Adrian took me back to my shrink, the same one I used to see. I didn’t bother asking how he knew about her, because Adrian knows whatever he wants to.

Even though he waited outside while I had my visit, I couldn’t find the words to talk to her. Before, I used to tell her about my parents and the black box, about how ballet wrenched me out of that box. After my career ended, I was stuffed into it again, but only for a brief while until Jeremy came along. However, now that I’ve killed someone, the box’s walls are tightening around my soul.

How could I tell the shrink that? How could I tell her that I murdered a person to protect my killer husband who married me just to use me?

It’s been months since I told Adrian I was cheating on him. At that moment, when he didn’t deny that he’d gotten close to me because of who my father is, he hurt me so badly, it was like the tip of his sharp blade tore through my heart and the feelings I had for him. I should’ve expected it, considering he doesn’t know how to feel, but I thought after five years of being together, he would’ve somehow gotten used to me like I’ve gotten used to him. He could’ve built a place for me in his black heart, even if it’s not as big as the area he occupies in mine.

I believed that maybe he cares a little.

Maybe he loves me a little.

But that was all naivety of my part. I’m the foolish one who fell in love. Adrian only ever saw me as a possession, as property. Someone he could fuck and keep under his thumb.

So I wanted to hurt him deeply. I wanted to stab him in his emotionless heart over and over so he’d feel a sliver of what I did. The only way to do so was by telling him that he was second, that the object he loved to possess wanted someone else.

But while I liked that night’s sex and the sex that followed after, I miss the other side of Adrian. The one who took care of me.

The one who hugged me to sleep and placed my feet on his lap, massaging away the tension.

Sometimes, I pretend to fall asleep in Jeremy’s room just so I’ll feel him lift me up, hold me to his strong body, and tuck me gently in bed.

Because in my waking moments, all I see on his face is hatred.

Sheer, utter hatred.

Adrian might have slightly gotten over my escape attempt, but he’ll never forgive me for cheating on him. He might not leave me, because I’m Jeremy’s mother and his ‘property,’ but he’ll never look at me as he did in the past.

He’ll never show me his rare smile or his caring side. He’ll never stroke my hair and kiss me before he goes out again.

I have to sneak around to watch him do those things with Jeremy.

That’s when I realize I’ve ruined everything.

Sometimes, I want to tell him it’s not true, that I lied because I was hurt, but his clipped words discourage me. He’d never believe me, anyway. Not when I held on to the lie for so long.

He still allows me to volunteer, but he sends at least five guards with me now, probably searching for my lover.

Thankfully, Luca has probably read the atmosphere and hasn’t gotten in touch again.

I have no doubt that if Adrian finds my childhood friend, he will skin him alive. People like him don’t like others to touch their property and will go the extra mile to prove a point.

Yan goes before me into the bathroom and checks every stall. When he tries to open one, a woman screams profanities at him from inside it, and he merely shrugs a shoulder. He can be so apathetic sometimes, both Adrian’s and Kolya’s personalities rubbing off on him.

After he makes sure no one is at the window and closes it, he checks the stalls—aside from the occupied one—one last time.

“Is this necessary?” I sigh.

“I’m just following orders,” he says apologetically. He’s been addressing me with more frowns than usual, probably sensing that things aren’t the same.

Before he leaves me in peace, he pauses and shuts the door, trapping us—and the screaming woman, who’s still in the stall—inside.

“What?” I ask with alarm.

“You’re not doing well, are you?”

“No offense, but I haven’t been doing well since I made your acquaintance.”

“None taken”—he lowers his voice—“but it’s different since after the assassination attempt.”

“Different?”

He rubs the back of his neck. “Look, I know you didn’t cheat on Boss.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“You’re not that type of person.”

I scoff. “Obviously, your precious boss thinks I am.”

“He’s blinded by you, Lia.”

“By me?”

“Yes. His obsession with you is forbidding him from thinking logically. And you did tell him you cheated. Did you think he’d pat you on the back?”

“I said that after I found out that he’s using me because of who my father is!”

“Still, do you think painting his most precious person, you, as a cheater was a wise idea?”

No, it wasn’t. “I’m not his most precious person.”

“Yes, you are, Lia. I’ve known Boss since I was younger than Jeremy and I’ve never seen him treat anyone the way he treats you.”

“With disdain, you mean?”

“You must me be joking. Listen, he’s not the type who allows anyone to cause him pain, but you were able to. You hurt him.”

“No more than he hurt me.” Tears well in my eyes. “Besides, he’d need to feel for me to ever be able to be hurt by me.”

“You’re just as blinded as he is, I swear. Just talk to him and I assure you that he’ll see your honesty. You’re torturing each other and it’s painful to watch.”

“How can I torture him when he doesn’t care?”

Yan opens his mouth to say something, but a bang from outside, probably from Boris, stops him.

“Just talk,” he insists before he gets out.

Arguing in Russian reaches me from outside. Boris is like Kolya’s twin brother when it comes to stoic behavior. He doesn’t like it when Yan talks to me and never fails to remind Yan of that fact.

After I quickly finish my business in the toilet, I stand at the sink to wash my hands.

The woman who screamed at Yan earlier shoves her stall door open. “The fuck is this? Family drama isn’t supposed to happen in a damn toilet…” she trails off. Then she whispers, “Fuck.”