His Unwanted Wife, The Billionaire's Obsession

The taxi stopped outside the ornate iron gates of the Landry estate. Ellery paid the driver and stared at the magnificent building. It looked less like a home and more like a mausoleum.

She took a deep breath and pushed the heavy gate open. She had to get her things—and Lily's—and then leave this place forever.

Gardeners and maids paused their work as she walked up the long drive, their gazes a mixture of pity, contempt, and curiosity. Their whispers followed her like rustling leaves.

Ellery ignored them, her heels clicking a lonely, defiant rhythm on the marble path.

She had just stepped into the grand foyer when Jace Landry appeared at the top of the sweeping staircase. He was dressed in a flawless custom suit, his face arranged into its usual mask of gentle concern.

"You're back," he said. His voice was soft, but laced with the steel of absolute control. "Where were you last night?"

Ellery's eyes swept past him, landing on a ladies' handbag sitting on the living room console. It wasn't hers. It was Darla Evans's. The whispers of the staff she'd passed now made sense. Miss Evans stayed the night. The master is so good to her.

A cold, bitter laugh died in her throat. This was the man she had loved. Their daughter was barely cold, and he was already bringing his mistress into their home.

She didn't answer his question. "I'm here for my things," she said, her voice flat.

Jace's brow furrowed. He disliked this insubordination. He descended the stairs, blocking her path. "Ellery, we are not divorced. You are still Mrs. Landry."

He reached for her hand, but she snatched it away. It was the first time she had ever physically recoiled from him.

His face hardened, a flicker of something dark in his ice-blue eyes. "Don't forget, Lily is still waiting for a bone marrow match. Her surgery costs a fortune. Are you sure you want to make me angry right now?"

He thought the threat would work, as it always had. He thought it would turn her back into his obedient wife.

Hearing Lily's name from his lips made her nails dig into her palms. She lifted her head, meeting his eyes for the first time. The adoration that once filled her hazel gaze was gone, replaced by a chilling, bottomless hatred.

"Jace," she said, each word a shard of ice. "You don't have the right to say her name."

He was so taken aback by the unfamiliar coldness in her eyes that he was momentarily speechless.

Ellery walked around him, her back ramrod straight, like a soldier marching into battle.

Jace watched her go, a profound sense of unease creeping into his gut. The strings he'd held so tightly for so long felt as if they were about to snap.

He followed her up the stairs, refusing to let the situation spiral out of his control.

She entered the master bedroom. The space she had lived in for five years now reeked of Darla Evans's perfume. It made her stomach turn.

She ignored the opulent furniture and went straight to the walk-in closet, pulling a dusty suitcase from a back corner.

She began to pack, moving quickly, taking only a few simple items. The designer gowns Jace had bought her, she left untouched.

Jace leaned against the doorframe, watching her. "Are you done with this little scene?" he asked, his tone reverting to one of condescending patience. "I can pretend last night never happened."

Ellery didn't stop. She swept her personal jewelry from the vanity into a box.

Then, she turned toward the nursery. The one room Jace had forbidden her from entering, claiming it needed to remain a "sterile environment" for Lily.

He immediately moved to block her. "What do you think you're doing? The doctor said Lily's room must be kept exactly as it is!"

Ellery looked at his sanctimonious face, a sharp, painful irony twisting inside her. Lily was gone. Who was he still performing for?

She didn't try to force her way past. She just looked at him, her voice cold. "Lily's favorite teddy bear is in there. I'm taking it."

Jace hesitated. In his mind, it was a sentimental object, harmless. It could even be another tool to control her later. He stepped aside.

Ellery walked into her daughter's room. Everything was just as Lily had left it. She picked up the teddy bear from the crib, its fur worn smooth from years of love. Her vision blurred with tears.

She hugged the bear tightly, forcing the tears back. This was not the time to cry.

She walked out, placed the bear gently in the suitcase, and zipped it shut.

Jace, seeing her finality, finally lost his patience. He strode forward and grabbed her wrist. "I said, the drama is over. You're staying."

His grip was like iron, pain shooting up her arm. But this time, she didn't flinch. She didn't yield.

She looked up at him, and a strange, cold smile spread across her lips. It was a smile he had never seen before, and it sent a genuine chill of fear down his spine.