Chapter 3

Sebastian's face freezes.

He looks at me like I'm a complete stranger.

"What did you just say?" His voice is sharp. "What do you mean, 'why should you'?"

"Leah, have you lost your mind? Are you insane? Do you even hear yourself?!"

He snaps out of it fast. Then he swings his bag right at my face. I turn my head just in time to take it on the cheek, but he's already yelling louder.

"I bust my ass every single day! Who do I do it for?!"

"I asked you to make one stupid fish dish, and now you're having a breakdown?!"

I feel blood on my lip. It's split open.

I wipe it slowly. Then I look at him. Not quite smiling. Not quite not.

"First of all," I say quietly. "Was that fish really for your employees?"

"Second. Sammy is your sister. Not mine. Feeding her? Taking care of her? That's your job."

Then Sammy hears the yelling from the other room. She starts crying. Stumbling out of bed. She trips and falls flat on the floor. And then she just wails.

Loud.

Loud enough that the neighbors come out to see what's going on.

Sebastian doesn't go help his own sister. His face just turns red. Embarrassed.

"Leah," he hisses. "You really want to do this in front of everyone?"

I don't flinch. I pull out our marriage license. And I tear it in half right in his face.

"Do what? Finally see you for what you are?" I let out a quiet laugh. "God, I really had you wrong."

"We're done."

I grab my bag and head for the door.

But the neighbors block me.

"Sweetheart, we've known Sebastian for years," one of them says. "That man works so hard."

"It's your job as his wife to support him. Take care of his sister. Don't make a scene on Christmas."

A few older women snicker.

"Sebastian's a CEO," one of them scoffs. "And you? What do you even do all day—sit around and live off him? You should be thanking your lucky stars he married you."

"Without him, what would you even do?"

I feel sick.

They don't know. None of them know.

Sebastian gives me a thousand a month and calls it "frugal." I work three jobs just to pay for Sammy's medication and all the household bills.

I'm not even angry anymore. I just turn to Sebastian.

"Hey," I say. "Do you really think I'm your wife? Like they all just said?"

"Because from where I'm standing… you already have a wife. And it's not me."

Sebastian stares at the torn pieces of paper on the floor. For a second, his face goes pale.

Then something clicks behind his eyes. He laughs. A nasty little laugh.

"Oh, I get it," he says. "You're mad about the wedding. The ceremony. That's what this is about."

He pulls out his wallet. Throws fifty dollars on the ground.

"Here. Go buy yourself something sweet, hand it out to the neighbors—call it a celebration or whatever."

"I have work to do. I don't have time for your drama."

He walks away. Fast. Like he's running.

I don't say anything else. I just turn to leave.

But then I see Sammy, still on the floor, crying so hard she can barely breathe.

She didn't ask for any of this.

I sigh. Help her up. Walk her back to bed.

And when I'm changing her clothes, something falls out of her hand.

A photo. A small wedding photo.

And in it? Sebastian. In a tux. Holding hands with Felicity. In a white dress.

Sammy sees the picture and lights up.

"Lici!" she says, grinning. "Lici's wedding! Lici gave Sammy candy!"

I freeze.

So much for being "too busy for a ceremony."

So much for "saving money" and "not caring about tradition."

They had a wedding. A real one. And I never even knew.

Even Sammy was there.

For five years, she's never once said Felicity's name like that. With happiness.

Now she's looking at a picture of Felicity with Sebastian… and smiling.

The last bit of warmth inside me goes dark.