TER

a's

mo

ed out and I signed those divorce papers. A who

t like I was okay. I told myself I didn't need

nted to forget. I wanted someone else's hands on my body, someone else's lips against my skin. I

hink things co

ees tucked to my chest, sipping lukewarm tea. The kind that had lost all warmth, like everything else in my life.

hen my p

harp, like always. No warmth, no kindness, just

esence at the mansion this af

the papers. Not when the photos of Harrison and Nora started spreading like wildfir

ally cared. Maybe he realized I'd been suffering. Maybe he regretted the silence

Something elegant. Something that made me feel like I still had a little dignity left. I put on low heels and touched up m

usual. The sky was gray and heavy, and r

othing felt the same. The mansion looked colder. Qu

e house staff led me stra

stepped in, I c

was t

on was

armchair, like it was her hou

r blonde hair was curled into soft waves, her makeup perfect, like she'd stepped out of a magazine.

sted lightly on her lower back. The same hand that used to hold me. Th

father. He was behind his desk, his face bla

said. His voice

idn't trust the ground anymore. I gripped th

engaged,"

o kindness. J

couldn't catch up. My hea

mond ring glittered on her finger. My mother's

e said like it was nothing. "D

nt dry. My

ng my husband,

a soft, fake smile. "And it's not

rt. "Dad, how can you let this happe

't even

n happy. That's all

arder than I th

no matter how hard I tried to hold

d this family. You walked out of your marriage like a drunk

yes. "I was heartbroken.

race," he said

e word felt

ed out an envelope. He placed it in

I asked, barely

ow under Nora's name. She deserves it. She's responsib

ed. "You're cu

ning up y

. My whole body felt numb. My s

throw something. I wanted to m

I di

es wobbled beneath me. I l

ly mean i

. "You're no lon

like

ked like

idn't even

der her breath like

round and

y until I g

I b

d sobbed until I couldn't breathe. My body shook. My throat b

ost eve

hus

fam

e in th

e wors

erson in that