ВойтиCHLOE’S POVI watch Tom’s face as Victor reads and presents the conversations with April. It’s a mix of horror and disbelief. It is gratifying to watch.At least he now gets to know how it feels to be betrayed by the person you loved and trusted most.“May 28th – we have the airline records and receipts from your trip to Bali—” Victor says.“I went there for business.” There’s venom in Tom’s voice when he says this.“These are the messages shared by Miss. Sunday to my client. My client had been institutionalized at the time and wasn’t able to respond.” Victor showed the online messages with April lounging in a bikini against Tom who was laying with sunglasses on in his swim trunks with no shirt. “The message attached says : we hope you’re enjoying all the needles and tests. Next time don’t get in our way – then there’s a winky emoji.”Tom reaches to take the photo but Victor pulls it back too quick and leaves it on the table before picking up another, “May 30th – Tommy feels bad that
TOM’S POV“Did you get what I asked for?” Tom asked Hendrix as Hendrix drove them towards the company.Tom needed to grab a contract for a business dinner later that night. After picking it up, he’d meet Chloe for the first time since the vacation house. Anna’s fiancé, Victor, was hosting the meeting at his office.Tom didn’t mind them having the home-field-advantage. He couldn’t imagine what they could have to use against him.Tom was flicking through his phone when Hendrix answered, “I did sir. It’s in the bag.”Tom nodded. He grabbed the bag and pulled out the velvety silk covered bracelet box. He opened it and paused.“Why is this green?” He asked.Hendrix looked into the rear-view mirror, “you asked for something Mrs. Hayden would like. She likes green.”“She likes pink.” Tom said, somewhat annoyed, “and she doesn’t like daisy’s. What’s with this design?”Hendrix hesitated. April liked the green and she liked the daisy’s. Isn’t that who he intended to gift this to?“If I give thi
I shift. I try to sit up but he holds me down and pulls me closer.“I don’t like when you run away from me,” he breathes.“How did you get in here?” How did he know where I was?“Have you been eating?” He ignores my question. His hand lowers to my stomach.Again, I try to break free of his grasp. I have to shake harder but I finally manage and sit up. I turn on the side table light and turn back to look at him.He lounges beside me, rubbing his eyes a little at the sudden light. He shakes his head and looks up at me.“What are you doing here?” I ask in a hard voice. I try, but fail, to control the panic starting to seize my body.“I missed you,” He let the hand still resting on my stomach lightly play with the fabric covering my body. “I know you don’t like hospitals. I’m not mad.”His voice remains unexpectedly smooth.How can he be this calm? I ran away with another man. He should be…A new thought takes over my mind. I look around the room as if there may be answers as I ask, “wher
Carson brings me tea and breakfast in bed. He doesn’t let me stand up and helps me when I finally need to use the washroom.I look at him, confused as to why he’s so dedicated to helping me.“Chloe,” he says while peeling an orange for me, “why don’t you divorce him?”“It’s not that easy.” I say, “he won’t agree. And ever since the first time he’s become obsessive. If I want a divorce I probably have to trick him. But it’s hard to do with April around. She makes him paranoid.”I accept an orange slice he offers me and take a bite.Then I ask, “do you need to go to work?”“I took a few days off.”“Where are we?”“My friend’s summer home. Tom shouldn’t be able to track us here.”I still, my body trembling lightly as I ask, “does he know we’re together?”Carson watches me. Then he breathes, “he probably knows. But he doesn't know where I am and I have an excellent reputation in the medical community so I’ll be fine even if I lose my position at the hospital.”“I don’t want you to struggl
TOM’S POVTom paced the kitchen of his new home, lost in thought. The home staff, Hendrix, and April lined up nervously watching him. Uneasy side glances to one another. Biting lips and trembling hands. Restlessly wondering who would be the first to crack“What happened?” He finally asked.He’d asked the question 50 times on the ambulance ride to the hospital. He’d felt his heart shatter with every word from the doctor’s had said.Malnourished? Rotten food? Dehydrated? Bruises on her wrists and ankles?The baby was now in a more critical condition.The stuttering voices of the shaking staff never formed full sentences.“WHAT HAPPENED?!” He bellowed. They all flinched back.Her voice shaken and showing true concern, April stepped forward.“W-wh-when you were gone…. Mrs. Yana—” The head housekeeper looked sideways at April with wide, warning eyes. April met this side stare and continued, “Mrs. Yana informed me that Mrs. Hayden refused to eat in protest. She said you’d punish the staff f
I refuse to speak. He has a camera.“How did she call you?” Tom’s voice was low and menacing.“We found this—” April walks in with a burner phone. My heart stops. How did she find it?But when Tom takes it and looks at it, I see it’s a decoy. Meant for their story. They don’t know about my phone. Fine. So long as I’m not going to be assaulted, just divorce me. If he’d rather be cheated on than to be amicably separated, that’s his choice.Tom examines it for a bit, running through messages that are either imaginary or briefly reading prearranged texts. I don’t know which.Tom throws the phone to the floor and then looks at the men begging forgiveness.“Take them to the cabin. Let them be eaten by animals.” Tom orders and a group of men in suits grab the men as they thrash and argue.They yell, “Mrs. Hayden!”“You said this wouldn’t happen!”“You promised!”“Mrs. Hayden!”“We did what you said—stop him!”“Mrs. Hay—”Tom turns directly to me, his cold eyes hard and emotionless.“Everyone







