Chapter 6

The bodyguard stepped forward and pinned Veronica down without a word. He pulled out a knife.

Veronica thrashed beneath his grip. "Stop! You heard what she said. You're still going to do this?"

Selena laughed so hard she had to catch her breath. "Veronica, you're adorable. These guys don't answer to Scott alone. They work for his grandfather, Lucas Harrington, too."

Veronica stopped struggling. She lay there, staring up at Selena in shock.

Selena went on, her voice light and casual. "It's not the bodyguards. The nannies, the maids, the night nurses, Lucas pays all of them.

"You want to know why Scott never believes you? Every time he checks into things, every person tells him you're the one hurting me. You're the one setting me up. They swap out the security footage, too.

"Sure, he likes you now. But with you acting so awful all the time, how long do you think that'll hold?"

Veronica's mind went white. She thought, 'So that's it. Lucas never stopped trying to tear us apart. He got smarter about it, that's all.'

Selena shook her head slowly. "You're a rat from the gutter trying to play house as Mrs. Harrington. People like you don't get to climb that high. It never works.

"But since I feel sorry for you, here's one more thing. Lucas was against the marriage from the start. So Scott never filed the paperwork.

"That certificate you have? It's fake. And Domira? She's nobody's legitimate daughter."

Thunder cracked outside, shaking the windows.

Veronica felt nothing. The knife bit into her cheek, and she barely registered the pain. It was nothing compared to the wave of humiliation and sickness rolling through her body.

She had asked Scott for a divorce. She didn't have the right to ask for anything. She had never been his wife. Not for a single day.

Her body went limp, and she crumpled to the floor.

*****

When she opened her eyes again, she was in the bedroom of the villa.

Veronica lay there for a long moment, staring at the ceiling, feeling hollow. She reached up and touched her face. Thick bandages covered her cheek.

"Unbelievable." Scott's voice cut through the silence, tight with rage. "You actually cut up your own face. You hate Selena that much? Enough to hurt yourself to take her down?"

'No, it's you I hate,' Veronica thought. She looked at him with eyes that held nothing at all.

That empty stare made Scott's chest tighten.

It was like Veronica had given up on him completely. Like all that was left was resentment.

'How is that possible?' he thought. 'She's always cared so much about her looks. If she'd go this far out of jealousy, she must really love me.'

His voice dropped, softer now. "I promise, I'll keep my distance from Selena for a while. Please. Don't do anything like this to yourself again. Okay?"

Veronica stared at him for a long time before she answered. Her voice came out rough. "Okay."

Domira's surgery hadn't happened yet. She had to hold on. Once it was over, she would take Domira and disappear.

Scott let out a breath. "Good. Rest up. My grandpa's birthday party is in a couple of days. You need to look beautiful for it."

*****

By the time Lucas's birthday arrived, Veronica's face still hadn't healed. Maybe it never would.

The bodyguard hadn't held back. The doctor said the scars would be permanent.

Bringing a wife with bandages wrapped around her face to a birthday party wasn't exactly appropriate. But Scott insisted she come.

The banquet hall was loud with laughter and the clink of glasses. Everyone was dressed to impress. Scott stayed close to Veronica, barely letting her out of arm's reach.

Then Selena glided over in a red gown that hugged every curve, her eyes gleaming with something bold and dangerous.

It was a sharp turn from her usual sweet-and-innocent act. Scott's gaze caught on her and held.

"Scott, dance the first song with me!" Selena's voice was light and playful. But Scott glanced at Veronica, uncertain.

Everyone said Scott had chased Veronica, had pulled out every stop to win her. The truth was, she had reached for him first.

At the Caelum University anniversary gala, a girl in a red dress had held out her hand and asked, soft and shy, "Would you like to dance with me?"

Back then, he had thought, 'I need to keep her. I need to keep this girl by my side.'

Now he stood there, waiting. He was hoping Veronica would reach for him again.

Veronica paused for a beat, then said, "Go. It's fine. I don't mind."

Scott's face darkened.

She must have thought he took it as sarcasm, because she added, "Really. I'm not going to make a scene."

Scott stared at her, his expression hard. He finally saw she meant every word.

'She's handing me off. Pushing me toward someone else,' Scott thought. Anger flared in his chest, hot and sharp. Beneath it, something else stirred, something that felt too much like fear.

"Fine." His voice was tight, clipped. "Have it your way."

He pulled Selena into his arms and led her onto the dance floor.