Zachery stroked her hair, soothing her. "Relax. Why would I go soft? I've been slipping something into her meal trays every day. Tomorrow's the last dose. Once she's out for good, we can finally be together in the open. And every cent she has will be ours."

They stood there wrapped around each other, laying out their vicious plan as casually as a dinner reservation. Then Gertrude pulled a hotel keycard from her pocket and pressed it into his palm. "I'll be waiting at the hotel tonight. Consider it an early celebration."

I couldn't watch any more.

My fists clenched so tight my nails bit into my palms.

They were monsters. Not only had they been carrying on behind my back, they were actively trying to kill me. And I had walked through every single day without suspecting a thing.

The aide's message came through right after: Ma'am, I got everything on camera. Should I call the police?

I typed back slowly: No. Letting them rot in prison would be too easy.

I was going to destroy them. Ruin everything they had. Make them pay in ways a jail cell never could.

I picked up the phone and dialed my private security team. "Get to my brother's rehabilitation center immediately. Replace the current caregiver and make sure she doesn't get anywhere near him again."

I paused, then added, "Twenty-four-hour protection, around the clock. No one gets access to my brother without my explicit approval."

I had been so blind, trusting Zachery with the only family I had left.

Now that I thought about it, those times my brother had been "accidentally" hurt at the center—there was no way those were coincidences.

Never again. I would never let anyone lay a hand on me or the people I loved.

A long time passed before Zachery finally came back.

There was a smear of lipstick on his jaw. He hadn't even noticed.

"Ellie, why did you switch out your brother's caregiver? You really don't trust me?"

My expression didn't waver. "Weren't you the one who threatened to make something happen to my brother? Can you blame me for being cautious?"

Irritation twisted across his face.

But he reined it in just as quickly, forcing his features smooth. "Forget it. This is all my fault. I pushed you to this."

"Ellie, I know you've been through a lot. Let me go pick up something nutritious for you to make up for it."

I stopped him. "I don't want it. Can I just skip it?"