Chapter 2

My hand shook as I signed the deed transfer papers. Not because I was heartbroken about losing the three-million-dollar Texas ranch—but because the cancer in my abdomen was eating me alive, and the pain medication wasn't working anymore.

"Eileen, are you sure about this?" David, my lawyer, stared at me like I'd lost my mind. "This property was your father's gift. It's yours."

I smiled. It probably looked unhinged. "What do I need a ranch for? I'll be dead in six months anyway."

His face went pale, but I was already walking out. The paperwork was done. Valerie would get my childhood home, just like she'd gotten everything else.

Three days later, she showed up at my apartment.

I was lying on the couch when Grace, my housekeeper, announced her. "Mrs. Lancaster, Miss Brook is here with... a design team?"

I sat up too fast and had to grip the armrest as a wave of nausea hit me. But I forced myself to stand, to smooth down my hair, to look presentable.

Valerie swept in with three people trailing behind her, all carrying iPads and fabric samples.

"Eileen!" She air-kissed both my cheeks. "I hope you don't mind—I brought my decorator. Kelvin said I should start planning the renovation."

My apartment. She was planning to renovate my apartment.

"This is still my home," I said quietly.

Valerie laughed, a tinkling sound that probably enchanted everyone else but made me want to scream. "For now, sweetie. But Kelvin said you'd be moving soon, right?"

The decorator was already making notes. "The color palette is very... dated. We'll need to strip everything."

"I like these colors," I managed. My mother had helped me choose them, years ago when she was still alive.

"Oh, Eileen." Valerie touched my arm, her sy mpathy as fake as her eyelashes. "You have such traditional taste. But we need something more modern, don't you think?"

That's when she saw Lucky. He'd been sleeping in his bed by the window, but he woke up and came over, wagging his tail. He'd always been friendly to everyone.

"Oh my God, what a beautiful dog!" Valerie crouched down, and Lucky—traitor—let her pet him. "Kelvin mentioned you had a German Shepherd. I used to have one exactly like this when I was a kid. Same coloring and everything."

Something cold slithered down my spine. "Really."

"Yeah, but she ran away." Valerie looked up at me, still smiling. "I was heartbroken. I've always wanted another one."

I instinctively moved closer to Lucky. "He's not available."

Valerie stood up, her smile never wavering. "Of course not. I wouldn't dream of it."

But then she dropped the bomb.

"You know, Eileen, Kelvin told me something interesting the other day." She tilted her head, studying me like I was an insect under glass. "He said that when he first met you, you reminded him of me. Your face, your body, even the way you walk."

My throat tightened.

"He's been training you, hasn't he? Teaching you how to dress, how to style your hair, how to stand." Her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper, but it was loud enough for the decorators to hear. "So here's the thing, sweetie—don't fool yourself into thinking you're special. You're not Kelvin's wife. You're my shadow. My replacement. A discount version of the real thing."

She patted my cheek, and I stood there frozen, unable to move or speak or breathe.

After they left, I locked myself in the bathroom and threw up until there was nothing left. When I came out, Lucky was waiting, his brown eyes worried.

"It's okay, boy," I whispered, kneeling down to hug him. "We're okay."

But we weren't.

The next morning, the previous night's blow had completely devastated my body, with pain so severe I could barely get out of bed. The painkillers I took left me in a foggy daze throughout the entire afternoon while Lucky kept watch beside me.

That's when Valerie came back.

I heard her voice downstairs, talking to Grace. "I just wanted to drop off these imported chocolates for Eileen. Is she home?"

I tried to get up, but my body wouldn't cooperate. The medication had knocked me out completely. I heard footsteps on the stairs, heard Grace offering tea, heard Valerie's voice getting closer to my bedroom.

Then I heard Lucky bark.

It wasn't his normal bark. It was panicked, scared. I forced my eyes open and stumbled out of bed, my legs barely supporting me.

By the time I got downstairs, Lucky was on the floor, convulsing. White foam dripped from his mouth. His legs twitched uncontrollably.

"What happened?" I screamed.

Valerie stood there, holding an empty box of chocolates, her face a perfect mask of horror. "Oh my God, I didn't know! I just gave him a few pieces—I didn't know dogs can't eat chocolate!"

I dropped to my knees beside Lucky. His eyes found mine, terrified and confused. I scooped him into my arms—all seventy pounds of him—and ran.

Grace called an ambulance, but I was already in my car, Lucky's body convulsing against me as I drove like a maniac to the emergency vet. He licked my hand once, weakly, and that's when I knew.

"Stay with me," I sobbed. "Please, Lucky, stay with me. You're all I have. Please."

His heart stopped beating two blocks from the hospital.

I was sitting on the floor of the waiting room, holding Lucky's collar, when Kelvin showed up. Valerie was with him, her eyes red from crying.

"Eileen." Kelvin crouched in front of me, his voice careful. "Valerie told me what happened. It was an accident."

I looked up at him. "She killed him."

"She didn't know—"

"She killed him!" My voice cracked.

Kelvin's jaw tightened. "Eileen, he was a dog. I'll buy you another one."

Something inside me broke.

"He was family," I whispered. "He was my family. And you don't care. You don't care about anything unless it's her."

"Don't be dramatic—"

"Without Lucky, I'll die!" The words ripped out of me before I could stop them.

Kelvin stood up, his patience clearly exhausted. "Are you threatening me? Jesus Christ, Eileen, grow up. It's a dog. You're acting like a child."

I stared at him. At this man I'd loved for three years. At this stranger who'd never loved me back.

"You're right," I said softly. "I am being childish."

That night, back in my empty apartment, I picked up my phone and called my brother.

"Ryan," I said when he answered. "I need you to do something for me."

"Anything. What's wrong? You sound—"

"I need you to transfer my Wilde Defense shares into a trust. One that Kelvin can't touch."

A pause. "Eileen—"

"And I need you to dig up everything you can find on Valerie Brook. Every secret, every lie, every skeleton in her closet."

"What are you planning?"

"I'm done being the victim," I said. "It's time they learned who I really am."

The next day, I walked into Kelvin's office. I'd done my makeup carefully, wore the dress I knew he liked—the one that made me look most like Valerie—and smiled.

"What do you want?" he asked warily.

"I want to apologize." I sat down across from him, crossing my legs elegantly. "You were right yesterday. I was being dramatic. Lucky was just a dog."

Kelvin's shoulders relaxed. "I'm glad you're being reasonable."

"I've been thinking," I continued, my voice light and pleasant. "About us. About our marriage. I haven't been a very good wife, have I?"

"Eileen—"

"No, really. I've been selfish, demanding your attention when you clearly need space. From now on, I'll be different. I'll be the wife you actually need."

He studied me, suspicion flickering in his eyes. But then he nodded, accepting my surrender.

He didn't know that the woman sitting across from him was already dead inside.

What sat in her place was something much more dangerous.

"Thank you for understanding," Kelvin said, already turning back to his laptop.

I smiled and left his office.

In my purse was a folder Ryan had sent over. Inside were photos, bank statements, and a single document that would destroy everything Valerie had built.

Six months, Dr. Morrison had said. Six months to live.

That was plenty of time for revenge.