The lock clicked behind her.
It was a clean sound. Almost gentle.
Stella stood in the middle of the guest room—no, not a guest room. A cell.
White walls. A single bed. No windows, only a slit of glass near the ceiling. Air that smelled too clean to be free.
Andrew set the key on the other side of the door.
“You'll stay here," he said. “For your own good. Until things settle."
She stared at him, unmoving. “You're locking me up."
“I'm giving you space."
She stepped forward. The door didn't budge. “This is punishment."
He didn't answer.
“You hit me. And now you're punishing me."
Andrew's jaw clenched. “I lost a child too."
She laughed once. Bitter. “You never even knew."
“I do now," he snapped. “And I'm trying to hold this house together."
“No. You're holding her."
“She's not w
