My Perfect Marriage, His Deadly Secret

Elli

sound of her sigh over the phone-it all played on a relentless loop in my mind. By morning, a sp

ne. In their place wa

to quit. I couldn't spend another second in a building that was a monu

rd the HR departme

but a white bandage was visible on his forearm. Diana was clinging to his arm, wearing an oversized cashmere sweater that I recognized

close together. They looked for all the world

looked up

expression becoming guarded, unreadable. He looked at me as i

s voice flat. "What

slow, cruel smile spread across her face. "Well, w

thy, "I can see why he picked you. You have the same hair. The same eyes." She leaned in close, her gaze d

ed. That

," he' d whispered, tapping the spot above my lip. "It' s perfect. Don't ever get rid of it." At

a triumphant sound. "Oh, you didn't know?" she cooed. "Axel has al

ck rhythm against my ribs. "Is that true

ooked away, his jaw tight.

ed me, piece by piece, into a pale imitation of the woman he truly wanted. The th

, his voice strained. He took a step toward

want to talk? After you spent the night with her? After I fin

he said, the words a

attention of employees passing by in the lo

n't you raise your voice to him," she hissed. Sh

shoved her back, harde

torted with rage. "You bitch," she screeched. "You thin

moved instantly. They seized my arms, their grips

id, his voice sharp, but he

o be taught a lesson. She needs to understand her place." She

permanent reminder of who she's a substitute for." She reached into her purse and pulled out a s

op her!" I screamed, my eyes

onflicted. For a single, heart-stopping

and dangerous. "If you take one more step toward h

e calculation in his eyes, the weighing of options. And then, with a f

said, his voice devoid of al

this. He was allowing her to do whatever she wanted to me, hi

the word a strangle

ed back to me, the knife held steady in her

ng it against the skin just above my lip. I squeeze

g of stale whiskey. "This will only hurt for a second. A

ne of them clamped a hand over my mouth, muffling my screams. I

ing, his face a cold, impassive mask. His gaze met mine for a fleeting second, and in it

er. A sharp, searing p

everything

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