LOGINPOV: Alexa"What's this, Alexa?"Victor was sitting at my kitchen table, my handbag open beside him, a folder in his hand with RACHEL MORGAN — FAMILY LAW printed across it.His voice was calm, almost curious. His eyes weren't.Two hours earlier, I had been sitting across from Rachel Morgan herself, gripping that same handbag, palms sweating.She wasn't what I expected, late thirties, kind eyes, very organized desk. No drama."Before we discuss divorce, I need to ask you something. Are you safe at home?"Safe. Such a simple word, and I didn't know how to answer. Victor had never hit me where people could see. But I'd stopped feeling safe saying no."I think so," I said finally. "He hasn't physically hurt me. But I don't feel safe disagreeing."She nodded, like she'd heard that exact answer a hundred times. No shock, no pity. Just listening.So I told her everything. How he decides who I see. How he checks my phone. How he grabbed my wrist the night I tried to walk away. How he told my
POV: AlexaI need to understand my options for ending my marriage.My thumb hovered over send. My heart was hammering so hard I could feel it in my throat.It started an hour earlier, in front of the bathroom mirror, staring at my wedding ring. I turned my hand and watched the light catch it. I remembered the woman I was when Victor proposed — twenty-six, sure that love meant staying, forgiving, trying harder. Sure that if I was patient enough, quiet enough, it would work.Then I heard him laughing on the phone in the next room, loud and easy, like nothing was wrong. Like he hadn't told my mother I was having an affair.That pulled me back fast.I didn't want to spend my life flinching every time he laughed, never sure which version of him I was getting.I opened an old drawer looking for Lily's hair ties and found photos instead. Victor with his arm around me at the beach, me laughing so hard my eyes were closed. Him waiting outside my old office with coffee, just because.I sat on t
POV: Alexa"Can you please tell me what to do?"It came out the second Travis picked up. I was on my bedroom floor, back against the bed, Lily's cartoons playing faintly through the wall.Everything spilled out. "My mother thinks I'm ruining my marriage. Victor told her I'm having an affair. He told my family I'm confused. I don't know how much longer I can do this."Travis listened. He didn't interrupt.When I finally stopped, there was a pause. Just his breathing."I want you to tell me to leave," I said. "If you tell me, it isn't just me deciding. If it goes wrong, I can blame my feelings for you instead of carrying it alone."It was ugly to admit. But it was true.I expected him to jump at it. Victor would have."Alexa," he said instead, careful and low. "I can tell you what I think of Victor. I think what he's doing to you and your family is cruel. You deserve to feel safe in your own house.""Then tell me to leave.""I can't.""Why won't you help me?" My voice cracked."Because
POV: Victor"I didn't want to tell you this," I said, keeping my voice soft, my hands folded tight on my knees. "But I think Alexa is having an affair."Alexa's mother froze with her teacup halfway to her mouth, eyes going wide."Victor? What are you talking about?"I leaned forward, let my voice shake just slightly. "She's become so distant. Always on her phone, smiling at it when she thinks I'm not looking, still meeting with that Travis Cole. A lot. And she won't talk to me about our marriage at all."I watched her face carefully. She already knew Alexa had been unhappy — she'd known for months. But the way I was sitting, the tremor I let slip into my voice, made her start questioning what she thought she knew."Are you sure?" she asked. "Alexa wouldn't, she has Lily....""I know," I said quickly. "I know how it sounds. I didn't want to believe it either. I've tried everything to save our family. Talking. Giving her space. I bring her things, help with Lily, tell her I love her. S
POV: Alexa"Try not to embarrass me today."Victor whispered it against my ear with a smile on his face, his arm already locked around my waist, loud enough laughter filling the room around us.We'd barely stepped into my aunt's house with Lily between us when he'd slipped his arm around me and kissed my cheek. "There she is," he announced warmly, for everyone. "The woman who keeps me going."My aunt, my cousins — they all turned and smiled like we were something out of a magazine.I smiled back. I didn't have a choice.The whole afternoon, he played the perfect husband. He brought my favorite drink before I asked. He cut Lily's chicken into small pieces and wiped her mouth. He told my cousin how hard I worked, how proud he was of me, complimented my dress. Every time someone stopped to talk, he took my hand.To everyone else, it looked like love.To me, every touch was a leash. Whenever I tried to step away to talk to my aunt alone, his hand would gently pull me back — soft, sweet-lo
POV: Alexa"Mommy has been spending too much time with another man."I stopped in the hallway, my hand over my mouth, before I'd even taken off my coat.It had started an hour earlier, the moment I walked in the door and found Victor sitting in the dark living room, waiting. He didn't say hello. He just held up his phone."Did you know your little friend has been asking questions about me?"My bag slipped on my shoulder. My stomach tightened."What are you talking about?""Travis," he said, standing slowly. "He's digging into my past. Into Cole Industries. Did you put him up to this?"I understood then that something bigger than me had happened between them — something about Victor's old job, something about Travis's father. "No," I said. "I didn't ask him to do anything."He stepped closer. "Then what did you tell him about our marriage? About me?"I took a step back without meaning to. "I didn't tell him anything you haven't already shown him yourself."He laughed. "So now you're bl







