Kaya walked into the formal dining room. The massive crystal chandelier cast a warm, golden glow over the long oak table, which was already set with heavy silver cutlery and crystal wine glasses.

Eleanor sat at the head of the table. Imelda Maddox, Grady's mother, sat to Eleanor's right, casually flipping through a glossy fashion magazine.

Kaya walked to her designated seat on the left side of the table. She sat down, keeping her back perfectly straight, her hands resting elegantly in her lap.

A minute later, Grady and Jasmine walked into the room. They were laughing. Jasmine was clinging to his bicep, whispering something in his ear.

Grady pulled out the chair next to Kaya and sat down. A wave of his expensive cedarwood cologne washed over her. Kaya didn't turn her head.

The maids entered silently, placing the first course of seared scallops in front of everyone.

Kaya picked up her fork, her bandaged hand throbbing painfully under the table. Every pulse of her heartbeat sent a fresh, sharp wave of fire across her knuckles, a constant, physical reminder of the morning's humiliation. She kept her eyes glued to her plate, chewing slowly, making herself as invisible as possible.

Suddenly, Imelda dropped her magazine onto the table. Her sharp, manicured finger pointed across the table.

"Well," Imelda drawled, a smirk playing on her lips. "Look at that."

Kaya paused. She looked up. Imelda's eyes were locked directly on Kaya's neck.

When Kaya had tilted her head down to eat, the collar of her silk blouse had shifted open just a fraction. It exposed the hollow of her collarbone. Right above the bone was a small, bright red mark.

It was a splash burn from the hot soup earlier, but against her pale skin, it looked exactly like a fresh hickey.

"Grady," Imelda chuckled, taking a sip of her wine. "You need to learn some restraint. You can't leave marks on your wife where the elders can see them. It lacks decorum."

The clinking of silverware stopped. The air in the dining room instantly thickened.

Everyone's eyes snapped to Kaya's neck.

Grady froze with his fork halfway to his mouth. He stared at the red mark on Kaya's skin. His brow furrowed in deep confusion.

He hadn't touched her. He hadn't kissed her neck. Where the hell did that come from?

Across the table, Jasmine's face drained of all color. Her eyes widened in horror, staring at the red mark as if it were a venomous snake. Her hands gripped the edge of the table so hard her knuckles turned white.

Kaya looked at Imelda. She felt Grady's confused stare burning into the side of her face. She saw Jasmine vibrating with pure, unadulterated jealousy.

Kaya didn't reach up to cover the mark. She didn't open her mouth to explain that it was a burn.

Instead, she slowly lowered her eyelashes. She bit her inner cheek to force a faint blush to her cheeks. She let a small, shy smile touch her lips, and she looked down at her lap.

It was the perfect picture of a bashful, loved wife.

Eleanor slapped the table in delight. "Oh, leave them alone, Imelda! They are young and healthy. At this rate, I'll be holding my great-grandson by next Christmas!" The old woman's laughter echoed off the high ceiling.

Jasmine let out a sharp, ragged breath.

She suddenly shoved her porcelain plate forward. The ceramic scraped loudly against the wood.

"This steak is too tough!" Jasmine whined loudly, her voice shrill. "I can't chew it. I want Boston lobster."

It was a ridiculous demand. The main course hadn't even been served yet, and the kitchen hadn't prepared lobster.

But Grady immediately snapped out of his daze. He looked at Jasmine's pale, furious face.

"Helen!" Grady called out, waving his hand. "Tell the chef to steam some fresh lobster immediately."

"Yes, Mr. Maddox," the maid scurried away.

Grady reached across the table and grabbed the platter of snow crab legs. He picked up a silver cracking tool. Right there, in front of his wife and his family, he began meticulously cracking the crab shells.

He pulled the sweet white meat out, carefully removing the soft cartilage, and placed the pieces directly onto Jasmine's plate.

"Eat this for now," Grady said softly, his eyes full of endless patience.

Imelda and Eleanor didn't blink. To them, it was just a brother spoiling his adopted sister.

Kaya watched him peel the crab. She felt absolutely nothing. The anger was gone. The sadness was gone. There was only a cold, clinical observation of a man she no longer knew.

Kaya swallowed the last bite of her scallop. She picked up her linen napkin and elegantly dabbed the corners of her mouth.

She placed the napkin on the table and stood up. "Excuse me. I am full."

Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked out of the dining room.

Kaya walked out of the oppressive atmosphere of the dining room. She turned down the long hallway leading toward the east wing sitting room.

"Kaya. Wait."

Kaya stopped and turned. Eleanor was hobbling toward her, leaning heavily on her cane.

The old woman reached into the pocket of her cardigan and pulled out two small, beautifully wrapped boxes. She pressed them into Kaya's hands.

"These are the newest ovulation supplements," Eleanor whispered, her eyes darting around to make sure no one was listening. "Take them daily."

Kaya looked at the boxes. She forced a polite smile. "Thank you, Grandmother."

Eleanor leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial murmur. "And don't worry about Jasmine being a nuisance much longer. I've arranged a meeting for her next week with the heir of the Sterling Bank in Manhattan. Once they hit it off, we'll marry her out. She won't be underfoot anymore."

Kaya's eyes flickered. Marry her out. Grady would burn this house to the ground before he let another man touch Jasmine.

"That sounds wonderful," Kaya said smoothly.

Eleanor patted her arm and turned around, calling for a maid to help her upstairs.

Kaya gripped the boxes and continued down the hallway. She turned the corner near the library.

A figure stepped out from the shadows, blocking her path.

Jasmine stood there, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. Her eyes were dark and venomous, completely devoid of the innocent act she played in front of Grady.

"Who gave you that mark?" Jasmine hissed, her voice trembling with rage. "Tell me the truth, Kaya. Who is it?"

Kaya stopped. She looked at the girl standing in front of her like a rabid dog guarding a stolen bone.

Kaya let out a soft, mocking laugh. She tilted her head, her eyes lazy and cold. "Didn't your brother tell you?"

The words hit Jasmine like a physical blow. Her face contorted in pure fury.

Jasmine raised her right hand and swung it hard toward Kaya's face.

Before the slap could land, Kaya took a sharp step back, her eyes cold as ice. Jasmine's hand hit empty air, the momentum throwing her completely off balance. She stumbled forward, her heels skidding awkwardly against the polished wood.

"Don't touch me," Kaya said, her voice low and dangerous, carrying a quiet authority she had never shown before. "Stop playing these pathetic games. You are boring me."

"Let her go!"

A furious roar echoed down the hallway.

Kaya looked up. Grady was marching toward them, his face dark with rage, his fists clenched at his sides.

Kaya didn't move toward Jasmine. She simply stood her ground and deliberately wiped her fingertips on the side of her skirt, as if the very air around the girl was filthy.

The moment Grady appeared, Jasmine threw herself backward. She crashed onto the hardwood floor, clutching her wrist and bursting into loud, hysterical sobs.

"Grady!" Jasmine wailed. "She attacked me! She's crazy!"

Grady rushed forward and dropped to his knees. He pulled Jasmine behind his back, shielding her with his body. He glared up at Kaya, his eyes blazing with disgust.

"Have you lost your mind?" Grady snarled. "You act like a madwoman!"

Kaya looked down at him. She saw the man she had loved for two years kneeling on the floor, defending the woman he was sleeping with, calling his wife crazy.

She didn't feel the urge to explain. She didn't care what he thought anymore.

"If you think I'm crazy," Kaya said, her voice eerily calm, "then why don't you let me leave?"

Grady's jaw locked. The coldness in her eyes stung his pride. She wasn't fighting for him. She was looking at him like he was garbage.

He pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed a number.

"Gus," Grady barked into the phone. "Bring the car to the front door. Now."

He hung up and pointed a finger at Kaya. "You are going back to the Tribeca penthouse tonight. Alone. You need to sit in that empty apartment and think about how you treat my family."

He thought it was a punishment. He thought isolating her would break her.

"I'm staying here to take care of Jasmine," Grady added, his voice cruel.

"Perfect," Kaya said.

She didn't argue. She didn't look back. She simply turned on her heel and walked toward the front doors.

Grady watched her walk away. His chest felt tight. He expected her to beg to stay. Her immediate compliance felt like a slap to the face.

Kaya pushed open the heavy oak front doors. The cool night air hit her face.

Gus McCoy, the private driver, was already standing by the black Maybach, holding the rear door open.

Kaya slid into the plush leather seat. The door closed with a solid thud, shutting out the Maddox estate completely.

"Tribeca, Gus," Kaya said. She leaned her head back against the seat and closed her eyes.

The Maybach glided through the neon-lit streets of Manhattan and pulled up to the curb of the luxury high-rise in Tribeca.

Kaya stepped out of the car and walked into the grand lobby. She swiped her keycard and stepped into the private elevator that serviced only the penthouse.

The doors opened directly into the massive, open-concept living space. The apartment was dead silent.

Kaya dropped her handbag onto the marble console table in the entryway. She kicked off her high heels, letting them fall haphazardly onto the rug. She walked barefoot across the cold hardwood floor, relishing the physical sensation of freedom.

She walked straight into the master bathroom and turned the silver handles of the soaking tub. Steam quickly filled the room.

Thirty minutes later, Kaya emerged wearing a loose, black silk robe. Her skin was flushed from the heat, the tension of the long island estate scrubbed away.

She walked to the kitchen island, poured herself a generous glass of Cabernet Sauvignon, and carried it to the living room.

Kaya sat down on the plush white sofa facing the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the glittering Manhattan skyline. She picked up her tablet from the coffee table, unlocked it, and opened the PDF file of her prenuptial agreement.

She was deep into reading the asset division clauses when the electronic keypad at the front door beeped.

Kaya didn't look up. She quickly swiped the screen, switching the app from the legal document to a digital fashion magazine.

The heavy front door opened. A gust of wind blew in, followed by Grady.

He shrugged off his suit jacket and tossed it onto a chair. He walked into the living room, his eyes immediately locking onto Kaya.

He had expected to find her crying in bed. He expected her to demand why he came back.

Instead, she was lounging on the sofa, sipping wine, scrolling through a magazine. She didn't even acknowledge his presence.

Grady pulled at his tie, loosening the knot. He walked over and stood between her and the window.

"I came back to make sure you're reflecting on your behavior," Grady said. His tone was arrogant, laced with the expectation of gratitude. "Don't think sending you here means you're free. I'm still your husband."

Kaya didn't look up from the screen. She lazily swiped to the next page of dresses.

"Oh," she murmured.

The utter indifference in her voice made Grady's jaw clench. A surge of irrational anger flared in his chest. He reached out to snatch the tablet from her hands.

Before his fingers could touch the metal casing, his phone erupted in a loud, frantic ringtone from his pocket.

Grady froze. He pulled the phone out. The screen flashed Jasmine's name.

He answered it. "Yue?"

A piercing scream blasted through the phone speaker, so loud Kaya could hear it clearly from the sofa. The sound of glass shattering followed.

"Grady!" Jasmine sobbed hysterically. "Grandmother froze my black card! She said if I don't go to the dinner with that banker tomorrow, she's going to cut me off completely!"

"Yue, calm down-"

"I won't do it! I won't let another man touch me!" Jasmine shrieked. "If you don't come back right now and stop her, I'm going to open the balcony doors and jump!"

All the blood drained from Grady's face. His eyes widened in absolute terror. His fingers gripped the phone so hard his knuckles popped.

"Don't move! Do you hear me? Do not go near the balcony!" Grady yelled, his voice cracking with panic. "I'm coming right now!"

He shoved the phone into his pocket and looked wildly at Kaya.

He was breathing hard. He looked guilty, panicked, and desperate. He waited for Kaya to stand up. He waited for her to scream at him for leaving her again to run to his sister. He needed her jealousy to validate his ego.

Kaya slowly lifted her head. She looked at his panicked face.

She took a slow, deliberate sip of her red wine. She lowered the glass and offered him a perfectly polite, completely empty smile.

"Drive safe," Kaya said softly. "The roads are slippery at night."

Grady felt like he had just been punched in the stomach. The air rushed out of his lungs.

Her extreme understanding felt like a massive, impenetrable wall slamming down between them. She wasn't fighting him because she didn't care if he left.

He stood frozen for three seconds, his mind spinning. But the threat of Jasmine jumping off a balcony overrode his confusion.

Grady spun around and sprinted for the elevator.

The moment the metal doors slid shut, the polite smile vanished from Kaya's face. Her features settled into a mask of pure, cold resolve.

She downed the rest of the wine in one gulp and slammed the glass onto the table.

She picked up her tablet, switched back to her email, and clicked "Confirm" on the appointment with Genevieve Atherton.