The Neglected Wife's Vicious Comeback Game

silk of her dress, her voice a little too bright in the cavernous silence of their pentho

awthorne didn't look up f

o album she was holding-a leather-bound collection of their three years of marriage,

ly looked at her, his expression impatient, as if she were a m

brush her off for the last six months. A familiar, cold knot formed in Adalynn's stomach. Sh

He didn't even glance at her belly. The heavy front door clicked shut, leaving her alone w

ap. She wouldn't let him ruin this. Maybe he was telling the truth. Maybe he was just stressed. An idea sparked-a desperate,

rabbed the gift and headed for the garage. As she started the car, a familiar, sick feeling of doubt crept in.

d on the map. It wasn't at the Hawthorne Group headquarters downtown. It was pulsing steadily over a small, exc

nst her ribs. A reverse surprise. He's waiting for me there. The thought was fli

to fall, blurring the city lights into long, weeping streaks. Her stom

tic rhythm on the roof of the car. Through the enormous, floor-to-ceiling window, she saw h

was not

Carlene looked elegant, her blonde hair catching the light as she laughed at something he said. Julian was sm

t a small, velvet pouch. From it, he drew a br

bracelet she had flown twelve hours to a remote temple to get for him, a blessing for his

icate wrist in his hand and gently, tenderly, fastened the bracelet around it

to her mouth, pressing hard against her lips as if she could force the sound back inside. But she couldn't tear her eyes away. She pressed h

he woman who had climbed into this car an hour ago, still clinging to the hope that her marriage could be

emory. The way his thumb stroked Carlene's wrist. The way Carlene tilted her head, basking in his attention. The way her bracelet-her blessing, her prayer, her twelve-hour flight-dangled f

stant, a vicious, searing pain tore through her abdomen. It was a cramp so intense it stole her breath, making her

mber. She watched through the window as he glanced at his screen, a fli

again. He declined it again, this time silencing his phone and placi

Carlene's lips form the words: "Is it her again?" She watched Julian shrug-actually shrug-as if

her cry out. A sudden, warm gush of fluid soaked through her dress and onto

n't think. 911. She had to call 911. She managed to dial the number

m. He was completely oblivious to the flashing lights that were now approaching, to th

her into the ambulance, her gaze found the restaurant window one last time. Julian was leaning

a million pieces. The physical agony and the emotional deva

her in urgent, clipped tones. "Severe placental abruption. The

hold her hand. No Julian to whisper that everything would be okay. His wedding

a single thought burned through the pain an

es, the words "hemorrhaging" and "los

awthorne finally checked his messages. He saw the missed calls from Adalynn

Adalynn was fight

Craig Hawthorne, weighing just three pounds, was whisked away to the N