Chapter 1

Joseph's POV

The front doors were completely blocked by the bodyguards. My knees nearly gave out beneath me as I fumbled for my phone and called the hospital, my hands shaking so badly that I almost dropped it.

"Please, just start treating my mother. I'll be there as soon as I can."

"But—"

I didn't even catch the rest. A hand struck the phone from my grasp. It hit the floor hard enough to shatter, the screen splintering beneath my feet. I snatched it up and pressed the power button again and again, but nothing happened.

"No shouting in this house. These are the Budzyn family rules."

I stared helplessly at the dead phone in my hands. Panic burned behind my eyes, and before I could stop myself, they began to sting with tears.

Gatlin Hewton's expression soured. "What's with the miserable expression? Got a problem with the rules I set?"

He rolled his eyes and turned toward the door with an exaggerated huff. "Whatever. If your husband can't stand having me around, I'll just leave."

"Oh, stop it." My wife, Stella Budzyn, hooked an arm around his neck and pulled him close, planting several kisses on his cheek. "You're the one who keeps the entire house in line. Who would dare say no to you?"

Then she turned to me. She gripped my chin, her fingers digging in as she forced me to look up.

"Joseph, smile," she said softly, her voice turning cold.

Mom was still waiting for me at the hospital. I couldn't afford to make Stella angry. Not now.

So I forced the corners of my lips upward, managing a smile that probably looked more like a pained grimace. "Stella, please. Mom's in really bad shape. Just let me go see her."

My voice shook despite my best efforts.

"She nearly died in that car accident last year because she was trying to save you. You know that. You can't seriously expect me to just leave her there."

For a moment, Stella wavered. A flicker of guilt crossed her face.

She glanced at Gatlin, her tone unusually careful. "Come on. Can't we make an exception just this once?"

"No." Gatlin pulled himself out of her arms and dropped onto the couch, folding his arms across his chest.

"His mother's sick. She's not dying. He's making a big deal out of nothing. When you brought me here, you promised everyone at the Budzyn residence would answer to me. So no. If you let him walk all over my rules, don't even think about coming to my room tonight."

"Alright, alright." Stella shook her head, looking more amused than annoyed. "What am I supposed to do with you?"

She crossed the room and dropped straight onto Gatlin's lap, then dug her fingers into his sides and started tickling him.

Gatlin burst out laughing, twisting beneath her hands. When he looked over at me through his laughter, the smug challenge in his eyes was unmistakable.

He wasn't even trying to hide it.

Stella had brought her lover into our home and given him free rein to humiliate me, her own husband, in front of everyone.

And this wasn't the first time. I'd lost count of how many times scenes like this had played out at the Budzyn residence.

Around the room, the staff quickly lowered their eyes, but not before I caught the pity on their faces.

Something inside me finally gave way. I clenched my hands until my nails dug into my palms. Then I found the courage to say the words I'd swallowed countless times before.

"Stella, I want a divorce."

Once we were divorced, I wouldn't be her husband anymore. And if I wasn't her husband, her rules would have nothing to do with me. I could finally walk out that door.

The change in the room was instantaneous. Stella went completely still. Around us, the staff fell silent, no one daring to make a sound.