Episode 22

Naomi

A Week Later

I dove under the water, holding my breath and pushing myself in the direction of the wall. Under the water, everything was muted, and it was easy to forget where I was or what I was doing. For someone who had been forced to be extremely busy all her life, I was struggling to find things that made me happy. I had no phone, no computer, nothing to entertain me during the long days except working out and swimming.

If nothing else, I was going to be in the best shape of my life.

Cresting the surface, I pulled in a deep breath, the air fragrant with the numerous flowers that were blooming in the midafternoon sun. The garden was easily my favorite place in the mansion, that and the study. At my request, books and writing materials had been brought in to keep me entertained, and I had selected a comfortable leather lounger as my own.

Other than that, my nights were filled with my husband.

A shiver shot through me despite the warmth of the day, and I knew it wasn’t because