Chapter 3

The door slammed. I looked down at the long scar on my right arm.

Fiona and I had gotten married because of an accident.

Three years ago, she was in a car crash—someone had sabotaged her brakes. She was trapped, dying.

I pulled her out of the wreck and called 911. A piece of broken metal had sliced my arm open, leaving a scar that would never fade.

When Fiona recovered, she tracked me down. She chased me for a year.

When I hit rough patches at work, she was there—organizing my files, staying up late to help me solve problems.

Even when I had a fever, she'd panic, staying awake all night to watch over me.

We were happy after we married. Sure, her family didn't approve, but she loved me. Grandma was proud of me. Life was sweet.

Then Steven came back. And everything fell apart.

One word from him, and she'd drop everything.

He'd lie, and she'd believe him over me, her own husband.

We fought. We made up. Over and over.

But this time—this time, I was done forgiving.

I packed my things and went to the hospital to be with Grandma during her bypass surgery.

The surgery took all day.

At 9 p.m., I was keeping watch at her bedside when the door burst open.

I looked up to see Fiona's eyes, red with fury.

She grabbed my arm and dragged me out.

"Come with me."

"Fiona, what's going on? Grandma just had surgery—the doctor said someone has to stay with her tonight!"

She laughed, cold and bitter. "Like you don't know."

She shoved me into her car and took off at breakneck speed.

My heart was in my throat. I clawed at the door handle.

"Fiona, are you crazy?! Grandma just had surgery! Stop the car—I need to get out!"

She ignored me completely, racing all the way to Harrison Manor.

I'd only been here once before—when her mother humiliated me, and Fiona fought with her and swore we'd never come back.

Now she yanked me out of the car and dragged me inside.

The whole Harrison clan was gathered.

Steven's face was covered in red welts.

Harrison—Fiona's mother—was cooing over him.

The moment I appeared, eyes stabbed at me like knives.

Harrison stormed over and slapped me across the face.

"You disgusting little worm! All Fiona did was bring Steven home for dinner, and you had to sabotage him—make him have an allergic reaction!"

I stumbled, my cheek stinging, numb with shock.

I turned to Fiona.

"I didn't do anything! I was at the hospital all day with Grandma—I didn't even know about the dinner until now!"

But Fiona just stared at me with that cold, unfeeling look.

My blood ran cold.

Harrison sneered. "You used every dirty trick to marry Fiona, so don't pretend you're above this."

Steven clutched his face, glaring at me.

"Still lying, Kyle? The maid already confessed. You paid him ten grand to swap my cake for one with mango filling. You know I'm allergic to mango—you could've killed me!"

I protested. "Where's your proof?"

Steven shoved his phone in my face. "Here's the bank transfer. From the card Fiona gave you. Unless you're saying Fiona paid him to set you up?"

I was trapped. "It wasn't me! I've never used that card in three years!"

Harrison turned to Fiona. "I told you this gutter rat would be trouble. But no—you had to marry him. And look what he's done."

"If we didn't have the antidote here, Steven would've been in the ER by now. What would we tell his family?"

"Fiona, he's your husband. How do you want to handle this?"

Fiona paused for only two seconds. Then she said:

"He made a mistake. He can kneel at the front gate until Steven's welts go away."

I snapped. "Fiona, I told you—it wasn't me! Why won't you trust me—just once! Grandma just had surgery—I can't leave her!"

She turned away, taking Steven's hand.

"Stop using your grandmother as an excuse. You're a man. You mess up, you pay the price."

I shook my head and tried to walk out.

"You have no right to do this!"

But Harrison's security grabbed me, dragging me to the front gate and forcing me to kneel.