Chapter 5
“Zoe’s making ravioli tonight, so we’d better hurry downstairs if we want to grab a spot.”
“That sweater looks amazing on you. Real designer stuff is on a whole different level.”
“Love your hair clip, too.”
“And these shoes–aren’t they gorgeous?”
Chatter and laughter echoed from the hallway. Simon frowned and glanced out the door.
He only needed a moment to spot Lily Winters in a pink dress–the same one he’d brought back from Florence as a one–month anniversary gift for Vivian.
It had been meant for Vivian, a symbol of their early days together.
“Stop right there!”
Simon burst out of the room, his voice sharp and commanding, cutting through the noise.
As he looked around, he saw gifts he’d given Vivian scattered across these women: scarves, coats, dresses, handbags, shoes. One of them was even wearing the wedding ring he’d slipped onto Vivian’s finger.
“Who told you to wear her clothes? Take them off. Now.”
“And that ring–who said you could wear it?”
“Every single thing that doesn’t belong to you–take it off and hand it over. Immediately!”
Simon’s gaze swept over each woman, but he couldn’t remember a single name. Their faces blurred together, unfamiliar and insignificant.
He’d always indulged these women, letting them do as they pleased just to provoke Vivian. This was the first time they’d seen him lose his temper.
They scrambled to strip off anything that belonged to Vivian, hurriedly tossing scarves and shoes into a pile. Lily Winters, inexperienced and a little stubborn, muttered under her breath, refusing to take off the dress.
Simon’s face darkened with anger. In a few strides, he reached Lily and yanked the dress off her himself.
“You have five minutes. Everything you took from her–put it back where it belongs!”
He told Zoe to keep watch, then stormed downstairs to check the security footage.
The guards pulled up the recordings from the past few days. It didn’t take long for Simon to spot me–running through the snow, a trail of blood staining the ground behind me. The sight made his breath catch.
He watched as I climbed into Leonard’s car–not once, but twice. Both times, it was Leonard.
1/3
Chapter 5
“Damn it!”
He muttered a string of curses, then returned home. As he stepped into the living room, he found the women chatting on the sofa.
He remembered how Vivian used to sit among them, surrounded and silent, her anger swallowed down. Back then, he’d found it amusing.
Now, with Vivian gone, the very same scene just sounded shrill and grating.
“Life just feels pointless without Vivian around.”
“She’d usually be doing our laundry by now, or getting ready to bake something for us.”
“Honestly, I kind of miss her.”
Simon stood in the doorway, his eyes icy and unyielding.
He’d always let this happen. He’d allowed all of it.
But hearing it out loud–each word cut through him, every syllable a reminder that he was the reason Vivian had left.
“Zoe!”
“Tell them to pack their things and get out. All of them.”
His sudden outburst startled everyone into silence. They scrambled to apologize, swearing they’d never gossip again.
But Simon wasn’t listening. He ordered Zoe to help them pack, then turned away.
Just then, Lily Winters–bolder than the rest–stepped in front of Simon, blocking his path.
“I’m pregnant,” she announced, resting a hand on her still–flat belly, a glint of triumph on her
face.
But to her surprise, the other women turned pale. They rushed upstairs, packed their bags in record time, and fled the Sterling household.
Lily couldn’t make sense of it. Wasn’t pregnancy supposed to be her trump card over Simon? Why were the others so scared?
In the next instant, Simon grabbed her by the arm and tossed her aside, sending her crashing
into the wall.
A jolt of pain shot up Lily’s back as she gasped for breath. Simon stood over her, cold and implacable.
His words cut deeper than any wound.
“Zoe, call Dr. Bennett. Tell him to come and handle the abortion.”
A simple sentence, but in the Sterling household, it had happened more than once.
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15:01
What Lily didn’t know was that I used to be the one who made those arrangements for Simon.
He never allowed any woman to have his child.
Not even me.
Two months after we married, I discovered I was pregnant.
Terrified of what Simon might do to me–or the baby–I tried to run. But no matter how far I got, he always found me.
During one last desperate struggle, I lost the baby.
That day, Simon’s eyes were bloodshot and full of hatred. He called me heartless, said I didn’t have a soul.
And to this day, I still don’t understand. He was the one who took my child away, so why was I the one who was heartless?
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