"Hey, you! Move out of the frame!" a cameraman shouted.

"Sorry," I muttered. I stepped behind a massive lighting rig.

The training base crawled with media today. I hugged the heavy cardboard box to my chest and hurried toward the private villas in the back. Inside the box sat Kai's custom electrolyte drinks and muscle relaxants. He always needed them right after a heavy session.

"Did you see Kai's interview?" a makeup artist whispered to her friend as I passed.

"Yeah, he looks amazing. Single and rich. What a catch."

"I heard he is dating someone famous."

I kept my head down and walked faster. If only they knew the truth.

Three years ago, my younger sister Luna collapsed in our kitchen. Severe blood disease. The doctors handed me a medical bill I could never hope to pay. Then Kai offered me a deal.

He paid for Luna's treatments. In return, we signed a marriage certificate.

"No public announcements," he had told me on our wedding day. "You live in my house. You take care of my needs. Outside those doors, we are strangers."

I gave up my painting studio. I became a ghost in his life. The invisible caretaker.

I accepted the terms because I loved my sister. I learned to cook Kai's favorite meals. I memorized his schedule. I thought, over time, he might see me as a real wife.

I reached Villa Number Four. The glass patio doors stood wide open.

"Kai, wait," a woman's voice giggled from inside.

I stopped in my tracks.

Kai pressed a woman against the leather sofa. His hands gripped her waist. She tangled her fingers in his dark hair.

Iris. The actress starring in the new action movie filming next door.

They kissed passionately.

My fingers went entirely numb. The cardboard box slipped.

It slammed onto the patio stones. Glass bottles shattered. Blue liquid sprayed across my sneakers.

The loud crash echoed through the villa.

Kai pulled away from Iris. He turned toward the window.

Iris did not jump. She leaned against his shoulder and trailed a manicured nail down his chest.

"Who is that?" Iris asked. Her voice sounded overly sweet.

I stared at Kai. My husband.

Tell her, I prayed silently. Tell her I am someone important.

Kai smoothed his shirt collar. His expression did not change.

"The caretaker."

The words punched all the air from my lungs.

"A caretaker?" Iris laughed softly. "She looks like a stray dog."

"She helps out around the base," Kai added smoothly.

"Well, she made a huge mess," Iris complained.

Kai looked at me.

"Pick that up. Then go make Iris a glass of fruit tea and a salad."

"I brought your recovery drinks," I said. "The doctor said you need them right after practice."

"I said make the tea."

My sneakers stood in a puddle of blue sports drink.

Iris reached up. She hooked her finger around the silver chain on Kai's neck and pulled the pendant out from beneath his shirt.

"This is cute," she purred. "Did a crazy fan give this to you?"

My jaw tightened. I bought that pendant with the last paycheck from my art gallery. I gave it to him three years ago.

"Kai," I said. My voice trembled. "That necklace."

Kai grabbed Iris's hand. He gently pulled the pendant away from her.

"It is just a cheap trinket."

"Cheap?" I asked. "You told me you loved it."

Iris raised an eyebrow.

"Excuse me? Why are you talking to him like that?"

"Because he is my—"

Footsteps crunched on the gravel path behind me. Staff members were approaching.

Kai's eyes turned into ice.

"Sylvia," he warned. His tone dropped low. "Remember your identity."

The threat hung in the air. If I caused a scene, he would cut off Luna's medical funds.

I dropped to my knees. The rough stones dug into my skin.

"Do you want me to call security?" Iris asked Kai.

"No need," Kai answered. "She knows her place."

I picked up the broken glass. A sharp edge sliced my thumb, but I ignored the sting.

"Make sure the tea is warm, not boiling," Iris ordered from the sofa.

"I will handle it," I replied softly.

I carried the dripping box into the kitchen.

A junior assistant stood by the fridge, grabbing a water bottle.

"You made a mess out there, Sylvia," the assistant sneered. "Try not to embarrass the boss on media day."

"I slipped," I muttered.

"Just make the tea," the assistant said, walking out.

The silence in the kitchen felt suffocating. I chopped strawberries and peaches. I boiled the water.

I poured the hot tea into a glass mug.

My hands shook. I had spent three years believing we had built a quiet companionship. I cooked his meals. I massaged his injured shoulder. I stayed up late waiting for him to come home from filming.

Today, he shattered it with three words.

I walked back into the living room, holding the tray.

Kai stood by the window, typing on his phone. Iris sat on the sofa, filing her nails.

"Put it here," Iris commanded, tapping the glass coffee table.

I lowered the tray.

"The tea is fresh. It is very hot."

"I know how to drink tea," Iris sneered.

She reached out. Instead of grabbing the handle, she pushed her palm flat against the rim of the mug.

She shoved it directly at me.

The boiling tea vaulted through the air. It splashed entirely over my right hand.

"Ah!" I screamed. I stumbled backward.

The mug hit the floor and broke into pieces.

My skin turned violently red. The pain burned deep into my nerves.

Iris jumped onto the cushions.

"What

"Hold this," Iris commanded.

She shoved a heavy, studded leather handbag toward my chest. I stepped backward. The strap swung, nearly hitting my bandaged right hand.

She stood in the center of the club's training field, surrounded by cameras and flashing lights. She wore Kai's private practice jersey. The oversized fabric hung off one shoulder, exposing her collarbone.

"I work for the team's support staff," I told her, keeping my voice steady. "I am not your assistant."

Iris let out a sharp, mocking laugh. She turned toward the press pool.

"Aren't you Kai's caretaker?" she asked loudly.

"I manage his recovery schedule," I corrected.

"Same thing," she smirked.

Every camera pivoted toward me. The blinding flashes stung my eyes.

Kai stepped out from the locker room tunnel. Sweat gleamed on his forehead. He wiped his face with a towel and stopped beside Iris.

"Kai, your staff is being terribly rude to me," Iris pouted, grabbing his arm.

He stared at me. His expression remained entirely blank.

"Do it, Sylvia," he ordered.

"I am supposed to prep your ice bath," I argued softly. "The coach asked me to hurry."

"The ice bath can wait. Iris needs her hands free."

His voice carried no warmth. No hesitation. I was his wife, yet he commanded me like a stranger in front of the world.

I reached out and took the bag. The heavy metal studs pressed into my scalded skin. I bit the inside of my cheek to stop myself from wincing.

"Good girl," Iris purred. "Now go buy me a vanilla latte. Iced."

"Leave the coffee," a reporter interrupted, shoving a microphone toward Kai. "Kai! Are you and Iris officially dating? She's wearing your private jersey today."

Iris leaned closer to him. She tangled her fingers in his.

I stood exactly three meters away, gripping the designer purse.

Kai glanced in my direction. His eyes locked onto mine for a fraction of a second. Then, he faced the cameras.

"I'm not married," he announced into the microphone. "That's all I'll say."

My chest caved in.

Three years of hiding. Three years of cooking his meals, icing his injuries, and waiting up for him in an empty house. Erased with four words.

"Look at the caretaker," another reporter shouted, pointing a lens directly at my face. "She looks devastated. Does the pretty helper have a crush on the boss?"

Iris tossed her head back and laughed.

"Her?" Iris sneered, pointing a manicured finger at me. "How could Kai ever look at his servant?"

A roar of laughter erupted from the crowd. The journalists chuckled. The camera operators snickered.

I looked at Kai. I waited for him to speak. To tell them to stop. To defend me just once.

He adjusted his watch strap and remained completely silent.

I dropped Iris's bag onto the turf.

"Hey!" she yelled.

I turned my back on the crowd and walked toward the stadium tunnels. The laughter echoed behind me, bouncing off the concrete walls.

I pushed through the heavy double doors of the corridor. The noise faded.

I stopped near the locker room entrance to catch my breath. The door sat slightly ajar.

"That girl gives me the creeps," Iris complained from inside the room. "The way she stares at you. Does she think she's important or something?"

I froze.

"Don't worry about her," Kai replied. His tone sounded bored.

"She acts like she owns you," Iris pressed.

"She knows it's just a transaction," Kai stated.

A transaction.

I pressed my uninjured hand against the cool cinderblock wall. He was right. That was all I ever was to him. A deal. A purchased convenience.

I did not confront them. I walked out the back exit and called a cab.

Hours later, the harsh fluorescent lights of the hospital hallway buzzed above my head.

Dr. Miller held a metal clipboard against his chest. His brow furrowed.

"Sylvia, the transfer didn't clear," the doctor explained. "The finance office flagged Luna's account."

"That's impossible," I said, my voice rising. "The funds are supposed to deposit on the first of every month."

"I'm sorry. Luna needs the new batch of medication tomorrow morning. If the money isn't there, we can't administer the infusion."

"Give me five minutes," I told him. "I will get it sorted."

"We need the payment confirmed by midnight, Sylvia. Otherwise, her slot goes to another patient."

"I understand. Just give me a moment."

I rushed to the end of the corridor and pulled out my phone. I dialed Kai's private number.

It rang four times.

"Speak," a gruff voice answered.

It was Mark, Kai's assistant.

"I need to talk to Kai," I demanded. "Luna's medical funds didn't arrive."

"He's walking the red carpet with Iris for a brand event," Mark replied. Music thumped loudly in the background. "He can't take calls."

"Mark, the hospital is threatening to cut off my sister's treatment. I need him to authorize the transfer right now."

"Finance is backed up," Mark said dismissively. "Give it a few days."

"Luna needs the medicine tomorrow, Mark! If she misses this dose, her cell count will drop again."

"Then you should have thought about that before upsetting Iris yesterday," Mark snapped. "Kai said you need to learn how to behave."

The line went dead.

I stared at the black screen. My reflection stared back, pale and exhausted.

Kai wasn't just busy. He controlled the accounts. He approved every transfer himself. He was delaying the payment on purpose.

He was punishing me for causing a scene with the tea yesterday. He was using my sister's life to force me into submission.

A cold realization washed over me. I had traded my freedom to save Luna, but I had handed her life over to a monster.

I shoved the phone into my pocket and left the hospital.

I unlocked the door to the penthouse. The massive rooms felt like a tomb.

I walked past the pristine kitchen where I had spent hundreds of hours perfecting his favorite meals. I ignored the leather sofa where he kissed Iris.

I went straight to the hall closet.

I reached the top shelf and pulled down a dusty wooden box. I set it on the dining table and popped the brass latches.

Inside lay my paintbrushes, charcoal pencils, and palette knives. I hadn't touched them in three years. Kai hated the smell of turpentine, so I gave up my art.

I picked up a brush. The wood felt familiar against my palm.

Next, I walked into Kai's home office. I opened the bottom drawer of his mahogany desk.

I pulled out the red marriage certificate.

I carried it back to the dining table and set it next to my open laptop. The screen glowed brightly in the dark room.

I opened a blank document. My fingers hovered over the keyboard.

I typed the header in bold letters.

**Divorce Agreement.**

I stared at the words. A strange sense of relief washed over me. The invisible chains around my neck finally snapped.

Then, the front door's electronic lock beeped loudly from the entryway. Heavy footsteps stepped onto the hardwood floor.

"Sylvia," Kai's voice echoed through the dark hall. "Why are the lights off?"

Bass rattled the floorboards of the VIP lounge.

"Sylvia, fetch my silk wrap," Iris ordered, waving an empty champagne flute. "And bring another bottle of the vintage rosé."

I balanced a heavy silver tray against my hip.

"The bar is right behind you," I replied.

"Kai!" Iris whined, leaning into his side. "Your staff is ignoring me again."

Kai did not even glance my way. He swirled amber liquid in his glass.

"Get the wine, Sylvia," he commanded.

"I am off the clock in ten minutes," I stated.

Iris rolled her eyes and lifted her wrist to catch the strobe lights. Diamonds sparkled blindly.

"Do you like it?" Iris asked the crowd of reporters hovering near the velvet ropes. "Kai surprised me this morning. Two hundred thousand dollars."

My stomach dropped.

Two hundred thousand. The exact amount missing from Luna's medical fund. The transfer he refused to authorize yesterday.

I slammed the silver tray onto the nearest glass table. Crystal glasses rattled.

I marched straight toward Kai.

"Transfer the money," I demanded.

The pounding music seemed to fade as the players around him went entirely quiet.

Kai frowned. "What is wrong with you?"

"You spent Luna’s hospital fees on a bracelet," I said, keeping my voice low. "Transfer the funds right now."

"Not tonight, Sylvia," he warned, his jaw rigid. "Don't ruin the celebration. We will handle it tomorrow."

"She needs the medicine tomorrow morning, Kai!"

Iris stepped between us, crossing her arms.

"Are you still begging for handouts?" she sneered. "You only stick around him for the cash. Have some dignity."

"Shut your mouth, Iris," I snapped.

Her eyes widened.

Then, her hand flew through the air.

*Smack.*

The sharp sound cut through the heavy bass. My head snapped to the side.

Total silence fell over the VIP section. The reporters lowered their cameras.

A metallic taste flooded my mouth. Warm blood trickled down my chin.

I slowly turned my face back. I looked directly at Kai.

*Defend me,* I thought. *I am your legal wife.*

Kai moved. He stepped forward and positioned his broad shoulders entirely in front of Iris, shielding her from me.

"Apologize to her," Kai ordered.

I stared at him. Two full seconds passed.

A short, bitter laugh escaped my throat.

"Excuse me?" I asked.

"You insulted my guest," he stated coldly. "Apologize."

I stepped around him. I raised my right hand and swung with every ounce of strength I possessed.

My palm collided with Iris's cheek.

The impact echoed like a gunshot.

Iris shrieked, stumbling backward into the leather sofa. She clutched her face.

"Are you crazy?!" Kai roared. He reached for my arm.

I dodged his grip. I shoved my hand into my pocket and pulled out the folded divorce agreement.

I slammed the thick paper flat against his chest.

"What is this?" he demanded, the papers fluttering to the floor.

I grabbed my left hand. I yanked the plain gold wedding band off my finger.

I tossed it directly at his expensive dress shoes. It bounced off the leather and rolled away.

"You bought me for three years," I said, my voice ringing clear across the silent room. "The transaction is over."

Kai stared at the ring on the floor, then back at me. A cruel smirk formed on his lips.

"You are throwing a tantrum," he scoffed. "Pick that up. If you walk out now, how will you pay for Luna’s fees next month?"

Tears burned the corners of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.

"Even if I have to beg on my knees," I whispered fiercely, "I will never take another cent from you."

I reached up and ripped the plastic staff badge from my collar. I threw it onto the table.

I turned my back on my husband and walked out the door.

No one tried to stop me.

The fluorescent lights of the emergency ward flickered above my head.

Dr. Miller rushed out of the ICU doors. His scrubs were stained.

"Sylvia, Luna crashed," he said urgently. "Her cell count plummeted. We need to start the bone marrow stabilization procedure immediately."

"Do it," I pleaded, grabbing his sleeve. "Please."

"It requires a massive upfront fee for the specialized marrow transport," he explained. "We need the payment cleared in the next hour, or the donor center won't release the sample."

He handed me a printed invoice. The number at the bottom made my knees weak.

"I will get it," I promised.

Dr. Miller hurried back into the ICU.

I pulled out my phone and opened my banking app.

Balance: Forty-two dollars.

I navigated to my contacts. Kai's name sat at the top of the list.

My thumb hovered over the call button. I remembered him shielding Iris. I remembered the diamond bracelet on her wrist.

I pressed 'Delete Contact'.

The screen flashed, erasing him completely.

I sank onto the hard plastic waiting room chair. I buried my face in my hands.

How was I going to save her? Who could I possibly ask for this kind of money?

Footsteps approached down the quiet corridor.

They were steady. Expensive.

A pair of polished black oxfords stopped exactly inches from my worn sneakers.

"Sylvia?" a deep, resonant voice asked.

I slowly raised my head.

A tall man stood over me. He wore a perfectly tailored navy suit. His sharp jawline and piercing gray eyes were unmistakable, even after three years.

Jasper Vaughn.

The top art investor in the city. The man who bought my very first painting.

"Jasper?" I whispered, wiping the blood from my chin.

He crouched down to my eye level. He gently tilted my chin up, inspecting the dark bruise forming on my cheek.

"Who did this to you?" he asked, his tone dangerously soft. "And why are you crying in a hospital hallway?"