Chapter 4

Several men in work uniforms were up on ladders, tearing apart the solid wood bookshelves.

Vivian was in the middle of the room, pointing at the boxes on the floor. "Hurry up. Get rid of all this junk."

I walked in, my voice hoarse. "Who gave you permission to mess with my study?"

Vivian turned around, meeting my gaze. "Ms. Nash, don't get so worked up. Henry's a bundle of energy. The master bedroom's for sleeping, so he needs a proper playroom."

She gave a cardboard box a nudge with her foot, sending a few design portfolios spilling onto the floor. "Edward wants us to make the most out of every inch of space.

"This study gets amazing sunlight, so we're knocking down the wall to turn it into a sunroom for Henry."

I looked down at the art drafts scattered and crushed under their boots.

Edward had once stood right here and declared this room was mine alone, and no one else was allowed to touch it.

Now, it was nothing more than collateral damage, all to win favor with Vivian and Henry.

Footsteps sounded in the hallway. Edward walked in, his eyes taking in the mess all over the floor. "What's going on here?"

He moved over to Vivian's side. "Henry's growing. He needs space to play. Charlotte, try to be sensible and go along with it for now. I'll have someone move everything from your study down to the basement tomorrow."

Edward told me to get along with it. That was all he ever wanted from me.

My chest tightened. I stepped over the boxes and walked to the mahogany display shelf at the back of the room.

On top of the shelf sat a plain white porcelain urn. That was my mother, the one person I'd depended on for everything.

I turned around and stared straight at Edward. "You can toss everything else, but nobody touches my mom's urn."

Vivian shot me a look of pure disgust and walked over. "Ms. Nash, isn't this a bit morbid? Who in their right mind would keep an urn in a lived-in room?"

As she spoke, she reached for a crystal ornament on top of the display shelf. "Let's put this away too, so Henry doesn't get hurt."

Her elbow suddenly jerked, hitting the shelf where the urn was placed. There was a dull thud. The white porcelain urn fell to the floor, shattering into pieces. Grayish ashes mingled with shards of porcelain, scattered all over the floor.

I crashed down onto my knees.

My knees scraped against the jagged porcelain shards, the sting cutting right to the bone.

I was in the midst of the scattered ashes, my hands suspended above them, too terrified to reach out and touch what was left.

Henry's frightened cries echoed from the doorway.

I stiffened, my head snapping up to look at Edward.

Edward immediately rushed to the doorway and scooped the crying boy into his arms. He didn't spare me a glance.

He barked, "Charlotte, are you out of your mind? Why do you insist on keeping the ashes of the dead here and bringing bad luck into the house? What are you trying to pull?"

I watched as he shielded Henry with his hand. I slowly stood up, brushing the shards and dust from my knees, silent.

Edward sensed something was wrong, his brows furrowing. He cradled Henry in one arm and reached for my arm. "What are you throwing a fit about now?"

I turned aside and pulled away from him. I said not a word and shed not a single tear.

I walked past them, headed downstairs, and picked up my shoulder bag from the couch. I took out that marriage certificate.

Outside the entryway, the wind and snow were raging.

I pulled open the heavy door, and a blast of cold air hit me full force. I tossed that fake marriage certificate onto the black marble top of the shoe cabinet.

Edward's panicked voice called out behind me. "Charlotte, where are you going?"

"Don't bother with the guest room." I stepped out, not looking back. "I'll take all the bad luck with me."