ina

s a world away from the suffocating grandeur of Haywood's mansion. I watched as my attorney, Ms. Davies, a woman whose calm demeanor belied a razor-sharp

pushed the papers back across the polished table. "He signed the divorce agr

ed over me. Free. The word tasted like oxygen after years of s

he asked, her ey

s Angeles. A new life, far from the suffocating grasp of New York's elite. But first, a final act of justice. I had secretly been gath

in my bag, yet heavier than gold. My plan was set. I was starting fresh. A

s aglow with candlelight, the clinking of silverware echoing through the cavernous space. Haywood and Anika were

ide, too sweet. "Join us! Haywood made his famous spicy Sichuan Hot P

churned. Haywood knew I couldn't tolerate spicy food. He also knew hi

my voice steady. "I'm just h

ic." He turned back to Anika, his hand gently touching her cheek. "My sweet Anika, you look abs

back in place. "Celina, you look a little pale. Are you sure you shouldn't eat something? Or perhaps a nice, w

, my voice dry. I slipped my phone out of my pock

ood up, bowl in hand, and walked towards me. "Here, you really should hav

llergies were real, a severe reaction to c

owl against my hands. "Don't be silly, Celina. Just

d, dropping the bowl. It shattered on the marble floor, the spicy liqu

had touched her. She collapsed into Haywood's arms, tears instant

ace a mask of concern for her. He didn't even glance at my

ered, her eyes darting to me with a triumphant glare.

was hot, it splashed!" I cried, my v

now you're upset, but to deliberately hurt me... I forgive you, of course, but it was a terrible thing to d

rmance was sickeningly brilliant. I wanted to scream, to tear her pe

nd the fake tears behind. The cool night air was a balm on my

us off. Two burly men, faces masked, yanked me from the vehicle. I screamed, but it was muffled, lost in the roar of

oppressive darkness pressing in on me. The air was thick with the smell of mold and something else... s

"So, Celina. Still think you can defy me? Still think you can walk away?" His voice was chi

it. The tiny, skittering movements. My heart was a frantic bird trapp

oice was a choked sob. I curled into a fetal

voice continued, cold and unwavering. "

ream tore from my throat, raw and desperate. I thrashed wildly, my hands slapping at my skin, trying to dislodge the imaginary creatures. Or wer

r anyone. The words were incoherent, lost in the din of my own terror. But no one

orld tilted, spun. Darkness. It swallowed me whole. But in that brief, agonizing moment before unconsciousness, a sing