The bathroom door doesn't close all the way. I notice this as I'm washing my hands in the hallway powder room of the hotel where Amelia's birthday party is being set up. The latch doesn't catch. It stays open just a crack. That crack saves my life. "You're sure the dose is right?" My brother's voice drifts through from the service hallway on the other side. "We can't afford another mistake." I freeze. Water still running. Hands dripping. "It's the same dose we used before her wedding to Felix." Matthew's voice. My husband. "Strong enough to cause a miscarriage. Not strong enough to kill her." The world tilts. "And you're certain she's pregnant?" My brother again. Ethan. My only family. "Three months." Matthew sounds bored. Clinical. "The timing is perfect. Tonight, at Amelia's party, in front of everyone. Scarlett will lose the baby. She'll be devastated. Unstable. I'll have grounds for commitment or divorce. Either way, she's out of the picture." I can't breathe. "Amelia's getting impatient," Ethan says. "She wants Felix back. She wants the Reynolds family connection. Your wife is in the way." "Scarlett was always temporary." Matthew's voice is cold. So cold. "A placeholder until we could fix what went wrong three years ago." Three years ago. My wedding day to Felix Reynolds. The day I woke up in a hotel room with a stranger. Drugged. Violated. Photos everywhere. My engagement destroyed. My reputation shattered. Felix's family turned their backs on me. Felix married Amelia six months later. And Matthew appeared like a savior. Kind. Understanding. Married me when no one else would. "The drug goes in her champagne glass," Matthew continues. "The one with the small chip on the rim. I already placed it at her seat. Make sure she drinks from that glass only." "What about the animal breeding drug component?" Ethan asks. "You said that's what makes it untraceable." "Mixed in already. It'll look like a spontaneous miscarriage. Stress. Weak constitution. No one will question it." Animal breeding drug. The same thing they used three years ago. They drugged me. They destroyed my engagement. They gave me to a stranger and took photos. All so Amelia could have Felix. And Matthew married me to keep me controlled. To keep me from discovering the truth. I look down at my hands. Still dripping. Still shaking. But not from fear. From rage. I turn off the water slowly. Carefully. I dry my hands on the towel. I check my reflection in the mirror. Pale. Shocked. Broken. Good. Let them think I'm broken. I step out of the bathroom. The hallway is empty. They've already moved on. Probably to the main ballroom where the party setup is happening. I walk down the corridor. Past the service entrance. Into the main event space. The ballroom is gorgeous. Gold and white decorations everywhere. Amelia's birthday party is going to be the event of the season. Everyone who matters will be here. Including Felix Reynolds and his family. I spot my champagne glass immediately. Small chip on the rim. Sitting at the table closest to the stage. The place of honor. Right next to Matthew's seat. My husband is across the room talking to the caterers. Ethan is with him. Neither of them sees me. I walk to the table. I pick up my glass. The liquid inside is pale gold. Expensive champagne. Laced with poison meant to kill my baby. Matthew's glass sits next to mine. Identical. No chip. I look around. Still no one watching. I switch the glasses. Mine goes to his place. His goes to mine. Then I take a lipstick from my purse and carefully press it to the rim of the chipped glass. Now at Matthew's seat. A clear mark. So he'll know it's his. I step back. Look at the arrangement. Perfect. "Scarlett!" Amelia's voice rings out behind me. Bright. Fake. "You're here early!" I turn. Paste on a smile. "I wanted to help set up. It's your special day." Amelia looks radiant. Red dress. Perfect hair. She's beautiful. Always has been. She's also a monster. "You're so sweet." She air kisses both my cheeks. "Where's Matthew?" "Talking to the caterers." I gesture vaguely. "Making sure everything is perfect for you." "He's always so thoughtful." Her smile is sharp. Knowing. She's in on it. Of course she is. This whole thing is her plan. "I should go check on him," I say. "Make sure he's not driving them crazy with details." "Oh, let him fuss." Amelia waves a hand. "Come sit with me. Tell me how you're feeling. You look a little pale." She wants to watch. Wants to see me drink the poison. "I'm fine," I say. "Just tired. You know how it is." "Mm." Her eyes glitter. "I'm sure tonight will be very memorable for you." "I'm counting on it," I say. And I smile. Because in a few hours, Matthew is going to drink that champagne. And the animal breeding drug is going to hit his system like a freight train. Animal breeding drugs don't just cause miscarriages. They cause something else in humans. Something catastrophic. Something public. Violent, uncontrollable arousal. Aggression. Loss of inhibition. They're going to dose me with something that would make me lose my mind in public. Instead, Matthew is going to lose his. In front of everyone. At Amelia's birthday party. While Felix Reynolds and his entire powerful family watch. Guests start arriving an hour later. The ballroom fills with the elite. Politicians. Business moguls. Old money families. The Reynolds family arrives together. Felix looks the same. Handsome. Cold. He doesn't even glance my way. His father, Richard Reynolds, is imposing as ever. His mother, Catherine, drips with diamonds. They take their seats at the head table. Right next to where Matthew and I will sit. Matthew finds me in the crowd. Kisses my cheek. "Ready, darling?" "Always," I say. We sit. The chipped champagne glass is right in front of him. My lipstick mark clearly visible. He picks it up without hesitation. Raises it for a toast. "To Amelia," he says. "The most beautiful woman in the room." He drinks deep. I sip from my own glass. The safe one. And I wait. ---