CHAPTER 3

I turned around on my bed that night, reality dawning heavily on me.

It was painful. I left my dreams for people I cared about and now I was the one left on my own.

Carter was cheating on me.

My parents no longer called me.

I had no one.

Barely any friends.

How did I let my life become this way?

Morning came before I could dwell on the night.

“Thank you Carter, for opening my eyes.” I exhaled, wiping the tears from my eyes.

It would be the last time I cried because of a man.

Clothes flew and went straight into my bag. The jewellery he had gotten me would probably be useless. I didn't want anything to remind me of him.

I was done.

I took my bath and wore the best of my clothes. If I wanted to leave such a sad part of my life, I had to leave it wonderfully.

Even though I was pretending to be glad, I would do it with whatever pride I had left.

I was about to step out, when the main door was pushed open.

Carter stepped in, a wide smile was on his face.

“You are welcome, Fiona. She's not around.”

Fiona?

“Who's not around?” I said, my voice breaking into his conversation.

Carter slowly turned to me, but there was no change of expression on his face.

Like he didn't care how bringing another woman into our home would affect me.

“You didn't go to the opera show.” His smile had fallen off when he spoke to me.

“I don't like such shows.” I responded, with a blank expression on my face.

The door was quickly pushed open and Fiona stepped in.

“My lovely sister. How have you been?” She said in a sultry voice.

I didn't want to show my surprise, and my eyes went down to her finger, there was no ring on it.

Could it be that Carter was cheating on me with a different woman?

“Mum said you'd be coming but she didn't say you'd come today.” I said, my brows furrowing.

It was obvious to the three of us what the next development would be.

And this time I wasn't going to play dumb.

This was still my house, and I had the right to give permission for someone to stay here.

Carter suddenly stepped up, “As much as I'd like to engage in the warm welcome. Fiona will be staying with us for sometime.”

“Carter,” I frowned, “You didn't tell me about this.”

The look he sent my way was stern, and I bit my lips.

Was he going to ridicule me in front of my sister?

“Know your place, Yilena. With Fiona coming back, the next thing is pretty much obvious.”

“But…”

Fiona walked forward, “Carter, please don't be rude to her. She is still your wife.”

I could only watch them, words couldn't leave my mouth.

Was this how a wife should be treated?.

Carter gave me an indifferent look, taking in my attire.

“It seems you are already well dressed. There's an impromptu family meeting right now, and I have to leave.” Carter said, before turning to me.

“Do you want to stay back?” He asked.

On a normal day, I would have chosen to stay back. His family didn't like me and their words for me were always filled with insults and ridicule.

But today was different.

Maybe it was the wind, or the relaxation that came with the thought that I would be getting rid of this suffocating marriage.

“I’d go with you.” I answered, and walked out of the door. I didn’t miss the annoyed look on my sister’s face but I didn’t care.

This time, I would allow no one to walk over me, and I would stand my right as the wife.

“You don’t really look happy to see me, Sis.” Fiona said as we stepped towards the car, and irritation filled me.

“We both know why you are here, Fiona, and I am not here to play pretend.” I said, in a cool voice.

Did she think I planned to keep this position?

My eyes went to the way Carter stayed by her side, not even sparing a glance at me. It broke my heart how different he acted towards her, when I was his wife.

The ride to the Stone estate was suffocating. Fiona claimed the passenger seat as if it were a throne, adjusting the mirror to check her reflection.

I sat in the back, the space between us feeling like an ocean, maybe because it allowed me the slight sense of peace, which was better than the feeling of betrayal

Fiona turned around in her seat, her eyes raking over my outfit with a smirk "You know, Yilena," she said, "it’s really sweet that you’re trying to keep up with the modern fashion, but that dress is... so dated. People are going to wonder why you're dressed like a housekeeper."

She laughed, before turning to Carter, “Or what do you think, Ba– Carter?”

I heard the slip, and my eyes met with Carter as he looked at me from the top mirror.

“I don’t care about what she wears. It’s her body.” He uttered, before focusing on the road.

My nails dug into my palm, and I tried hard to forget the pain that settled on my chest.

Fiona laughed, a sharp, piercing sound. "Don't worry, though. Once I'm settled, I’ll take you shopping. You shouldn't have to embarrass Carter by looking like a charity case."

The old me—the me of yesterday—would have shrunk into the leather seat, apologizing or feeling the heat of shame rise to my cheeks. But the woman who had spent the last forty-eight hours realizing she had nothing left to lose? She was stone-cold.

I didn't even blink. I smoothed the fabric of my skirt and met her gaze directly, my expression void of the usual, fearful deference.

"It's interesting that you're worried about my appearance, Fiona," I said, my voice steady, lacking even a tremor of insecurity. "Especially considering you’re the one currently staying in my guest room because you have nowhere else to go."

I leaned back, crossing my legs with calculated grace. "And as for the dress? It’s classic. Something you might understand if you hadn't been so busy running away the moment things got difficult."

Fiona’s smirk vanished instantly. Her jaw tightened, and she looked as if she wanted to lash out, but I didn't give her the oxygen. I turned my head to look out the window, effectively dismissing her.

Carter’s grip on the steering wheel tightened, his knuckles turning white. I saw him glance at me in the rearview mirror—a look of genuine confusion, perhaps even shock. He wasn't used to me biting back. He wasn't used to me having a voice at all.

Good, I thought. Let him be shocked.

When we pulled up to the estate, Carter turned the engine off but didn't move to open the door. He turned to look at me, his eyes dark and questioning. "Where did that come from, Yilena?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous.

I simply opened my door, stepping out onto the gravel with my head held high. I didn't look back at him. "I'm just finding my footing, Carter. You should get used to it."