Chapter 3

A sharp ache spread through April's body, leaving her frozen in disbelief.

No matter how much trouble she'd gotten herself into before, Julian always stepped in to clean up her messes like it was nothing.

Even when she wrecked the Sheppard family chapel, Julian only told her not to do it when everyone was watching.

But now, all because of Hannah, he hit her.

April parted her lips to speak, but searing agony spread through her chest, her heart clamped tight as if caught in the gears of a meat grinder.

'So, in Julian's heart, there's really no place for me,' she thought.

April swallowed the bitterness in her heart, yanked out the IV needle without a second thought, and swung her hand, aiming a slap at Julian.

Just then, Hannah rushed over and blocked it for him. Her tender skin flushed and swelled up in seconds.

Hannah clutched her cheek, her voice soft but steady. "Ms. Wynn, if you need to vent, take it out on me. I'm a maid's kid, anyway. Julian hasn't done anything wrong."

"Hannah!" Julian took a deep breath, his face turning cold and dark. He was truly furious.

He turned to April. "Mary had looked after me since I was a child; she was the person I respected the most.

"If you look down on her, you're looking down on me too. So what if she was a maid? You're no better than her.

"Mary died saving my life. Hannah is like a sister to me. Why do you always have to go after her?"

April wanted nothing more than to slap him again.

She screamed, "Julian, are you out of your mind? When have I ever looked down on Mary? When have I ever targeted Hannah? She pressed down on my wound on purpose, so I hit her."

"Enough," Julian said. His face was cold, carrying an effortless, icy arrogance. "Linton, lock Mrs. Sheppard in the isolation room. She doesn't come out until she admits she was wrong."

Linton Leach, Julian's assistant, bowed. "Yes, Mr. Sheppard."

The isolation room was bone-chillingly cold. Anyone sent there would barely escape without being worn to the bone.

April's heart seized up. She stared at Julian in utter disbelief, her voice raw as she screamed, "The isolation room? Julian, are you insane? I have claustrophobia. Do you want me dead?"

Linton hesitated, then spoke up quietly. "Mr. Sheppard, Mrs. Sheppard's not fully recovered. Are you sure you want to lock her up in the isolation room?"

Julian fell silent, a flicker of hesitation crossing his eyes.

Hannah suddenly burst into miserable sobs. "I deserve it. Ms. Wynn was right to hit me. Julian, please don't punish her because of me. I'm a maid's daughter. Even if Ms. Wynn killed me, it'd be my wretched fate."

Thinking of the gentle Mary who had cared for him, Julian felt a pang of sadness.

He glanced at April, his voice icy as he said to Linton, "Lock her up. She's been pampered and willful for too long. It's time she learned how to be a real Sheppard wife."

*****

When April was tossed into the isolation room, she nearly lost it. Her nails dug fiercely into the door, leaving trails of fresh blood.

Back when she was little, her mom locked her in a closet, and April watched as her mom jumped right in front of her eyes. That nightmare left her terrified of any dark, closed space.

April screamed, "Julian, you bastard! Even if I die, I'll haunt you forever!"

Julian's gaze was icy, and he nearly gave the order to let April go.

Hannah gently tugged at his sleeve, speaking as if offhandedly. "I've never heard that Ms. Wynn had that kind of issue, Julian. Honestly, you don't have to punish her if you don't want to. She's always been a troublemaker; everyone in Petrico knows that."

Julian fell silent and ordered that the door to the isolation room be locked.

Darkness flooded in like a tidal wave. April curled up in the corner, shaking uncontrollably, as if she'd been thrown back to that helpless afternoon.

The slow, unseen torment drove her half-mad. Her mind went hazy, darkness swam before her eyes, and cold sweat drenched her face.

At first, her heart barely seemed to beat, then suddenly it began to race out of control. F

For a moment, April could have sworn she'd already died and come back.

She gritted her teeth. 'Hang in there, April. Four more days, and you can get out of this place.'

*****

Clang!

The door swung open, and long-lost light flooded over April.

She blacked out, and when she regained consciousness, she found herself in the hospital. Linton was there, keeping watch over her.

"Mrs. Sheppard, you're awake," Linton said.

"Where's Julian?" April asked.

It was only then that she realized how raw her throat felt, like it had been sandpapered raw.

"Hannah's dog went missing. Mr. Sheppard is out helping her look for it," Linton replied.

April let out a cold, bitter snort.

'What a joke,' she thought.

She tried to laugh, but tears streamed down her face instead. Rage flared up inside her, burning her heart to ashes.

She'd barely survived the isolation room, and yet Julian was out searching for Hannah's dog.

April let out a cold, mocking laugh. 'To Julian, I mean less than a dog?'

She wasn't the forgiving type. After the way Julian had humiliated her, she'd make him regret it.