Chapter 2

Sophie sat across from me, picking up her bag and pulling a document out of it.

"Honey, we need a signature for that major corporate project. Since you're not in the right state of mind, I'll handle things for you. You just need to leave a thumbprint right here."

My entire body felt completely limp, like a piece of meat stripped of its bones.

"Sophie, I'm so dizzy. I want to sleep."

My words came out slurred as my hand fumbled across the document.

Sophie caught my hand in a tight grip, pressing my thumb into the ink pad and then onto the signature line.

"Go to sleep then. It's better if you just rest and stay out of the way," she muttered, her tone suddenly turning cold and sharp.

I closed my eyes, pretending to drift into a deep slumber.

Before long, the sound of her hushed voice reached my ears as she made a call.

"Hey, Babe. It's done. The papers are signed, and the shares are officially in my name now. Tomorrow? No, tomorrow won't work.

"Some people from the group chat are asking for a live demonstration, so I'm having them come over to see the situation for themselves. What's with the rush? Once he's in that cage, this place is ours."

The man on the other end let out a loud laugh.

Sophie hung up, walked over to my side, and kicked my shin.

"Hey, piggy. Wake up."

I didn't budge.

With that, she turned on her heel and headed up to the second floor.

Once she was gone, I opened my eyes and removed the two tablets from under my tongue before they could dissolve.

They were powerful sedatives.

They were the reason I felt like I had been fading in and out of consciousness for the last six months.

I stood up and checked the miniature camera I had hidden in the corner of the room three months ago, right after I began to suspect something was off.

The phone app had recorded every single time Sophie brought a different man home.

She would have sex with them on the bed we'd shared for the past ten years of marriage and gesture toward our wedding portrait, mocking me for being an impotent loser who only knew how to make money.

Just then, my screen lit up. The group chat was active again.

The Tamer had posted a video of me from earlier. In the clip, my hands were trembling as I stamped my thumbprint on the document. I looked like an idiot.

The compliments started pouring in.

One member wrote, "Godmother, I want to see that big shot CEO bark like a dog. Wouldn't that be entertaining?"

The Tamer replied, "I'll host a live show tomorrow at 3:00 pm. Tickets are 500 dollars each. DM me if you want to join the group."

The following afternoon, five strangers were gathered in our living room.

Sophie was clad in a red leather dress, holding a cat teaser.

"Everyone, meet my CEO husband."

She pointed at me, curled up on the carpet.

I kept my head down, intentionally letting drool trickle from the corner of my mouth as my body twitched slightly.

"Sophie, he looks completely fried. Can he even perform?"

A woman with permed, wavy hair crouched down and poked the back of my hand with the tip of her high heel.

Sophie let out a cold snort and violently yanked my head back by my hair.

I immediately barked. "Woof… Woof…"

A wave of laughter erupted throughout the living room.

The crowd instantly pulled out their phones and started snapping pictures of me.

"Good grief, look at the mighty Mr. Vaughn now," remarked a man in glasses, Adrian Knox, strolling over to pour his leftover coffee over my head. "Back when I interviewed at his company, he wouldn't even spare me a glance. Now look at him, barking like a dog."

I kept playing the part, begging and pleading.

"There's a good boy. Here, have some treats," Sophie murmured, scattering the medication across the floor.

I lunged for the tablets like a dog and picked them up with my mouth.