Four years. That’s how long I’ve been married to Reagan De Santis. Four years of loving him, defending him, trusting him with the kind of blind loyalty that only a fool could afford. And I was that fool.

I shouldn’t be here.

Not in this underground war room, not holding this sonogram report like it’s some peace treaty between two nations secretly at war. I came here tonight hoping to give him a reason to smile. A reason to soften, to love me a little more. I thought maybe the ultrasound would bring us closer—maybe the news of our quadruplets would melt some of that cold detachment in his eyes.

But instead… I found this.

I’m hiding behind a metal shelf, my breath shallow, my fingers digging into the folded report so hard it’s starting to crumple.

Reagan stands just ten feet away, calm as a king in his kingdom. He’s dressed sharp, sleek, and completely focused on the screen in front of him—negotiating a weapons deal with two foreign buyers. That’s not the part that makes me want to vomit.

The weapons?

They're Titanis prototypes. The kind only a handful of people have access to. Classified tech. My father’s firm. My family’s blood.

And Reagan?

He’s selling them.

I can barely process what I’m seeing before I hear something that shatters me.

“She’s the golden key,” he says, chuckling.

My breath hitches.

“You really married the VP’s daughter just for Titanis access?” one of the men asks, amused.

Reagan smiles like it’s a joke. “Of course I fucking did. Danica’s sweet, but come on. She was always just a pawn in heels. She opened the door, and now I run the whole damn castle. Pew!”

My legs buckle slightly, and I grip the shelf for balance. My husband… my husband just said that. About me. Like I’m some disposable tool.

And then he twists the knife deeper.

“Dulcie’s the one who deserves a throne,” he says, voice lowering. “Not Danica.”

Dulcie. My best friend. My only friend, if I’m being honest.

They’re in this together?

No. No. That can’t be right.

He laughs again, cruel and effortless. “Danica’s too soft, too trusting. She still fucking believes love is real. Idiot. That’s what makes her useful.”

My hands are shaking so bad the sonogram slips from my grip and lands softly on the floor behind a crate. Thank God no one hears it. But I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe.

I’m pregnant. With his children. Three of them. And he sees me as nothing more than a vault he picked open and looted. And Dulcie… she was helping him the whole time?

I slip out while they’re distracted, somehow managing not to scream, not to break, not to collapse. My heels echo faintly through the hall as I escape the dark maze beneath our estate.

Once I’m outside, the night air hits me like a slap. I clutch my stomach, trying to calm the storm raging inside me. My babies. I have to think of them. Not him. Not her. Not the betrayal boiling in my throat.

For a split second, the darkness whispers that it would be easier to disappear. To end this. But then I feel it—one small flutter in my belly.

I choke on a sob.

No. I’m not going to die.

Not for a man who sees me as a pawn.

Not for a best friend who traded me for a crown.

I return home, barely functioning. The walls feel the same, but everything inside me has changed.

Reagan is already there. Of course he is. Cool. Composed. A fucking iceberg in human skin.

“You look pale,” he says, eyes scanning me like a threat under a microscope. “Everything alright?”

“Just tired,” I mutter, voice dull.

“Dulcie’s back, by the way,” he says casually. “She’s hosting a gala this weekend and wants you there.”

I blink slowly. Dulcie wants me there? After everything I just heard?

“She said she misses you,” he adds, like poison laced with sugar. “You two have been distant lately, haven’t you? She just wants things to go back to normal.”

Normal?

I nearly laugh. He’s testing me. Manipulating the narrative already—trying to gaslight me into thinking Dulcie and I just drifted apart… not that she stabbed me in the back.

I nod. What else can I do? Say no? He’ll twist it into some emotional guilt trap.

“Sure,” I whisper.

His eyes light up like he’s just won again. He steps closer, tries to kiss me—but I turn my face at the last second, his lips brushing my cheek.

“I’m exhausted,” I say, flat.

He studies me for a second, something calculating flickering behind his perfect smile. But he doesn’t push. Just hums, then pulls me into his arms.

“You’ll see,” he murmurs, stroking my hair. “This is all for us.”

I lie there, stiff in his arms, staring at the ceiling. His breath evens out as he drifts off.

And I swear to God—I will never forget this moment.

You used me, Reagan.

You played me.

You turned my best friend into my enemy.

But you have no idea who you married.

I might’ve been your golden key.

But now?

Now, I’m the lock you’ll never pick again.

The chandelier’s glow felt suffocating. The room spun with laughter, clinking glasses, and expensive perfume, but all I could hear was my own heartbeat—loud, erratic, drowning everything else.

I was standing in the middle of Dulcie’s grand return party, a celebration thrown in her honor after her ‘soul-searching’ trip to Europe. The woman who once swore she'd never abandon me had done just that—only to return with more money, more influence, and a smugness that made my stomach turn.

And as if the universe hadn't mocked me enough, he was here too.

Reagan.

His gaze was like a noose tightening around my throat. He hadn’t spoken to me much tonight, but when he did, it was a warning.

"Don’t embarrass me tonight, Danica. Be a good girl."

His fingers had gripped my wrist just hard enough to remind me—obedience wasn’t a choice.

I wanted to tell my father everything. He stood across the room, drink in hand, shaking hands with men twice his age and ten times as corrupt. If he knew what was happening to me, would he care?

No.

I had no illusions left about my father’s love. But still, I thought about it. About walking up to him and whispering the truth.

I’m pregnant, Dad. Reagan can’t know. I need help. He's going to kill us both.

But I knew better. My father never helped unless it benefited him. And telling him meant risking my babies’ lives. So I swallowed the words down like poison and smiled like I wasn’t suffocating.

And then, like a snake slithering into my space, she appeared.

“Oh my God, bestie!” Dulcie squealed, wrapping her arms around me in a hug that felt more like a stranglehold. “I missed you so much!”

Her perfume was overwhelming—sweet, intoxicating, fake.

She pulled back, eyes scanning me from head to toe before her lips curled. “Dani, darling, you look so… shabby.”

My grip tightened on my glass.

Dulcie gasped dramatically, touching my arm with faux concern. “Are you eating enough? You look so… plain. No wonder Reagan—” She cut herself off with a laugh. “Oops, never mind!”

She knew exactly what she was doing.

I forced a smile. “No wonder Reagan what?”

“Oh, don’t be sensitive,” she cooed, looping her arm through mine and lowering her voice. “I just mean… you should take better care of yourself. Look at me!” She twirled, letting her designer dress hug every curve. “Men go crazy for a woman who knows how to keep herself sexy. You should try it sometime.”

My nails dug into my palm.

She leaned in, whispering against my ear like we were sharing a secret. “You used to be so pretty, Dani. But now? You look so… tired. Maybe if you put in a little effort, he wouldn’t get bored so easily.”

The words were like a dagger twisting in my ribs.

She was toying with me. Playing the role of the concerned best friend, all while reminding me—without saying it outright—that she had Reagan wrapped around her finger.

I swallowed back the bile rising in my throat.

I know what you are, Dulcie.

And I won’t forget.

---

An hour later, I found myself in the restroom, gripping the sink, trying to steady my breath.

I needed to leave. I needed air. I needed—

The door creaked open.

I turned, expecting some socialite fixing her makeup. Instead, I was met with Dulcie’s reflection in the mirror.

She smiled and locked the door behind her.

Something in my chest tightened.

“What do you want?”

Dulcie took her time walking over, setting her clutch on the counter. “I wanted a private moment with my best friend,” she purred. “Just us girls.”

I said nothing.

She sighed, tilting her head. “You look upset.”

“I’m fine.”

She tsked. “Liar.”

She reached into her clutch and pulled out a small velvet box, flipping it open with a flick of her fingers. Inside sat a massive diamond ring, gleaming under the fluorescent light.

“Pretty, isn’t it?” she mused. “Custom-made. Reagan picked it out himself.”

My stomach dropped.

She slipped the ring onto her finger, admiring it. “He has exquisite taste, don’t you think?”

I didn’t answer.

Her smile widened. “Oh, Danica… you poor thing,” she whispered, voice dripping with fake sympathy. “I almost feel bad. Almost.”

I stared at her. “Feel bad for what?”

Dulcie’s eyes gleamed with cruelty. “Did you really think you were the only one?”

The world tilted.

She stepped closer, her voice barely above a whisper. “We’ve been together since a week after your wedding.”

The air was sucked from my lungs.

She smirked. “And before you ask—yes. That was real.”

My blood ran cold.

“What are you talking about?”

She leaned in, lips brushing against my ear as she whispered the words that shattered me completely.

“The grand staircase. Four years ago. You weren’t dreaming. Reagan and I are having a blast sex.”

My breath hitched.

I had forced myself to forget.

The night I thought was just a twisted hallucination—a fever dream, a nightmare—came rushing back with brutal clarity.

The sound of laughter. The scent of alcohol and perfume.

Reagan. Dulcie.

Their bodies tangled together on the grand staircase. His mouth on her skin. Her moans echoing through the halls. I stood there, frozen in time. Watching my best friend and my husband destroy me in real time. I was sick that time and I remember I collapsed on the floor and everything went dark.

Dulcie sighed, running a finger down the diamond on her ring. “You were so easy to fool. Always so obedient.”

Something inside me cracked.

I lifted my head, meeting her gaze.

She expected tears. A breakdown. Begging, maybe. Instead, I smiled. Slow. Cold. She faltered. Just a flicker. But I saw it.

Good.

I stepped closer, forcing her to step back.

“Well,” I murmured, voice calm, “enjoy it while it lasts.”

She frowned. “What?”

I brushed past her, unlocking the door.

She could keep her victory. For now.

But the game had only just begun.

I couldn’t stay there. Not with her. Not with him.

I excused myself from the party, forcing a smile for the few people who stopped to ask if I was alright. My legs felt like they were made of lead as I navigated through the crowded room, the laughter of the guests a distant, suffocating hum in my ears. The weight of Dulcie’s words hung like a shroud around me, crushing my chest with every step.

I couldn’t stay in that house, surrounded by lies and betrayal.

Once I was in the car, I let out the breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. The ride home was a blur, my thoughts spinning too fast to focus. I wanted to scream. I wanted to break everything, shatter the world Reagan had built around me. But instead, I held it all in. For my babies.

When I got home, the house felt foreign. Empty. The walls seemed to close in on me, and I knew, deep in my bones, I couldn’t escape. Not from him. Not from this.

I tried to sleep, but my mind wouldn’t stop racing. The memories of Dulcie’s smirk, her taunts, kept me awake. It was hours later when I heard the front door slam open. Footsteps thundered up the stairs, and I could feel the fury in every step. Reagan.

I could almost hear the rage in his voice as he stormed into the bedroom. “Danica!” he snapped. “Get up!”

I rolled over, pretending to be asleep, but I knew it wouldn’t work. He was already standing over me, his anger crackling in the air like electricity.

“Wake up!” His hand shot out, grabbing my wrist with a brutal grip. “What the hell is wrong with you? You ruin everything. The evening—my evening—was ruined because of you!”

I yanked my arm away from him, sitting up in bed, trying to shove the emotions down. “I had to leave,” I said quietly. “You didn’t expect me to stay and watch her—”

“I don’t want to hear about her, Danica!” He leaned over me, his face inches from mine, eyes burning with fury. “You embarrassed me. You humiliated me in front of everyone. Do you have any idea what that means?”

I couldn’t help it. The words slipped out before I could stop them. “You’ve been sleeping with her.”

For a moment, he just stood there, staring at me. And then, with a cold smile, he said, “Well, aren’t you just full of surprises.”

My heart twisted painfully. “You’ve been seeing her for years, haven’t you?”

He didn’t even flinch. “What did you expect, Danica? You think I’m going to sit here and be loyal to you? You’re nothing to me. Nothing.” His eyes glinted with satisfaction, watching the shock and pain spread across my face. “And if you think this is a betrayal, wait until you see the next one.”

I felt my stomach drop. “What?”

His smile widened, cruel and calculating. “You want the truth? Fine. I’ve been with her since one week after we got married. You were too busy playing the doting wife to notice. But I’m not sorry. I’ll never be sorry.”

His words hit me like a tidal wave. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t move. He stood there, looking at me with this sick satisfaction, this twisted sense of power.

“Why are you telling me this?” I finally whispered, barely able to hold myself together. “What’s the point of all this?”

The smile on his face faded, replaced with something colder. “Because, Danica… I don’t need you anymore. I never did. I’m done pretending. I’m done being the good husband. You’ve always been a means to an end. And now that Dulcie’s here, I don’t need you to play the part anymore.”

I could feel my heart breaking, piece by piece. This man, this monster, had never loved me. He never even liked me.

“I should’ve known,” I said, voice shaking with emotion. “I should’ve known when I saw you two together. Four years ago, on the staircase.”

His eyes flashed with irritation. “You’re still stuck on that?” He scoffed, running a hand through his hair. “You’re crazy, Danica. You’ve always been crazy. Just like your mother.”

The words stung more than anything. My mother. The woman who had slowly lost herself to the darkness, to the lies. And now, Reagan was using her as an excuse for his cruelty.

He stepped closer, his breath hot on my face. “Run, and I’ll bring your father’s empire to its knees. Titanis will fall. He’ll die knowing his daughter caused it.”

I felt the air leave my lungs. My father… I couldn’t let that happen. I couldn’t destroy him. Not for me.

“You’re trapped, Danica,” he said coldly, his lips curling into a cruel smile. “You’ll stay with me. You’ll do as I say. Because if you don’t, everything you love will burn.”

My stomach turned. I wanted to scream. I wanted to throw him out, to tear everything apart. But I couldn’t. Not while I carried these babies inside me. I was bound to this man, to this hell he’d built.

I thought I was done with the pain, that I had hit rock bottom. But then, as if fate had other plans, I saw something that froze my blood.

In the study, standing near the window, was Dulcie.

She was waiting for me.

I walked in, my feet moving before my brain had fully caught up.

“What the hell are you doing here?” I demanded.

Dulcie turned to face me, her lips curling into that familiar, venomous smile. “Oh, just making myself comfortable,” she purred. “You don’t mind, do you? I’m going to be staying here from now on.”

My vision blurred. I couldn’t take it anymore. “You—you are staying here?” I hissed, stepping toward her. “In my home? With him?”

She met my gaze with the kind of smugness only she could manage. “Oh, sweetie, I don’t think you have any say in this anymore.”

I was shaking with rage. My whole body trembled as I walked closer to her. “You’re a snake. A traitor. I trusted you. You’re nothing but a lying—”

Before I could stop myself, I lunged. I slammed her into the table, the force of it rattling the wood.

“You think you can take everything from me?” I growled, my fingers tightening around her shoulders. “You think you can just walk in here and ruin everything? You’re nothing but a backstabbing—”

Suddenly, the door slammed open.

Reagan stood there, his eyes blazing.

“Enough!” he roared, his face twisted in fury.

Before I could react, he was on me, his hands wrapping around my throat.

I gasped for breath, my vision blurring as he squeezed harder.

Dulcie stood behind him, pretending to cry, her hand pressed to her cheek. “He attacked me, Reagan! She’s crazy! She’s out of control!”

And just like that, Reagan let go of my throat and turned to her, as though nothing had happened.

He didn’t even hesitate.

He grabbed Dulcie, pulling her into a tight embrace, stroking her hair like she was the victim.

“Everything will be okay, sweetheart,” he murmured, his eyes never leaving me. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it.”

And in that moment, I realized. I was nothing. To him. To Dulcie. “Lock that bitch in the basement!” He ordered.

My heart dropped.