I stood outside Melany's office. The door was glass. I could see her through it. She was on the phone. Laughing. Her desk was bigger than mine had ever been.
I'd never had a desk.
I knocked.
She looked up. She smiled. She gestured for me to come in.
I opened the door. The office smelled like her perfume. Something floral and expensive. It made my throat tight.
"Freyja." She set her phone down. "What a pleasant surprise."
I closed the door behind me.
"I need to talk to you about my mother's coverage."
Melany tilted her head. "Of course. Please, sit."
I sat. The chair was low. Lower than hers. I had to look up at her.
"The hospital called," I said. "They're discontinuing her treatment in three days."
"I'm aware." Melany folded her hands on her desk. "The benefits restructuring affected several legacy accounts. It's unfortunate timing."
"She'll die."
"That does sound serious." Her voice was soft. Sympathetic. "What would you like me to do?"
I swallowed.
"Reverse it. Please. Restore the coverage."
Melany nodded slowly. "I could do that. I have the authority now." She paused. "But I need to understand something first. Are you still planning to divorce Darren?"
My hands were shaking. I pressed them against my knees.
"No."
"No?" She leaned forward. "You seemed quite certain at the party."
"I was wrong."
"Were you?" She smiled. "Or are you just desperate?"
I looked at her. Her eyes were bright. Happy.
"I was wrong," I repeated. "I shouldn't have said that. I embarrassed him. I embarrassed myself."
"You did." Melany opened a drawer. She pulled out a sheet of paper. Expensive stationery. She slid it across the desk with a pen. "Write it down."
I stared at the paper.
"An apology," she said. "To Darren. Formal. Sincere. Acknowledging your behavior and your intention to be a better wife going forward."
I picked up the pen.
My hand hovered over the paper.
"And then?" I asked quietly.
"And then I'll restore your mother's coverage." Melany leaned back. "Simple."
I wrote.
*Dear Darren,*
*I apologize for my behavior at the company retreat. I was disrespectful. I embarrassed you in front of your team. I spoke without thinking. I was wrong to ask for a divorce. I understand now that I have not been the wife you deserve. I will do better. I promise.*
*Freyja*
I set the pen down.
Melany picked up the paper. She read it slowly. Her smile widened.
"Lovely," she said. "But we're not quite done."
She pulled out another sheet. This one was typed. Legal language. Dense paragraphs.
"This is a simple agreement," she said. "It states that you retract your divorce request formally. That you acknowledge your role in this household. That you commit to resuming your duties with appropriate gratitude."
She slid it across the desk.
"Sign at the bottom."
I read it. The words blurred.
*The undersigned acknowledges that her role as Mrs. Darren Scott includes household management, social coordination, and personal support as required by her husband. The undersigned retracts any prior request for dissolution of marriage and commits to fulfilling her obligations without complaint or further disruption.*
There was more. Legal jargon. Clauses about confidentiality and conduct.
I picked up the pen.
I signed.
Melany took the paper. She folded it carefully. She placed it in a folder.
"Excellent," she said. "I'll process the coverage reinstatement this afternoon. Your mother's treatments will resume tomorrow."
I stood. My legs felt weak.
"Thank you."
Melany smiled.
"You're welcome, sweetheart."
I walked to the door.
"Freyja?"
I stopped. I didn't turn around.
"Just so we're clear," Melany said softly. "This can be reversed just as easily. If you forget your place again. If you cause Darren any more embarrassment. Your mother's coverage is a privilege. Not a right."
I nodded.
I left.
The hallway was empty. I walked to the elevator. I pressed the button.
I touched my wrist. The place where my mother's locket used to rest.
The elevator doors opened.
I stepped inside.
I thought of my mother. In her hospital bed. Breathing.
I thought of the papers I'd just signed.
The leash was tighter now.
But she was alive.
That was what mattered.
That was all that mattered.
The doors closed.
Two weeks later, Darren told me to pack a bag.
"We're going to the Hamptons," he said. "Charity gala. Saturday night."
I nodded.
"Pack something appropriate," he added. "You'll be working."
I didn't ask what he meant.
Saturday came. We drove in silence. His driver took us. Melany sat in the front seat. She wore a silver dress that caught the light.
I wore black. Simple. The kind of dress that disappears.
The venue was a private estate. Ocean views. White tents. Chandeliers hanging from trees.
We pulled up to the entrance. Darren got out first. Then Melany. Then me.
Darren turned to me. He reached into his pocket. He pulled out a small printed label. The kind you'd pin to a conference badge.
He pinned it to my dress.
I looked down.
*Personal Assistant — Available for Service*
"You'll circulate," he said. His voice was calm. "Serve drinks. Carry auction paddles. Whatever guests need. Melany will supervise."
I stared at the label.
"Darren—"
"You signed an agreement," he said. "You committed to fulfilling your duties without complaint. This is a duty."
He walked inside.
Melany smiled at me.
"Come along, sweetheart," she said. "Let's get you started."
I followed her inside.
The gala was already full. Men in tuxedos. Women in gowns that cost more than my mother's monthly treatments. I recognized some of them. Faces from my old life. The life before the scandal.
None of them recognized me.
Melany handed me a tray. Champagne flutes. Crystal.
"Start with the terrace," she said. "And smile."
I carried the tray outside.
The terrace overlooked the ocean. The sun was setting. Everything was golden.
I moved between groups. I offered champagne. Most people took a glass without looking at me.
One woman glanced at my label. She smiled.
"How clever," she said to her companion. "Renting out staff for the evening. Very efficient."
I said nothing.
Another woman—older, dripping in diamonds—stopped me.
"You," she said. "Hold this."
She handed me her fur coat. I draped it over my arm. She walked away.
I stood there. Holding her coat. Balancing the tray.
A man approached. He was drunk. His face was red.
"How much to rent you for the whole night?" he said loudly. He laughed. His friends laughed.
I looked past him.
Across the terrace, Darren stood with a group of investors. He was watching me.
His expression was blank.
He turned away.
I touched my wrist.
The locket was gone.
But I could still feel where it used to be.
I carried the tray inside.
I endured.
