He didn’t believe me. It was written all over his face, in the hard line of his jaw, the coldness in his eyes. I realized then that I wasn’t just losing my marriage—I had already lost the man I once loved.
Kaidon’s grip tightened around my wrist, dragging me toward the house. "You’re not leaving until you give it back."
My heart raced in panic. "Kaidon, are you insane? I don’t have the pearl!"
But he didn’t listen. His grip only grew stronger, his jaw set in determination. Memories of the last time he’d done something like this came rushing back. The time he had taken the pearl from me, locking me in a room for hours without food or water until I was weak, broken. But I had endured. I wouldn’t let it happen again.
He forced me inside, locking the door behind us. The sound of the key turning in the lock echoed in the silence, like a final judgment. I rushed to the door, pounding on it, shouting for him to let me go. "Kaidon! This is madness! Let me out!"
But there was no response. The house was quiet, suffocatingly so. I turned around, facing the man I no longer recognized. "Why are you doing this?" My voice sad, but I held my ground. "This isn’t you."