Chapter 3

Back at the home Yale and I were supposed to share after our wedding, I opened the suitcase beside the bed and began packing. We'd only moved in a month ago, so there wasn't much to take. Once I'd thrown away the ring box I'd kept hidden for nine years, there was even less.

I'd just closed my suitcase when an electronic voice rang out from the front door.

"Lady Lawson has arrived! Everybody, make way!"

A gust of salty sea air swept inside, and I stared in surprise as Willa pushed the door open.

"Zoey, why'd you come back early without telling us? Yale and I waited forever for you at the beach!"

Ignoring her reproachful look, I kept my eyes fixed on the door.

"How did you get in?"

"Yale registered my fingerprint on the very first day! Did you hear my special welcome message? Pretty awesome, right?"

I nodded, a bitter taste filling my mouth.

In the month since we'd moved in, Yale had given me nothing but a key. Whenever I forgot to bring it, I had no choice but to wait until he got off work so he could let me in.

Only now did I discover that he'd registered Willa's fingerprint the very day we'd gotten the keys to our new home. He'd even set up a personalized welcome message for her.

In our marital home.

Before I could ask anything else, Willa excitedly pulled out the jewelry we'd bought earlier.

"Oh, forget about Yale! He's gone to buy me some tampons. Come on, let's try on the ring!"

With that, she slipped the ring onto my ring finger. Except Willa was the only person who'd tried it on at the store, so of course it didn't fit me.

The ring scraped painfully against my knuckle, and I couldn't help pushing her hand away. Willa lost her balance and grabbed my wrist to steady herself, sending us both tumbling to the floor.

She landed hard on her backside, while I struck my forehead and split it open.

Yale came through the door just then, his voice rising to a shrill shout.

"Zoey Shaw! What the hell are you doing?"

He rushed over and carefully helped Willa to her feet.

Whenever I'd fallen and asked him for help in the past, he'd only told me to learn to be independent like Willa. Yet now that Willa had actually fallen, he couldn't bear to let her struggle for even a moment.

Only after thoroughly checking that she was all right did he finally look at me, his voice turning ice-cold.

"When did you get so vicious? Willa was just trying to help you try on the ring. Why did you push her? Apologize to her right now!"

Vicious. Flaw number 199.

Blood was running into my eyes, and I was in too much pain to speak.

Willa held her backside and waved him off. "It's not Zoey's fault. I'm just tired and lost my balance."

She tried to straighten up to show she was fine, but suddenly went pale and clutched her stomach.

Yale immediately scooped her into his arms. "We're going to the hospital!"

Willa tried to insist it was just period cramps, but for once, Yale refused to listen to her. He grabbed his car keys and headed straight for the door.

Just before he opened it, I called out through my sobs.

"Yale! I'm bleeding."

He stopped and turned to look at me, frowning at the blood covering half my face. His lips parted as though he was about to say something, but the moment Willa cried out in pain, he turned away again.

Just before the door closed, I heard his hoarse voice.

"I'll call an ambulance for you. But if anything happens to Willa, you can forget about getting married."