of antiseptic filling my nose. Fragmente

ampagne glasses and fake smiles. I was standing by th

t the cold, distant woman Ethan remembered, but the warm, kind person I k

per. "You have such a good heart. You see the

it pro bono. It was a project I was passionate about. But a section of scaffolding had collapsed

Eleanor had said, squeezing m

face a mask of concern as she spoke to Ethan. But I was closer, hid

was saying. "Olivia was the last one to sign off

ary inspection. My signature was on the delay request, not

spiring interior designer, she had access. She had made the pape

y. "You were reckless! You could have killed people! My mother

in her bed at home, a few weeks later. She kn

l," she' d whispered, her breath shall

s leaving Ethan the company, but o

he only one who can anchor him.

dying woman' s last wish. A

lackwood empire. So he married me. And he made it his life's mission to punish me for it, fueled by Sophia' s

, supported his career, and endured his public cruelty and private neglect. I gave up my

day he wo

ding accident he blamed me for in the end. It was her actual death. She had a heart attack a week after tha

by a scar tissue so thick I could no longer feel anything at all. I had been l

oat. His punching bag. The living embodi

ugh me. My eyes

s in a hospital bed. The sm

pain shooting through my sh

't go back to that house.

lt weak, my muscles like jelly. I stood up, but the

the cold,

there, helpless, the sterile white of the hospital room

ad to surrender. But a tiny, hard ember of something new was g

as r