lie

used to dream of perfect romantic gestures, the one who believed in grand declarations of love, had died a slow, agonizing death behind bar

ted the lid with a flourish. A perfectly seared steak, glistening with juices, sat on the plate, surrounded by roasted

th expectation. "Just like our first anniversary. Rem

watched me, his breath held, waiting for my reaction. For a complimen

uth. It tasted... like steak. Rich, flavorful,

cipation radiating from

devoid of warmth. "It

But... I followed the recipe exactly. I used the best ing

he chef. The man who made it. The man who let me rot in a cell

I had slapped him across the f

you convinced me to take the fall for your embezzlement? Was it fair when you promised it would be

n't you think I was lonely? Don't you think it killed me to know you were in there? I worked

every minute of every day? While I was fighting off women who thought a '

agined... Candice told me you were in a nice

Always Candice, spinning her pretty lies, makin

he door. Jasper looked relieved, snatching the op

d green designer dress that clung to her curves, her hair perfectly coiffed, her makeup impecc

oed, her eyes darting to me, a flicker of something I couldn't quite plac

rfectly straight, her fingers lingering on his lapel. She picked up his half-empty glass of sparkling water, took a si

here? I thought I told you no interruptions tonight." His voice was w

ack, of course." She turned to me, her smile dazzling, completely fake. "Ashlie, darling! It's been too long. I'm so, so sorry about all those mis

s Saran wrap. I just watched her

t was just too much for one person!" She sighed dramatically, then patted Jasper's arm. "But we go

Jasper, Ashlie. Absolutely devastated. I had to pick him up from bars so many times, late at night, because he was ju

he was drawing a clear line between us, highlighting her indispensable role in Jasper

angerously soft. "You had to pick him

e was losing his mind with grief. I practically lived at the office, making sure he ate, making sure he

then," I stated, letting

older than the snow falling outside. I watched her, the mask of innocence slipping, revealing the s