Chapter 35

Rachel... his wife? HIS WIFE?!

"Ex-wife!" Elliot's voice is harsh behind me, I flinch at the tone of it. He joins me at the door, dressed in his sweatpants but bare chested. His face is hard, his jaw rigid and clenched as he stares at the woman— at his wife.

I feel the blood drain from my face and I'm hit with a wave of disorientation. I clutch the door to keep myself in an upright position, unable to determine if I'm going to vomit or faint. My body goes numb and I feel as if I'm watching everything play out in slow motion. Elliot and Rachel are speaking loudly, their voices growing into angry shouts, but I cannot process their words. They sound muffled, as though I'm listening to them from under water. I release the door and stumble back into the apartment. They follow behind me, Elliot slamming the door forcefully.

"I—I..." I stutter. "Wife?" My heart beats uncontrollably, I press my hand against my chest in an attempt to stabilize myself.

"Ex-wife," Elliot says again through g