Chapter 2

Amber wails louder into Ethan's chest.

"Ethan it hurts so bad — she's completely lost it — just kill her already!"

He pats her back. Twice. Then keeps his eyes on me.

"Seems those years locked up didn't teach you a damn thing, Zoe. If anything, you got dumber. Bolder. Stupider."

I toss the used wipe into the nearest trash can. Look him dead in the eye.

"That's hilarious coming from the guy who let his whore get his own daughter killed. You wanna talk about stupid? Let's talk about stupid."

"You—!"

Vein pops at his temple. His arm crushes tighter around Amber. She yelps — but doesn't dare say a word.

"Take that back. Apologize to Amber." His voice drops into command mode. Low. Absolute. "Then break your own hand. I might — might — let you crawl out of here still breathing."

I laugh. Loud. Right in his face. Like he just said the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard in my life.

"Ethan. Sweetie. You actually still think you're God in this city?"

I step into his space. Ignore the bodyguards going tense all around me.

"You want me to apologize?" I point at Amber. Sneering. "Tell that bitch to give my daughter her tongue back first."

Amber shrinks behind him. Trying to disappear.

His face goes black. Like a storm about to break.

"Lily brought that on herself! She pissed Amber off!"

The way he says it. Casual. Offhanded. Like he's talking about a spilled drink.

Something inside me goes ice-cold. Lethal.

"Over one bullshit made-up complaint — you ripped your own daughter's tongue out of her mouth? Even the sickest, most fucked-up animal on this earth wouldn't do that to its own young. You're not even an animal, Ethan. You're something worse. Something that shouldn't exist."

That night. When they brought Lily back. Her mouth — a lake of blood. Her tiny body curled on the cold floor like a shattered doll.

She was staring at the ceiling. Big eyes — nothing left in them but tears and terror. Already gone. Drowned in her own blood. No breath.

And Ethan stood right there. Looking down at me — collapsed, destroyed — and said in that dead flat voice:

"She won't piss Amber off anymore."

That was the moment I knew. One of us was going to die. And it wasn't going to be me.

"Shut your MOUTH!"

Ethan. Roaring. I hit the nerve.

"You wanna play it this way?! FINE! We do it the hard way!"

Hand raised. Signaling the guards.

"Pin her down! She won't do it herself — then you do it for her!"

They close in around me.

Amber's mouth curves into a smile. Already tasting my blood on the floor.

I don't move. Don't flinch. Just look at Ethan.

"You actually think I'm still her? That scared little wife you pushed around? The one who couldn't save her own baby?"