Felix froze, then looked down at my wrist like he just noticed it was red. “Shit… Danica, I’m sorry,” he muttered, letting go right away. “I thought you might do something reckless. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” He exhaled and added, “Where are the rings I gave you? Why aren’t you wearing them?”
I almost laughed. “You gave me the men’s one. It didn’t fit, so I took it off.”
He paused, a little thrown off, then nodded. “Alright. We’ll switch them back when we get home.”
After that, he dropped it. Like Shannon didn’t even exist.
...
Three days later, late at night, his phone rang and he got up immediately. His hand was already on the door when he suddenly turned back to look at me and stopped. I just sat there, calm, not asking anything, not stopping him, nothing. For a second he looked… unsettled. Like he didn’t expect this version of me. He hesitated, like he might stay, but then his phone rang again.
“Something came up at the company,” he said quickly and left.
He didn’t come home that night. Just one message.
[Danica, I’ve got work. Staying late. Go to sleep first. Love you.]
I stared at it, then turned the screen off. Those words meant nothing now.
The next morning, a maid said someone was looking for me. I stepped outside and something hit the back of my head. Everything went black.
When I woke up, my body was tied up. Hands, legs, everything. My mouth was sealed. I was in a private room in a nightclub, music faint in the background. They dressed me in a servant's uniform and a mask. Just like her. My hair was gone, cut short and uneven, barely touching my ears. Felix liked my long hair. Said it made me look soft. Now it was gone.
The door slammed open.
“Wife, is this the one who locked you up and tortured you for three days?” Felix’s voice was low and dangerous.
“It’s her!” Shannon cried immediately. “She said Miss McKellar ordered her to make me suffer, to make me wish I was dead. She tortured me, locked me up, even brought men to humiliate me. I almost…” her voice broke. “I barely made it out…”
I struggled, trying to make a sound. Nothing came out.
Felix’s tone turned colder. “Danica went too far. I won’t touch her, but I can make an example out of someone else.” He paused, then said, “Bring me the whip. The one soaked in salt.”
My whole body started shaking. She wasn’t just framing me. She wanted him to think I was something filthy. Someone he could punish.