Chapter 6

Regina sat in front of the mirror, dabbing at her face with a cotton pad soaked in makeup remover. Each dab erased the carefully crafted mask she had worn at the party, leaving behind a face that looked more vulnerable than she wanted to admit. The room was quiet, save for the faint hum of the air conditioning.

Daniel sat on the edge of the bed, his shirt undone, tie hanging loosely around his neck, scrolling through his phone.

"I don't want you in my business," Regina said suddenly, breaking the silence.

Daniel didn't look up, his thumb still scrolling.

"Did you hear me?" she pressed, spinning in her chair to face him.

He didn't react, his focus still on the screen.

"Daniel." Her voice rose slightly.

"What?" he asked lazily, finally glancing up.

"I don't want you in my business," she repeated, her eyes narrowing. "Even if I'm with someone—or if you're with someone—I wouldn't care."

"Good to know."

Regina stood abruptly, her hands gripping the edge of the chair. "Don't just brush me off. I'm serious."

"So am I," he said, setting his phone down. "If you don't care, then we don't have a problem, do we?"

"You were the one who was mad at the party like I'd committed some mortal sin," she shot back, her voice rising.

"I was because you were practically wrapped around your ex," he said coldly, standing to his feet.

Regina's lips parted in shock. "I wasn't—"

"You weren't?" He crossed the room in two strides, "I must have imagined the part where you let him hug you."

"He was…." Regina snapped, stepping toward him. "And I didn't let him hug me—"

"Didn't stop him either," Daniel cut in.

Her cheeks flushed. "Why do you even care?"

"I don't," he said too quickly, his jaw clenching. "But unlike you, I have to think about the fact that we're married—legally—and people are watching. The last thing I need is some tabloid headline about my wife cozying up to her ex-boyfriend at a business event."

Regina scoffed, folding her arms. "Oh, so it's about your precious image? Not about me?"

"You said it yourself—you wouldn't care if I was with someone else. Why should I care about you?"

Regina stared at him, her throat tightening. "You're such a hypocrite," she said quietly.

Daniel let out a hollow laugh, turning away. "Call me whatever you want. I don't care."

"I don't believe you," she shot back, stepping closer. "I saw your face when Ethan was talking to me. You looked jealous."

He froze, his back to her.

"You can deny it all you want, but you were jealous," she said.

Daniel turned slowly, his eyes locking onto hers. "What exactly do you want me to say, Regina? That I didn't like seeing him touch you? That I wanted to punch him for even looking at you? Would that make you happy?"

Regina blinked, momentarily stunned by his outburst.

"Well, newsflash," he continued, his voice dropping to a whisper. "This isn't about you or him or whatever unresolved drama you've got going on. It's about the fact that we're stuck in this ridiculous arrangement, and I don't have the time or patience to deal with your ex's feelings on top of everything else."

She swallowed hard, "I didn't ask for this either."

"No," he said bitterly. "You just agreed to it."

The words hung in the air like a slap.

Turning away, she grabbed the watch sitting on the table. "You're unbelievable," she muttered, holding it up. "And this? I'm going to smash it."

Daniel's eyes narrowed, his expression darkening. "Don't."

"Why not?" she taunted, gripping it tighter. "It's just a stupid watch—"

"It was my grandfather's," he said sharply.

Her grip loosened, the fire in her eyes dimming. Slowly, she placed it back on the table.

But her frustration boiled over again as she spun around, accidentally knocking a vase off the table. It crashed to the floor, shards scattering in every direction.

Regina gasped, stumbling back as a sharp edge sliced into her foot. Blood pooled instantly, a red stain spreading across the pristine floor.

"Dammit, Regina!" Daniel was at her side in an instant, his hands steady as he scooped her up before she could protest.

"It's fine," she said weakly, wincing as pain shot through her leg.

"Yeah, because gushing blood is totally fine," he muttered, placing her gently on the bed.

Before she could argue, he shrugged off his shirt, tearing it into strips to create a makeshift tourniquet. Regina's breath hitched at the sight of him, naked from the upper body.

"You're so damn clumsy," he muttered, tying the fabric tightly around her leg.

She flinched, a sharp cry escaping her lips. "You're hurting me!"

"I'm trying to stop the bleeding," he shot back. "Stay still."

His hands were firm but careful as he worked, his brow furrowed in concentration.

"Were you a doctor in another life?" she asked, her voice shaky.

"No," he said curtly. "But I taught myself."

"Why?"

He hesitated, his hands stilling for a moment. "Because I needed to know how to save my own life when I was suicidal."

The weight of his words sank deep into Regina's chest. Her eyes fell to his arms, where faint scars crisscrossed his skin. Blade marks.

"Daniel…" she whispered, reaching out instinctively to touch his arm.

He flinched at the contact, pulling away sharply. "Don't."

The vulnerability in his voice was startling.

Regina withdrew her hand, watching as he tied off the tourniquet and stood abruptly. "You're lucky it's not worse," he said gruffly, rummaging through the room's first aid kit.

"You don't have to—"

"Stop talking," he interrupted, returning with alcohol, a needle, and thread.

Her protests died in her throat as he cleaned the wound and began stitching it with practiced precision. The pain was sharp, but she bit her lip to keep from crying out.

When he was done, he sat back, his shoulders tense. "There. Try not to destroy anything else tonight."

Regina's eyes lingered on him, taking in the tension in his jaw, the faint tremor in his hands. "Daniel…"

"What?" he snapped, his tone harsher than he intended.

"Thank you," she said softly.

For a moment, he didn't respond. Then, without looking at her, he stood and walked toward the bathroom.

Regina watched him go, her chest tightening. For the first time, she saw past the mask he wore, and it terrified her.