Lucinda savored every second of my humiliation, ordering the servants around like she was showing off a new toy.
"Go get Mrs. Gilbert's favorite jewelry set. I want to try it on."
"And that limited-edition bag. I want that too."
Giles stood there, cold-eyed, and let it happen.
He thought he'd won.
He thought he'd snapped the last bone of my pride.
No one noticed that beneath my lowered lashes, my gaze was locked on the second-floor study.
Giles, you think this is the cage that breaks me. You just opened the door to your own hell.
He looked at me—at the dead, hollow thing I'd become—and something clawed at him, something he couldn't name. I was already slipping out of reach, and he could feel it.
After the apology, Giles had me confined to the master bedroom.
Lucinda paraded around the living room like she owned the place, bossing every servant in the villa.
I shut the door and sealed out every sound.
I needed to rest. I needed to wait for my chance.
It came the next night.
An emergency at the company pulled Giles out of the villa in the middle of the night.
The moment I was sure he was gone, I dragged myself out of bed.