The first thing I felt was pain—a sharp sting across my cheek, followed by the internal crack of something breaking. Adrian had slapped me.
He had never done that before. Not once in all our years together. He had been gentle, patient—the man who held my hand during long drives, brought me coffee every morning, kissed my forehead before work.
We had laughed over trivial things, dreamed about the future, debated names for our children. I had believed his touch meant safety, his voice meant love. And now, the same hand that once wiped my tears was the one that drew them.
“What did you just say?” he shouted, voice laced with fury. “Divorce me? You think you can just walk away like that? My family would never approve!”
My cheek burned as I blinked. “Adrian—”
He stepped closer, jaw tight, breath hot with anger. “Is this about wanting freedom? So you can flirt behind my back? Did you really think I wouldn’t find out?”
I frowned. “Flirt? Me?”
He scoffed bitterly. “Yes! You’re cheating on me, Vivienne!”
Disbelief washed over me. “Where on earth did you get that idea?”
“Seraphine told me,” he said flatly.
I let out a bitter, short laugh. “Of course she did.”
He glared. “Don’t laugh! You think this is funny?”
I shook my head, stepping back. “So that’s it. You’d rather believe her than me.” I slid my wedding ring off my finger and held it up between us. “Fine. Believe her. Think whatever you want.”
The metal hit the floor with a sharp clink and rolled away.
Adrian’s eyes darkened. His hand moved before I could react. Another slap—harder, angrier.
“Don’t you dare walk away from me!” he yelled. “Who is that man, huh? Who is he?”
“There’s no one!” I cried, tears streaming. “You’re insane!”
He ignored me, grabbing my arms and shaking me roughly. Pain shot through my shoulders. “You think you can make a fool out of me? Embarrass me in front of my family?”
“Adrian, stop—”
But he didn’t. His rage blinded him. Every breath came sharper, every movement more violent.
And then—
“Adrian!”
Seraphine’s heels clicked against the floor as she barreled in, grabbing his arm and yanking him away. “What are you doing? Why are you hurting her?”
Her voice trembled, just enough to seem sincere.
I staggered back, clutching my arm. “Why?” I gasped. “You told him I was cheating when I wasn’t!”
Seraphine blinked, eyes wide in mock shock. “What? Wait—this is a misunderstanding! I just said you were close to that client! Adrian, you misunderstood me!”
“Liar!” I lunged, tangling my fingers in her perfect hair and yanking hard. “You wanted this! You wanted him to hate me!”
Seraphine shrieked, grabbing my wrist. “Let go of me!”
Adrian tried to separate us, shouting both our names, but chaos had already taken over. Shouts, struggles, things clattering to the floor.
Seraphine shoved me, I shoved back. Her nails raked my face, and in a flash of fury, I slapped her.
“You ruined everything!” I screamed. “You took everything from me—”
“Stop it!” Adrian barked.
But neither of us listened. Years of buried hatred poured out—every lie, every betrayal, every false smile.
And then I heard a small, trembling voice.
“Mommy Vivienne, stop!”
My heart froze.
Elias.
He stood near the doorway, eyes wide with fear. “You’re bad!” he cried. “You’re always shouting! I hate you!”
“Elias—” I tried to reach him.
He pushed forward, small hands trying to wedge between us. “Leave Mommy Seraphine alone!”
His push caught me off balance. My heel slipped on the edge of the carpet. The world tilted.
I reached for something—wall, railing, anything—but found only air.
And then I fell.
Metal pressed against my back. Air whooshed out of me. The hall echoed with the thud. The last thing I heard before darkness swallowed me was Elias’s tiny, trembling voice.
“You deserved it,” he whispered. “Bad!”
The words cut deeper than the fall.
When I came to, the room was dim, heavy, muffled—like I was surfacing from a nightmare.
But it wasn’t over.
Someone was beside me. I tried to speak, but my throat tightened. Then I felt it—hands pressing against my neck.
Seraphine.
Her face loomed above me, twisted with rage. “You should’ve stayed down,” she hissed, grip tightening. “You can’t keep ruining everything. Adrian and I deserve to be happy!”
I gasped, fighting her hands. “Seraphine—stop—”
She pressed harder, nails biting. “If you won’t leave,” she whispered, low and trembling, “then I’ll make you leave. For good.”
Panic surged. I kicked, clawed, struggled with every ounce of strength left. Spots flashed before my eyes.
And then—
“Hey!”
The door burst open.
Seraphine froze, grip loosening just enough for me to gasp for air. A tall man stormed in, dark with shock and anger. In one motion, he pulled her off me, shoving her aside.
“What the hell are you doing?” he bellowed.
Seraphine stumbled, pale. “She—she tried to attack me!”
“Don’t lie,” he said, sharp, commanding. “I saw exactly what you were doing.”
I blinked, trying to focus through the haze. The face was familiar—strong jaw, steady eyes, faint scar near his temple.
“Lucien?” I croaked.
The son of my mother’s best friend—and now Adrian’s rival.
