The Gilded Cage Girl's Escape

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o had ever shown me unconditional love. I remembered the story she used to tell me about it, how it was given to her by he

be discarded. He couldn't grasp the concept of sentimental value, not when it didn't come with a hefty price

r. Its chipped porcelain face, already faded, now seemed to stare up at me in silent reproach. It was

rough my daze, sharp and imperious. He had moved cl

s parted, but no words came out. My throat was tight, choked with unspoken grief. I tried to f

came as fast as I could." My voice was light, too light, a desperate attempt to sound unaffected. "

er, then back to my face. "Make sure you don't leave anything behind, A

h. I swallowed, my eyes darting towards the dumpster, a silent farewell. "Of course, Anderson. Nothing will be left." My voic

A few days later, a delivery arrived. Boxes of designer clothes, expensive jewelry, a new handbag. All the things he knew I coveted, the thing

y. A gilded goodbye. He was buying my silence, my easy departure, wrapping it in silk

voice carefully neutral. "And where is

has extended his business trip to accommodate Ms. Va

the last time I saw him. The last time I was his. He wouldn't be back before m

expensive seat in the back row. I needed to see it. I needed to witness the final act of this play, to watch him

entist who had just joined our research project. "Seriously, Ayla, he's brilliant, yes, but he's so quiet, so intense. And he's

tte. "Poor Kyle. Sounds li

sis, what are you doing this weekend? You're not still fl

sing to my cheeks. "Hope Vasquez is p

through that? She's a terrible pianist anyway. All

ing to this concert was a masochistic act. It was the final step in detaching myself. A painful exorcism. But I needed it. I needed to see him, to see them, one last time, to fully u

imming. I slipped into my seat in the back row, my heart hammering. The hall was packed, a sea of elegant faces, all waiting for