Chapter 3

The next morning, Tiffany threw another fit.

She tossed my wedding ring straight into the garbage and screamed at the top of her lungs, demanding to move into the master bedroom.

"We are husband and wife! Why did you buy a ring for that woman?!"

"I want the master bedroom! That’s my place!"

"Damian, did you forget your parents forced me to marry Logan? Did you forget Logan died in that car crash because he was answering your call? You made me a widow! How could you treat me like this?!"

That was her trump card.

Years ago, she and Damian were each other's first loves. Then, for reasons unknown, Damian’s parents forced her to marry his older brother, Logan, and they moved abroad right after the wedding.

When Logan died in a car crash, Tiffany claimed it happened because he was distracted by Damian's phone call.

Racked with guilt, Damian indulged her every demand.

Today was no different.

He walked over to me, looking torn, and wrapped an arm around my waist. "Clara, I'll buy you another ring. Don't fight with her."

"Besides, the master bedroom gets more sunlight. It’s better for her recovery..."

I stared at him, my expression devoid of emotion. "No. Either she leaves this house, or I do."

Damian's face darkened with impatience. "Enough, Clara! Are you still throwing a tantrum over what happened last night?"

"Nothing even happened between us. Stop being so petty."

I stared at him in disbelief. A kiss meant *nothing happened*?

What had to happen for it to count?

Did he even remember who his wife was?

Looking at the man before me, I felt an overwhelming wave of exhaustion. I let out a dry laugh, walked toward the nursery, and scooped Lily into my arms.

"Fine. She can have the master bedroom."

"She can have the whole house, too. I'm taking Lily to a postpartum recovery retreat."

With a ticking time bomb like Tiffany around, I couldn't risk my daughter's safety.

Damian frowned. "You're running away?"

"No," I replied calmly. "Didn't you say she's sick? I'm just giving her the space to recover."

Cornered by his own logic, Damian froze, his face pale with frustration.

Suddenly, Tiffany dropped to her knees in front of me with a loud thud, clutching my jeans while sobbing hysterically, acting as though she had suddenly snapped out of it.

"I'm sorry, Clara! It’s all my fault!"

"I remember now! My mind gets confused, and I keep thinking Damian is Logan! I threw away your ring like a crazy woman! You took in a pathetic widow like me, how could I do this to you?"

"Please don't leave! Lily is so small. If anyone should leave, it’s me!"

Tiffany had that delicate, innocent look that made people want to protect her. When she cried, she looked utterly defenseless.

Yet the grip she had on my legs was bruising. She jerked my legs so hard that I almost dropped Lily!

"Let go of me!" Furious, I kicked her off. "If you truly felt guilty, you would have stayed far away from us!"

With a dull thud, her head struck the floor, and blood trickled down her forehead.

"I'm... I'm sorry. It's all my fault..." she whined.

The next second, a hard slap landed squarely across my face.

Damian stood over me, his eyes bloodshot with rage. "She was apologizing to you, and you tried to kill her!"

"Clara, since when did you become so vicious?!"