Ava could barely stand,

was a c

he ordered. "We

iver of dread coiling i

'll

rk dress at her. It w

isit the resting p

in, orchestrated f

choice bu

y with unspoken accusation

simple visit. It would be an

at a seclud

was damp

wards a section

fore two mode

pare

e path leading up to

ed, fist-sized stones,

m," Ethan said, his v

nes, then at him, hor

id. Every step you take, think of the

nied them, watched wit

harp, uneven surfac

an's eyes told her

ng, she removed

of pain, sharp edges diggin

d out, s

atched,

nti

of agony. The stones cut in

mingled with the coppery

oot in front of the other, a

her chest, protestin

s, her feet bleeding, her body trembling

than, whispering so

something Ava hadn't seen

n and kissed Chloe,

f Ava, as she endured h

n was a deliberate act

er isolation, h

cherished, loved, while Ava was

but the pain in her heart, watchin

hed over her, h

ing to her knees o

welled in her eyes, but sh

give them the

like an eternity of tortu

led, bleeding, eve

espect, but because she

ed, Chloe clin

Ava, then at his p

ected at the cold stone, yet mean

soft, almost reverent. "I'm h

ed vaguel

he man who caused your suffering

oe, his eyes full of

"is Chloe. The woman I love. The woman who

ngeringly, in front of th

Mom, Dad. A life you wo

at Ava, his eye

ogies to them,

d barely speak. The

y father was a doctor? Sorr

eemed to ange

wait for Av

with Chloe, the

Chloe. We'r

r, leaving Ava kneeling by the

he cemetery gate,

gan to fall, soaking Av

into the car and driv

ed. In the p

s isolated, mil

o get bac

n dress to her body, and s

her wounds, making

wincing as her lacerate

th of stones, now slick wi

moved. S

enduring unimaginable pa

ur of pain, cold, and a d

mp back to the house, soaked, shivering, and

rprise, no conc

time," he said,

ded her a t

t you to plan a party for her. The gr

at him, i

y? For

orchestrate a celebra

to her shock. "The best food, the best music, the m

d the plans s

wn weddin

emony, her favorite fl

recreate her stolen d

ical cruelty, twisting her past

resonant ache, far

d her any sliver of pity, silently left a small jar of a

have been sent

to ensure she was well en

ked up

d would likely soothe the

ction in the small, cra

er eyes haunted. Her

ness, Chloe's triumph, the

nd hopelessness

healing these wounds

s suffering, u

d threw the jar of ointm

a soft thud in

ct of defiance.

make it eas

suffer, let

cold, quiet thing, set