Caldwe

g over Greenwich when I s

llar up and began walking down the long paved

otsteps clicked aga

head, blocking the rain. Hudson caught

y percent of the canopy was angled over Fiona's left shoulder, sheltering her cashmere sweater from the damp air. Col

he umbrella,

ash of awkwardness crossed his features. He immediately shifted the handle toward me, ta

lightly. "You're getting wet. Let's get in t

ken the coat, clung to his arm, and

wo steps to the left, stepping completely ou

y. "I called an Uber. I

g back, leaving him standing in the driveway

to our Manhattan pent

or, pushed it open, and

eral luxury shopping bags. In the living room, the air was thick with the scent of roasted peanut

uth. I have a severe, life-threatening airborne peanut allergy.

tchen, wearing silk slippers, pou

you're back. Hudson told me I could stay in the guest bedroom for a few days. My apartment build

"I brought some artisanal peanut crisp

ocation. She knew about my aller

ff his jacket. Seeing the tense silence between us, he immediately stepped

"The repair crew said it will take three days. The guest bedr

the peanut snacks scattered

evenly. "She can stay

is wrong with you today? Why are you acting like this? If you're angry, yell at me. Don't play this passive-aggressive silent game.

hat I was still chained to him, that no matter how poor

of his grasp with

. Taking care of a vulnerable, homeless ex-girlfriend is entirely consistent with your noble moral character. I support you with bo

him with the cold precision of a physical slap. His jaw tigh

lked toward my

would leave for West Virginia, and I wanted nothing

gner dresses, the diamond jewelry Hudson's family had gifted me, or the luxury handbags. I packed four

mahogany glass display cabin

her, Captain Arthur Caldwell, alongside his Congressional Medal of Valor, awarded posthumously

ng in the world that

binet and carefully l

is t

out knocking, leaning against the doorframe with folded arms. Her swee

said, holding the box se

he glass case. "Is that your dead father's medal? The one you used t

at the corner of the walnut box. "Let me see it! Le

yelled, turning my b

malice. "You think you're so special? Let me tell you, even if y

e yanked viol

ipped from

as

ndreds of razor-sharp shards. The ceramic inner urn cracked open, and my father's g

al scream tore

to my denim jeans, desperately scooping the ashes with my bare

cruel, mocking smile s

"A beggar picking up dirt. You think you're better than me? In Hu

leg back and kicked me with fu

threw me backward, my spine slamming violently against

bing her own forehead and throwing herself backward onto the f

door was k

he room, his eyes wil

r, covering her forehead as she forced out fake tears. "My