Chapter 4Locked by My Surgeon Husband

"What do you want?"

"Oh, just a few things," she said, dangling a set of Rolls-Royce keys from her finger. "Bennett said I could stop by and pick up some of my stuff. He mentioned I might have left a few personal items around here."

She moved to step past me into the foyer.

I blocked her. "There’s nothing of yours here."

Jasmine blinked innocently. "Are you sure? I think I left them in the master bedroom. Last month, when Bennett was... stressed. I came over to help him relax. I think I dropped a Tiffany earring by the nightstand. They’re quite expensive."

She watched my eyes, her smile widening as she saw the realization hit me.

"Honestly, Elena, I feel bad for you. Keeping up this hollow marriage... it must be exhausting. Bennett hasn't loved you in years. He wanted to leave right after the accident, but he’s such a softie. He felt sorry for you. He’s stayed out of pure, agonizing pity."

"What are you talking about?"

Jasmine took a step closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Do you even know what kind of car hit you seven years ago?"

My breath hitched.

She giggled. "It was a Rolls-Royce Phantom. Brand new. My dad’s car. Bennett was so terrified I’d go to jail that he bought the car from my father, had it repainted, and hid it. That’s why the police never found the hit-and-run driver."

The world tilted. A high-pitched ringing filled my ears.

"Oh, and one more thing." She pulled a folder from her designer bag. "You’ve always wondered why you were 'locked' after the surgery, haven't you?"

She pulled out a medical report.

"Bennett performed a little extra procedure while you were under. He 'fixed' you so you could never be with anyone else. He told me it was the only way he could ensure he stayed 'faithful' to me—by making sure his wife was biologically unavailable."

The papers fluttered to the floor.

I stared at the technical diagrams, at Bennett’s familiar, elegant signature at the bottom of the surgical notes. The words blurred into a dark abyss, pulling me down.

It was all a lie. The accident. The "complications." The seven years of "care."

He hadn't saved me. He had dismantled me.

A primal, guttural scream tore out of my throat.

The world went red. I lunged at her, my fingers tangling in her perfect hair as I dragged her to the floor. She shrieked, her nails clawing at my face, but I didn't feel it. I just wanted to tear the truth out of her.

I pinned her down, my hand cracking across her face again and again—years of repressed pain and betrayal fueling every blow.

Jasmine cried out, shielding her face, and suddenly, a dark red stain began to spread across her pale skirt. The metallic scent of blood hit the air.

The door burst open.

Bennett charged in. He saw me on top of Jasmine and his eyes turned murderous.

"ELENA! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?"

He didn't pull me off. He kicked me. Hard.

The blow landed in my side, sending me sprawling across the room. I hit the edge of the coffee table, my head snapping back.

The roses were everywhere now, their petals mixing with the blood on the floor.

Bennett was on his knees beside Jasmine, his hands trembling as he pressed them against her stomach. "Jasmine? Talk to me! Oh god, the baby..."

"Bennett... the baby... my baby..." she sobbed.

A baby.

They had a child.

I lay on the floor, paralyzed, watching Bennett’s back as he cradled her like she was his entire world. I wanted to cry, but I was empty. There was nothing left in me but ash.

Bennett turned his head, his gaze falling on the scattered medical files on the floor. His face went deathly pale.