Chapter 5

She had hidden the pregnancy from him, terrified of his family's curse. She left him for a year, telling him she needed space.

Jalen was born with a rare heart condition.

For three years, Karyme poured every ounce of her being, every penny she had, into saving him.

She had planned to bring him home, to finally tell Archie the truth.

But a year after she'd left, Archie found her. He had been going insane, searching for her, neglecting his empire, a ghost of the man he once was.

He fell to his knees when he saw her, sobbing, begging her to come back, telling her he couldn't live without her.

She went back.

But she didn't tell him about Jalen. The timing was never right. She wanted to wait, to give him the news as a surprise on their anniversary.

But Archie gave her a surprise first.

Now, there was no point in telling him. He didn't deserve to know.

Karyme pretended to drink the sleeping pills every night. She pretended to be oblivious.

She watched him sneak off to Faustina's room, her heart a cold, dead stone in her chest.

One evening, Karyme was rushed to the hospital with a severe allergic reaction.

Faustina, "accidentally," had put peanuts in her food.

When Archie found out, he was furious. He screamed at Faustina, threatening to throw her out.

"Get out of my house! Get out of my life!"

Faustina ran to Karyme's room, crying, begging for forgiveness.

The next day, Faustina disappeared. She was found in a cheap motel, her own body covered in hives.

"I did it to punish myself," she sobbed to Archie. "For hurting Karyme."

Karyme tried to explain. "I didn't do this. I don't know anything about it."

Archie held her, his voice gentle. "It's okay, Karyme. Whatever you do to her, she deserves it."

But later, hidden in the hallway, Karyme heard him talking to the doctor.

"Change Karyme's IV. Give her something that will make her feel the same pain. I want her to know what it feels like to suffer."

Karyme froze, her blood turning to ice.

He was punishing her. For Faustina.

They were discharged on the same day. As they walked into the grand foyer, the massive crystal chandelier overhead suddenly creaked and swayed.

With a scream, Faustina threw herself towards Karyme, pushing her out of the way just as the chandelier crashed to the floor.

Archie ran in, his face pale with terror.

He saw Faustina on the floor, protectively shielding Karyme's body with her own.

He rushed past Faustina without a second glance, pulling Karyme into his arms.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

He never even looked at the woman who had "saved" his wife.

But later that night, in a dark corner of the garden, Karyme saw him grab Faustina's arm, his face contorted with rage.