His Betrayal, Her Unyielding Revenge

ollow echo in the suffocating silence. My voice di

nally quieted down, his small arms wrapped around his father's

. My gaze swept over the luxurious living room, the gleaming

ag? Where are you going?" He took a tentative

was a polite way of saying I needed an exit strategy. I needed to cut

ed, conjuring up the easiest excuse.

it. He simply nodded, a flicker of what I imagined was relief crossing his face. Perhaps he thought this was a temporary reprieve,

e surprisingly agreeable. "I

the small, determined glint in my eyes, the way I carefully avoided looking at the family photo

d hard, like polished steel. The master bedroom, once our sanctuary, felt like a stra

tial documents, a few changes of clothes, and the small, battered sketchbook I used to carry everywhere in my graphic designer days. All the expensive jewelry, the designer handbags, t

tchen, their voices low, Leo's childish giggles mingling with theirs. They didn

lock was barely audible, yet it resonated like a gunshot in my soul. It w