ed the several travel options, meticulously planning her next trip to the Hamptons. Fear mixed with cautious optimism, it was an errand she had drew close for the Hamptons addressed

hat she had conveyed inside her the hallowed endowment of their energy, a minuscule life that had been manufactured in the flames of their love. As the memories overwhelmed her cognizancy. The pain of Michael's dismissal since he had turned his back on her and the prospect of their future together still tasted to her the bitter ashes of rejection on her tongue. Elizabeth had come to understand in those nerve-wracking minutes the true depth of his harshness, the cold, austere aloofness under the surface of elegance and attractiveness. As the memories threatened to overtake Elizabeth, she felt a familiar pain grow in her chest. No matter how many years had passed, there was a slow throb of sadness that never really gone away. She had thought she would be able to resist the flood of feelings Michael's mere sight would cause; but, the raw strength of her response took her off guard and sent her whirl-around. Her trembling fingers softly followed the features of his face on the glossy paper, causing a mixed-feeling agony to tighten her heart. Though much had evolved, the guy who had once held her heart in his palm still irresistible-a siren's call calling her back into dangerous seas. As Elizabeth examined the details of his most recent business endeavour, a vast luxury hotel empire serving the tastes of the wealthy, she felt a twingle of pride mixed with a pang of guilt. She had known before this driven, aspirational person whose hunger for success was insatiable. She couldn't help but wonder whether, at his triumphant moment, a part of him yearned for something more than the flimsy accolades and worldly goods all around. Elizabeth's regret was intense when a quiet cry from the bedroom broke the spell. Her heart laden with memories and sorrows, she rushed to her son's side and promptly dropped the magazine. Elizabeth felt a wave of confidence come over her as she gathered the drowsy child into her arms and supported him against her breast. This trip to the Hamptons was about facing the phantoms of her past, releasing the waiting questions and anxieties that had haunted her for a very long period, not about a workmanship display. She inhaled steadily and gently kissed her child's forehead, silently pledging to face the challenges ahead with the very exacting adaptability that had carried her across the most remote of storms. She saw then wit