Chapter 3

Kyle didn't even slow down as he passed Elena and headed upstairs.

Elena almost laughed.

"I'm a surgeon, not a toxicologist. You've got the wrong doctor."

Kyle stopped on the stairs and glanced at the bodyguards heading out.

"Guard the door. Don't let Elena leave."

Then he carried Allison into the master bedroom—their wedding photo still hanging among the decorations.

Elena stood frozen, completely numb.

In the silent mansion, the wedding decorations felt like a cruel joke.

Every sound from the bedroom upstairs carried through the house.

Muffled. Tangled.

Elena covered her ears, but it didn't help.

The sounds cut straight through her.

Then Kyle's breathless voice came from upstairs, over and over.

"Allie..."

Elena went still.

'Allie.

'Not Ellie.'

For three years, whenever they'd been together and he whispered that name in her ear, he'd never been calling her.

No wonder he only called her 'Elena' when they weren't in bed—and when he wasn't dreaming.

It felt like an invisible hand was crushing Elena's heart.

She thought she'd accepted the truth.

She hadn't.

Her eyes landed on the wedding portrait in the living room. In it, she looked so happy leaning against Kyle.

'How ironic.'

Her eyes burned as she went to the kitchen and grabbed a pair of scissors.

She cut herself out of the photo piece by piece until nothing was left.

Then she went to the third-floor study and pulled out every album.

Norway's glaciers. The Eiffel Tower. Santorini sunsets...

Every trip they'd taken. Every picture of them together.

Snip. Snip...

She tossed every piece of herself into the fireplace and watched the flames turn them to ash.

The night crawled by.

The sounds upstairs didn't stop.

Elena sat curled up in the corner of the study until dawn.

Only then did the mansion finally go quiet.

Sometime later, the study door opened.

Kyle walked in, fresh from the shower with a towel around his waist.

Concern flashed across his face when he saw Elena curled up in the corner, pale and red-eyed.

"What are you doing here?"

Elena gave him a bitter smile. "Admiring your work. I mean... you were at it all night."

Kyle's face hardened. "When did you get so cruel?"

"Maybe when my husband brought another woman into our bedroom and spent all night with her." Elena's voice stayed quiet. "Oh, right. I forgot.

"I'm just her replacement. None of this was ever mine."

Kyle stopped in front of her, staring like he had something to say.

Then his expression shifted.

He stepped forward and scooped Elena off the floor.

Caught off guard, Elena cried out as he dropped her heavily onto the broad desk.

Before she could react, Kyle leaned over her, pinning both her wrists above her head with one hand while roughly tearing open her clothes with the other.

Startled by the sudden assault, Elena struggled, but Kyle held her firmly in place.

"Kyle, are you insane?"

The next second, Kyle grabbed her and kissed her hard.

Right then, Allison appeared in the doorway. She gripped the frame, staring at them.

Her voice shook. "Last night... who was it?"

Elena got it instantly.

Kyle was using her to get to Allison.

Before Elena could react, Kyle pulled away.

He locked an arm around her waist and lifted her, then shoved her face against his chest.

His grip was so tight she couldn't move, speak, or breathe.

Kyle scoffed.

"You seriously thought it was me?

"Allison, you think way too highly of yourself.

"You disgust me.

"But for old times' sake, I found a few guys to keep you company. Hurry and you might still catch them."

Allison trembled, her knuckles turning white around the doorframe.

"You're a monster!"

"You're just stupid," Kyle shot back. "If getting drugged is that easy, maybe don't go out drinking."

When Allison didn't budge, his arm tightened around Elena.

"What? You wanna watch me with my wife? Then watch."

Elena grew dizzy, trapped against Kyle's chest. Just when she thought she might pass out, he finally let go.

She gasped for air, but before she could recover, Kyle kissed her again.

Humiliation burned through her.

She bit down hard.

Blood filled their mouths.

Kyle grunted but didn't pull away. Instead, he kissed her harder.

Then Elena saw Allison stumble toward the window.

Kyle saw her too.

He shoved Elena aside and ran for her.

The second Allison jumped, Kyle went after her without hesitation.

He caught her in midair, wrapped himself around her, and took the impact as they crashed to the ground.