Ryan’s father kicked him behind the knees, voice heavy with disappointment.


    “Apologize to Victoria. Right now. You don’t spend all night at another woman’s house thene home and snap at your wife. How did I raise such a thoughtless son?”


    Ryan’s mother wiped her eyes, gently taking my hands in hers.


    “Sweetheart, we failed to raise him properly. You shouldn’t have to deal with this.”


    Her voice carried quiet authority. “But caring for the widow… it is his duty. Ife can’t just abandon that responsibility–people would crucify him if word got out.”


    “From now on, we’ll keep Ryan in line and make sure he maintains appropriate boundaries.”


    The older woman looked at me with such earnest hope in her fifties–worn face. I was about to respond when Ryan’s phone rang sharply.


    Still on his knees, he answered immediately. “Lily, what happened?”


    Lily’s voice came through the speaker, trembling with a mix of relief and lingering terror.


    “Ryan, oh God! They just caught him—the burr. Turns out he killed a family of threest month. During questioning, they found out he’d been specifically casing my apartment.”


    “If you hadn’te overst night, I’d be dead right now.” Her voice broke into sobs.


    All three pairs of eyes turned toward me as Ryan murmured reassurances to Lily.


    She must have heard something off in his voice because she quickly added:


    “Ryan, you exined everything to Victoria, right? She’s not mad at me?”


    “Last night was genuinely dangerous. As a widow with a baby due any day, I have no idea how to survive without your help.”


    “If Victoria’s still upset, I’lle apologize to her in person.”


    Ryan’s eyes filled with weary frustration as he gently soothed her.


    “Em did get upset, but now that she knows how dangerousst night really was, she’ll understand. Don’t worry about it.”


    Right. Any moreints from me would officially make me the unreasonable bitch.


    I snatched the phone from his hands. <fn49ff> Chapters first released on </fn49ff>


    “Actually Lily, save your apologies for Ryan’s second wife. I’m divorcing him tomorrow.”


    I hung up and headed for the door, leaving three shocked faces behind.


    “Since we’re getting divorced anyway, I should move out. Makes dividing assets cleaner.”


    “Victoria!”


    Ryan’s voice cut through the air like ice behind me, but I didn’t turn around.


    “I can’t keep giving you unlimited passes forever. Without me there tonight, Lily could’ve been murdered. The facts are staring you in the face–are you really gonna keep acting out?”


    His words hit me like a p, making me feel dizzy for a moment. Maybe I really had turned into some unreasonable harpy. But I still walked out


    – Vaur Divorce Evidence


    44.7%


    that door.


    After finding a rental ce, I stepped outside only to notice several inclothes officers stationed around my building. Ryan’s work was dangerous–family members getting targeted was a regr urrence.


    Living with him meant safety, but going solo meant double the risk.


    Even while iming he wouldn’t “endlessly cate me,” he’d still filed reports with his department to get me round–the–clock protection.


    He’d always said that if anything happened to me because of his job, it wouldpletely destroy him.


    I looked away indifferently and took the divorce papers from mywyer, who’d been waiting downstairs.


    I’d been texting Ryan all morning about meeting up to sign the divorce agreement, but he hadn’t responded once. Finally losing patience, I called him directly.


    He hung up almost immediately.


    I stood there frowning when my protection detail suddenly got agitated. One officer approached with a grim expression.


    “Ms. Rodriguez, Detective Rodriguez is in the ICU. He needs family to sign consent forms.”


    His tone was usatory. “Detective Rodriguez was in the middle of an emergency operation when your call came through. The ringtone gave away his position, causing him to take a bullet. He might lose his leg.”