Chapter 3

3

"Now you can be with Misty in the light of day. Isn't that what you want?"

Rowan paused, then sighed as if he were dealing with a spoiled child. "Are you jealous? There's nothing between us. Don't be petty."

I curled my lip. "I'm not jealous. Go back to her. I need to sleep."

My sudden indifference seemed to irritate him.

"I'm your husband. You're telling me to stay with another woman?"

"Elena, stop this. Misty's situation was a life-or-death crisis. Would you be happy if she actually jumped?"

"That is a human life we're talking about."

Rowan's voice rose, sounding righteous.

It turned out he did understand that life was precious.

So what was my dead child to him?

I spoke without emotion. "I'll have the divorce papers couriered to you."

Rowan let out a cold, sharp laugh.

"Fine, Elena. You said it. Don't you dare regret this."

On my tenth day in the hospital, I signed the divorce papers.

I placed them in a manila envelope along with the baby's death certificate and a short letter.

During my mother's worst days, she used to ask me, "Elena, if he ever breaks your heart, what will you do?"

I saw the deep worry in her clouded eyes.

I would pat her hand and say, "If he ever hurts me, I'll leave. In this life and the next, I'll never love him again."

I wrote those exact words in the letter.

The package would be delivered to the Blackwood estate very soon.