Chapter 1Wedding night, Dax pulled out and flicked the condom at me like I was garbage.
"That five hundred grand you kept begging for? When I said the company tanked and I was flat broke?"
He leaned back. Lit a cigarette. Blew smoke in my face.
"Yeah. Total bullshit."
Grabbed his phone. Shoved a photo at me.
My bestie Cleo. Wearing a diamond necklace worth more than my life.
"Fucked her once. Dropped five million on that."
I couldn't move. Cramps ripping through my stomach.
He wasn't done. Actually getting off on this.
"But you? Begging for scraps like some pathetic gold digger. Every dollar I wasted on you made me sick."
Door slammed. He left.
My phone lit up. Hospital text.
PATIENT DECEASED 11:52PM
I couldn't breathe. Couldn't scream. Just shaking.
Blood pooling under me. Warm. Sticky.
Dax had no idea.
That money was supposed to save my mom.
One night. I lost everyone.
My mom. My husband. My bestie.
And the baby dying inside me right now.
---
I got to the hospital too late.
They'd already put a sheet over Mom and rolled her out.
I grabbed her hand. My knees just gave out and I hit the floor, crying like crazy.
Still in my wedding dress. Mom picked it out two days ago. She was so excited.
All she wanted was to see me get married. That's the only thing keeping her alive.
And she made it to the wedding.
But then I wasn't there when she needed me.
Just two texts. First one said critical. Second one said she was gone.
Suddenly, my phone buzzed. A money transfer.
Then Dax called.
"Just sent you the five hundred grand."
He sounded like such a dick.
"That's all you're good for anyway."
He never used to talk to me like that. Ever.
Month before the wedding, Mom got diagnosed.
I sold my apartment, scraped up everything I had. Still short five hundred grand for treatment.
So I asked Dax. First time I ever asked for money.
Still remember his face. Went cold in like two seconds.
"Company's bankrupt. I'm broke."
Then he looked at me like I was dirt.
"Sienna, you only here for my money? Get out."
So I started working three jobs. Killing myself to save up for Mom's surgery and pay what I thought were his debts.
Never even told him Mom was dying. Didn't wanna stress him out.
Tonight he tells me it was all bullshit. No bankruptcy. No debts.
Just him fucking my best friend while I'm planning our wedding.
Mom was gone now. And I didn't want his money anymore.
"Keep it. Sending it back."
Then I heard Cleo laughing on his end.
"Told you! She's gonna act all high and mighty now."
Her voice went all breathy and gross.
"Pay up, babe. You lost. And tonight? I want it on the yacht."
Then they started making out.
I was shaking so bad. Almost dropped the phone.
The call ended.
My stomach cramped up again. Hurt like hell. Sweat everywhere.
My legs gave out. I hit the floor.
Blood spreading fast, turning my dress dark red.
Tonight I was gonna tell him about the baby.
He didn't even let me talk. Just got on top of me like I was nothing. Just wanted to get off.
Thought maybe he was stressed. The bankruptcy stuff.
Nope. I was just something to fuck.
Everything went blurry.
I tried reaching for Mom one last time.
Couldn't touch her before everything went black.
Chapter 2
When I woke up, I was on a surgical table.
Doctor looked pissed.
"You were already losing it. Why didn't you come in right away? You know how dangerous this is?"
The baby was gone.
Just like my marriage. Me fooling myself this whole time.
Cold metal scraping inside me. Even with the drugs, I felt everything.
Tears everywhere. I kept seeing Dax's face. How cold he looked. Disgusted.
"Gold digger."
Two words. Three years over.
After surgery a nurse took me to recovery.
I stared out the window. So high up the cars looked like little toys.
Thought about jumping. Seemed way easier than this.
Then two girls passed by in the hall. Could hear them talking.
"Oh my god, look at this. Dax got a whole yacht just for his girl."
"That's not his wife though. His wife's a total gold digger. He was so grossed out he left on their wedding night. That girl on the yacht? That's his real girlfriend."
I stayed at the hospital by myself all night.
Next morning did all Mom's paperwork. Death certificate. Cremation stuff. Felt like a robot.
Got her urn, hopped in a cab. Didn't know where else to go.
Only place left was the house with Dax.
I didn't even have money for a motel.
Driver wouldn't stop talking.
"Guess who I drove this morning. Dax. THE Dax Harrington."
"Guy tipped me a grand. A thousand dollars!"
"Young dudes, man. He was making out with his girl the whole ride."
Sounded so hyped about his tip.
Every word felt like a knife in my ear.
He looked at me in the mirror.
"You okay? Look like shit. Boyfriend dump you?"
"My advice? Find someone who actually gives a damn. That Harrington guy's girl? Lucky as hell. I'm jealous."
I bit my lip. Tried smiling.
He had no clue that was my husband. And that "lucky girl"? My best friend.
Cleo always told me how lucky I was. Said I didn't deserve Dax.
I'd tell her I loved him for him, not his money.
She'd give me this look. Thought she was happy for me.
God, I'm an idiot.
When she got fired, I got her a job at Dax's company. His assistant.
She's like, "Don't worry, I'll watch him for you. He cheats, I'll kill him."
Yeah. Watched him straight into bed.
Dax always said he hated Cleo. Said she was fake as hell. I was different—I was real.
Soon as I asked for money though? All that changed.
I used to think—how does someone just flip like that overnight?
Now I know. He didn't change. Just quit pretending.
Whatever. I'm done.
Done with him. Done with her.
When I opened the door, Cleo was standing there. No shoes. Right on top of my wedding photo.
Grinding her heel into my face in the picture.
"Sienna! Finally! Dax is taking me on the honeymoon."
She waved at the bed. Dresses everywhere.
"Help me pick something?"
My stuff's all over the floor. Including Mom's dresses—the ones she made me before she got sick.
"Those're mine."
Cleo laughed. Grabbed scissors. Walked right to Mom's dresses.
"Dax said everything here's mine now."
She looked right at me.
"You? You're just the maid he paid five hundred grand for."
I tried to stop her.
She shoved me. I hit the floor hard trying to protect Mom's urn. Head smacked the table corner.
Blood running down my face.
Then I heard footsteps on the stairs.
Dax's voice.
"Sienna. You were pregnant?"
He's holding the paper I was gonna give him on our wedding night. The pregnancy results.
Chapter 3
Blood dripping in my eyes.
Dax ran over, yanked me up by my arm.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"What're you trying to pull now?"
Couldn't figure out why he looked so freaked.
I used to imagine this exact moment. Thought he'd be so happy about the baby.
Doesn't matter now.
"Dax. Let's divorce."
"What'd you just say?"
He looked like I'd slapped him.
"Divorce? You're asking ME for a divorce?"
His voice got louder.
"How much you want this time? How much for the kid?"
"Five hundred grand? Five mil? Fifty?"
He grabbed my face. Something cracked.
"I tried borrowing money 'cause Mom was dying."
I could barely get the words out.
"Never cared about your money."
Tears fell on his hand. He jerked back like I burned him.
Then Cleo laughed.
"That's weird. You never said anything to me about your mom being sick."
She tilted her head. Playing innocent.
"Sienna, you're not making up stuff about your own mom just to get Dax back, right?"
I stared at her. Couldn't believe what I was hearing.
Before everything went to shit, I told Cleo everything. She knew Mom was dying.
She knew everything.
Dax's face changed. That disgusted look again.
This guy swore he'd always believe me. Protect me. Love me.
Now some girl says something and I'm the villain.
I was holding Mom's urn tight. So stupid.
I turned to leave.
Cleo suddenly threw herself back.
"Got props and everything? Damn, you're really selling it."
I barely touched her.
She screamed. Went down.
Dax cursed. Shoved me.
I lost my balance. Mom's urn fell.
Hit the ground. Broke into pieces. Ash everywhere—gray dust floating around.
I saw Mom's face. How she looked when she died.
Got on my knees. Tried grabbing the ashes. Pieces cut my hands. Blood everywhere mixing with the ash. Gray muddy mess.
I looked up at Dax.
"GIVE HER BACK!"
He stopped. But then Cleo started fake-crying.
He picked her up. Walked right past me.
His shoes grinding Mom's ashes into the floor.
"You think I'm gonna buy your bullshit now?"
"Wanna divorce? Fine. Pay back every cent I spent on you. Then we'll talk."
That night Dax's lawyer showed up with papers.
I'd just finished collecting what was left of Mom.
Guy threw a stack at my feet.
"Three years. One million, five hundred sixty-four thousand, three hundred twenty bucks and fifty cents."
"I'll make it easy. Give me a million. Then you can have your divorce."
Everything was on there. Jewelry. Bags. Dinners. Even condoms.
A million? Nothing to him. What he pays for a watch.
I had a hundred bucks on me. That's it.
I didn't say anything.
Dax's face got all twisted and mean.
"Last chance, Sienna. You sure about this divorce?"
He was waiting for something. Waiting for me to beg probably.
I just nodded.
"Yeah. Sure."
He looked shocked. Then pissed.
"Don't think that baby gives you shit."
"Need money? Work for Cleo. Be her maid."
"Pay off the million, then you can go. Not before."
After that I became Cleo's servant.
24/7.
She'd wake me at 3 AM 'cause she wanted soup. I'd be at the stove all night.
She'd made me fan her during naps. My arm'd go dead. Sweat pouring down.
Cleo ate it up.
"Some people are born to be servants."
She'd smile at me.
"Right, bestie?"
First I felt like trash.
After a while? Nothing.
Month later I'd made sixty grand.
That night security guys showed up, dragged me out.
Took me to some private club room.
Dax sitting there. Bottles all over the place.
"Cleo's not feeling good. You're drinking for her."
"Ten grand a bottle. You in?"
Cleo's in his lap doing this fake pout.
"Dax, this isn't right. She's pregnant."
I didn't hesitate.
Grabbed a bottle of vodka. Started chugging.
Burned like hell going down. Dug my nails into my palm so I wouldn't puke.
Dax grabbed it away when it was half gone.
"Are you crazy? You're allergic."
"Money worth dying for?"
I wiped my mouth. Pointed at the bottles.
"That forty grand?"
He pulled out his phone. Looked pissed.
"Take it and get out."
I checked my phone. Forty thousand there.
I smiled and walked out.
But when I got outside, there's guys waiting in the alley.
"That her? The one Cleo's talking about?"
"Cleo said make her lose the kid, she'll pay good."
I just ran.
But then a car outta nowhere. Smashed into me.
I went flying. Hit the ground. Blood all over.
Right before everything went black, I sent Dax his million back.
Added that miscarriage paper from the wedding night.
Dax, we're done. Don't come looking.
