Later that afternoon, I found myself in Marcus’s office. After seeing how agitated he had been lately, I knew something was up.

I had to find out if my dad would be affected by whatever Marcus was planning.

My heart pounded loudly in my chest as I stared at his desk, the perfectly aligned papers, and the expensive pens. He never let me in here unless he was home. But I couldn’t wait anymore. I needed answers.

I needed to know what he was planning. My life already felt like it was in danger; I could feel it in my bones. Once the business with my dad was finalized, Marcus might not keep me alive.

My hands trembled as I flipped through his planner, scanning each neatly written entry: business trips, meetings, dinners. But there was nothing useful. All I saw was more evidence of his betrayal—

The numerous dates he had lined up with Layla and a hotel key card.

“That bastard,” I muttered through gritted teeth, my hand clenching one of the papers so tightly it crumpled.

I moved to the drawer on the left, tugging it open. Inside, I found folders stacked neatly. My fingers hovered over them, but one stood out—a slim black folder with Layla’s name scrawled across the tab. My chest tightened as I opened it.

There it was: a deed to an apartment. Her name was on it, bold and undeniable. I flipped through the pages, and my stomach dropped when I saw the payment history—taken from our joint account.

Tears stung my eyes, but the final blow came when a small note slipped out from between the pages. I picked it up with shaking hands.

“Our future is just beginning. Forget Sasha. It’s us against the world.”

The bile rose in my throat as I dropped the papers on the desk. I staggered back, gripping the edge of a chair for support. How had I been so blind? How long had this been going on?

My breathing grew ragged as the walls of the office seemed to close in around me. I fumbled for my phone, dialing Claire’s number with trembling fingers.

“Hello?” Claire’s familiar voice answered.

“It’s me,” I croaked, my voice breaking.

“Sasha? What’s wrong?”

“I can’t stay here, Claire. I… I need to leave,” I stuttered, my words barely making sense.

Her voice immediately filled with concern. “My God, Sasha, what’s going on? You sound tense. Did something happen?”

My hands trembled, and my lips quivered as I tried to hold back a sob.

“It’s Ma... Marcus,” I whispered shakily, my throat tightening.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, but the words evaporated before I could say them.

“It’s alright. Just pack your bags and come over to my place. We can figure things out together, okay?” Claire said softly.

Tears streamed down my face as I nodded, even though she couldn’t see me.

“Thank you. I just… I don’t know what to do.”

“You’re doing the right thing,” Claire said gently. “You deserve better than this. Just get out of there. Don’t wait.”

I hung up, feeling a small flicker of hope building in my heart. I had to escape this nightmare. First, I needed to leave. Then, I’d figure out what to do next.

I began gathering the papers on Marcus’s desk, determined to leave no trace of my search. I slid the drawer shut, keeping everything in place.

“What are you doing in here, Sasha?” Marcus’s voice boomed suddenly.

I froze, my heart stopping at the sound of his voice. Slowly, I turned to face him. He stood in the doorway, his expression dark and unreadable.

“I… I was just—”

His eyes scanned my face and appearance, narrowing as they locked onto mine. A cold dread settled in my chest.

“Have you been going through my things?” he asked, his voice low and dangerous.

My pulse quickened as I took a step back. “Marcus, I can explain—”

“No,” he interrupted sharply. “You don’t get to explain. Don’t you trust me?”

Of course, I didn’t trust him, but saying that aloud wasn’t wise, especially with the way his eyes darkened with an anger I’d never seen before.

Marcus stepped closer, and I instinctively backed into the desk, trapped. The air felt suffocating.

“So, tell me, Sasha. What exactly were you looking for?”

I swallowed hard, gripping the edge of the desk as I forced myself to meet his gaze.

“I only came to see if you were hungry. I made your favorite sandwich,” I said, my voice as steady as I could make it. Now, more than ever, I knew Marcus was a dangerous man.

If he knew I was aware of his plans, I couldn’t predict what he might do.

“Are you sure?”

“Is there another reason why I would come here?” I leaned in closer, trying to sound casual. “Are you hiding something from me?”

Marcus’s smile was slow and calculated as he moved away from me.

“Of course not, babe.”

As night fell, I knew I had to act. This was my golden chance. Marcus had left the house, claiming he had some sort of impromptu business meeting, but I knew better.

A scoff escaped my lips. “An impromptu meeting at 10 p.m.? What a joke.”

To think I had fallen for his numerous lies in the past made a sharp pain grip my chest, and I shuddered.

How could I have been so stupid not to see the signs? Signs that he was cheating and that he had only married me for wealth and power.

Tears began to prickle at the corners of my eyes, but I tightened my grip on my luggage, seeking support from the nightmare reality that had become my life.

“No use crying over spilled milk,” I muttered, heaving a deep sigh that did little to ease the tension in my chest.

With a determined look, I wheeled my suitcase out of the penthouse and into the night.

---

When I reached Claire’s house, I scrambled out of the car. I rushed to the door, barely registering the buzz of the intercom.

“Claire, open up!” I half-yelled.

The door opened, revealing Claire. Her eyes dropped as she took in my expression. She stood frozen for a moment before moving to hug me.

“My God, Sasha,” she whispered, her warm hands circling around my back. “What happened to you?”

I whimpered against her neck, holding her close for warmth, because my blood had run cold ever since I found out about Marcus.

“I’m done, Claire,” I sniffed, dragging the snort back inside. “I’m done with him. I just can’t keep living like this.” My voice broke, and I felt Claire’s shoulders slump as she held me tighter.

When my sobs finally quieted, she pulled back slightly, wiping the tears from my cheeks.

“Okay,” she said, her voice calm and soothing. “You’re safe here. You don’t have to explain it all right now. Just breathe. We’ll figure it out.”

I nodded, but even as I did, I knew the truth of my situation wasn’t so simple.

The days that followed were a blur. I stayed at Claire’s, trying to get my bearings, but unease gnawed at me.

I couldn’t shake the feeling that something—something big—was about to come crashing down.

Then came the day of my routine check-up.

I had barely made it to the clinic, because with each passing day, my strength felt drained with fear of what marcus might do next realizing that I disappeared.

I wasn’t even thinking about the baby, not really. I was just trying to survive, to figure out what came next.

I sat in the sterile white room, the smell of antiseptic making me feel even more dizzy.

When the doctor finally walked in, he had that calm demeanor—the one doctors always have when they don’t want to alarm you but know they have to. He smiled at me briefly before sitting down, his gaze focused on the papers in front of him.

“Sasha, the blood test results came back,” he said, his voice even. “There’s something unusual in the genetic markers.”

I froze, my heart stopping for a moment as my throat went dry. “What do you mean?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

The doctor hesitated, glancing at the chart again before meeting my gaze. “It seems your child’s genetic markers suggest a paternal match that isn’t Marcus.”

“What?” My eyes bulged as I gripped the hem of my shirt tightly.

The world tilted beneath me. My stomach churned, and the walls seemed to close in around me. “What do you mean?” I repeated, my voice now shaky.

“I mean,” the doctor continued carefully, “it’s possible that someone else is the father.”

My breath caught in my throat, my vision blurring as my world unraveled in front of me.

“No... that’s not possible,” I whispered, my heart racing. I looked down at my hands, as if trying to grasp something solid in this new, terrifying reality.

The walls began closing in around me as my hands gripped the table for support, gasping for air.

“Sasha… Sasha, can you hear me?” The doctor’s faint voice boomed inside my head, but I was too lost in my own world.

What was happening to me?

A warm hand jolted me back to reality, and I snapped my head up.

The doctor’s worried face loomed close, and I gasped.

“Umm…” I swallowed hard, feeling tears prick the corners of my eyes. “I’m fine. Thank you for your concern, but I have to go.”

“Are you sure? I mean, if you insist, we could run more tests for clarity,” the doctor said, his eyes soft with pity.

I snatched my bag from the table and walked toward the door. I wanted nothing more than to leave this place immediately.

When I reached the door, I could feel the doctor’s gaze burning into my back. My hand hovered over the doorknob before I spun around.

“Yeah, let’s do that,” I said with a smile that didn’t reach my eyes. “And please don’t tell anyone else, including my husband, until things are settled.”

The doctor’s shoulders slumped, and he exhaled. “You have my word.”

“Thank you.” With a curt nod, I turned on my heels and exited the office.

The moment I stepped out from the car, I could see men dressed in black suits scattered around Claire's house, and my chest tightened.

My first instinct was to leave, but I found myself walking toward the house.

“Mistress, welcome,” they all chorused in unison, and I swallowed hard.

“Where is she?” Marcus’s voice rang with a dangerous edge, and fear gripped my chest.

“Where is she, goddammit? If you don’t start talking, you won’t like what I’ll do to you,” he groaned.

“Oh my God, Claire!” My blood ran cold, and I ran inside the house.

Claire's house was scattered with objects spiraled out on the floor. My eyes landed on Marcus, who had his grip on Claire, who struggled against him.

“Claire!” I gasped.

Marcus’s eyes snapped wide as he let Claire go. She quickly put some distance between them, eyeing him with suspicion.

“Babe.” Marcus sighed with relief as he flashed a smile at me.

“Where have you been? I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

My fists tightened as I stared at him. “Was that why you trashed my best friend’s house?” I stood there in disbelief.

Marcus’s eyes narrowed at me, clearly shocked beyond words by my behavior.

This was the first time I was raising my voice at him, and he didn’t look pleased with this development.

“Why haven’t you been answering your phone? I’ve been calling you all day,” Marcus asked, striding over to me.

His eyes were red. Was he so worried that I left?

“I was busy,” I snorted, wanting to walk past him to meet Claire, but he forcefully grabbed my arm.

“Busy doing what? I thought we both agreed that I’m supposed to be your top priority. I came back from work this morning, and the house was empty,” he frowned.

Was that what he was furious about? That his little birdy had left its cage and he just couldn’t bear to see me free?

I flung my hands away from his grip. “So what? You get to do what you want, but I can’t? Marcus, you really are something.”

Marcus’s eyes widened in a daze. I rarely addressed him by his name. I guess he was shocked to the teeth.

Marcus turned swiftly to Claire, who flinched under his gaze. “What did you do to my wife?” he gritted through his teeth.

Claire shrank further inside when he attempted to march over to her, but I swooshed in, blocking his path.

“Marcus, can you stop acting this way? Claire is my friend. You’re scaring her. Please leave,” I said firmly.

Marcus stumbled forward. “What did you just say to me?”

“I said leave,” I repeated firmly, but Marcus let out a scoff.

“Sasha, you really are something. I came here to take you home, and you’re chasing me like I’m some pest. I’m your husband. Don’t you think these words are too hurtful?”

Marcus’s voice went low, and if my eyes weren’t open, I would have fallen for this trick.

“I’m not going home with you. I wish to stay here with my friend. I promise to—”

“That’s not happening…” Marcus’s brows knotted with a dangerous groan.

Why was he so pissed off? Wasn’t he supposed to be happy that I was no longer in the house? At least now he could be free to do whatever he wanted with his mistress.

“Why? Besides, you’re always busy with work, so I figured I’d stay here until the workload goes down,” I lied through my teeth, hoping he would believe my lies.

For a moment, I actually thought he was going to get mad, but his face softened. He pulled my face to his.

“If this attitude is about me working late, I promise to cancel and reschedule. No more late hours. That’s good, right? At least we’ll spend more time together.”

Disgust washed over me. The way he looked me straight in the eyes and lied in my face without a single thought made me even madder.

“Marcus, it’s fine. Thanks, but you don’t need to do that. We’ve been married for a while... I… I…” I stuttered, trying to find the right words to say. “I just need space.”

“Space? What space?” Marcus hissed. “Look, Sasha, I don’t know what’s going on with you, but I won’t leave until you agree to go home with me.”

The anger boiled in my chest. “I said I need space.”

Marcus opened his mouth to speak, but his phone broke the conversation. His eyes fixed on me as he fished inside his pocket.

When his eyes met the name on the screen, his body became tense. I took this chance to peek, and I saw Layla’s name.

If he had plans with his mistress, why was he out here disrupting my peace? It’s like he couldn’t bear to see me happy.

“Marcus, if you’re busy, then there’s no need for you to force yourself. Please leave.”

“Nice try, but I’m not letting you off so easily,” Marcus smirked, and I stumbled back. His hands swooshed me up from the ground until my stomach was against his shoulders.

“Marcus, put me down,” I huffed, wiggling my legs in the air.