The spring breeze in the Berkshires was supposed to be a gift. I stood in the open field, watching my kite catch a thermal, soaring effortlessly into the blue. I smiled, capturing the moment on my phone—a rare second of peace. But Macy’s kite was a different story. It thrashed against the grass, a broken-winged bird. Her eyes welled with practiced tears, and the moment Judy saw them, his protective instincts curdled into a dark, irrational rage. He screamed that I would pay for it. He claimed I was "flaunting" my skill, intentionally making Macy look small and incompetent in front of our friends. To him, my grace was a weapon I’d used to wound her ego. And to even the score, he decided he would fly me like a kite instead. I shook, my knees hitting the dirt as I begged for mercy. He didn't blink. He just watched with a cold, detached amusement as his men followed his orders, tethering heavy-duty paracord to the roll bar of his custom Jeep. As the engine roared and the Jeep surged forward, I was yanked off my feet. I was dragged through the brush at high speed, the thorns and low-hanging branches shredding my skin until I was a map of jagged red lines. After that initial orbit of agony, he switched tactics. He launched the heavy-lift drone—a piece of industrial tech he’d brought for "fun"—and hoisted me into the sky. "You’ve always been so arrogant, Talia," his voice crackled through the radio, chilled with disdain. "You love being up high? Fine. Stay there until you learn how to treat Macy with some respect." The atmospheric pressure at that height began to wreck me. Capillaries beneath my skin burst, and a slow, steady stream of blood began to coat my limbs. Down below, inside the heated luxury tent, Judy was holding Macy’s hand. He was meticulously helping her pick out a new designer kite to fly. It wasn't until they’d finished their intimate little celebration that they remembered I was still suspended in the clouds. That was when the driver’s frantic call came through. "Mr. Osborn... the line snapped. Mrs. Osborn... she fell. She’s... God, there’s nothing left of her." 1 The moment they strapped me into the harness, my body wouldn't stop betraying me. I was shaking so violently I couldn't stand. I crawled toward Judy, clutching at the hem of his jeans, my voice a ragged whisper of desperation. "Judy, please. I’ll leave. I won't ever interrupt your time with her again. Just let me go." The tears were hot, blurring my vision. "Judy, we’re married. For the sake of everything we used to be, I’m begging you." Macy stood beside him, twisting her fingers, the corners of her eyes pink. "Judy, I’m so sorry... this is all my fault. I’m just so clumsy. I shouldn't have even tried to fly a kite; I just embarrassed you. Please don't be mad at Talia. I’m sure she didn't mean to make fun of me. It’s just because I’m... you know, I didn't grow up with things like this." Judy looked down at me, his expression devoid of anything resembling the man I’d married. "I’ve spoiled you, Talia. You knew Macy had a hard life. You knew she never got to do these things as a kid, and yet you chose today to humiliate her in front of everyone. Apologize. Now." "No... I didn't... that’s not what happened..." My lips trembled, but before I could finish, Judy kicked my hand away. "Still lying. After everything Macy has done to try and bridge the gap with you, you’re still a spiteful bitch." I coughed, the metallic taste of blood blooming in my mouth. I watched as he reached out, gently taking Macy’s hand in his, his voice dropping to a tender murmur. "It’s not your fault, Macy. You’re too good, too kind to see how she really is. You wanted to fly a kite today? I’m going to give you a show you’ll never forget." "Murphy," he barked at his head of security. "Tie her down." I felt the light leave my world. I watched them secure my harness to the drone’s winch, which was anchored to the Jeep. How had the man who once promised to be my sanctuary turned into my executioner? All for a woman’s bruised ego. All for a lie I didn't tell. "You like the view from the cockpit, don't you, Talia? Why don't you go see it for yourself?" Judy climbed into the Jeep with Macy, never looking back. As the vehicle lurched forward, he hit the remote trigger. I was yanked into the air, dangling behind the speeding Jeep. My body slammed into branches and skipped over jagged rocks as we tore through the trail. The cord bit deep into my waist, slicing through my clothes and into my flesh. The pain was a living thing, screaming through my nerves. "Judy! Stop! You’re killing me!" "Judy, maybe we should let her down," Macy whispered, leaning her head against his chest, her voice loud enough for the radio to pick up. "The way she’s screaming... it’s making me nervous." Judy leaned out the window, shouting over the wind. "You never learn, do you? Since you aren't sorry yet, you can stay up there until you are." He pressed the button again. I saw the look on Macy’s face as she turned her head to look at me through the rear window. There was no fear there. Only a slow, triumphant smile. A second later, the world dropped away. I was winched upward, higher and higher, into the thinning, freezing air. 2 The pressure drop hit like a physical blow. My eardrums popped with a sickening crack, and blood began to leak from my nose and eyes. I choked on the copper fluid, screaming into the radio. "Judy! I apologize! I’m sorry! Put me down, please, just put me down!" The driver’s voice, hesitant and shaky, broke through. "Sir, at this altitude... her body won't hold up. This is dangerous." "Just drive the damn car," Judy’s voice cut through the wind, crystal clear and cold. "Whatever she’s feeling doesn't compare to a fraction of the pain she caused Macy today." The driver tried to protest, but Macy’s voice chimed in, sweet as saccharine. "Oh, don't worry about her. Talia used to be a pilot, remember? She’s used to high altitudes. This is probably nothing to her." "You hear that, Talia?" Judy yelled. "You stay up there and say you're sorry. Nine hundred and ninety-nine times. If you miss a single one, you aren't coming down!" I let out a broken, hollow laugh that turned into a sob of blood. Judy, I never knew you could be this cruel. Hypoxia and hypothermia began to settle in. My consciousness flickered like a dying candle. I began to mutter the apologies, over and over, a mindless mantra, until the world finally went black. In the darkness, I went back. Back to the university where we met. I was the star of the aviation program, the girl with the perfect grades and the natural instinct for the sky. I was supposed to be a legend. Everyone wanted a piece of me, but I only wanted Judy. He was so gentle then. He took care of everything. When I started flying solo missions, he was the one waiting on the tarmac with coffee and a blanket. When he took over his family’s empire, Osborn Corp, he asked me to marry him in front of the whole world. We were the "It" couple. I was fierce then. I was confident. But I gave it all up—my wings, my career—to carry his child. The roar of the wind snapped me back for a second. I wasn't Captain Talia Osborn anymore. I was a broken doll in the sky. Everything had ended the moment Macy appeared. I had just finished my twelve-week ultrasound. Judy was walking me home, his hand on the small of my back, both of us glowing with the secret of our new life. Then, we saw her standing at our gates. She threw herself into his arms, sobbing. "Judy, I didn't want to leave you back then... they forced me. I have nowhere else to go. Please don't turn me away." Judy’s heart didn't just soften; it completely dissolved. Macy moved into our guest room the next day. Soon, they didn't even pretend. Macy liked spicy food, so Judy stopped caring about my pregnancy diet. He spent hours in the kitchen making elaborate Szechuan dishes just for her. When I had a fever that wouldn't break, Judy left me at the hospital alone because Macy called him saying she had a "craving" for a specific cake from a bakery fifty miles away. I sat in that sterile hallway, rubbing my belly and crying. I told myself it would change once the baby came. I stayed quiet, hoping his own flesh and blood would bring him back to me. But my baby never had a chance. Macy handed me a glass of milk one night. Two hours later, the cramping started. I didn't even make it to the ER before I lost her. I remember holding that tiny, perfectly formed girl in the hospital bed, shaking so hard I thought my bones would shatter. And then, I saw Macy in the doorway. 3 "Macy, what did you do? You put something in that milk! Give me back my daughter!" I lunged for her, but I didn't even touch a hair on her head before Judy threw me to the floor. "Macy was trying to be nice to you! If you couldn't keep the baby, it’s because your body is useless," he hissed. He signaled the staff to drag me out. "Get her out of here. I won't have her ruining Macy’s rest with this insanity." It was ten degrees below zero. I stood outside in nothing but a thin hospital gown all night. That night ruined my health forever. I could never pass a flight physical again. I could never fly. The memory of the cold brought me back to the present. The wind was howling. Below me, they were back in the tent. "Judy, she’s been up there a long time. Do you think she’s okay? It’s so high..." "Macy, I bought that rig for myself. I trust the equipment. Why are you so worried about her?" Judy sounded hesitant for a moment. "But since the miscarriage, she hasn't been the same. If something happens..." "She’s fine. Those pills you got for her—the ones the doctor said were the 'best' for 'cleaning out' her system after the loss? They were top of the line. She’s stronger than she looks." Macy giggled. "Besides, you told her she could come down when she finished the apologies. She’s probably just being stubborn, giving us the silent treatment." "Spiteful bitch," Judy muttered, his voice warming up again. "At least you and the baby are well-behaved." "Of course," Macy whispered. "You said only I could give you your real firstborn. We’re going to be so good for you." I heard her pull his hand toward her. "She scared me so much today, Judy. Can you feel how fast my heart is beating?" The sounds that followed over the radio were intimate and revolting. And in that moment, the last of my heart turned to ash. Judy had killed my baby. He’d given me those "supplements." He’d orchestrated the "miscarriage" so Macy could have the first child. I had been grieving a tragedy while living with my murderers. I didn't want to survive anymore. As if the universe heard me, a massive gust of wind slammed into the drone. The paracord, frayed from the dragging and the tension, finally gave up. I felt the snap. I was no longer tied to the earth. I was falling. I felt my bones shatter in my mind before I even hit the ground. I closed my eyes and smiled. Finally. On the other side of the mountain, a black Maybach was cutting through the mountain pass. "Sir, I think something just fell from the sky..." The window rolled down, revealing the sharp, icy profile of a man. The air in the car filled with the scent of cold cedar and rain. "Go check it out." The weightlessness ended. The impact was a symphony of agony, a white-hot explosion that tore through my chest. Am I dead? Good. "Talia? Talia, is that you?" A voice was calling me. My eyes were filled with blood, my vision a red haze. I realized I was caught in the thick branches of an old oak tree. A pair of strong arms reached up, pulling me down with terrifying gentleness. "Talia, what did he do to you?" His voice broke. I recognized him. Gideon Blackwood. The heir to the Blackwood empire. The man Judy hated more than anyone in the world. I wondered if he was going to finish me off. But my body, despite my soul's exhaustion, wanted to live. "Help... please..." "I’ve got you. You’re safe now." He held me close, his stride fast and steady as he carried me toward his car. The last thing I thought before I slipped away was how strange it was that my husband’s greatest enemy was the only one who treated me like I was precious. 4 When I woke up, I was in the back of the Maybach. Every breath tasted like iron. "Talia, stay with me. Who did this? Where is Judy?" I tried to smile, but I only coughed up more blood. "Faster!" Gideon roared at his driver. "Sir, I’m doing eighty on a mountain road, we’ve already cleared eight red lights—" "I don't care! Call the hospital. I want the best surgeons waiting at the door. Now!" Gideon’s hand was on my face, his thumb trembling as he wiped blood from my cheek. "Don't you dare close your eyes, Talia." His phone rang—a sharp, intrusive sound. "Sir, the local hospital says they can't take her. Apparently, some 'high-profile' donor has bought out the surgical wing for the day for his wife..." "Call the chopper," Gideon hissed, his voice vibrating with a power I’d never heard. "Get my private medical team to the city center. I want a landing pad cleared in twenty minutes. If anyone stands in the way, buy the building and fire them." I was stunned. The Blackwoods and the Osborns were supposed to be equals, but this—this kind of shadow power was something Judy never mentioned. "Gideon... why?" I whispered, my voice barely a thread. "We’re supposed to be enemies." "We aren't anything of the sort, Talia," he said, and for a second, I saw a flash of something ancient and agonizing in his eyes. We made it to the private facility. Gideon carried me inside like I was made of glass. He didn't let go until the nurses forced him to. "Dr. Murphy, save her," Gideon said, and then, to my shock, he actually bowed his head to the surgeon. I survived. It took ten hours of surgery and a dozen units of blood, but I stayed. When the anesthesia wore off, Gideon was there, looking like he’d aged a decade. "Talia," he whispered. "The doctor says you're stable. I have to step out to handle some... business. I expect Judy will be looking for you soon. If you need anything, use this phone. My number is the only one in it." I nodded, drifting back into a heavy sleep. But peace didn't last. I was jolted awake by the sound of boots in the hallway. My door was kicked open. "Here! We found a match! Move!" Nurses and doctors I didn't recognize swarmed me. They didn't ask. They pinned me down and drove a needle into my arm, drawing vial after vial of blood. "Wait... stop..." I tried to reach for the phone Gideon left, but a nurse snatched it away. "We found her! The CEO’s wife is going to make it! We have the match!" My heart went cold. The CEO’s wife. The lead doctor stripped off my oxygen mask and started unhooking my IVs. "Move her to the prep room! If we don't save Mrs. Osborn, this whole hospital is going to burn! Move!" I fought, but I was a ghost of a person. They dragged me through the halls, my arms already bruised and weeping blood from the rapid draws. "Who are you?" I croaked. "Count your blessings, girl. You're saving a very important woman. Mrs. Osborn had a post-miscarriage hemorrhage. We’ve exhausted the city's supply of Type A. You’re the only match we found in the database. You're a hero." I closed my eyes. Judy. He was here. And even now, he was draining the literal life out of me to save the woman who had helped him kill my child. They didn't stop. They kept drawing. My breathing became shallow, my lips turning a bruised purple. My heart, already weakened by the fall, began to falter. "Damn, she’s crashing," the doctor muttered, looking at the full blood bags with zero remorse. "Whatever. We got what we needed. Get these to Mrs. Osborn. We’ll deal with the body later. What a mess." In the operating room next door, Judy was pacing like a caged animal. A doctor ran up to him, holding the bags of blood. "Mr. Osborn, we found a donor! She’s going to be fine!" Judy stared at the blood. For a split second, a wave of inexplicable nausea hit him. An instinct he couldn't name told him something was horribly wrong. But then he thought of Macy, and he nodded. "Go. Save her." As the doctor vanished, Judy pulled out his phone. "Murphy," he said into the receiver. "Get that bitch down from the drone. I’m tired of her games. Her screaming probably stressed Macy out and caused this relapse. Bring her to the hospital. I want her on her knees apologizing the moment Macy wakes up." There was a long silence on the other end. Then, the driver’s voice came through, thick with horror. "Sir... the line snapped hours ago. We’ve searched the base of the mountain. We haven't found her body yet, but... from that height? She’s probably just... gone. The coyotes might have..."
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