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she applied the final, perfect coat of ruby-red lipstick. Th
was th
saved for three months to buy, a sleek, designer piece for her bo
creen lit u
ady thirty
arson's number. It went to voicemail after a
mach ti
rom his end of the line. "Hey, Chloe, I'm so sorry," he rushed out. "Somethin
ears," she said, the disappointment a
s on work first, okay? I'll make it up to you,"
he forced a gentle tone.
elit dinner for two growing cold on her sm
d. She would bring t
eved a chocolate lava cake she had baked h
ats, and grabbed the gift and the cake. A quick ca
as she pictured the look of surpr
ng. She paid the driver and hurr
tion, tucking a stray strand of hair be
excitement building with every step. As she raised her
but unmistakable. It was fol
heart
she told herself.
spare key Carson had given her months ago. She inserted it int
room was dark, but a sliver of warm, dim
. The woman's voice was one
sister, Jac
. With a hand that felt disconnected fro
yway startled the people in th
bedroom, a towel wrapped loosely aroun
when he saw her. "Chloe?
ze shot past him, fixed o
versized dress shirts. When she saw Chloe, there was no
choed in the si
, splattering chocolate and cream across the floor. A dark,
orframe to keep from collapsing,
stammered, rushing toward he
her-in-law," she purred, her voice dripping with false sweetness.
He didn't pu
e was the
al. Two years of her life, of her love, had just become a punch
allic taste of bile rising in her throat. She l
scream. She
was a raw,
asked, "when
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