Chapter 1
The coffee hit Skylar Brooks before she even realized Derek had thrown the mug.
Boiling liquid exploded across the left side of her face and neck, soaking her white office blouse before shattering across the kitchen floor.
Pain came instantly.
A white-hot, blinding pain that stole the air from her lungs.
She stumbled backward, clutching her face as the ceramic mug rolled beneath the dining table.
A scream escaped before she could stop it.
Her skin felt as though it were melting.
Derek didn't move.
He stood beside his chair, breathing heavily, his empty hand still raised from where he had thrown the mug.
His face showed no regret.
Only irritation.
"I warned you."
Skylar stared at him through tears.
"What...?"
"I said either you give Suzanne your bank card..."
"...or you get out."
Every word was calm.
Controlled.
As though throwing boiling coffee into his wife's face was simply another consequence she had chosen.
Skylar staggered toward the sink.
She turned the cold water on full force and buried her burning face beneath the stream.
The relief lasted only seconds before the pain returned even stronger.
She couldn't stop shaking.
Behind her, Derek leaned casually against the kitchen counter.
"See what you made me do."
Those six words froze something inside her.
Not because they were shocking.
Because they weren't.
He had said nearly the same thing every time he lost control.
After punching a hole through the bedroom door.
"You pushed me."
After smashing her laptop during an argument.
"If you had just listened..."
After grabbing her wrist hard enough to leave bruises.
"You know how stubborn you get."
There was always a reason.
Always an excuse.
Always her fault.
Today...
The excuses no longer sounded believable.
The bathroom mirror reflected skin already turning bright red.
Small blisters had begun forming near her cheekbone.
Skylar touched the burn carefully and immediately pulled her hand away.
The pain made her dizzy.
Derek glanced at his watch.
"You'll be late for work."
She looked at him in disbelief.
"My face is burned."
"You'll survive."
He grabbed his car keys.
"And don't forget."
"My sister needs your debit card by noon."
Then he walked out.
The apartment door closed.
Silence.
Only the sound of running water remained.
Skylar slowly slid down the cabinet until she was sitting on the kitchen floor.
She looked at the shattered mug.
Three years.
Three years of making excuses.
Three years of convincing herself he wasn't really abusive.
He just had a temper.
He was under stress.
Things would get better.
Instead...
They had become worse.
Her phone buzzed.
Suzanne.
Skylar almost ignored it.
Instead, she answered.
Suzanne didn't even ask if she was alright.
"So..."
"Did Derek finally convince you?"
Skylar closed her eyes.
"You wanted my bank card."
"Of course."
"You barely use your savings."
"I've got shopping to do."
Skylar spoke slowly.
"You asked my husband to threaten me."
Suzanne laughed.
"Oh, please."
"If he got angry, that's between you two."
"You know how dramatic he gets."
"My face is burned."
A brief pause.
Then...
"So?"
Skylar couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"So?"
"It'll heal."
"But if I miss the sale today, those designer bags won't."
The line went silent.
Not because Suzanne hung up.
Because Skylar did.
For the first time...
Without apologizing.
Without explaining.
Without giving in.
She picked up her purse.
Ignored the office entirely.
And drove herself to the nearest emergency room instead.
As the automatic hospital doors opened, a triage nurse immediately noticed the burn covering half her face.
"Oh my God."
"What happened?"
Skylar opened her mouth.
The familiar lie almost came automatically.
"I spilled..."
She stopped.
The words refused to come out.
The nurse waited patiently.
For nearly twenty seconds, Skylar simply stared at the polished hospital floor.
Then...
For the first time in three years...
She told the truth.
May you like
"My husband..."
"...threw hot coffee in my face."
