Chapter 5

We had never had a fight this explosive in our marriage until today.

Chase grabbed the large, ornate frame that held our wedding photo and smashed it against the wall while I watched. He plowed through priceless vases, chinaware, and other custom mementos we had commissioned during our honeymoon.

He screamed, "I had no fucking idea how petty you actually were until today. Was any of this necessary? Did you really need to get the entire company, a public entity, by the way, to ostracize her over our private matter?

"I've told you a thousand times. There is nothing between us. Why won't you stop hurling baseless, insulting accusations at her?"

I surveyed the wreckage of his rage with the detachment of an outsider. "Nothing, you say? Nothing? If she truly had some kind of gastric condition, do you know the proper way to handle it?

"You send her to a clinic. That's it. You did not need to give her the lunch I made for you. My effort is not a prop in your little courtship game.

"And that bracelet may cost you nothing, but it's worth several months of her salary. So why? Out of everyone in the company, why did you give it to her alone?"

Chase did not hesitate for even a second. "Because it was an apology gift. You insulted and hurt her, Greta. I had to do something to make up for it. This is on you."

I scoffed. "Did I ask you to do that? No. I'm an adult woman, fully capable of bearing the consequences of my own actions. I didn't ask for your interference. And besides, how long did it take you to come up with that excuse? Do you really think I don't know what's going through your mind?

"You follow her Instagram. You've seen everything she posts. You know exactly what she's implying in those captions, and you enjoy it. You love being the center of a needy girl's attention and affection while hiding behind plausible deniability.

"It feeds your ego, doesn't it? You knew her behavior would upset me. You knew defending her would hurt me. That was the point. God, it makes you feel like such an alpha male when two women are fighting over you, doesn't it? The most desirable little wanker of them all."

I pointed at the shattered remains of our wedding frame and said flatly, "My dad hired a team of artisans to create that piece from scratch as our wedding gift. It took them three weeks. Did you even know that?

"And that vase. Did you notice our names woven into the pattern? I carved those myself. I learned how from a craftsman so I could do it with my own hands.

"Look under your shoes, Chase. We made those glass swans together at a luxury workshop in a rustic mountain town. Now all that's left are shards because you threw and stomped them in a tantrum over another woman.

"You've destroyed everything we built together. Everything that reflected our relationship. Everything that symbolized our marriage. Actions speak louder than words, Chase. And yours were deafening."

The anger drained from his face in an instant, replaced by panic. "No, Greta. Wait. That's not what you—"

"Shhh. I know," I said softly. I picked up the jewel-studded statue we bought on holiday years ago. "You see, I have a violent side too. Pay attention, Chase. You're about to get a perfectly valid reason to divorce me."