re a thirty-year film playing on a loop in my head. A trag

atitude. They genuinely loved me. Mrs. Johnson held my hands before the ceremony, her eyes wet

motions, his vows sounding rehearsed and hollow. I told myself he was just stressed, that

mily-friend' s company stagnated. He blamed it on the "stain" of the investigation, a stain I had wiped clean for him. All my earnings went into our

of space between us in our king-sized bed. He would come home late, smel

thing? I'm working my ass off to rebuild my reputatio

o my fault. I would always end up apolog

uld bring us together. I was so happy when I found out I was preg

at it. "Are you

never been with anyone else. The accusation was so v

forcing a smile. "Sorry, bad jo

eated my pregnancy as an inconvenience, a chain

nograms. When Lily was born, he held her for a moment, his face unread

to spend time with Brittany. Brittany, with her bright clothes and easy laughter, was everything I wasn't. I was the tired mom who came home

n like Aunt Brittany?" Lily

just chuckled. "Your mom has to wo

at before driving recklessly. I caught it just in time. Another time, he left the gate to the swimming pool unlocked when she was just learning to walk. I found her te

ence. I planned a special party for her. Mark had promised to be home early. He wasn' t. He

shing them to safety. The cr

heir

ng! If it wasn't for her, Daddy and Mommy Brittany

theart. I've always loved Brittany. I've hated your mother since t

ning me down. He confessed his disgust for me, his lifelong love

rything went black was their joyful faces, celebr

be his victim. I would not be his

ly. I was eager to see how their great love story would