Chapter 1

I was about to hide the gift I'd prepared for our fifth anniversary in the wall of his armory when I accidentally opened a hidden safe I never knew existed.

Inside, there were no documents or gold bars—just a bullet necklace engraved with hotel room numbers, and a diary filled with my husband's obsession for another woman.

I was still holding the custom gun I'd made for him, the grips inlaid with our initials and our date. The metal was ice-cold, but just minutes ago when I'd held it, my palms had been sweating, my heart fluttering with an almost childish anticipation.

I'd imagined his expression when he discovered this gift—perhaps a hint of genuine surprise, perhaps he'd embrace me and say "thank you."

I'd spent three whole months designing this gun.

My stomach clenched violently, like I'd been punched.

Adrian Black, my husband, the youngest godfather of a mafia family. I'd cleaned up his battlefields for five years, while he used my loyalty to pave the way for his true love.

My fingers traced the cold bullets, each one engraved with clear lettering.

"Crystal Hotel, Penthouse Suite." "Royal Garden Hotel, Room 1204." My gaze stopped on the last one, and my breathing stopped completely. "Peninsula Hotel, Sky Suite—Night Before Proposal."

Night before proposal. That night, he'd come home very late, smelling of unfamiliar perfume.

He said it was business. I believed him. I'd even prepared hangover soup for him.

I grabbed the leather-bound diary and flipped through it quickly.

Adrian's handwriting was sharp, filled with romantic words I'd never heard, but they weren't meant for me—they were for Olivia.

"Keira handled the dock situation perfectly today. Clean and efficient. Olivia said now she can focus on preparing for next week's art exhibition without worrying about that dirty business tarnishing her reputation. My Olivia, she only needs to live in the sunlight. Keira is the perfect shield."

"The family elders are starting to question Olivia's position. Need to have Keira 'save' her again. A carefully arranged kidnapping? Let Keira get hurt, highlight Olivia's 'innocence' and 'victimization.' Keira will understand, it's for family stability."

"Olivia wants the design blueprints for that new line of compact handguns. That's Keira's work... but Olivia deserves the best. Tell Keira the design is flawed, needs reevaluation. Then give it to Olivia's 'team' to 'improve' and publish. Keira won't question my decision."

I couldn't read anymore. Acid rose in my throat. I stumbled to the sink in the corner of the armory and dry-heaved violently. Nothing came up, just a burning nausea that surged from my stomach straight to my head.

Five years. How many people had I killed for him? How many bullets had I taken for him? All my "achievements," my blood-stained hands, had become offerings he presented to Olivia.

I was just a tool, a weapon that could be sacrificed at any time to protect the treasure he truly cherished.

I turned on the faucet and splashed cold water on my face.

Water droplets ran down my chin, mixing with the burning liquid welling up in my eyes. Not sadness—pure anger, the fury of being utterly fooled.

I walked back to the open safe, my movements eerily calm.

I put the diary and bullet necklace back exactly as they were and closed the door. The sound of the heavy metal lock engaging was like something permanently closing inside my heart.

I pulled out the encrypted phone I kept on me at all times, my fingers frighteningly steady. I dialed a number that existed only in my memory.

The phone rang three times before being answered.

"Elliot." My voice was flat, without any inflection, like I was reporting a routine assignment. "Phantom Plan. Initiate now."

The man on the other end was my brother, Elliot.

He was silent for two seconds. I could hear his suddenly heavier breathing.

"Keira? Are you sure? That's the last resort. Once you initiate it, there's no going back."

"I'm sure." I cut him off, my gaze sweeping over the cold room filled with lethal weapons. "I found Adrian's safe. Inside was every detail about him and Olivia. I'm just a shield, brother. I have been since the day we got married."

Elliot cursed, his voice dropping.

"That bastard. I told you the way he looked at you was wrong... Listen, the plan needs at least two days to prepare. Old dock, Berth Seven, the day after tomorrow at ten p.m. There'll be a fishing boat waiting for you. Bring minimal essentials, destroy anything trackable. Jump in, someone will pick you up underwater. After that, Keira Black will be dead."

"Understood." I paused. "The surveillance at home..."

"I'll handle it. After you leave, I'll anonymously send some 'evidence' to the media and police. Enough to muddy the waters so they won't have time to fully investigate a 'dead person.'" Elliot's voice carried concern. "Keira, protect yourself before you leave. Don't let them get suspicious."

"They won't." I pulled a smile with no warmth. "There's a family charity auction tonight. 'Mrs. Black' must attend in formal attire, smiling at her husband's side."

After hanging up, I removed the SIM card from my phone, snapped it in half, and threw it into the shredder in the corner. The noise of metal and plastic being ground echoed in the empty armory.

I took one last look at the safe hidden in the wall. It locked away Adrian's dirty secrets, and also locked away the last of my pathetic illusions about him.

Tomorrow night, Keira Black would commit suicide by jumping into the sea, leaving behind a heap of scandals and mysteries.

And I would disappear beneath the waves.