Twenty Dollars a Day in a Mansion

Everyone in Grey Harbor said Julian Ashford was a hopeless romantic.

He had spoiled me into the most envied woman in town: Mrs. Ashford.

Only I knew what life inside that house was really like.

Every day I watched him bring women home, one after another.

Then he brought home Sienna, and introduced her as the household's new "lifestyle manager."

Her first week, all my cards were frozen, half my closet was cleared out, I was put on an allowance of twenty dollars a day, and I was forbidden to leave the house after eight p.m.

Tonight, at 8:01, the hospital called.

My mother had suffered a heart attack.

I ran for the door. Two security guards blocked it.

Sienna stood there with her arms folded.

"Ma'am, no one leaves after eight. Those are the Ashford house rules."

"My mother is dying."

"Rules are rules."

I turned and went to find Julian.

He was in his study with a glass of whiskey. He heard me out without so much as lifting his eyes.

"As long as you're Mrs. Ashford, you don't break Sienna's rules."

I had loved him for ten years. For the first time, I didn't recognize him.

"Then I'm done being Mrs. Ashford."

•   *   *

The front door stayed shut.

My hands were shaking so hard I could barely hold the phone. I called the hospital. "Please, just save my mother. I'll be there as soon as I can, I swear—"

Before I could finish, a hand slapped the phone out of my grip.

It hit the floor. The screen shattered into a spiderweb.

"House rules. No shouting indoors."

I crouched down to pick it up. My tears dropped onto the broken glass one by one.

Julian came out of the study.

"What's with the face?" Sienna rolled her eyes, pouted, and took a step back. "Your wife can't stand me. Fine. I'll leave."

"Don't be silly."

Julian pulled her into his arms and kissed her, his voice soft, like he was coaxing a child. "My little troublemaker. Who in this house would dare say no to you?"

Then he caught my chin between his fingers, and his voice went cold. "Claire. Smile."

I didn't dare refuse. I forced out something that looked worse than crying.

"My mother is in bad shape. Julian, please let me go see her. She was in a car accident last year because she was trying to save you."

A flicker of guilt crossed his eyes. He turned to Sienna, his voice gentler. "Baby, just this once?"

"No."

Sienna slipped out of his arms and dropped onto the sofa, her voice high and sharp. "She had a heart attack. She didn't die. When you brought me here, you promised everything in this house would go my way. If one word from your wife can break my rules, then I'm leaving."

"Okay, okay. Whatever you say."

Julian scooped her up onto his lap and tickled her waist.

Sienna giggled, her eyes meeting mine over his shoulder. Pure provocation.

The staff kept their heads down. One of the maids stole a glance at me, then quickly looked away.

I clenched my fists.

"Julian, I want a divorce."

If I divorced him, I wouldn't be Mrs. Ashford anymore.

And then I could leave.