Chapter 2

When I arrived at the hospital the next morning to discuss the divorce terms, Emily was standing guard outside David' s room like a vulture. A nurse, a young woman I didn't recognize, was trying to reason with her.

"Mrs. Adams is his legal wife. She has a right to be here," the nurse said.

Emily tossed her blonde hair. "David doesn't want to see her. He said I'm the only one he wants. She' s probably just here for the money, now that he' s hurt."

Just then, my son Leo ran down the hall, straight into Emily's arms.

"Emily! Is that bad woman bothering you again?" he yelled, pointing a small finger at me.

My heart, which I thought was made of stone, still cracked. He was my son, but he looked at me with the eyes of a stranger.

"Leo, that's your mother," I said softly.

"You're not my mom! Emily is going to be my new mom!" he shouted. The words were a perfect echo of what David and Emily had been feeding him for years.

"Leo, let's not be rude," Emily said, though her smile was triumphant. She was lapping this up.

The door to the room opened, and David's voice, hoarse and angry, boomed out. "What's all the noise? Sarah, get in here!"

I walked past a smirking Emily and a glaring Leo. David was propped up in bed, his head bandaged, his face a mess of bruises. But the thickest bandages were over his eyes. He couldn't see me, but I could feel his hatred radiating across the room.

"What do you want?" he demanded. "Came to see how much you can get out of me?"

"I came to talk about the divorce," I said calmly.

"Divorce?" He let out a harsh laugh. "You finally giving up the act? Don't worry, Emily will take good care of me. She's not a cold, manipulative bitch like you."

I didn't answer. I just looked at the bandages over his eyes. All that was left of Alex. Wasted on this cruel, ungrateful man. My silence seemed to infuriate him more.

"What, nothing to say? Cat got your tongue?" he taunted.

"Let's just get this over with," I said. "I've already called my lawyer."

"Fine! Divorce me! I've wanted to get rid of you for years!" he roared. "Get out!"

Dr. Carter came in then, his face grim. "David, you're agitating yourself. We need to discuss your treatment plan. The cornea transplant is your only option to restore your sight, but there are risks. You'll need someone to sign the consent forms and manage your care."

"Emily will do it," David said immediately. "She's my fiancée."

"She is not your legal next of kin," Dr. Carter said patiently. "That responsibility falls to your wife."

I smiled faintly. "Actually, Doctor, I think Emily is the perfect person for the job. She seems to care so much. I'm happy to delegate that responsibility to her."

Emily's eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed in suspicion. David was clearly expecting me to fight, to insist on my wifely duty. My cheerful agreement threw him off.

Leo, however, was furious. "You're a bad person! You don't even care that my dad is hurt!" He ran at me and kicked my shin, hard.

Before I could react, I slapped him. Not hard, but the sound was sharp in the quiet room. Leo froze, his eyes wide with shock. He' d never been disciplined by me, only ever coddled or ignored. He burst into tears.

"You hit my son!" David roared, trying to get out of bed. "How dare you!"

"I am his mother, David," I said, my voice dangerously low. "He is my son. And you have done a terrible job teaching him respect. He's a spoiled, rude brat."

"You monster!" Emily shrieked, scooping Leo into her arms. "You're just jealous of me and David, so you're taking it out on a child!"

"Jealous?" I laughed. "Of what? A man who is so reckless he blinds himself? A man who can't tell the difference between a caretaker and a leech?" I looked at David. "Today is our fifth wedding anniversary, by the way. Did you remember?"

He flinched. "That sham of a marriage means nothing."