Chapter 4

Her last words fall into my ear, as a stone.

Time seems to stop.

The air in the gallery, the distant murmur of laughter, the riot of color on the walls—all of it drains away in an instant.

I only hear the sudden, frantic thrum of the artificial heart inside my chest.

That face—played so innocent, flickers with a flash of satisfaction.

I clamp my hand down on her wrist. “How dare you—!”

Luna lets out a soft *ah* of pain but doesn't pull away.

Then a tense voice cuts in from behind me.

"What are you doing?"

Hugo strides through the gallery doors. Every stride a burst of rare panic and anger. I watch him come forward.

His eyes find Luna's red-rimmed ones first. Then they land on me.

His frown deepens. "Let her go."

Several people rush over, forming a circle around Luna. Protecting her.

Luna's voice is hoarse. "Hugo, don't misunderstand. Sia just came to look at the paintings—"

“Does she look like she's here to see paintings?!” Cade shoves me aside. “This is exactly what Hugo’s spoiled out of her!”

“If without Hugo and see who’ll bother with her then. Society will put her in her place in no time!”

I grit my teeth and stay locked on Hugo's face.

He's looking down at Luna's wrist, cradling her hand like it's fragile.

That look—so focused, so full of concern—cuts into me, slicing away the last of whatever shaky sanity I have left.

“Hugo—”

I force the name out one syllable at a time, my throat raw, “My mother…was it really an accident? Was my heart really dead?”

He falters and presses a thumb to his brow. “Sia…” he starts.

“How many times are you going to drag this up? I told you. It was an accident. Who can guarantee a surgery is a hundred percent—”

“I want the truth!” My voice rises.

“Hugo, look at me. Look me in the eye and tell me—what really happened?!”

“Enough!” His anger finally snaps free.

I want to scream. I want to lose my mind. I want to demand the truth in front of everyone...

But the artificial heart in my chest buzzes like a hive about to burst.

My vision blurs.

*Beep. Beep. Beep.*

Hugo’s face—full of worry for her, was floats in front of me.

How cruel.

Even the right to go insane is being stolen from me because someone else wears my heart.

Hugo grabs my arm. “Let’s go home.”

I try to pull away. But I can't move anymore. Fatigue closes my eyes for a beat.

“Divorce,” I whisper, the last of my defiance. “This is the last time.”

"Crazy. You're absolutely crazy." There's nothing but disgust in Hugo's eyes now.

In the chaos, my bag gets knocked over.

The divorce agreement falls out. The one I drafted long ago. The one I drafted so many times and never signed

He bends, snatches up the papers, pulls a pen, and signs with a hard, precise stroke.

He slams the pen and the signed document back at my feet.

“As you wish.”

—

The madness drains out of me.

I pick up the papers, brush off the dust, and without a word, walk out of the gallery.