Chapter 2

Harry steadied Tiana, his eyes locked on me.

"Do you have to be so harsh? Tiana was making a suggestion. She never said we had to kick anyone out right away," he said.

I nodded. "Alright, since it's just a suggestion, I'll make one too."

I grabbed my phone, called property management, and put it on speaker.

"Hello, can you send two security guards up? There are some people here who aren't residents and won't leave," I said.

Tiana's tears stopped.

Harry glared at me. "You're really doing this?"

I looked at him, enunciating every word. "I don't play games. And I'm about to get even more real."

There was a brief pause on the other end before they asked for my apartment number.

As soon as I finished giving the address, Harry slammed his hand down and cut off the call.

The phone crashed onto the dining table, making the soup bowl tremble and sending some soup spilling across the surface.

"Irene, are you done making a scene?" Harry snapped.

I stared at his hand pressed against the phone, the veins on the back of his hand bulging.

Harry used to bring me a cup of honey lemonade when I was working late into the night.

Now, he hung up my call for help to shield Tiana.

My mom stood up, her voice trembling. "Irene, forget it. I'll go back to the old house. It's still livable if I clean it up a little."

I turned and helped her sit back down.

"Mom, sit tight. No one's making you leave today," I said.

Tiana clung to Harry's arm, her face so pale it was almost like she was putting on a show.

"Irene, I'm not refusing to leave. Harry invited me. He said this is his home too," she said.

I almost burst out laughing. "Did he ever tell you the deed is in my name alone?"

Tiana's gaze wavered.

Harry's voice got louder. "Do we really have to keep things so separate between us?"

I shot back, "You made it pretty clear yourself when you told my mom to leave."

His chest rose and fell, like he couldn't get the words out.

I walked over to the entryway cabinet, pulled open the drawer, and took out a stack of documents.

The contract for the apartment, a copy of the deed, and the prenup.

I laid them out on the table. The edge of the papers brushed against the soup bowl, making a faint rustle.

I said, "Before we got married, I sold my studio shares and used the compensation my dad left me to buy this place. I paid for the renovations myself.

"All the bills, like property fees, water, electricity, and gas, are charged to my account."

I looked at Harry. "You live here because I'm your wife, not because you get to decide who stays in my house."

Tiana's tears started falling again. "Irene, don't be like this. Harry's just being kind," she said.

"Kind?" I echoed.

I picked up the medicine box from the table and poured out two pills.

I said, "My mom's thyroid medication. Her doctor told her to take it on an empty stomach every morning. Three pills went missing the day before yesterday.

"And yesterday, the box was put on the top shelf in the kitchen, where she couldn't reach it. She had to wait until after breakfast to take it."

My mom was startled, her eyes wide as she reached out to grab my hand. "Irene, please, don't say anything," she pleaded.

I squeezed her hand in return. "Mom, if you won't speak up, I will."

Tiana bit her lip. "What are you trying to say? Are you accusing me of messing with Daisy's meds?"

Harry cut in immediately. "Irene, don't go throwing around false accusations."

I didn't even glance at him. I opened my phone's gallery and tapped on a video.

The screen showed the kitchen.

Tiana was up on a stool, grabbing my mom's medicine box from the side cabinet, opening it and peeking inside, then putting it way up on the top shelf.

She made a face at the camera, looking annoyed.

In the video, she muttered, "This place always reeks of medicine. It's driving me nuts."

The dining room fell silent, with only the bubbling of the soup and steam rising under the lamp.

All the color drained from Tiana's face.

Harry stared at the phone, his lips parted, but he said nothing.

"You installed cameras?" Harry asked.

I looked at him. "I had them put in the kitchen, living room, and entryway when I bought the place, for security. Have you forgotten?"

He'd obviously forgotten.

These days, all Harry could see were Tiana's tears, her coughing fits, and her constant complaints about not being able to handle it.

Tiana suddenly clutched Harry's sleeve.

She said, "Harry, I didn't mean it. I was feeling dizzy that day and wanted to find some medicine. I might have taken the wrong one by mistake. And I was in a bad mood when I said that."

I tapped on the second video.

In the living room, my mom came out of the bedroom carrying a bowl of herbal medicine, while Tiana was lounging on the couch wearing a face mask.

"Daisy, could you drink that outside? The smell is making me nauseous," Tiana said.

My mom froze. "Outside?"

"Just in the hallway. I'm not asking you to go downstairs."

"But it's cold out there."

"Then pour it out. That herbal stuff doesn't even work."

On the screen, my mom stood there holding the bowl for a long time, then slowly made her way toward the door, step by step.

Her back was hunched over, and as soon as the door swung open, a blast of cold air whipped up the hem of her pajamas.

I could actually hear my own teeth grinding from anger.

A flash of panic crossed Harry's face.

He turned to Tiana. "You told Daisy to drink her medicine out in the hallway?"

Tiana broke down in tears. "I really couldn't handle the smell that day. My stomach was turning, Harry. You know how sensitive I am."

I shot back, "So because you're sensitive, my mom should have to go stand in the cold hallway?"

I switched off the video, my hands shaking with anger.

Harry opened his mouth to say something, but the doorbell rang.

Security had arrived.

Tiana grabbed onto Harry, her voice going shrill. "Harry, I'm scared."

Harry glanced at the door, then back at me.

He said, "Irene, don't make a scene in front of the staff."