Chapter 2

Mara’s POV

That night, Soren called me from another number.

“Mara, I’ve already arranged your father’s transfer. It’s happening tomorrow. All you have to do is apologize to Celeste, and we can put this mess behind us.”

I clenched my fist.

“It’s too late.”

Then came his cold, humorless laugh.

“I’ve warned you before. Don’t use your father’s condition to force my hand.”

In the background, Celeste’s voice floated through the phone.

“Soren, come here. The lights are fading.”

His attention immediately shifted.

“An ambulance will be at the hospital tomorrow morning. Whether you use it is your choice.”

The call ended.

A moment later, Soren’s assistant sent me a message.

[Mrs. Calloway, Mr. Calloway has instructed that the Voss property be transferred to Ms. Arden. This is the condition for your father’s hospital transfer.]

A digital contract appeared beneath it.

I opened it.

The terms were simple.

I had to appear at a press conference and publicly admit that I had spent the past year stalking, harassing, and attacking Celeste.

Soren had already signed.

The next morning, I took a cab to the Calloway estate to retrieve my documents.

The keypad rejected my code.

I tried again.

Wrong.

After the third attempt, the front gate opened.

Two members of Soren’s security team approached with a property access log.

“Mrs. Calloway, Mr. Calloway gave strict instructions. You’re not permitted inside until you’ve signed the statement.”

I stared at them.

“This is my home.”

One of them lowered his eyes.

“I’m sorry. The deed now lists Mr. Calloway and Ms. Arden as the owners.”

My palms went cold.

My father had bought this house for me before I married Soren.

He had chosen every piece of furniture himself.

The safe in my study held the deed to the Voss property.

When Soren and I married, he’d insisted on keeping it in the Calloway vault for security.

I had trusted him.

Now I couldn’t even step inside my own house without begging for permission.

My phone lit up.

Soren.

[If you want access to the house, come to the press conference. Read the statement. Apologize publicly.]

I arrived ten minutes before the conference began.

Not to apologize.

I had come for what belonged to me.

The moment Soren saw me, he handed me a printed statement.

I skimmed the first paragraph.

It described me as an unstable woman who had spent months stalking Celeste, attacking her, and threatening her because of an imagined affair.

It also claimed that Soren had frozen my accounts to protect our marital assets.

I looked up.

“Take this part out.”

His eyes narrowed slightly.

“Which part?”

“The accounts.”

I tapped the page.

“You froze them. I didn’t. And because you froze them, I couldn’t pay my father’s hospital bill.”

Soren’s expression didn’t change.

“Read the statement, Mara. Afterward, I’ll have your father moved to the best facility available.”

I stared at him.

“You received the emergency notice last night.”

A flicker of impatience crossed his face.

“Enough.”

“If you’d bothered to call the hospital—”

“I said enough.” His voice dropped. “How long are you going to keep dragging this out?”

I looked at him.

If he’d simply made one phone call, he would have known I wasn’t lying.

But Soren had already decided what kind of woman I was.

Every warning was jealousy.

Every piece of evidence was manipulation.

Every accusation was another scene.

“When will the Calloway vault be opened?”

“After the apology.”

“And the Voss property?”

Soren glanced toward Celeste.

“She likes the place. Once the gallery is finished, there’s enough space upstairs for you to keep a room.”

I almost laughed. “My father’s house isn’t a gift for your mistress.”

His expression hardened. “I don’t have time for this.”

Celeste approached us before I could respond. She held out the statement with a sweet smile.

“Mara, just read it. Once you do, I’ll tell Soren to drop the complaint against you.”

She leaned closer.

Her voice fell to a whisper.

“Besides, it’s not the only thing I’m taking from your family.”

My head snapped toward her.

So she knew.

I took the statement from her hand.

Then I walked onto the stage.

The room was packed.

Reporters filled the front rows. Members of the Calloway organization stood along the walls. Cameras turned toward me the moment I appeared.

Soren stood below the stage, watching.

I unfolded the statement.

“My name is Mara Voss Calloway. Over the past year, I’ve damaged Soren Calloway’s cars, stormed into his clubs, and attacked Celeste Arden at the hospital.”

Soren’s expression eased.

He thought I’d finally surrendered.

I looked toward the cameras.

“Today, I want to apologize to everyone I’ve frightened.”

Celeste smiled.

I lowered the paper.

“Except her.”

Her smile disappeared.

I reached into my bag and pulled out the medical report I’d taped back together.

Then I held it up for every camera in the room.

“Because Celeste Arden was never pregnant.”