Chapter 3

Adrian walked over and lowered his voice.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes."

"The roads are still closed. How are you going to leave?"

"I'll wait until they open."

He studied me for two seconds, then gave a cold laugh.

"Fine. If you want space, take your space."

He turned and went back to the group.

Chloe sat by the fireplace wrapped in a blanket. Adrian handed her a mug of hot cocoa.

That morning, the hall suddenly came alive.

A line of silver letters hung on the wall:

"Happy 5th Wedding Anniversary to Adrian and Emma, and Welcome Chloe Reed Officially to the Moretti Group."

Vince smoothed things over. "Adrian, Chloe meant well. She said she didn't want to steal your anniversary thunder—celebrating together would be more fun."

Adrian looked at the banner and frowned slightly.

But Chloe was gazing at him, face full of expectation.

In the end, he didn't have it taken down.

He just said quietly to me, "She's only trying to make everyone happy. Don't overthink it."

The cake on the table was mango-flavored.

I'm allergic to mango. Mango is Chloe's favorite.

So this wasn't my fifth anniversary. It was her welcome party.

People started egging us on.

"Emma, come have a toast with Don Moretti."

"Five years of marriage—you've got to mark it somehow."

Chloe walked up to me holding a glass, her voice soft.

"Emma, happy fifth anniversary."

Adrian held out a flute of champagne. "Happy fifth anniversary."

I didn't take it.

His tone darkened. "Emma."

Chloe's eyes instantly reddened.

"Is it because my name was added? Are you upset? I'll go tear it down. Really, don't mind me."

"Don't."

Adrian stopped her, then turned to me. "What exactly do you want? In front of all these people."

He pressed the glass into my hand.

I flicked my wrist. The champagne spilled across the floor.

A few drops splashed onto Chloe's shoes. She yelped.

The hall went silent.

Adrian's face turned to ice. He seized my wrist and yanked me aside.

I stumbled back two steps, my lower back slamming hard into the edge of the bar counter. Pain exploded from my spine and radiated down into my abdomen.

Vince grabbed Adrian immediately.

"Adrian, calm down."

Adrian shook him off and stared at me. "What exactly do you want?"

I steadied myself against the counter. The dragging pain in my lower belly started again.

"Happy fifth anniversary." I looked at him. "I'll remember this celebration for the rest of my life."

I walked to the table, picked up the entire mango cake, and flipped it into the trash can.

No one spoke.

Chloe sobbed softly.

Someone tried to mediate. "Emma, was that really necessary? Chloe's just a young girl."

I poured myself a glass of warm water.

"Show's over. I'm going back to my room."

As I passed Adrian, he clamped down on my arm.

"Emma Cole, you will apologize to Chloe tomorrow."

I pried his fingers off one by one.

"If anyone's apologizing, do it yourself."

Back in the storage room, I slid down the wall to the floor, my forehead drenched in cold sweat.

I found the progesterone pills. Only two left in the bottle.

I swallowed them. My throat tightened.

My phone buzzed. A text from Adrian.

"Say something nice to Chloe tomorrow and we'll put this behind us. Stop making trouble, Emma."

I stared at the screen and typed back one line.

"As you wish. It's behind us."