You Buried My Daughter, I Burned Down Your EmpireChapter 1
I handled my daughter’s funeral arrangements myself.
From the moment the hospital released her body to the final signature at the crematorium, I did everything alone. The staff spoke to me in hushed voices, their eyes heavy with pity. Some of them had seen Sofia when she was still breathing, when she was still clutching that medicine meant for another woman. They avoided saying too much, but their silence carried more compassion than my husband ever had.
For two full days, Don Vincent Volkov never called.
Not once.
Ten years of marriage collapsed into those forty-eight hours of absence.
I neither ate nor drank. Grief hollowed me out until even breathing felt unnecessary. I printed the divorce agreement myself, placed it neatly on the coffee table in the mansion bearing the Volkov crest, and waited for him to return from wherever he had chosen to be.
When he finally walked in, he did not ask about his daughter.
Instead, he said coolly, “Where’s the medicine I told you to make Sofia deliver? Did she send it to the grave with her? Because of her delay, Roxanne was hospitalized for two days.”
For a moment, I almost laughed.
Send it to the grave?
Yes.
That was exactly where it went.
He removed his tailored coat with irritation and tossed it onto the sofa. The sharp scent of a woman’s perfume drifted through the room, sweet and unfamiliar, clinging to the fabric like an accusation.
I felt my chest tighten. Without a word, I walked to the drawer, took out my allergy pills, and swallowed them dry. The fragrance in the air was already making my throat itch.
He noticed and scoffed. “What are you trying to prove? Roxanne’s the one allergic to alcohol. Now you’re copying her? If she’s in the hospital covered in rashes, why aren’t you there apologizing?”
His voice rose as he continued, “Where is Sofia? Tell her to come out and apologize right now. Roxanne was generous enough not to blame her. She was miserable and still defended that child. You’ve spoiled Sofia beyond control. I’ll deal with her myself tonight.”
The word deal made something inside me snap.
I picked up the divorce papers and threw them in front of him.
“Sign them,” I said steadily. “Stop pretending you care about disciplining her. You have no right to raise your voice at her again. I’ll remove myself from your life and clear the way for you and Roxanne.”