lian glowing there. She calmly reached out and pressed the speakerphone

ice, distorted with fury, blasted through

HE HELL

stark contrast to his rage. It was quiet, steady, and

beat of silence. "What I need," he snarled, "is for you to tell me wha

fingernails, "it's our money. I am your

. "You abandoned your post! You cost this

sing? I emailed it to your private account three days ago. Subject line: URGENT.

athing hitched. "You... you were supposed to remind

al apology in her tone was a slap in the face.

in this apartment. Now. We are going to discuss this

h word with slow, deliberate clarity. "That apartment isn't for u

s. You wouldn't survive a week without the Montgomery name. You'd be

ays held over her head. The final, petty cruelty. It extinguished t

old and sharp as a shard of ice. "We'r

nt of rage, she ended the call. Then, with a sense of profound finality,

anging open. Then she let out a whoop of triumph and started clapping

the 'Call Ended' screen. He couldn't believe it

er back. A mechanical voice infor

control, and he hated it. It had to be Maya. That loud-

He would drag her out of that hovel himself

gut. It felt like... fear. He crushed it instantly. She loved him. She

bout to get in when his other phone, the burner phon

aph

hand, the disobedient wife who needed to be punished. On the

utomatic, ingrained. He answered the call, his

morning sickness is so bad.

was a roaring fire, but his duty to Seraphina w

way," he

towards the Brooklyn Bridge, but east, towards the

ing app. She saw it hesitate at the exit of his garage. She saw it turn away from the direction of Brookl

er smile touc

pp and deleted i

back against the pillow, and for the first