Chapter 1 - The Glass Prison
I stared at the crystal flute of prosecco in my hand as if it were a live grenade.
Cassandra's elegant fingers rested lightly on my forearm, her diamond engagement ring catching the ambient light of the courtyard.
Her smile was flawless, practiced, and utterly terrifying in its warmth.
I forced myself to smile back, ignoring the cold sweat gathering at the base of my neck.
"Darling, the board members are waiting to toast to our future," Cassandra murmured, her voice barely piercing the thick, muffled static in my ears.
I nodded slowly, letting her lead me back into the grand ballroom where two hundred pairs of eyes turned our way.
My mind raced back to the terrified eyes of the little boy, Leo, and the frantic motions of his small hands.
Your fiancée puts medicine in your meals.
Could the woman I was about to marry truly be the architect of my sudden, inexplicable decline?
As the senior partner of Orion Bio-Systems raised his glass for the toast, I brought my prosecco to my lips.
I tipped the glass, allowing the sparkling liquid to touch my bottom lip, but I did not swallow a single drop.
Instead, I faked a convincing gulp, lowering the glass with a satisfied sigh.
Cassandra watched me closely, a brief flicker of satisfaction flashing across her beautiful features before she turned back to the crowd.
The rest of the evening was a blur of forced handshakes, hollow laughter, and sheer paranoia.
Every time a waiter offered me a canapé, I politely declined, claiming my stomach was unsettled from the excitement.
Cassandra tried to hand me a fresh drink twice, but I smoothly deflected, setting the glasses down on passing trays when she wasn't looking.
By midnight, the final guests were pulling out of the long, winding driveway.
I stood in the grand foyer, exhausted and starving, but my mind had never been sharper.
I told Cassandra I had a migraine and needed to sleep in the guest wing to avoid keeping her awake.
She kissed my cheek, her lips soft and cold against my skin, and promised to bring me my special herbal tea in the morning.
May you like
I locked the heavy oak door of the guest suite, leaning against it as my chest heaved with suppressed panic.
I needed proof, and I knew exactly where to start looking.
