Chapter 3

Adeline leaned close to my ear, her voice barely audible. "Don't blame me, Elio. You'll only stay quietly in my cage once you see how cruel Evelyn really is."

I was shoved into Evelyn's car. The click of the door locks sounded like a death knell.

Evelyn sat in the driver's seat and shot me a cold look through the rearview mirror. "Behave yourself. Don't make me tie you up."

I curled up in the corner of the back seat, hugged my knees, and stayed silent. The scenery outside the window rushed past.

I thought back to our first year of marriage. Because I did not understand human customs, I had poured dish soap into a glass and handed it to one of Evelyn's friends.

That day, Evelyn had driven me home just like this, but she had not scolded me. She had laughed and ruffled my hair. "Elio, how are you so clumsy? It's okay, though. You've got me."

Back then, there had been light in her eyes. That light had turned into a bottomless abyss.

The car did not go to the hospital. It went back to the Sheridan mansion.

Evelyn dragged me by the wrist the whole way, and I stumbled into the living room after her. The moment we stepped inside, the cool scent of men's cologne hit me.

Hudson sat on the sofa. He wore my favorite white tailored trench coat and held the mug I always drank from.

When he saw us come in, he set the mug down and rose unsteadily to his feet. "Evelyn, you brought Elio back?"

His handsome face had a sickly pallor, but his eyes held a smugness he could not hide. "I'm sorry, Elio. I was just so cold that I borrowed your coat for a bit. You don't mind, do you?"

I looked at the coat. Evelyn had bought it for me with her first paycheck. I could hardly bear to wear it, so I had always kept it hung at the very back of the closet.

I stared at him. "Take it off."

Hudson flinched and looked at Evelyn with a wounded expression. "Evelyn, is he mad at me? I really didn't mean it. I'll take it off and give it back right now..."

As he spoke, he reached for the buttons at his chest. Before he had undone two, his body went limp and he began to fall.

Evelyn lunged forward and caught him before he could hit the floor. "Hudson! Are you okay?"

Hudson slumped against her, his voice barely above a whisper. "Evelyn, my head is spinning... Am I dying?"

Evelyn pulled him closer, stricken, and turned to glare at me. "Elio! What's wrong with you? It's just a stupid coat! If Hudson wants to wear it, he can wear it! Do you really have to push him like this?"

I stood perfectly straight while the bruises on my wrist throbbed dully. "That's mine. I don't want him touching it."

Evelyn helped Hudson onto the sofa, strode over to me, and raised her hand.

Smack!

The slap landed hard across my face. My head snapped to one side, and my ears rang.

I slowly turned my head back and looked at Evelyn's face, which was twisted with rage. I did not feel sad. I only felt confused. "Did you just hit me?"

Evelyn's hand trembled slightly. She seemed not to have expected it of herself, but the guilt in her eyes hardened into something cold.

"That's so you'll learn your lesson! Hudson is barely hanging on, and you're fussing over a piece of clothing! Where's your kindness? Aren't you supposed to be an angel? When did you become so vicious and selfish?"

Vicious? Selfish?