The tension in the villa had become unbearable.

I moved through the days like a shadow of myself — playing with the children on the beach, reading them bedtime stories, forcing smiles while my mind screamed. The rose-gold collar around my neck, once a source of dark comfort, now felt like a noose tightening with every breath.

Alexander watched me like a hawk. He canceled more meetings, stayed closer to the house, and made sure I was never truly alone. His love had always been possessive, but now it felt like a cage with golden bars.

One evening, after the children were asleep, I found him in his study. He...