On the day they signed the marriage license, Sarah was dressed to the nines.
She took my hand and led me out of the courthouse.
"Roland, we're husband and wife now."
The warmth in her voice was almost convincing. I pulled my hand free and gave a noncommittal grunt.
A sports car pulled up in front of us. The window rolled down, revealing a familiar face.
Simon Simmons. The man Sarah had been obsessed with for as long as I could remember.
In my last life, she'd been so desperate to please him that she'd thrown my life away without a second thought.
"Sarah, congratulations." Simon stepped out and fixed me with a look dripping with provocation. "So this is Mr. Kaufman? Quite handsome. No wonder you skipped my birthday party for him."
Sarah's shoulders stiffened, the movement barely perceptible.
She turned to Simon, a thread of anxiety woven into her voice. "Simon, what are you doing here?"
Simon pouted and walked over, looping his arm through hers with practiced familiarity. "I came to get a look at your new groom, of course."
"Sarah, my stomach hurts. Will you take me to the hospital?"
Right in front of me, her brand-new husband, without an ounce of shame.
Sarah glanced back at me. "Roland, Simon isn't feeling well. I'm going to take him to the hospital. The driver will bring you home."
The first day after signing the license in my last life had played out exactly the same way. One phone call from Simon, and she was gone. I'd sat alone in the bridal suite all night, waiting like a fool.
Back then, I'd actually believed she was just looking after her little brother.
I nodded at them both. "Sure. Take your time. I'll manage."
Sarah seemed displeased by how calm I was. Her brows knitted and she opened her mouth to say something, but Simon was already pulling her into the car.
Once the sports car disappeared down the road, I took out my phone and called the finance department.
"Has the money come through?"
"Yes, Mr. Kaufman."
The corner of my mouth curved upward.
"Transfer it to the offshore account immediately. Then call the police and report the company for suspected illegal fundraising. File for bankruptcy protection."
Back at the apartment Sarah had set up as our marital home, I swept every matching couple's trinket she'd prepared into the trash. Then I booked the earliest flight out of the country.
I was about to walk out the door when it slammed open.
Sarah charged in, seized me by the throat, and pinned me against the wall.
"Roland, you played me!"
A vein throbbed at her temple. Her eyes were wide, blazing.
"You moved the money? And filed for bankruptcy yourself?"
My head was forced back against the wall. The pressure on my windpipe was suffocating, but I kept my gaze locked on hers.
"That's right."
"Your money, Ms. Delgado. I found it too dirty to keep."
Her grip tightened.
"You're asking to die!"
I forced a smile through the choking.
"Then kill me."
"Kill me, and you'll never see that money again."
Sarah released me.
I slid down the wall and crumpled to the floor, clutching my throat, coughing violently.
She crouched down and gripped my face between her fingers.
"Roland, you think you can run?"
"Your father's ashes are still at the cemetery. Try me. I'll have someone scatter them by tomorrow."
I couldn't stop shaking.
In my last life, she'd used my father's ashes as leverage to force me into donating bone marrow to Simon.
I lunged forward and slapped her across the face as hard as I could.
"Sarah, you're an animal!"
Her head snapped to the side. She ran her tongue along the inside of her struck cheek.
When she turned back to me, her face was a mask of fury.
"Good hit."
"Since you refuse to behave, don't blame me for what comes next."
She stood and made a call.
"Cancel Roland's flight. Freeze every bank account under his name."
"And send someone to the cemetery. Keep watch."
After she hung up, she looked down at me from above.
"Starting today, you don't go anywhere without my permission."
