Chapter 2

"My life isn't worth anything. I don't deserve to make you angry over me."

"It's all my fault. Please don't fight because of me..."

Tiffany started crying. Then she actually dropped to her knees in front of me.

"I was wrong. I never should've asked Mrs. Rivers to buy breakfast. She didn't do anything wrong—it's all on me. Someone like me isn't worth living anyway. I should just jump out a window!"

She screamed and lunged toward the window like she was about to kill herself.

Greyson's face went white. He grabbed her and yanked her back hard.

"Tiffany! Don't do it! I'm here!"

They struggled. His top shirt button popped off.

His neck and chest were covered in marks—fresh red ones and older bruises.

We'd been sleeping in separate beds for almost a month now.

Late nights. Perfume on his clothes. Unexplained charges on his card. His phone glued to his hand.

Every sign I'd ignored suddenly clicked into place.

He'd been cheating.

With her. The intern he was so obsessed with protecting.

My whole body went cold. It hurt to breathe.

Greyson saw me staring at his neck. Panic flashed in his eyes. Then rage.

"Elena, what's the point of dragging up ancient history? I run this company now. You answer to me.

And stop lying—your mom's not that sick. She said herself it's nothing serious. You're making a big deal out of nothing."

The bitterness surged again. My mom had been pretending she was fine so Greyson wouldn't get distracted from work.

If he'd bothered to visit the hospital even once, he'd know she'd die without surgery.

Before I could respond, he kept going.

"You think coming back for one deal makes you special? You're done here. Go home. Take care of our daughter like you're supposed to. That's all you're good for anyway."

That was it. The final straw. All the humiliation, all the rage from finding out he cheated—it exploded.

I raised my hand to slap Tiffany across the face.

Greyson moved fast. He shouted.

"Security! Hold her down!"

Two massive bodyguards grabbed my arms and pinned me to the floor.

Greyson's eyes went dark.

"She tried to hit someone. Beat her. Don't stop until she learns her lesson."

Slap after slap landed on my face. Ten. Fifteen.

My lip split. My cheek swelled. My ears rang. My vision went black.

Greyson turned to the room and barked at everyone.

"If anyone says a word about what happened today, you're fired. Blacklisted for life."

The bodyguards shoved me to the ground. I was covered in filth, tears, and blood. I looked like a drowned rat.

I tried to push myself up. Greyson crouched down in front of me.

"Elena, if you even think about calling the cops, I'll cut off your mom's medication and let her die. And I'll make sure you never see our daughter again."

My chest seized. My nose burned.

My mom had spent her whole life as a professor. She lived frugally, donated most of her salary to scholarships and research funds, gave the rest to Greyson's startup, and kept nothing for herself.

I had no money of my own. I'd been out of work for eight years. Every dollar I'd earned before marriage went into this company. My bank account was joint with Greyson's—he controlled everything.

I bit down hard. I couldn't say a word. I swallowed the lump in my throat.

I stumbled out of the office and went straight to the hospital.

But the second I got to the lobby, my phone rang. The doctor's voice was frantic.

"Mrs. Rivers, your mother's medication has been stopped!"

My whole body shook. I dialed Greyson's number with trembling hands.

He answered immediately. His voice was cold.

"Consider this a lesson. Do what you're told. Go home and stay there. Or your mom won't last another day."

I heard Tiffany's voice in the background, sweet and sickening.

"Greyson, can we go to that French retaurant tonight?"

The line went dead.

I stood in the cold hospital corridor, watching patients and families pass by. I sank to the floor and finally broke down.

I pulled out the debit card I'd opened secretly last month—the only account Greyson didn't know about. I'd been putting aside grocery money, twenty dollars at a time. It had $340 in it.

I handed it to the payment window with shaking hands.

The nurse checked the balance and looked up at me gently.

"Mrs. Rivers, your mother's treatment costs $8,000 a week. This won't cover it."

All the strength left my body.

Ten years of marriage. I'd given up my career, raised his child, kept his house, and saved his company. And to him, I wasn't worth a single dollar.

My mom was in a hospital bed waiting for medication to keep her alive. I had no choice. I wiped my face and headed back to the office.

By the time I got there, it was long past business hours. The whole building was dark except for the top floor—the CEO's office. The lights were still on.

I got to the elevator. The head of security blocked my path, looking me up and down with contempt.

"Mrs. Rivers? What are you doing here? Didn't Mr. Rivers tell you to go home?"

I didn't have time for this. I shoved past him and ran toward the office.

The closer I got, the clearer the sounds became.

A woman moaning. A man's rough breathing. The desk rattling under the weight.

"Greyson, slow down, I can't..."

"What if that old hag finds out? She'll kill me."

Greyson's voice came through, panting.

"Don't worry. She depends on me now. She's got no job, no money, nowhere to go. Without me, she's nothing..."

My mom was dying in a hospital bed. And he was in here screwing his intern.

Rage and humiliation hit me like a tidal wave. I raised my foot and kicked the door open.

BANG.