Chapter 3

Claire had been gone five years, and hearing her brought up still closed my throat.

I was about to tell Vanessa exactly what she'd done when Marcus came up beside her with a grim look.

"Ms. Carlisle. Crownridge University Medical Center says Mr. Cross's sister died five years ago."

Shock hit her eyes.

Then the disbelief curdled into a bitter laugh.

"So that's why you're so calm. She was already gone."

Evelyn pushed forward impatiently and cut her off.

"Why are you still wasting breath on him?

"You've lived apart for five years. There's nothing left of this marriage. If your father hadn't kept stopping me, I'd have pushed you into divorce court years ago."

She paused and looked me over with disgust. "He's been an embarrassment to this family long enough. We're done tolerating him.

"A man with that little shame should be out on the street today."

She turned to the Carlisle household manager.

"Walter, get him off every property we own and put his things on the curb.

"And call the press. He has nothing to do with this family from this moment on."

Cole gave a small bow. "Yes, ma'am. I'll see to it."

"Wait."

Vanessa stopped him flat, though something uneasy moved behind her eyes.

When she looked at me, her face was ice again.

"I promised his mother I'd never walk away from him, no matter what happened. I don't break promises."

Something turned over in my chest.

Then I almost laughed.

She actually remembered.

Damon panicked. He'd been certain he was finally taking my place, and here she was refusing to divorce me.

You could see him recalculating. He wrapped his arms around her, stroked her stomach, and dropped into his most reasonable voice.

"Honey, your health comes first. If he won't listen, don't waste yourself on him."

He was reminding her they had a son coming and that she should have forced me out of the marriage long ago.

Then he put on the face of a man protecting the family.

"Today is about Harold. Vanessa and I will see him through the service. I'm not going to argue with Julian on a day like this."

Vanessa turned back to me, still wearing the same cold expression.

"The marriage can stand for now. But there's no reason for us to see each other."

Evelyn smacked her arm in frustration. "Vanessa. After everything he's done? Stop being soft. You're divorcing him."

Vanessa gave her next order without hurrying.

"Make the arrangements. Mr. Cross goes to Vesperlock Cay. Nobody releases him without my authorization."

She met my eyes. "When you've learned how a husband is supposed to behave, and you're ready to swallow your pride and apologize, I'll think about letting you out.

"You like the silent treatment. Have as much of it as you want."

The guests started whispering.

"Vesperlock Cay isn't a treatment center. Whoever goes into that place doesn't come out."

"It's an unlicensed compound overseas. Half the men in there are predators and half the women have lost their minds. There isn't a sane person on that island."

"It's hell with a fence around it. She wouldn't really send her own husband there."

Relief and open glee spread across Damon's face.

"Julian, why put yourself through this? Vanessa's always been sentimental about you.

"Anyone else who went ten years without giving her a child would've been out the door long ago. She's treated you better than you had any right to expect. You shouldn't have picked today of all days.

"Go to Vesperlock Cay and think it over. I'll take good care of her."

Evelyn delivered the line she thought would gut me.

"Damon gave Vanessa a daughter, and now she's carrying a son. Harold's will leaves forty percent of the estate to a grandson and ten percent to a granddaughter.

"Damon is the real son-in-law in this family."

Damon's mouth curved.

Evelyn looked at me with flat contempt. "Stop standing there like a corpse. You did this to yourself.

"You couldn't hold your wife, and you couldn't give her a child. One baby, just one, and you wouldn't be standing where you are right now."

That got a short laugh out of me. "Who says I don't have children?"

I raised a hand toward the two five-year-old boys waiting at the back of the chapel. "Come here, boys."