Chapter 3

The blood rushed to my head all at once.

That card held five hundred thousand dollars, savings I'd scraped together over years of late nights and overtime.

"When did you take it?"

Jarvis spun the card between his fingers, smug all over his face.

"New bride comes into the house, of course the money gets handed over for the family to manage."

He flipped the card over between his fingertips and waved it at me.

"Careful and thrifty, that's how it's done. I even peeled the garlic for you. Aren't you touched?"

The father-in-law strolled over from the living room, hands clasped behind his back, wearing the look of a man stating the obvious.

"It's the rule. The man handles the outside, the woman the inside. Once you step through the Simmons door, you're a Simmons."

I lunged to grab the card back.

But Jarvis was faster. He wrenched my arms behind me and shoved me hard onto the bed.

He pinned me down, leaned in close to my ear, his voice light as air.

"Stop fighting. It won't do you any good."

I choked down my fury, let out a cold laugh, and tested his hand.

"You don't know the password. The card's useless to you."

Gregory leaned against the doorframe, contempt written all over him.

"Sis, did you forget? After the ceremony my brother said he needed your phone to check the guest list."

"While you weren't looking, we already moved the money out."

My whole body went rigid.

At the time I'd been changing into my toasting dress, Jarvis sitting off to the side with my phone in his hand.

He'd said he was going through the guest list, asked whether I wanted to move my uncle's table closer to the front.

I'd answered a word or two without thinking, never noticing what he was doing, even bragging to my mother about how thorough he was.

My mother had smiled and said I'd found myself a good one.

Now, coming back to myself, a chill crawled up my spine. I couldn't stand to imagine the man beside my pillow scheming against me like this.

"You... you transferred all of it?"

"Your payment password, your birthday plus your lucky number, it was way too easy."

Right on cue, the mother-in-law pushed the plate of raw liver a little closer.

"You don't have a single cent now. What's left to be stubborn about?"

"Be a good girl, give the Simmons family a grandson. That's worth more than anything."

The father-in-law nodded.

"Whatever you earn from now on gets handed over too. Family shouldn't draw lines between what's yours and what's ours."

I turned my head away from the reeking liver, my gaze passing over Jarvis to the far end of the hallway.

Madison was coming out of the bedroom, dragging one leg as she shuffled toward the living room for a drink of water.

Gregory turned his head, glanced at her, and frowned in disgust.

"Walks around like a ghost. Just looking at her is bad luck."

Madison said nothing. She lifted the cup carefully, her hand shaking so badly the water spilled across the table.

She hurried to wipe it with her sleeve, terrified of making any noise.

Seeing me watching her, Jarvis came closer, his tone softening.

"Livvy, you're a smart woman."

"Look at the state your brother's wife is in. Why insist on going the hard way?"

He reached out to touch my face. I turned aside from it, staring dead into his eyes.

"Jarvis, where did that five hundred thousand go?"

Jarvis went still for a beat, then his smile came back.

"That's family business. Don't trouble yourself over it. Once your attitude's straightened out, I'll explain it to you myself."

The words were barely out when a dull thud came from the living room.

Madison had dropped to the floor, both arms wrapped tight around her belly.

Gregory passed by her, annoyed she was in his way, and kicked her leg aside.

"Move. You're blocking the way."

Madison bit her lip and shrank silently toward the corner of the wall.

Not satisfied, Gregory bent down and spat at her.

"If you can't push out a son next month, I'll make sure you don't even get slop to drink!"

Madison's face was ghost-white, her forehead slick with cold sweat.

And then, on the floor beneath her dress, a wide patch of red bloomed out.