge of the table and knocked several bundles of cash onto the floor.
Ethan stared at me as if he had just watched someone lose her mind.
"Stop!""" he shouted.
I screamed louder.
"Get away from me!"""
Footsteps thundered down the stairs.
Marcus appeared in the doorway, still wearing his navy business suit.
His eyes moved from my torn dress to the broken glass, then to Ethan standing beside the money.
"Vanessa?"""
I covered my chest with one hand.
My lower lip trembled.
"Marcus..."""
He rushed toward me.
"What happened?"""
I pointed at Ethan.
"Your son attacked me!"""
Marcus turned.
"What?"""
Ethan immediately raised both hands.
"Dad, wait."""
"Did you touch her?"""
"No! She's lying!"""
I let out a sob and buried my face against Marcus's shoulder.
"He tried to force me to give him money. When I refused, he grabbed me!"""
Marcus looked down at the cash scattered across the floor.
"Is that what this is about?"""
Ethan shook his head.
"That's not what happened."""
"Then explain the money."""
"She put it there!"""
I cried harder.
Marcus's expression changed.
He had always been protective of me.
That was one of the reasons I had married him.
His first wife had died seven years earlier, leaving him with a son who had never accepted another woman in his father's life.
Marcus had spent years trying to repair that relationship.
I had spent eighteen months quietly convincing him it was impossible.
And tonight, I was going to finish the job.
"Ethan," Marcus said, his voice low.
"Did you attack my wife?"""
"No!"""
"Don't lie to me."""
"Dad, look at her dress!"""
Marcus glanced at me.
I pressed my hand against the torn fabric.
"Please, don't make me talk about it."""
Ethan took a step forward.
"She's doing this on purpose!"""
Marcus's fist connected with his son's jaw.
The sound echoed through the dining room.
Ethan stumbled sideways, hitting the edge of a chair before catching himself against the wall.
For a second, nobody spoke.
Then Ethan slowly touched his split lip.
He looked at his father with disbelief.
"You hit me?"""
Marcus stood between him and me.
"You will not touch her again."""
Ethan's eyes filled with tears, but he refused to let them fall.
"Dad, she did this herself!"""
I lowered my head against Marcus's shoulder.
Behind him, where he couldn't see my face, I smiled.
Just a little.
Ethan saw it.
His expression changed immediately.
"You...""" he whispered.
I quickly returned to my frightened expression.
Marcus pointed toward the staircase.
"Go upstairs."""
Ethan didn't move.
"Look at me, Dad."""
"Now."""
"Just look at me!"""
Marcus grabbed his son's arm.
Ethan pulled away.
"You're making the biggest mistake of your life."""
Marcus's face hardened.
"Don't threaten me in my own house."""
"I'm not threatening you. I'm trying to save you."""
I sniffled.
"Marcus, please..."""
He turned toward me.
"You're safe. I promise."""
Ethan looked at the two of us.
Then he glanced toward the ceiling.
Something about his expression made me uncomfortable.
"What's that?""" he asked.
Marcus followed his gaze.
A small black camera was mounted near the chandelier, angled toward the dining room table.
Ethan pointed at it.
"That camera records everything, doesn't it?"""
My stomach tightened.
Marcus looked up.
"I had it installed last month."""
I forced a laugh.
"Darling, why are we talking about cameras?"""
Marcus frowned.
"Security. You remember."""
Of course I remembered.
I had complained about it for weeks.
Marcus had insisted that the house needed better security after someone attempted to break into his office.
I had forgotten about the camera in the dining room.
Or perhaps I had convinced myself it wasn't working.
Ethan wiped the blood from his lip.
"Good."""
Marcus looked at him.
"What?"""
"Play the recording."""
My heart began pounding.
Marcus pulled out his phone.
"There's no need for this."""
"Then you'll have no problem watching it."""
I reached for Marcus's hand.
"Please, honey. I'm exhausted. I just want him gone."""
Ethan laughed bitterly.
"Of course you do."""
Marcus opened the security application.
A blue loading circle appeared on the screen.
I felt the room shrinking around me.
"Marcus," I whispered.
He glanced at me.
"What?"""
"Maybe we should discuss this privately."""
"Why?"""
"Because I don't want to relive what happened."""
Ethan stepped closer.
"Neither do I."""
The loading circle disappeared.
A video thumbnail appeared.
Marcus tapped it.
The screen showed the dining room from above.
The table.
The cash.
The envelope.
And me.
Standing perfectly still in my red dress.
Marcus pressed play.
I watched my own image move across the screen.
Then he paused it.
May you like
His eyes narrowed.
"Vanessa..."""
