Chapter 3

It was past ten at night when the door unlocked. William came in, reeking of booze and cheap cologne.

"Mia, I'm home." He was humming a tune, sounding like he was in a pretty good mood.

But the moment he stepped into the living room and took in the empty walls, his voice died in his throat. "Where's the TV? Where the hell is my TV?" His eyes bugged out like he'd seen a ghost.

He dashed into the study, and a moment later, a more desperate scream echoed through the house. "Where's my furniture? Mia, what the hell is going on? Did we get robbed?"

I walked out of the bedroom, watching him with a calm, almost amused look. "No, we weren't robbed. I sold everything."

The boozy haze in William's eyes cleared instantly, replaced by shock and fury. "Are you out of your mind? Who the hell do you think you are, selling my shit? Where are my shoes? Where are my shoes?"

He staggered over to the shoe cabinet and yanked it open, only to find it empty.

"Mia!" He spun around, eyes bloodshot as he glared at me. "Are you insane? I had to pull so many strings to get those shoes. Who gave you the right?"

"Because I'm your wife. What's yours is mine, remember?" I said, my voice flat. "Wasn't that your line? Money can always be earned back. Well, stuff can always be bought again."

"You..." William was shaking with rage, jabbing his finger at me. "This is payback. All because of that 100 thousand? I explained it. That was money to save a life. You had to go this low?"

"Low?" I laughed. "William, I'm nowhere near as low as you. You took the money meant to save our kid and handed it to some escort. That's your 'kindness.'

"I sell a few pieces of junk, and suddenly I'm the villain? You really take hypocrisy to an art form."

I dragged my suitcase over and stood in front of him. "I sold the car, too. Guess you'll have to start taking cabs to work now. I don't want to live here anymore. You can sit on your kindness and rot in it alone."

When William saw the suitcase in my hand, he totally freaked out.

He grabbed my wrist hard enough to leave marks. "Where are you going? Stop this. Give me the money. We can buy it all back. Don't push it."

"Push it?" I yanked my hand away, my eyes ice. "William, this is only the start."

Suddenly, my phone rang. It was Jason calling.

I picked up, turned on the speaker, and let William hear everything.

Jason said, "Mia, the house and the CD are all sorted. I've already found a buyer for the house. They can close anytime. The price is 20% under market, 500 thousand, all cash.

"As for the CD, I got a friend to take it off your hands at a 100 thousand loss, and the money will hit your account tomorrow. That makes 600 thousand in total. Is that okay with you?"

"Yeah, do it fast," I answered crisply.

Jason's words hit William's ear, clear as a bell. The blood drained from his face in a flash.

"The house? What house?" His voice trembled, eyes wide with shock as he looked at me. "Mia, you're selling our house? And my parents' retirement savings? You wouldn't dare do that."

"Try me and see." I slipped my phone away and dragged my suitcase toward the door. "Aren't you all about charity? I'm helping you out.

"600 thousand. Think about how many Yvettes you can rescue with that, or how many little brothers you can pay for their leukemia treatment. You really ought to thank me."

"You're insane. Absolutely insane." William finally snapped. He lunged at me and tried to snatch my phone and suitcase. "Give me back the money. That's my parents' life savings. I dare you to touch it."

I was ready for him, sidestepping and shooting him a cold glare. "Now you care about your parents' nest egg? But when you blew our kid's surgery money, did it ever cross your mind that you were gambling with my life?"

"It's different. It's totally different," he blurted out, flustered and desperate. "Yvette will pay it back. Are you trying to push our family over the edge?"

"Push you?" I snorted. "William, you started this."

I ignored his roars, yanked the door open, and left. His screams and the sound of shattering glass followed me out. I didn't turn around.

Stepping out of the building, the night breeze hit my face, sharp and cold. I felt more awake, more alive than I had in years.

William thought his kindness made him noble. I'd let him watch, with his own eyes, how his kindness would destroy everything around him. The game had only begun.