He bent his head and bit down on my lip.

The taste of blood spread fast, and I winced.

One year together, four years married, and he had never once kissed me first.

Even at the closest moments, it was always me reaching for him.

There was a time I used to dream he would just want me, even a little.

Now all I felt was sick.

I bit back, hard.

He hissed in pain and shoved me away.

I lifted my head and stared at him through burning eyes. "You want a child? Go find another woman to give you one. That little assistant of yours looks like she'd be thrilled to."

Edwin froze. "What did you say?"

I screamed it out, eyes red and raw. "I said, if you want a child, go make one with your little assistant! Stop making me sick."

"Edwin, the man you are right now truly, truly disgusts me!"

He stared at me like he wanted to skewer me where I stood.

Three seconds later, he laughed.

"Fine. Since you're so generous, I'll give you exactly what you want."

"Don't you dare regret it. And don't come crying to me to beg."

The door slammed.

Then it was quiet.

I looked at the shut door and the tears came without a sound, until I was sobbing out loud.

As if I could finally cry out all the years of swallowing it.

Edwin, this time I won't regret it.

And I won't lower myself to beg you ever again.

I wiped my face and made a call.

"Bro, that funding we gave Edwin in the beginning. Pull it."

He didn't come home all night.

The next morning I went to the lawyer's office to have the divorce papers drawn up.

It was the weekend. He didn't have work.

I just had no idea where to find him.

That was when a video popped up on my phone.

Crystal's voice exploded right after it.

"Mare! Isn't this your untouchable, too-good-for-everyone husband?"

"I was out shopping at The Lumière One and there he is with some woman! Crouching down to tie her shoelaces himself!"

"You're barely four months along and he's already out hunting? That bitch, does she have any shame left? God, I'm going to kill the both of them!"

I tapped the video open.

There he was, the man who had always kept himself so far above me, crouched down to tie a girl's shoelaces because she'd pouted at him a couple of times.

She was laughing, filming him on her phone, and he was laughing too, like he couldn't help it.

My chest still twisted at it.

It wasn't that I'd never wanted that from him.

Back then he was always so far above me.

He never refused, but he never obliged either.

He just left me to find my own way out of the awkwardness.

I forced a bitter smile and texted her back.

"We're getting divorced."

The message had barely sent when an unknown number rang.

"Is this Ms. Pruitt? Your husband's gotten into an altercation with a friend. Please come down to the police station as soon as you can."

Crystal had a temper, but I hadn't expected her to move this fast.

I flagged a cab and went.

The shouting was still going strong before I even reached the door.

"Edwin! Can you live with yourself? She's barely four months pregnant and you can't keep it in your pants! Out there in broad daylight with your mistress, tying her shoes! Why don't you just drop dead!"

"Our Mare was so good to you, loved you so—"

"Didn't she throw herself at me?" Edwin cut her off, his face cold.

I went stiff where I stood.

His voice kept going. "Did I ask her to be good to me? Did I ask her to love me? Wasn't it her who threw herself at me, came chasing after me, crawled into my bed, married me the second I crooked a finger? So what does her being good to me have to do with anything? I don't love her. Why should I give her anything back? She's pregnant now, so what, I'm supposed to stay tied to her side forever?"

Crystal was livid. If the officer hadn't been holding her back, she'd already have launched herself at him.

"Edwin Vance! Do you have a shred of conscience left? If it weren't for Mare back then, you'd have been behind bars by now—"

"Crystal!" I cut her off and walked in, turning to the officer.

"I'm taking her home."

Before the officer could say anything, Edwin spoke, voice low and even. "She hits my people and just walks out?"

I looked at the woman pressed against his side, hand over her face, eyes rimmed red. Then I looked at him.

"So what do you want?"

His face was cold.

"Your friend slapped my assistant. Now I want it back."

Crystal laughed like she'd heard something absurd.

"Then let her hit me. You think you can—"

"Who said I wanted it back from you?"

Edwin cut Crystal off, his gaze settling on my face.

"Marie. Your friend made the mess. The bill's yours to pay, isn't it?"

"You son of a—"

Crystal was shaking with rage, ready to lunge and tear the pair of them apart.

The next second, I spoke.

"Fine."

Crystal's head snapped around. "Marie, have you lost your mind? He's the one who cheated. He's the one who wronged you!"

I ignored her and walked up to Edwin and Amber.

"Go ahead."

Amber's eyes reddened, and she said softly, "Mr. Vance, don't put Mrs. Vance through this, I—"

"Smack!"

She didn't get to finish. Edwin seized her hand and slammed it across my face.

A burning sting spread instantly.

When it was done, I turned to leave.

"Did I say you could go?"

Edwin's voice was cold as ice. "She gave Amber one slap. I want it back tenfold."

He dragged Amber forward.

Before I could react, the slaps came one after another.

"Smack! Smack! Smack—"

Nine of them, each one harder, each one crueler than the last.

With every blow, the last trace of love left in me thinned out a little more.

After the final one, there was nothing left to feel.

Something warm ran down from the corner of my mouth, and my mouth filled with the taste of rust.

Not one of the officers around us dared to step in.

Because the man doing it was Edwin Vance, who held all of New York in his hand.

When he was done, Edwin rubbed Amber's hand for her.

Then came the cold warning.

"Keep your friend in line. Next time don't let her bark like a rabid dog and frighten my people."

With that, he took Amber's arm to go.

"Edwin Vance."

I called him back and held out the divorce papers. "Let's get divorced."

Edwin couldn't believe it. "You want to divorce me?"

I nodded. "Yes."

He stared at me for a good ten seconds. Then he laughed.

"Marie, I haven't even settled the score for you getting rid of the baby behind my back. And now you're bringing up divorce? Playing hard to get?"

My lips twitched. "You're reading too much into it."

His face darkened instantly. He snatched the divorce papers, scrawled his name across them, and flung them back in my face.

"Marie, a friendly piece of advice. Without me, you're nothing."

"And the day you come crawling back in tears begging me to forgive you, I won't spare you a single glance."