I grabbed a pair of scissors and cut it up, then bundled the shreds into a trash bag to be burned by the maids.
Destroying the dress was a good way to get my anger out, but then came another problem—how to get out of the house and away from the bodyguards Nathan had follow me at all times.
A few hours after midnight, Nathan crawled back into our bed, covered in Katherine's perfume.
He tried to be intimate, pressing kisses into my neck but I refused to give in, knowing I would break down in tears if he touched me.
He asked what was wrong. I didn't bother facing him as I told him nothing, but his silence as he lay down to sleep let me know he could hear the lie in my voice.
The next morning, I woke up to Nathan preparing breakfast.
He had on my frilly apron and was covered in flour—a sight that would have warmed me before but now felt like a performance to lower my guard.
"Good morning, darling," he kissed me and led me to the breakfast nook. "I know yesterday was hard for you, so I thought, why not start the day with something sweet?"
He placed a plate of chocolate chip pancakes in front of me—my favorite—and smiled proudly at his work.