Chapter 3

When James came back, it was already late at night.

He reeked of alcohol and perfume, stumbling as he collapsed onto the sofa.

Cleo had fallen asleep in the car and was carried back to her room by the nanny.

I was still in the living room, with a bowl of pasta that had long gone cold sitting in front of me.

Today was my birthday.

It was also the anniversary of the day James and I got our marriage certificate.

Unfortunately, no one remembered.

"Why aren't you asleep yet?"

James rubbed his temples, his voice hoarse.

He unbuttoned his shirt collar, revealing a suggestive red mark on his neck.

"I was waiting for you."

I wheeled myself over to him and pushed the bowl of pasta toward him.

"Are you hungry? Have some pasta."

James looked at the clumped-up pasta with disgust.

"No thanks, just looking at it makes me sick."

He stood up and staggered toward the stairs.

"I'm going to take a shower. Go to bed early and stop being so dramatic."

"James."

I called out to him.

"Let's talk."

James stopped, turned around, and looked down at me.

His eyes were full of impatience.

"Talk about what? About how you bullied Sophia today?"

"Emily, I'm telling you, Sophia is a good girl. Don't use your manipulative tricks on her."

I laughed.

I laughed so hard I almost cried.

A good girl?

A woman who knowingly throws herself at a married man is a good girl?

"I just wanted to ask you something."

I took a deep breath, pushing down the sharp pain in my chest.

"If one day I was gone, would you be sad?"

James paused for a moment.

Then he acted like he'd heard the funniest joke.

"Gone? Where would you go?"

"Without me, you can't even take care of yourself. Where could you possibly go?"

"Emily, don't threaten me with death. You've been using that trick for three years, and I'm not buying it."

He walked over, bent down, and patted my face.

The gesture was casual, humiliating.

"As long as you don't make trouble, I'll make sure you have everything you need."

"After all, everyone says I'm a good man for taking care of my sick wife."

"There's a charity gala next week. Get ready, and you'll play along with me then."

With that, he straightened up and went upstairs without looking back.

I watched his retreating figure, my heart growing colder and colder.

Taking care of me was just part of the image he wanted to maintain.

Even when I was incontinent, even when I was a complete mess, he would push me into the spotlight.

To show everyone how righteous he was, how great.

Standing by his paralyzed wife through it all.

What a touching story.

I turned my wheelchair and went back to my room.

The room felt empty.

I didn't have much.

Besides a few changes of clothes, there was just that pair of old ballet shoes locked in the cabinet.

I opened the cabinet and took out the shoes.

The pink satin had yellowed a bit, and the soles were badly worn.

These were the shoes I wore for my last performance.

Back then, I thought I'd dance for the rest of my life.

Until that day, when I saw James having sex with his secretary in bed.

To cover it up, he pushed me down the stairs.

Yes, I didn't accidentally fall.

He pushed me.

He was trying to grab my phone from my hands, to destroy that disgusting evidence.

And he pushed me down.

When I woke up, the doctor said I had high-level paralysis and would never walk again.

He knelt by my bed crying, swearing he'd take care of me for the rest of my life.

I believed him.

For Cleo's sake, for this family, I chose to endure it.

I told everyone it was an accident.

I helped him cover it up, helped him maintain his image.

But what did I get in return?

More betrayal, shameless humiliation.

Even Cleo had been turned against me.

I stroked the ballet shoes, my fingertips trembling slightly.

Enough.

I'd really had enough.

These three years, I'd been living in hell.

Now, I was going to crawl out.

I took out my phone and sent a message to my lawyer, John Williams.

"Tomorrow we move."

Then I put the ballet shoes into a black garbage bag.

Along with the last bit of feeling I had for James.

Throwing it all away for good.