Three Instances of a Lie

Savannah glided to his side. "Mr. Grayson," she murmured, "the agreement states she forfeits custody, but… I can't imagine any mother giving up her child this easily."

"For Ms. Berry to have multiple affairs, she must have her next move planned. A child would only be a burden, after all… There's no need to persuade her."

After she spoke, she shot me a look, a flicker of feigned gravity in her eyes.

I let out a soft laugh.

She seemed to have forgotten.

Four years ago, she was the one who drafted this absurd agreement, the one that specified the exact number of infidelities.

Federico's expression hardened.

"You'd better mean it. Don't come crawling back to me."

With that, he spun on his heel and left.

I watched his retreating back, the corner of my mouth twitching into a grim smile.

I won't, Federico.

I once filled hundreds of diary pages with your name—Federico Grayson—trying to convince myself to love you, praying to God for our story. I ran to every church in the city, kneeling until my knees bled, begging for a sign that love could transcend everything, that our different worlds didn't matter.

I never imagined the Prince Charming of my prayers would become my living nightmare.

This time, my knees will never bend again.

Savannah smirked at me. "Berry, the night is still young. We won't disturb you."

The moment the door clicked shut, the room plunged back into silence.

I glanced at the man still passed out on the bed, a wave of nausea rolling through me.

I had woken up long before him, long before they'd burst in. I could have left.

But I was tired of the chase. So I waited.

I pulled on my coat and walked out without a second glance.

The next evening, I returned to the Fifth Avenue penthouse to pack.

When I pushed open the master bedroom door, I realized everything was gone. All my clothes, my personal items—erased.

The butler stammered, avoiding my gaze. "Madam, your belongings... they've all been moved to the basement storage. Miss Savannah said the master bedroom will soon have a new mistress and needed to be cleared out."

A bitter smile touched my lips.

Four years of marriage, and I wasn't even worth a proper goodbye.

I turned and headed for the basement storage room.

Pushing the door open, I saw my life in boxes stacked high, bags piled in a corner.

I knelt and began to sift through the mess, piece by piece.

Nothing else mattered. I had to find the antique Cartier watch my mother left me.

It was a family heirloom, passed from my grandmother to my mother, and from my mother to me…

It was the only thing in this house that was truly mine.

I finally found it, buried at the bottom of a box.

I clutched the box to my chest, a long, shuddering breath of relief escaping my lips.