Chapter 2

I recalled how Caleb had said, "You've been so good to me, Quinn. I, Caleb Larson, swear on my life that I'll be your faithful knight for the rest of our lives."

Caleb lied.

Frowning, I threw my phone out of the window without hesitation. It crashed into the tarmac, screen cracking. Fractures appeared in our wedding photo.

"I'm tired, Jason. Drive me home."

The mansion was abnormally silent when I got home. I was about to go upstairs when I suddenly noticed that the lights were on in the bathroom, and I could hear the sound of pouring water.

Had Caleb come home? My heart skipped a beat. I hadn't prepared myself mentally to see him again.

As I hesitated, I heard humming from the bathroom. It was a woman. Who was it?

My heart sank into my stomach. Padding over to the door, I grabbed the baseball bat I kept in the corner and snuck upstairs, leaning against the bannister as I went.

I knelt by the door and waited for the intruder to come out. When the door opened, I watched as Selene walked out, wrapped in my silk robes. Her wet hair was strewn over her shoulders as she hummed a tune.

The second she saw me, the contented expression on her face disappeared.

"Cal, Cal, save me! She wants to beat me up again!"

Selene's knees gave out as she crumpled onto the floor. She cried as though the end of the world had come early.

Upon hearing her shrieks, Caleb rushed over, appearing seemingly from nowhere. He shoved me aside and stood in front of Selene.

"Aren't you done with your childish ploys? Will you only be satisfied if she dies?"

"Let me ask you, Caleb. Why is this woman in my house? Why is she using my bathroom?" I enunciated every word clearly, pushing down the anger bubbling at the surface.

"The hospital environment is not ideal for Selene's recovery. I brought her back so she could recover in peace." Caleb spoke as though his explanation made all the sense in the world.

"Recover in peace? In my bedroom and my bathroom?"

I was so furious I snorted at the utter nonsense Caleb spewed righteously.

"I'm warning you, Caleb. You had better get her out of my sight within three minutes. Otherwise, I won't hold back anymore."

Selene nestled into Caleb's chest. She tugged at Caleb's sleeves and whimpered timidly, "Cal, has Quinn always had such a terrible temper? That explains why Madam…"

Pausing purposefully, she turned to me, a challenge glinting in her eyes.

"Quinn pissed her off so much she died, right?"

Selene's words were like a thorn. It stabbed into the deepest crevice of my heart, where I'd hidden my secret. I felt as though my blood had frozen in my veins. I couldn't breathe.

"You're asking for it."

Driven by impulse, I swung my bat at her. A dull thud sounded out. Caleb had caught the bat, withstanding the hit for Selene. Quinn could hear his bone cracking.

His eyes were rimmed red as he glared at me angrily.

"You're incorrigible, Quinn!"

Incorrigible.

I zoned out. My mother's name was Cecilia Weston. Her death was a forbidden secret in my family. It was a secret that had to do with me, back when I was a spoiled little princess, headstrong and reckless.

I felt as though I could smell the scent of the storm from three years ago.

Back in the hospital, I had clung onto Caleb, who'd suffered a fatal wound to save me. Begging and screaming, I insisted on marrying him immediately.

Cecilia was a strong woman who'd carried the Stewart family on her shoulders her entire life. She wouldn't give me her blessing.

She said he was ambitious and harbored ulterior motives. Yet, did I listen to her?