He reached for me, feigning tenderness. "Honey, you’ve been crying…"

I recoiled like his touch was fire. "We lost our child, Darren. Of course I’ve been crying."

His tone softened, rehearsed. "We’ll have another, I promise—"

"Another?" My laugh was bitter. "Easy for you to say."

His jaw ticked, but he said nothing. Coward.

My gaze shifted to Sally, rocking her prize in her arms, her lips curving in mock sympathy.

"Eliana, aren’t you happy for me? Oh, of course not. You’re grieving. My condolences."

"I don’t need your sympathy," I spat.

Janine rolled her eyes. "Stop being dramatic. You were overdue anyway. Be grateful you didn’t birth a cripple."

Something inside me shattered so loud it drowned out the monitor beeping behind me.

Before I knew it, my hand was at her throat. Squeezing.

Her eyes bulged in shock as she grabbed my hand, sputtering. “E–Eliana!”

Darren’s voice cracked through the haze. “Enough! Are you insane? Let her go!”

But I didn’t. Not at first. For one satisfying second, I watched Janine’s face redden under my fingers. Then I shoved her back, releasing her with a disgusted snarl.

She stumbled into Sally, who clutched her newborn tighter like I was some wild animal.

Maybe I was.

Because at that moment, I wasn’t just mourning. I was done.

My gaze locked with Darren’s. He looked shocked. Furious. “What’s gotten into you, Eliana?”

I smiled. Cold. Deadly. “Clarity.”

Then I walked out. Ignoring his voice calling after me. He didn’t follow.

My hands shook as I dug into my pocket and pulled out my phone. The lawyer’s name glowed across the screen.

“Eliana,” his voice was steady, professional, “I’ve begun processing the divorce papers. You’ll hear back within forty-eight hours.”

“Good,” I whispered, my throat raw. “The sooner, the better.”

I ended the call. Slipped off my wedding ring. Held it for only a second—then hurled it into the trash bin beside me. The metallic clang echoed like a gunshot.

I made my vow. Low enough for only the night to hear:

“Darren Centineo, you just buried the wrong child. And when I’m finished with you, the whole world will know it.”

ELIANA

I had barely turned from the bin when footsteps followed me. Darren's tall frame filled the doorway, Janine close at his side like a shadow.

He didn't lunge or raise his voice. Instead, it came low and even—the kind of voice that used to calm me, now slick and cold.