Chapter 2

2

"We'll talk about this later. Don't make a scene in front of a guest."

Lexi's smile faltered when he called her a "guest." She clearly wanted a more permanent title.

Still, she played the part of the sweet girl. "Silas, maybe I should head out."

Silas looked at her softly. "Lexi, you've worked so hard these past few days. Take a few days off before coming back to the office."

She didn't want to leave, but she had no choice. She scurried out the door.

I didn't react. I just looked at Silas again. "Sign the papers."

He finally picked them up, scanned a few lines, and tossed them back on the rug.

"I heard you've been looking for a job lately. I guess that divorce threat wasn't just for show this time."

The industry is small. I knew he'd find out I was job hunting.

I also knew the reason I hadn't heard back from anyone was likely because of his interference.

"Avery, you've been a housewife for five years. What can you even do now? The only thing you're good at is taking care of me and Annie."

"Besides, being a stay-at-home wife is a dream. I work my ass off to provide, and all you do is cook and clean. If I were a woman, I'd kill for your life."

I stared at him in genuine shock.

He had been gaslighting me for years, but this was a new low.

I couldn't believe a man in this day and age could actually say that out loud.

Silas took my silence for submission. He leaned back on the sofa and sighed.

"Is Annie still at the hospital? Tell her Daddy's been busy. I'll go see her in a few days."

The man didn't deserve to be a father. He certainly didn't deserve to be Annie's father.

I looked at him with pure, unadulterated hatred. "You will never see Annie again."

He scoffed, thinking I was just being petty. "Are you really going to use our kid to throw a tantrum?"

I was sick of him calling my pain a "tantrum."

Silas seemed to realize he was pushing too hard. He softened his tone, but his words were still poison.

"My mother finally agreed to let Annie into the family circle properly. If you behave and give me a son in the next year or two, she might finally accept you as a daughter-in-law."

I rolled my eyes and grabbed my suitcase.

His mother was a nightmare who hated that I had a daughter first. She had spent years belittling me and Annie.

My Annie was the sweetest soul. She used to make handmade cards for her grandmother, hoping to be loved.

But that woman would just throw the gifts in the trash and criticize the girl's every flaw.

Eventually, I stopped taking Annie there.

Annie used to ask me if she had done something wrong to make Grandma hate her.

Thinking of my sweet girl lying in a cold urn while this man sat here comfortably made me tremble.

I turned back one last time as Silas poured himself a glass of expensive scotch.

"Silas, Annie is dead. You'll never have to worry about seeing her again."

I walked out and didn't look back.

Before we married, the Salinger family was on the brink of bankruptcy. I used all my savings to bail them out.

I gave up my condo and my car to keep them afloat.

Now that they were successful, I was the one they treated like garbage.

Since I hadn't finalized the divorce, I was low on cash. I moved in with my best friend, Jordan.

She was working overseas for a while and needed someone to watch her place. It was a perfect escape.

The grief was eating me alive. I couldn't sleep.

Jordan eventually forced me to see a therapist.

I didn't fight it. I went to the appointment, was hypnotized for a bit, and did some counseling.

I was leaving the clinic with my prescription and diagnosis when I bumped into someone.

I started to apologize, but then I saw that innocent, wide-eyed face. It was Lexi.

And Silas was right there, holding her arm to steady her.

Silas looked surprised to see me. "What are you doing at a hospital?"

I looked at them both. "It's work hours. Why are you two here?"

Silas went quiet, but Lexi jumped in.

"I tripped and scraped my knee. Silas insisted on bringing me here to get it disinfected."

She sounded so proud, emphasizing how much he cared.

I looked at her "injury." If we had waited another ten minutes, it would have been fully healed.

I suddenly remembered a day not too long ago. I had driven through a storm to deliver a document to Silas.

The rain was so heavy the roads were flooding. My car couldn't make it through the deep water.