Chapter 5

"Ms. Jenner!

"Mr. Delgado... Mr. Delgado killed Stuart!"

Prudence Jenner looked at the knife in my hand.

Then at Stuart, already gone.

Her pupils shrank all at once.

"Have you lost your mind!"

A hand seized my throat.

Pinned me hard against the wall.

"Do you have any idea? That little dog was there for Will through the whole worst stretch of his depression!

"I searched so hard to pick out that dog, and you just kill it like that!"

I looked at her, cold.

"Let that animal wear my mother's keepsake, and you'd better be ready to have it killed."

"You—!"

Prudence stared at me, shock in her eyes.

William choked out,

"Ms. Jenner, I didn't! I never took Mr. Delgado's protective charm!"

The hand around my throat tightened.

Prudence glared at me through gritted teeth.

"What is wrong with you? You were never this deranged before!"

I laughed.

A bitter laugh.

"You see? Whatever he says, you believe. Always.

"Even when I'm dying, you still—"

"Enough, Vincent Delgado!"

She grabbed my arm.

"You want to pull the same old trick again? Fine!"

She wrenched me forward.

My bleeding foot stumbled after her.

And she shoved me down against the railing of the open terrace.

Five floors below me, nothing.

She bore down on my shoulders, holding me there so I couldn't straighten.

"Then go on and die! Go on!"

I said nothing.

I only looked, quietly, into her eyes.

The eyes that once brimmed with love, that once called me "husband."

Seeing that I wouldn't speak,

she gave a cold laugh.

The force pressing me down eased a little.

"See? You're just putting on an act!"

With that, she turned away, still sneering.

"Prudence Jenner."

I called her back. "You said, if I really had cancer, you'd die with me.

"Is that true?"

She turned her head.

Mockery in every line of her face.

"If you really had cancer, I'd die right along with you!"

I smiled.

"Good."

Prudence froze.

Then she scoffed and turned away.

She strode toward William.

The next second.

A rush of movement behind her.

She whipped around.

"Vincent!!"