### Chapter 6
My heart lurched, and before I knew it my fingers had tightened around the phone.
"What wedding were you just talking about?" Cyril stepped closer, eyes fixed on me.
"A friend of mine is getting married. She invited me."
The breath went out of him visibly, and the look he gave me softened. "Julie, I promise, my wedding with Melanie won't change anything. The place of Mrs. Weiss is yours forever."
I lowered my lashes so he wouldn't see what was churning underneath, and asked quietly, "Why did you come back?"
He held out a tube of burn cream.
"I know you're hurting. I'll make it up to you." His voice dropped low. "You can't carry a child anymore, but the Weisses need an heir. Once Melanie has the baby, everything will get back on track."
I almost laughed out loud.
He had wrecked our future with his own hands, the marriage itself nothing but a lie, and he stood there telling me things would get "back on track."
But I only moved my lips and gave him one word. "Fine. I understand."
Cyril seemed satisfied with that. He looked ready to say more, and then his phone rang.
It was the ringtone he'd set just for his "little fool."
"Cyril, we're celebrating four months of my pregnancy today. I've already booked the restaurant, so hurry over."
He left without a backward glance.
I walked into the garage, hit the gas, and shot out.
Today was the seventh anniversary of the day we met. Every year before this, he'd had a gift ready early, some surprise waiting for me.
This year, he didn't remember.
I parked outside a mountaineering shop, went in, and bought every piece of top-grade gear they had.
When I was young, I'd watched a sunrise over a snow mountain on TV and made a wish.
After that, every year I told him I wanted to climb the snow mountain with him and watch the sunrise together. Every time he said he was busy, and to wait a little longer.
I wasn't waiting anymore.
I would go to the snow mountain myself and watch the most beautiful sunrise there was.
I'd barely tossed the load into the trunk when a hand clamped down hard around my wrist.
"Where's Melanie? What did you do to her?" Cyril snarled at me, his voice shaking with rage.
I'd never seen him like this. His eyes were even threaded with red.
When I said nothing, his knuckles dug in until he nearly crushed the bone. "Talk! Did you take her?"
Pain tore up my wrist and I sucked in a breath. "I haven't seen her, I swear!"
Cyril stared into my eyes, as if weighing the truth of it.
After a moment his fingers loosened, and he finally let me go.
But the instant he turned, his gaze snagged on the open trunk.
Ice axe, rope, tape. Something in his face split open. The red in his eyes thickened, and he seized my jaw.
"Still lying to me. Do you have any idea how much she means to me? Give her back!"
"I didn't. Kidnap her." I forced it out through my teeth.
The fury swallowed him whole. His hand came up and the slap cracked across my face.
A ringing filled my ears, the world went black, and I dropped to the ground.
My cheek burned, and the taste of iron and blood spread through my mouth.
"I'll ask you one last time." He stood over me, his voice cold enough to freeze. "Where is Melanie?"
I gathered every scrap of strength I had and screamed it back at him.
"I told you I didn't do it, are you deaf? If you don't believe me, check the security cameras, check the dashcam!"
Meeting the stubbornness in my eyes, something in Cyril wavered. Then in the next breath he fisted his hand in my hair and dragged me toward his car like a rag he was hauling off.
"Who else would touch her but you? Won't admit it? I have plenty of ways to make you talk."
The burn on my leg split open, sticky blood seeping out, the pain pulling tears straight down my face.
Just as it nearly knocked me out, his phone rang.
"You found her? I'm on my way."
Cyril let go in an instant, spun, threw himself into the car, the engine roaring as he tore off.
Not a moment's hesitation. Not a flicker of guilt over me.
I lifted a hand and touched my swollen, scalding cheek, and a low laugh slipped out of me.
It didn't matter. Let the three of them have their happy little reunion. Their reckoning would come soon enough.
I dragged myself up, straightened my clothes, limped back to the car, and drove straight for the snow mountain outside the city.
The intersection out of town was just ahead. Then, out of nowhere, several cars swept in from both sides.
The black Cayenne in front surged forward, braked hard, and threw itself sideways across my path.
Cyril shoved the door open and got out, his face darker than before.
"Where do you think you're going?"
