Chapter 3
Ethan was leaning back in his leather chair, the phone pressed to his ear. His voice was sweet, a tone I hadn't heard in five years.
"What do you want after the movie? I’ll come pick you up now."
He glanced at the paper, then at me. He just picked up his Montblanc pen and scrawled his signature at the bottom, assuming it was just another routine PR document or gallery expense report.
He pulled a black card from his desk and shoved it into my hand, already walking past me toward the door.
"I’m glad you’re finally being reasonable," he said, stepping out of the study without looking back. "Buy whatever you want. Consider it compensation for the cliff incident."
I stared at his careless signature. He didn't even know he had just signed away our marriage.
I turned and walked out. But as I passed his bookshelf, my shoulder clipped a bronze statue.
The bookshelf swung open.
I froze. I stepped into the hidden room. The air inside was stale, smelling of leather and perfume. I flicked on the light.
My blood ran completely cold.
Lying on a velvet chaise lounge was a life-size custom silicone doll. It had Lila's face. Lila's exact measurements. Scattered across the floor were handcuffs, blindfolds, and silk ties.
I walked over to the mahogany desk in the corner. A legal folder sat open. It was the Voss Family Trust amendment. The ink was already dry. It clearly stated that one-third of the entire Voss estate was being legally transferred to Lila Mercer and her daughter, Scarlett.
I let out a dry, broken laugh.
Allergic to women's skin. What an absolute joke. Every night I sat alone in my room, wrapped in long sleeves and silk gloves, terrified of triggering his trauma. And every night, he was in here. Projecting his sick fantasies onto a plastic copy of the woman he actually wanted.
I walked out of the study and went straight to my bedroom. I opened my drawers. I threw every single pair of gloves into the trash. I ripped the high-neck, long-sleeve pajamas off their hangers and dumped them on the floor.
I packed one small suitcase. I walked out of the Voss mansion.
Three days later. The Chelsea Gallery Masquerade Gala.
Maren dragged me out of my new apartment. I put on a crimson velvet dress with a plunging back. The cut dipped dangerously low, just enough to expose the edges of the lark tattoo on my lower spine—the one I used to cover up my scar.
Ethan used to hate clothes like this. He called them "tasteless." I left my hair down, letting the curls frame my shoulders, and strapped on a silver queen mask.
Looking in the mirror, I almost didn't recognize myself.
I walked up the sweeping staircase to the VIP lounge on the second floor. Before I even reached the door, I heard a familiar, whiny voice harassing the staff.
"I don't care if it's booked. I want this room. Do you know who my boyfriend is?"
"I'm so sorry, Miss," the waiter stammered, trying to block the door. "But this lounge is strictly reserved for Miss Seren Hale. She's a partner at this gallery..."
Lila.
She scoffed, turning around. Her eyes landed on me.
She crossed her arms. "Seren? Seriously? I thought falling off a cliff would have knocked some sense into you. Ethan doesn’t love you. He won’t even touch you. Following us here is just sad."
I didn't even look at her. I turned to the waiter standing nervously by the door.
"All drinks tonight are on me," I said flatly. "Put up a sign: Miss Mercer and dogs are not allowed inside."
Lila gasped, her face turning red.
Footsteps sounded on the stairs. Ethan walked up. The second Lila saw him, she threw herself into his arms, burying her face in his chest.
"Ethan! They're bullying me!" she sobbed. "I was clearly here first, but they refuse to give me the room. This so-called partner even called me a dog and is trying to throw me out!"
Ethan wrapped an arm around her waist. He glared at me. His eyes swept over my bare shoulders, my exposed back, and the silver mask. Obviously, he didn’t recognize me.
"How much did this woman invest in your gallery?" Ethan snapped at the waiter.
"O-One million, sir," the waiter stammered.
Ethan snapped his fingers. His assistant stepped forward and popped open two metal briefcases.
Ethan grabbed a thick stack of hundred-dollar bills and threw it hard against my chest.
"Two million," Ethan sneered. "Get out of here. Is that enough?"
I stood my ground, staring at him through the eyeholes of my mask.
The waiter panicked. "Mr. Voss, wait, she’s your wife—"
"Shut up," Ethan cut him off. "I don't care if she's Seren's friend. She moves."
"Whoever she is — even if she’s Seren’s own mother — she will move for Lila."
He stepped directly into my personal space, his voice dripping with venom. "Two million isn’t enough for an apology? Get on your knees. Bark like a dog, and I’ll let you leave."
Lila tugged on Ethan's sleeve, looking at me with pure disgust. "Forget it, Ethan. She’s not worth two million. Just some lonely old woman looking for attention at night."
Ethan’s face softened instantly as he looked down at Lila. He turned back to the waiter, his voice turning to ice. "Tell your boss to fire her. Voss will cover the penalty. Otherwise, this gallery shuts down tomorrow."
He took Lila's hand and walked away.
Maren rushed up the stairs a minute later, breathless. She looked at the money covering the floor, then at me. "Why didn't you take off the mask? Why did you let him do that?"
I picked up my glass of wine and took a slow sip. "What difference would it make, Maren?"
I looked down at the empty hallway. "Twenty years ago, we were kidnapped together. I was the mute girl the kidnappers dragged in. I sneaked him my bread. I unlocked his chains in the dark so he could run."
"When they caught us," I continued, my voice dead, "he threw himself over me. He took the metal pipe to his back. He was bleeding everywhere, but he whispered in my ear: 'We’ll survive this. We’ll grow up, and I’ll marry you.'"
I set the glass down. "I crossed mountains to find him and marry him. But he forgot his Quiet Bird a long, long time ago......"
The next afternoon.
I drove out to a warehouse in Brooklyn. Maren asked me to pick up a vintage sculpture from a private dealer.
I pushed the rusty metal door open. "Hello?"
Before I could take another step, someone grabbed me from behind. I thrashed, but the edges of my vision quickly faded to black.
When I opened my eyes again, the cold wind was whipping across my face.
I was on the roof of the warehouse.
I looked up. Lila was there. She was dangling off the edge of the roof, suspended by a thick yellow industrial rope.
She looked down at me and smiled. It was a sick, twisted smirk.
"The guest of honor is here," she said calmly. "Let the show begin."
BAM.
The metal roof doors were kicked open.
Ethan burst onto the roof, followed by five massive security guards.
Lila's face contorted into pure terror. She started screaming tears streaming down her face.
"Ethan! Help me! Seren’s doing this! She is trying to kill me because she’s jealous! Save me!"
