The Ninth Goodbye: My Husband's Cruel Bet

ie

ers sitting on my kitchen counter w

adn't treated me like a walking ghost for the l

mask of pity wa

," sh

a jewelry store. His hand was on the small of her b

read: Reun

ck coffee. It tasted l

n hour," I said, my vo

ble. "You don't have to go. The lawyer can

cup down with a deliberate c

hrome, and pretension. I sat on one side, my spine f

oor o

ly handsome. He always looked handsome. It was his weap

zzy wa

hoice. A lace cocktail dress that mimicked

ss from me, but pressed against his side. She p

syrup laced with arsenic. "We just wanted to make

me. He was fixated o

arcus said. His voic

ed the documen

r marriage license. He had smiled then. He had looked at me like

was fur

. I hadn't left the engagement ring in the drawer aft

hed mahogany. It made a harsh,

't even

ning his name with a flouri

open. The diamond caught the light,

It's a bit... dated, isn't it? But

ped her

ook

n a gold chain, was a smal

ath hi

e Marcus had bought me for our first Chr

trophy. She wore my mem

ked up. He saw me

ashamed. He l

Don't start a scene. Izzy li

t pain. It was the feeling of a heavy weight sim

too

r toward him until it teeter

s," I said. "I don't want the a

ked a

cent. It smells like de

up abruptly, her chair scrapi

, and as she passed

her hot breath ghosting against my ear.

n't f

tep back, and then th

. She flailed her arms and collapsed

She pus

to her, kneeling down, checking her for injuries

yes blazing with a hatred

d. "You're pathetic,

him. Really

ted me for five years, believing a lie

a god. He

opy of the signe

d to th

buzzed in

the elevator.

g in the lawyer's offi

He is min

t feel sad. I felt numb. A b

d my co

us T

le

lle V

le

oc

ht. The air felt thin, sharp against my lungs, but for