Chapter 2

The next morning, the tightening in my belly was gone, replaced by a dull ache that mirrored the emptiness in my chest. I sat across from Jonathan, my legal advisor, in his sterile, glass-walled office. He looked at me with concern, his usually composed features etched with worry. I had called him in the dead of night, my voice steady, my instructions clear.

"Elinor," he said, his voice gentle. "Are you sure about this? This is... extreme. Falsifying your death, disappearing entirely? The legal ramifications..."

I cut him off, my gaze unwavering. "The legal ramifications of what, Jonathan? Of my husband taking my child to be raised by his mistress? Of me being erased from my own child's life? What other choice do I have?"

He sighed, running a hand through his graying hair. "We could fight him, Elinor. We could expose his infidelity, his deception. You have grounds for divorce, substantial alimony, a share of his assets..."

I scoffed, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. "And how long would that take? How much public humiliation would I endure? How many years would I spend in court, fighting a man with unlimited resources, while he smears my name and tries to prove me an unfit mother? And what guarantee do I have that I would even win? Holden always finds a way. He always wins."

I remembered the prenup, the casual way he' d dismissed my concerns. He had made sure I had no financial leverage. I had nothing but my heart, and he had stomped all over it.

"He wants my child, Jonathan. Not for him, but for her. Anika. He doesn't see me as a person, only a vessel. He will do anything to get what he wants." My voice was quiet, but the conviction behind it was absolute. "I need to disappear. For good. For my son."

Jonathan leaned back, his eyes searching mine. He saw the desperation there, the unyielding resolve. He knew Holden. He knew the ruthless efficiency with which he operated.

"Alright," he said, finally. "If this is truly your decision, I will help you. But it will be difficult. You'll have no history, no past. You'll be a ghost. And you'll have to sever all ties."

"That's the point," I replied, the words steel. "He won't stop looking. Not for his child. So, I have to make sure there's nothing for him to find. Nothing to tie us to him. Ever."

"We need to start planning immediately. A new identity, a safe house, funds, a network. It won't be easy, especially with your condition." He gestured subtly to my belly.

"I understand," I said. "Just tell me what to do."

I then spent the day making arrangements. Jonathan put me in touch with a discreet organization that specialized in helping women escape dangerous situations. They were called "The Underground," a network of lawyers, former agents, and compassionate individuals dedicated to protecting the vulnerable. They promised anonymity and a new life. All I had to do was commit.

That evening, I returned to the mansion. The vast, empty rooms echoed with hollow silence. The golden cage had never felt more suffocating. My body ached, a deep weariness settling into my bones. Habit, that cruel mistress, guided my hands to the kitchen. I started preparing Holden's favorite meal, a complex Italian dish he rarely let anyone else make. My movements were automatic, a dance I' d performed thousands of times.

The aroma of garlic and herbs filled the kitchen. I set the table for two, just as I always did. Then, I stopped. My hands froze above the plates. He wasn't coming home to me. He wasn't coming home to us. He was coming home to a convenient arrangement, a pregnant wife to serve his purpose.

A bitter laugh bubbled up, quickly suffocated by a sob. I cleared the table, my movements jerky and inefficient. The food sat on the stove, warming and reheating, just as it had countless times before, waiting for a man who often didn't arrive until the early hours of the morning.

He finally walked in just past midnight. The faint scent of expensive perfume, not mine, clung to his clothes. He didn't bother to remove his wedding ring. That had stopped years ago. Now it was just a cold band of metal on his finger, a symbol of a forgotten vow.

"Dinner's ready," I said, my voice flat.

He grunted, barely acknowledging me. He walked past the kitchen, heading straight for his study. "I ate out," he called over his shoulder.

My fingers curled into fists. The food, lovingly prepared, sat untouched. I walked to the study door, my heart pounding with a mixture of rage and despair.

"Holden," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "The divorce papers are ready."

He turned, his eyes narrowing. "Didn't we discuss this? There will be no divorce."

"You want Anika to raise your child," I stated, my voice gaining strength. "You want me out of the picture. Fine. But not while I'm still alive to fight for my son."

His face hardened. "You don't understand, Elinor. This marriage serves a purpose. My public image, the stability for Terry Innovations. Anika needs protection, and my child needs legitimacy."

"And what about me, Holden? What about our son? You think I'll just hand him over to you and your mistress?" My voice was colder than I thought possible.

"Don't be dramatic," he scoffed. "You saved my life once. I gave you my name, my lavish lifestyle. What more do you want?"

"My life back!" I screamed, the last shred of my composure snapping. "My dignity! My child!"

He stared at me, his eyes devoid of emotion. "You're overwrought. You're pregnant." He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous growl. "Don't push me, Elinor. You don't want to know what I'm capable of."

"I want a divorce," I repeated, forcing the words out through clenched teeth. "I will sign anything. Take everything. Just give me my freedom and my child."

He laughed then, a derisive, cruel sound that pierced through me. "You think it's that simple? You think I'll just let you walk away with my legacy? This child is mine, Elinor. And he will be raised as a Terry, with Anika by his side."

My blood ran cold. He meant it. He truly believed he could simply take my baby. The thought of Anika, with her fragile innocence and venomous manipulation, holding my son, shattered something deep inside me.

"You'll never get him," I whispered, the words a vow.

He smirked. "Elinor, you have nothing. No money, no power. You are naive if you think you can fight me."

"You underestimate me, Holden," I said, my voice flat. I turned and walked away, leaving the uneaten meal, the shattered illusion of our life, and the man who had loved a ghost more than his living wife. As I reached the door, I heard his roar of frustration behind me.

I didn't cry. I had cried enough for him. Now, I would act. I would disappear. And he would never find me.