Chapter 3

Five years of marriage, and this was the first time Julian had ever spoken to me with such tenderness.

Yet to my ears, it sounded like the hiss of a venomous snake.

It made me sick to my stomach.

I didn't believe a single word.

Before I could even rest, sharp knocks rattled the bedroom door.

"Julian, I don't feel good," Lana’s whiny voice called out. "Come stay with me, please?"

Julian pulled his arm away almost instantly and tossed the covers aside.

Then, as if suddenly remembering he had a wife, he leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to my forehead.

"I’ll just check on her. I’ll be right back."

He never returned that night.

The next morning, I cracked the door open and saw him walking out of Lana’s bedroom down the hall. His pajamas were rumpled, his expression satisfied.

Julian opened his mouth to explain: "Chloe, I—"

I was already numb. Before he could finish his sentence, I walked past him without a word and headed downstairs.

Fortunately, Lana assumed I was completely powerless, or perhaps she wanted to flaunt her victory to push me over the edge.

She hadn't locked Leo away in a hidden nursery like before; she had him staying in the ground-floor playroom while she claimed the room right next to the master suite.

This gave me a chance to slip into the playroom.

Leo was clearly traumatized by yesterday's violence. He didn't dare speak or call for me.

He just glanced up at me with huge, anxious eyes, then quickly lowered his head, fidgeting with a pile of wooden blocks.

I didn't push him. I sat down beside him on the rug, quietly handing him blocks to help build his castle.

Leo kept watching me out of the corner of his eye. After a long silence, his tiny finger reached out to tap a tilted block I had just placed.

"That one... goes there."

The wall between us broke. I followed his instructions, stacking block after block.

Suddenly, Leo tilted his little face up, staring into my eyes with grave seriousness.

"Are you really my mommy?"

"Yes, sweetheart. I am."

Leo nodded slowly. After thinking for a moment, his little hand clutched my sleeve.

"Mommy... can you take me away?"

"The other mommy hits me all the time. Leo doesn't want to get hit anymore."

A sharp ache pierced my chest, tears flooding my eyes.

I couldn't hold back any longer. I gathered him into my arms, hugging him tight.

"Yes. Mommy is taking you away, I promise!"

"Don't be scared, baby. Nobody is ever going to hurt you again. Mommy is here."

Before we could even finish our embrace, the playroom door was violently kicked open.

Julian stormed in, his eyes blazing with fury.

"Chloe Bennett, why did you leak information about me and Lana to the press?!"

I stared at him blankly.

I had no idea what he was talking about.

Lana followed right behind him, weeping dramatically, her shoulders shaking as she pointed a trembling finger at me:

"Why are you trying to ruin my life?! The internet is tearing me apart! Everyone is calling me a homewrecker and a monster on Twitter and TikTok! You’re driving me to suicide!"

"I can't live like this! I can't!"

The moment she finished speaking, two security guards grabbed my arms, dragging me toward the hallway.

"Chloe, it seems a little time in the basement wasn't enough to teach you manners," Julian snapped coldly.

"You really thought using cheap tabloid tactics would force my hand to give up Leo?"

The guards dragged me violently across the floor.

Leo stumbled after us, tears streaming down his face as he threw his little arms around my legs:

"Let go of my mommy! You bad people, leave her alone!"

Julian waved his hand in irritation, signaling the guards to move faster.

"Lock her in the basement for a few days so she can clear her head."

"And this time, keep an eye on Leo. Don't let him touch that door again."

THUD!

Leo had no idea what to do. He could only chase behind the guards, crying at the top of his lungs:

"Let go of my mommy!"

"Stop it! Let her go!"

SLAM!

Another heavy metallic thud rang out.

I was hurled down into the dark basement once again, and the iron trapdoor was locked tight from above.

The suffocating blackness swallowed me whole. My throat constricted as if a pair of hands was choking the life out of me.

The ringing in my ears came back, louder and sharper than before.

My body convulsed. I passed out, woke up screaming in the dark, and passed out again.

And this time, no one was coming to open the door.