Chapter 3

I fell for Arthur the first time I saw him.

I was sixteen, struggling with a spin in the dance studio, when I turned my head and saw him standing by the window with a faint smile.

In that instant, my heart felt like it had been struck by a bullet.

I thought I would never cross paths with him again.

But when my father showed me his photograph and asked if I was willing to marry him, I nodded without a moment's hesitation.

I gave up the dancing I loved most, put on an apron, and learned to be a proper housewife.

For a while after the wedding, we were genuinely happy.

Then my father was assassinated.

I wept and told Arthur he was the only family I had left in the world. The pain in his eyes was impossible to miss.

I believed that was how it would be for the rest of our lives.

Then Lora's name reappeared among his business partners, and I caught the excitement he couldn't quite hide.

I knew our marriage was already ending.

And I was right.

It was nearly eleven when the front door finally opened.

Arthur came in smelling faintly of alcohol and Lora's sweet perfume. My stomach rolled.

He looked up at me. "Catherine, we need to talk."

I stayed where I was, calm to the point of indifference.

"I ordered Lora a different blue gown. There. Can you stop being angry now?"

"You didn't get me anything for Valentine's this year, did you? So let's call it even. Alright?"

I said nothing.

But my silence, in his eyes, was a provocation.

Arthur's brow furrowed. He started toward me just as the smart lock on the front door chirped and released.

My entire body went rigid. The blood in my veins turned to ice.

In three years of marriage, we had never given anyone else access to the house's smart lock.

Yet now, besides Arthur and me, there was a third person.

Someone else had been made the exception, given free access to our home.

A second later, Lora clicked inside on high heels.

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her gaze sweeping past me and settling on Arthur.

"Arthur, my car broke down and there are no hotels nearby. You know Reid's men have been watching us closely. Could I... stay here tonight?"

A laugh escaped me.

This was the home Arthur and I shared, yet another woman could waltz in with her fingerprint and brazenly ask to spend the night.

"Why didn't you say something beforehand?"

"I know showing up unannounced is rude, and it'll upset Catherine. But I really had no other choice. I promise I'll stay quiet for the night and won't bother you at all."

"That won't be necessary."

I rose slowly and faced Arthur. "When did her fingerprint get added to the lock on this house?"

This was our home, the one boundary I had believed he would never let anyone cross.

Instead, someone else had been allowed to trample my marriage, my home, and even my place as his wife.

Arthur hesitated, his gaze shifting away from mine.

"Family business has been hectic lately. Lora comes over often for work, so I gave her temporary access in case of an emergency."

"An emergency?" I echoed softly, then laughed.

"Arthur, are you saying our home is her emergency backup plan?"

Lora stepped forward immediately. "Catherine, you've really misunderstood. Arthur and I are strictly professional now. Don't overthink it. I'll leave first thing in the morning. I won't be an eyesore, I promise."

"You are not staying here." My voice was cold and clipped, every word razor-sharp. "This is my home."

Lora turned to Arthur, hurt coloring her voice. "Arthur, maybe I should... just go."

She made a show of turning around, but her feet didn't move an inch. She was clearly waiting for Arthur to stop her.

And sure enough, Arthur immediately pressed a hand to her shoulder, then turned to me. "Enough, Catherine."

"It isn't safe for Lora to be alone. She's staying one night. Do you have to be so hostile?"

I dug my nails into my palms, the sharp sting keeping me lucid.

I stared straight into his eyes and spoke one deliberate word at a time. "She matters more than I do. She acts more like the mistress of this house than I ever have. So there is no reason for me to stay. Arthur, I want a divorce."

I turned to leave, but Arthur locked his hand around my wrist.

His eyes churned with fury, his tone commanding and unyielding.

"You're not going anywhere! We're not finished here. Say the word divorce one more time. I dare you!"

Behind us, Lora watched, a smug curl at the corner of her lips.

She offered another hollow apology. "This is all my fault, Catherine. Arthur is exhausted. Please don't fight because of me, alright?"

That performance drained the last of my patience.

"Arthur, I actually did get you a gift."

I slowly pulled out the ultrasound printout, crumpled from how tightly I had held it, and opened it in front of him.

The tiny image on the page held the secret I had guarded for weeks, the future I had once dared to believe would make us whole.

"But now I don't think you deserve it."