Grant never noticed the faint blue light disappear beneath the kitchen island.

He shoved me toward the counter, forcing the dish towel harder against my burned palm.

"Stop dripping blood on my floor," he snapped.

My floor.

Even now, with the smell of burnt flesh hanging in the air, he still believed everything belonged to him.

Elaine calmly sat at the dining table, swirling red wine inside her crystal glass.

"You've always been too emotional," she sighed. "A real wife would have apologized the moment she ruined dinner."

Dennis laughed without taking his eyes off the television.

"You young women don't know how lucky you are."

Lucky.

The word echoed through my mind.

Lucky to be burned.

Lucky to be beaten.

Lucky to survive.

Grant threw another raw steak onto the cutting board.

"Cook."

I looked down at my blistered hand.

"I can't."

His face darkened.

Before he could move again...

Someone knocked.

Three sharp knocks.

No one expected visitors.

Grant frowned.

"Who the hell is here?"

He strode toward the front door.

The moment he opened it...

Four uniformed police officers stood on the porch.

Behind them stood Detective Mara Ruiz.

She looked directly at me.

Her eyes immediately found my burned hand.

Grant forced a smile.

"There must be some misunderstanding."

Mara didn't return the smile.

"We received an emergency domestic violence alert from this address."

Elaine rose from her chair.

"This is ridiculous."

Dennis muted the television.

"My daughter-in-law is unstable," Elaine explained smoothly. "She exaggerates everything."

Grant nodded eagerly.

"She burned herself while cooking."

Mara remained perfectly still.

Then she quietly lifted her tablet.

"I've already watched the live video."

Silence crashed across the room.

Grant's smile vanished.

"What video?"

"The one showing you holding your wife's hand against a lit stove."

No one spoke.

Officer Collins stepped beside Grant.

"Sir..."

He pulled a pair of handcuffs from his belt.

"...turn around."

Grant stared at me.

"You called the police?"

I slowly shook my head.

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