The days that followed my discovery became a silent war.

I smiled for the children. I let Alexander hold me at night. I even let him make love to me — slow and careful because of the pregnancy — while pretending the horror in my heart wasn’t growing bigger with every breath. But inside, I was planning.

The rose-gold collar, once a symbol of surrender and love, now felt like a tracking device. Every time it brushed my skin, I remembered my mother’s terrified voice begging for my life.

Alexander knew something had shifted. He watched me constantly, his gray eyes sharp and unyielding. He canceled more meetings, stayed closer...