Chapter 3

Dagny Myers POV:

My fingertips brushed the edge of the kraft envelope on Frazier's mahogany desk one last time before I pulled my hand back.

I turned around without sparing another glance for the study thick with his residual cedar scent and walked straight out to the front foyer.

When I pushed open the heavy manor doors, the cold night wind filled my coat, yet my chest felt lighter than it had in five years.

I climbed into the back of the Silent Cab I had booked ten minutes ago, where the driver wore a Level III collar under a zero-scent protocol.

Silent cars cost thirty percent more. No radio, no air freshener, no conversation, white noise only.

The drivers sign a scent-zero agreement and wear a collar one level higher than the law requires.

And the whole arrangement exists because there are people in this city who cannot get into an ordinary taxi without somebody in the front seat learning something about them.

"The international airport, please," I said, watching the lit windows of the Concord manor shrink in the side mirror.

Pulling out my phone, I bought a first-class ticket on the next red-eye flight back to The Union headquarters without sending a single message to anyone.

I powered the phone off, leaned my head back against the leather headrest, and closed my eyes as the car sped onto the highway.

Eight hours later, the plane touched down on the tarmac in The Union, and I rolled my suitcase out of the terminal into the brisk morning air.

Hailing a cab at the curb, I gave the driver the address of the downtown penthouse apartment where Frazier and I had lived during our marriage.

When the cab pulled up to the glass tower, I stepped out and walked through the lobby, giving only a brief nod when the security guard greeted me as Mrs. Hodges.

I took the private elevator straight to the top floor, keyed in the passkey, and pushed open the door into the cold, empty penthouse.

Walking past the silent living room into the master suite, I slid open the walk-in closet doors and looked at the rows of couture gowns and jewelry boxes inside.

I dragged three oversized suitcases out of the storage room and began packing my plain everyday clothes, technical notebooks, and personal documents.

Taking a fireproof briefcase from the safe, I placed my handwritten drafts for the CUAP neural compilation protocol inside and snapped the combination lock shut.

Every single designer dress and diamond necklace Frazier had bought to display me as his trophy Omega stayed hanging on the racks.

I zipped the three heavy suitcases shut, wheeled them out to the center of the living room, and walked to the open kitchen to pour a glass of ice water.

The freezing water burned down my throat, clearing the fatigue from my head after the overnight flight.

I pulled my backup phone from my pocket and turned it on; the screen was completely blank, without a single missed call or text from Frazier.

Letting out a quiet scoff, I tossed the backup phone onto the marble island and walked to the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city skyline.

Once I walked out of this penthouse, the ninety-six percent match report and five years of suffocating marriage between Frazier Hodges and me would be over for good.

I turned back to the entryway, took my spare penthouse key fob off the wall hook, and dropped it into the stainless-steel trash bin.

Pushing my suitcases out into the private elevator hall, I listened to the smart lock chime and bolt shut behind me.

Frazier Hodges POV:

Back in The Concord, I pushed open the door to my manor study with a cup of freshly brewed black coffee in my hand, my mind still running through tomorrow's acquisition terms.

As I stepped behind my mahogany desk, my eyes caught a plain, unmarked kraft envelope sitting right in the center of the blotter.

I narrowed my eyes, set the coffee mug down, and reached out to pick up the envelope just as the private phone in my suit pocket vibrated.

Pulling it out, I saw Charlsie's name flashing on the screen and swiped to answer, immediately hearing her tearful voice on the other end.

"Frazier, come back to the sitting room quick! Grayce's forehead is burning up with a sudden fever!"

My chest tightened, and as I spun around to leave the study, the back of my hand struck the kraft envelope, sending it sliding to the very edge of the desk.

I strode out into the corridor and barked at Martha Tucker, the Beta nanny wearing her Scent Barrier Badge.

"Have the driver bring the car around right now. We're taking Grayce to the city hospital."

Martha nodded hurriedly and stepped into the study with a cleaning cloth to tidy the desk.

Reaching the corner of the hallway, I paused and glanced back through the half-open study door just in time to see Martha spot the unmarked kraft envelope hanging half off the edge of the mahogany wood.

She picked it up, pulled open the bottom desk drawer, and tossed it inside on top of some old folders.

"Mr. Hodges always leaves his read files lying around," I caught Martha muttering to herself as she wiped down the empty desktop and shut the drawer, before I turned and hurried down the hall.