Chapter 2

Before the ambulance arrived, I went out of my way to make myself sound responsible.

Too responsible, if anyone had been paying attention.

"Yes, I've raised her since she was a kitten. Seven years. I bathe her, give her medicine, trim her claws, everything. My husband almost never touches her."

Ethan jumped in at once.

"I'm severely allergic. I couldn't take care of a cat if I wanted to."

I nodded. "That's right. His allergy is serious."

Afraid someone might question her, Lily hurried to add, "I've never seen that cat before. I was just walking by when I noticed her on the lawn."

I turned to look at her.

Her makeup was understated and flawless. Around her neck glittered a delicate Harry Winston diamond pendant.

Months ago, I had found it in Ethan's desk and secretly thrilled at the thought that he had planned a surprise for me.

The surprise was that it had been meant for his mistress.

I had died too soon to give the necklace another thought. Now it caught the sun every time Lily moved, impossible to ignore.

I smiled.

"Right. She must have happened upon the scene too."

Ethan gave me a wary glance, but suspicion quickly gave way to relief.

He must have thought I was still the woman I used to be.

The woman who apologized first whenever anything went wrong. The woman who, with a knife at her throat, would still ask whether she had failed someone.

Emboldened, Lily pointed at me.

"I even warned her that the cat looked aggressive, but she didn't come over."

A neighbor frowned.

"Didn't you say you were just passing by? How did you know who owned the cat?"

Lily froze.

Ethan answered for her.

"She's seen my wife's social media. Mochi is pretty distinctive."

I looked at Ethan.

"You two know each other?"

Silence fell for one long second. His throat moved.

Then I widened my eyes as if I had just remembered.

"Oh, right. Ms. Bennett is a client of his company. She must have seen Mochi in one of my posts."

Lily nodded eagerly. "Yes. A client."

"Then it makes sense that she recognized her," I added helpfully.

The neighbors stopped asking questions. For the first time that afternoon, Ethan looked openly pleased with me.

He stepped close and lowered his voice.

"You're handling this the right way."

I held Mochi and met his eyes.

"A child is hurt. Someone has to take responsibility."

He patted my shoulder.

"That's my girl. Let's get this cleaned up, and we'll talk about the rest at home."

The moment his fingers brushed my jacket, he yanked them away.

Cat hair.

Ethan had been severely allergic since college. Before we married, I asked him over and over whether he could live with Mochi. He swallowed antihistamines and promised he could.

After we moved in together, he confined her to my office and the enclosed balcony.

I compromised every time. I bought three air purifiers. I mopped twice a day and washed the couch covers every week. If I saw so much as a loose strand of fur, I crouched down and rolled it off the floor.

I thought that was what compromise in a marriage looked like.

Only as I lay dying did I learn the truth.

The man who refused to touch me after I held my cat had put on a mask and gloves, stuffed Mochi into a carrier, and delivered her to Lily himself.

Not because he had suddenly learned to love cats.

Because Lily had once said, "Your wife's Ragdoll is gorgeous. I wish I could take her out just once."

She wanted something, so he took it.

My property.

And when disaster followed, he charged the bill to me.

The ambulance arrived. The boy's mother climbed in with him. Before the doors closed, she pointed at me.

"Don't disappear."

I texted her a photo of my license.

"I'm taking my cat to an emergency vet, then I'll come straight to the hospital."

Ethan spoke beside me.

"She'll be there."

The woman glared at him.

"You're the husband? Good. You're not walking away from this either."

Ethan scowled. "I have nothing to do with that cat."

I cut in before he could say more.

"He's telling the truth. Mochi has always been my responsibility."

A satisfied smile tugged at Ethan's mouth.

He did not see the camera beside the black button on my collar, its lens no larger than a pinprick.

From his first declaration that the cat was mine, it had captured every image and every word.