Chapter 2 No.2

The morning light that filtered into the master suite was grey and unforgiving. It sliced through the gaps in the curtains, hitting Alexander Vance directly in the eyes.

He groaned, rolling over and burying his face in the pillow. His head throbbed. The stress of the previous night, the hospital visit, Scarlett's tears, the merger deadline-it all sat heavy on his temples.

He reached out his hand blindly toward the nightstand. He expected the warmth of a ceramic mug. Evelyn always brought him black coffee, exactly at 6:30 AM. It was part of the machinery of his life. The coffee appeared, his clothes were laid out, his schedule was synced.

His hand hit nothing but cool air.

Alexander frowned. He patted the surface. Empty.

He opened his eyes, squinting against the light. He sat up, irritation flaring in his chest.

Evelyn? he called out. His voice was raspy with sleep.

Silence.

The silence was different this morning. It wasn't the quiet of a well-ordered home. It was the hollowness of a vacuum.

He swung his legs out of bed. That was when he saw it.

On the pillow next to him-the pillow Evelyn usually slept on, curled up in a ball to take up as little space as possible-sat a piece of paper. And on top of the paper, glinting in the pale light, was her wedding ring.

Alexander stared at it. For a moment, his brain refused to process the visual data. The ring looked alien sitting there, detached from her finger.

He reached out and picked up the paper. The ring rolled off and hit the mattress with a soft thud.

Dissolution of Marriage.

He scanned the document. His eyes darted over the legal jargon. Irretrievable breakdown. Waiver of assets. Immediate effect.

He let out a short, incredulous scoff. He tossed the paper back onto the bed.

Another plea for attention, he muttered to the empty room.

She had been moody lately. Silent. Withdrawn. He assumed it was because of the anniversary. He knew he had missed it, but surely she understood the gravity of Scarlett's condition? Scarlett was family. Scarlett was... fragile. Evelyn was supposed to be the sturdy one. The one who didn't need maintenance.

He stood up and walked out of the bedroom, tightening the sash of his silk robe. He expected to find her in the kitchen, perhaps sulking over the stove, waiting for him to apologize so she could forgive him and pour the coffee.

Evelyn! Stop this childish game, he called out as he entered the living area. I don't have time for drama this morning.

The kitchen was pristine. The counters were wiped clean. There was no smell of coffee. No smell of toast. The appliances were cold.

Alexander stopped in the center of the room. A flicker of genuine unease sparked in his gut.

Then, the door to the Guest Suite opened.

Evelyn stepped out.

Alexander blinked. She looked... different.

She was wearing a trench coat belted tightly at the waist over simple clothes. Her hair, usually in that severe, messy bun, was down, though still unstyled. But it was her posture that threw him off. She wasn't hunching. She wasn't shrinking into herself. She stood with her spine elongated, her chin lifted.

She was holding a suitcase, but she set it down by the guest room door.

Going somewhere? Alexander asked, his voice dripping with condescension. He walked toward the kitchen island, leaning against it to show how unbothered he was. The drama is unnecessary, Evelyn. Put the bag away.

Evelyn walked to the counter to pour herself a glass of water. She didn't look at him.

I signed the papers, Alexander, she said. Her voice was calm. Unnaturally calm. I want out.

Alexander laughed. It was a harsh, barking sound. Out? You have nothing without me. You realize that, don't you? You are a 'Sharp' in name only. Your father won't take you back. You have no job. No money. No apartment.

He pushed off the counter and took a step toward her, using his height to intimidate. He towered over her, casting a shadow across her face.

You're a placeholder, Evelyn. Don't forget that. You exist in this world because I allow it. Because I needed a wife on paper.

Evelyn finally looked at him. Behind the thick lenses of her glasses, her eyes were dark and unreadable. There was no anger there. Just a vast, empty indifference.

And you are a blind fool, she said.

The insult was so unexpected that Alexander froze. Evelyn never insulted him. Evelyn never spoke back.

Excuse me? his voice dropped an octave, becoming dangerous.

I am not a placeholder, she said, her voice steady. And I am certainly not yours. Not anymore. I will be staying in the guest suite until the lawyers finalize the details. I have no interest in making this a public spectacle.

Alexander's temper snapped. He reached out and grabbed her upper arm. It wasn't a strike, but it was a grip of ownership. A command to stay.

Apologize, he growled. Apologize and go make the damn coffee.

The command hung in the air.

Something shifted in Evelyn's eyes. The dullness vanished. A spark of cold, hard steel replaced it.

She didn't pull away violently. She didn't scream. She simply looked at his hand on her arm as if it were a dirty rag.

With a subtle, almost imperceptible twist of her wrist-a technique that required years of training-she broke his grip. It was effortless.

She stepped back, smoothing her sleeve.

I am not your servant, Alexander, she said. Her voice didn't tremble. And I am done.

Alexander stood there, his hand still suspended in the air. He looked at his own palm, then at her. How had she done that? She was weak. She was clumsy.

You... he started, but the words died in his throat.

Evelyn didn't wait for him to finish. She turned on her heel, the trench coat swirling around her legs.

She walked to the front door.

Where are you going? Alexander demanded, his authority slipping.

Out, she said simply.

She opened the door and stepped into the corridor. The door clicked shut behind her, leaving Alexander standing in the middle of his perfect, empty kitchen, a strange coldness settling in his chest where his certainty used to be.