Chapter 2Sunk the Boat, Never to Meet Again

For the next seven days, I practically lived at the office, trying to numb my hollowed-out soul with grueling work.

My colleagues avoided my gaze, their whispers following me down the halls.

“She’s such a workaholic. Her son just died and she’s already back at the office.”

I said nothing, burying myself in spreadsheets.

Tessa walked by with a coffee, pausing deliberately beside my desk.

“Sienna, darling, don’t overdo it. Your health is important.”

Her voice was soft, but loud enough for everyone nearby to hear her add, “She’s so focused on work, she didn’t even notice her own son was sick.”

My fingers tightened around my pen. Gideon had never offered a single word of explanation about swapping the medication. He let the rumors fester, let the blame settle squarely on my shoulders.

During the afternoon board meeting, Gideon’s father, the chairman, suddenly slammed a folder on the table.

“Sienna, don’t think you can do whatever you want just because you’re my daughter-in-law!” he roared. “You worked for three straight days on a project and ignored your own son’s fever! How did our family end up with a heartless woman like you?”

I looked up at Gideon. He wouldn’t meet my eyes.

“Dad, this whole thing…”

“You shut up!” his father snapped, slamming his palms on the table and rising to his feet. “This is all your fault for spoiling her!”

He stormed over to me and his hand flew up, striking my face with a sharp crack.

“This first one is for killing my grandson!”

I stumbled back, my cheek burning. Across the room, I could see a triumphant smirk playing on Tessa’s lips.

“And this is for losing the company the Corbin account!”

He struck me again, harder this time. My ears rang, and I could taste blood in my mouth.

“When Mr. Corbin heard you don’t even care about your own son, he said he couldn’t trust a family with no humanity! He canceled the contract this morning!”

Gideon finally moved.

“Dad!” he shouted, jumping up from his chair.

“What, you’re still going to protect her?”

Gideon spread his arms in front of me. “If you want to hit her, you’ll have to hit me first!”

His father’s voice trembled with rage as he pointed a shaking finger in my face. “You see? He’s still defending you! I’ve been too soft on you, let you get away with murder!”

The third slap never came, but I was already swaying. The world went dark, and I collapsed.

When I woke up, I was in a hospital bed. Gideon was sitting beside me.

“Tessa had a difficult childhood,” he began quietly. “Besides me, that cat was the only friend she had.”

He paused.

“Can’t you just let this one thing go? For us? Please?”

I closed my eyes.

“Sienna, let’s start over. Tonight, we can try for another baby. I’ll give you anything you want as compensation, I promise.”

I finally turned my head to look at him, my throat raw.

“And if I say no?”

He froze, his brow furrowing in annoyance. “Don’t throw a tantrum.”

I could still feel the stinging throb on my cheek. “I’m not throwing a tantrum. I just want to know. Do I still have the right to say no?”