Chapter 3

OLIVIA

Standing in that cold cell, my mind immediately went to Grandma. What was going to happen to her now that I was locked up? My chest squeezed tight just thinking about her frail condition. If she heard about my arrest, it could literally kill her.

Nick whipped around to face the officer. "No visitors. She doesn''t go outside. Let her rot in here. For all I care, she can die in this cell."

My heart just... shattered. I felt this wave of heat wash over me, and suddenly I couldn''t catch my breath. How was Grandma supposed to know I was okay if I couldn''t have visitors? This was going to kill her. My throat felt like it was closing up, like someone was choking me. God, I wanted to just give up right there. But then I caught that smug look in Sandra''s eyes, and something fierce sparked back to life in me. No way was I letting that bitch win.

I was completely drenched in sweat by then, my eyes probably bugging out of my head. I must''ve looked like death warmed over.

The cop looked freaked out. "Sir, she can''t breathe. Should I call a doctor?"

Maybe I should tell Nick about the baby? "Nick, actually—"

"Call a doctor? Why?" Nick snapped at the poor guy. "She''s faking it to manipulate me. She''s a pro at that game."

The tears just kept coming. This was the same man who used to lose his mind if I so much as got a paper cut, and now he was the one destroying me.

What the hell did Sandra do to my husband to change him like this? I''d kill to know what kind of spell she cast on him, because she had him wrapped around her finger in less than six months.

I should never have asked her to stay with us when she came back from overseas. Should''ve helped her find her own apartment instead. If I''d known what she was really planning, I would''ve run the other way. But stupid me thought I was helping my best friend. Hell, I even begged Nick to give her a job at his company.

He finally caved and stuck her in finance. And from there, she somehow made it look like I''d been stealing from my own husband. And he bought every word of it.

"Sandra?" I tried, wanting to beg her one more time to just tell the truth.

Nick immediately stepped in front of her like a human shield, which felt like another knife to the heart. He was already so protective of her.

"Didn''t I tell you to shut your mouth?" He tilted his head, daring me to say another word. I swallowed back everything I wanted to scream. "You''ve hurt this woman enough. You don''t get to talk to her anymore. And I swear to God, Olivia, I''m going to make you pay for this."

I wanted to beg him to listen, to ask him not to tell Grandma about any of this. Maybe he could say I was traveling or something. He knew how fragile her health was. This news would kill her.

Then the music at the guard station cut out, and a news reporter''s voice filled the air. After some intro stuff, I heard words that made my whole world tilt sideways: "The wife of Jones Enterprises'' owner was arrested tonight. Mrs. Jones, former Financial Manager of the company, is accused of stealing millions. Sources say Mr. Jones himself called police to have her arrested. We''ll have more as this story develops."

"No! Nick, please, no! Grandma''s going to hear this! I can''t let her get sick again. You know how fragile she is. Please, just go see her. Make something up—tell her it''s all lies. Tell her I''m fine."

My heart was breaking apart. Grandma was all I had left now that I''d lost him. I couldn''t lose her too.

"You love running that mouth, don''t you?" Nick sneered. "Say one more word, and I''ll personally make sure your precious grandmother learns exactly what it''s like having a thief for a granddaughter. I''ll show you both a side of me you''ve never seen."

I opened my mouth, then closed it, too scared to speak. I tried to plead with my eyes instead, but Nick just turned and walked away.

I watched until he disappeared around the corner, then completely broke down—ugly, choking sobs that made it impossible to breathe. The man who used to be my everything, who couldn''t go an hour without checking on me, was now my worst nightmare. It felt like dying, and maybe I was.

The officer noticed and rushed over with water. I had no idea why he was being kind to me, but I was grateful.

"I don''t know what you did to piss off a guy like that," he said, handing me the bottle, "but seems like you really stepped in it."

My hands were shaking so bad I could barely hold the bottle. Water spilled down my chin and soaked my shirt. I managed a weak smile. "What I did was help my best friend," I said. "And she turned him against me. If I''d known she was going to do this, I never would''ve helped her."

I laughed, but it came out bitter and broken. I wasn''t the protected, loved wife of the Jones family anymore. Now I was the joke of New Village—the wife whose own husband threw her in jail for stealing millions. Pathetic didn''t even cover it.

My laughter turned back into sobs.

"Oh, miss," the officer said softly. "People can be cruel. Sorry you''re finding that out the hard way."

Someone started clapping, and the officer turned. Sandra stood there with that smug smirk plastered on her face.

"Not bad, Olivia," she said. "I''ll give you that. Now you''ve got this moron convinced you''re the victim. What''d you promise him? A quick fuck? Because we both know you''ve lost everything else. Your body''s all you''ve got left."

Hearing her voice made me want to reach through the bars and strangle her. "I''m nothing like you," I spit back.

The officer walked away, giving us privacy I definitely didn''t want.

"Oh, you still think you''re better than me? Even after I''ve taken everything from you?" She cackled like this was the best entertainment she''d had all year.

How did I never see what she really was? "You''re disgusting," I said, "and this won''t last. I''ll get out of here, clear my name, and then I''m coming for you with everything I''ve got."

She stopped laughing, and her face went cold in a way that actually scared me. "Listen up, Olivia. This isn''t high school anymore. I''ve grown up, lived in the real world, seen things. I''m not that same Sandra from back then. I''ve changed. And I swear, if you even think about coming after me, I''ll do way more than frame you for theft. I''ll fucking kill you."