Chapter 1: The Wrong Woman Fell

My mother-in-law was trapped on the second floor of a burning building.

My husband, Cole, the star captain of our city's fire department, handed command of the rescue over to Jade, a rookie firefighter. Jade's hand slipped. The safety clip gave way. And my mother-in-law fell, dying on impact.

But my husband didn't spare his mother a single glance. He rushed to Jade, wrapping his arms around her trembling frame.

"It wasn't your fault," he murmured into her hair. "I never should have put you in that position."

Only when he was done tending to her did he finally turn to me, his face a mask of guilt and pity.

"Nora, I'm sorry. I couldn't save Mom."

A cold dread washed over me.

My mother was at home, watching television.

The woman who died ... was his.

All because she'd borrowed my mother's red windbreaker.

He drove me to the morgue.

Jade followed a few steps behind him, her eyes red-rimmed as she stammered apologies. Cole immediately pulled her behind him, his voice low and sharp. "Nora, don't make a scene."

He thought I was about to fly at Jade.

I looked straight at him. "Cole," I said, enunciating every word, "the person lying in there is your mother. Elaine."

He frowned, the pity in his eyes deepening. "I know you're grieving, but don't do this."

I ignored him and walked into the morgue alone.

When the examiner pulled back the white sheet, I saw it: the familiar, puckered burn scar on my mother-in-law's wrist. She'd gotten it years ago, teaching me to make tomato sauce from scratch. My vision blurred with tears.

Cole came in with Jade, his tone laced with ice. "Are you satisfied now?"

Jade offered me a tissue, her own sniffles sounding hollow and false. "Nora, I'm so sorry..."

Smack.

The sound of my hand hitting her face echoed in the cold room.

Cole exploded, shoving me hard. I stumbled back, my head cracking against a metal cabinet. A sharp, burning pain flared at my temple.

"Are you insane?" he roared.

I pointed a trembling finger at the body on the gurney. "You're the insane one! Look at her—that's your mother!"

Cole faltered, just for a second. But then Jade let out a soft cough behind him, and his face hardened again.

He pointed at me, his expression thick with disgust. "You'd wish death on your own mother-in-law just to frame a rookie?"

I stared at him, and all the fight suddenly drained out of me.

"If you think I've lost my mind," I said, wiping a smear of blood from the corner of my mouth, "then there's no point in continuing this. Let's get a divorce."