Nora woke in a hospital bed.

Her head was wrapped in layers of gauze that bit into her skin like needles.

The ward was empty. She parted her cracked lips to ask a nurse for water, but her throat burned and she coughed violently.

She doubled over, tears slipping out from the strain.

A pair of leather shoes entered her vision. She looked up and found Ethan staring down, his face cold.

The usual lazy mockery was gone, replaced by tight-lipped tension.

For once his eyes met hers, but they carried only suspicion.

"What did you do to her that day?" he demanded, voice icy.

Nora blinked, then understood he meant Rosalyn.

The stab in her chest made her smile twist. "Ethan, you'd rather trust a stranger than me?"

His fingers twitched at the sight of that forced smile, yet his tone stayed flat. "She's Rosalyn's younger sister. Of course I believe her."

"You're insane," Nora choked, then flared. "You actually found Rosalyn's sister to be her stand-in!"

She clutched his sleeve, eyes red. "Can't you… forget Rosalyn?"

He was silent a moment, then lifted eyes dark with obsession and pain. "I will never forget her in this life."

Nora bit her lip so hard her shoulders shook.

Then she heard his next words, cold and final. "I want a divorce."

Her body went rigid. Tears shimmered, yet she lifted her chin. "Fine! Think I care? Your nightly filth sickens me. If not for the marriage alliance, I'd never have married you!"

Ethan's face turned livid, chest heaving. "I'm sick of your tantrums. Spoiled and sharp-tongued—every second with you is agony!"

He spun away and strode out.

Nora watched until he vanished, then burst into sobs.

She hated him for throwing divorce at her over groundless doubt.

...

That afternoon Ethan dragged her to the courthouse.

She sat frozen, refusing to sign.

He scowled. "Sign, or I cut every cent to the Payne Group."

They had reached this door before and always turned back.

Now she saw only resolve in his eyes, no warmth.

The chill stabbed her and she blurted, "I'll sign!"

Her hand shook so badly the name sprawled crooked.

Standing outside the courthouse, Nora knew that the divorce would be final in thirty days.

Once the process ended, she and Ethan would no longer be husband and wife.

She turned away so he would not see her tears drip onto the tiles.

Ethan stared at the small wet spots, something flickering across his face.

The woman before him, bandaged and trembling, looked nothing like the spitfire he knew.

He pressed his lips tight, said nothing, and left.

Nora drifted back to hospital.

A nurse shrieked, "Miss Payne, your head is bleeding!"

She touched her scalp and found her hand crimson. "Oh, I fell," she mumbled.

The nurse hurried her to a doctor who scolded while rebandaging the wound.

When Nora returned to her room she saw her wedding ring lying on the blanket, the ring she had worn three years.

Tears spilled as she snatched it and ran.

She had to tell Ethan she had changed her mind, she did not want the divorce.

She burst through the front door and saw Ethan seated on the sofa, Lilah's hand in his.

Ethan's father, Jake Stanley, muttered, "You can keep her somewhere else. Why bring her home? Nora will raise hell."

Ethan's mother, Madison Stanley, whispered, "Hide her better, I don't want another police visit."

Then she spotted Nora at the threshold. "Nora, what happened to your head?"

Nora ignored her, strode to Ethan, eyes bright with pleading.

Before she could speak he tossed out a sentence like a knife. "She's carrying my child."

The words poured over her like ice water, dashing every last hope.

"Besides, Nora and I are already divorced." Ethan dropped another bomb on Jake and Madison.

"Divorced!" they gasped. "You split with Nora?"

Ethan glanced at her, his face cold, and tightened his grip on Lilah. "I never loved her. So what?"

Nora found her voice. "You honestly felt nothing for me?"

He let out a short laugh. "Not a shred. You don't deserve it."

The words stabbed her like an ice pick.

The ring slipped from her fingers and clinked on the tiles.

Ethan led Lilah upstairs without a backward glance.

Nora stood hollow, unseeing.

Madison dropped all courtesy. "Good riddance. Three years and no child, nothing but noise. We were cursed with you."

Jake scowled. "Enough sulking. Fix your temper or your next husband's family will despise you."

Their sudden scorn chilled her.

She clenched her fists. "He cheated and got that woman pregnant, yet you blame me? Where's your shame?"

The older pair flushed, having no grounds for an argument.

"I've done nothing wrong," Nora snapped, and strode to her room.

Behind the closed door she slid to the floor, arms wrapped around herself.

Her father, Rodrick Payne, rang. "You always stopped short of divorce. Why not endure this time? The Stanleys just funded my project. Charm him back."

Nora gripped the phone. "You call only to tell me to swallow it?"

Rodrick barked, "You can't keep your man in check. What else can you do but swallow your pride? Your mother raised a rebel."

The mention of her mother burned. "Don't speak of her. Your affairs drove her to her grave!"

She cut the call and sobbed into the quilt.

Three years ago, her mother's heart failed after Rodrick's infidelity came out.

Nora cried until she fainted several times, but her father remained indifferent.

It was Ethan who accompanied her through the darkness. Ethan held Nora then. "I'll stay with you for the rest of my life," he whispered.

That promise had felt like forever.

Now it lay in shards.

He didn't love her, and she didn't want anything from him anymore.

She opened the e-mail from a university in Flison, clicked every box, and sent her acceptance.

It was a dream she had set aside for fear of parting with Ethan.

When the divorce process was done, she would leave everything behind.

Madison rose early to stew a hen for Lilah, who could not keep food down due to pregnancy.

She marched to the table and snatched Nora's bowl. "You're not pregnant. Why are you eating?"

Nora lifted a brow. "Is the Stanley house too poor for one more chicken leg?"

She kept eating while Madison's face darkened.

Ethan appeared with Lilah on his arm. His eyes flicked to Nora's bandaged head, but for once he said nothing.

All through the meal he spooned broth, blew on it, and fed Lilah bite by bite.

Nora clenched her fork until her knuckles blanched.

Lilah peeked at her, then whimpered, "Ethan, Miss Payne's stare frightens me. Let me feed myself."

Ethan set the bowl down and frowned. "Nora, if you dislike the sight, get out."

Nora gave a soft laugh. "The process isn't done. You can't order me out of my own house."

Ethan hissed between his teeth, "Shameless. When the paper arrives we'll see what excuse you find."

He returned to feeding Lilah as if no one else existed.

Nora pushed two mouthfuls in, then slammed her fork down and climbed the stairs.

She hurled the door shut, cutting off the scene below.

The wedding portrait on the wall caught her eye. She yanked it down, flung it to the rug, and stamped on Ethan's face. "Ethan, I hate you!"

Tears blurred each blow until she sank, sobbing, to her knees.

The doorknob turned.

Lilah stepped in, surveying the wreckage with widened eyes. "My, my, Lady Payne, what a mess you are."

Nora scrubbed her cheeks. "What do you want?"

Lilah circled her like a cat inspecting prey. "To gloat. Ten years ago you lost to my sister. Nothing has changed."

She offered a pitying smile. "You should really fix your temper. No man will ever love a shrew."

Nora rose, lips curving. "Preen all you like. You're only your sister's shadow."

Lilah's smile snapped off.

Nora pressed on, voice silk and steel. "I pity you. You'll live your whole life as a substitute for Rosalyn."

Lilah staggered back a pace, cheeks draining to chalk.

Suddenly she clutched her belly and sank to the rug, wailing, "Ethan! My stomach—help me!"

Within seconds Ethan burst in, Jake and Madison on his heels.

Lilah lay curled, gasping, "She pushed me, Ethan. Miss Payne pushed me! It hurts so bad..."

Jake rounded on Nora. "How can you be this vicious?"

Madison knelt to shield Lilah's midriff. "Barren and jealous. If my grandchild is harmed I'll hound you to the grave."

Nora stood rod-straight, strength bleeding from her limbs.

She looked to Ethan. His eyes were winter.

He lifted his foot and drove it into her ribs. The kick flung her backward. Her bandaged head cracked against the table edge.

"You'll answer for this," Ethan snarled. He scooped Lilah into his arms and strode away.

Quiet fell, broken only by Nora's ragged breathing.