The Woman He Couldn't Break

Thompson' s desk felt cold

r. Its weight was both a comfort and a stone

s voice was gentle, a contrast to the storm inside

signature was already there, a messy scrawl.

music box. "A

d. "It holds what'

pity I didn' t want.

ht, our wedding night, f

ng reception we' d just left. Mark hadn' t touched me. Instea

uptial a

ice. "Sign

confused. "Mar

g at all, I' m protected." He sneered. "I know you manipu

hool sweetheart. The one he a

pleaded, tears welling. "Laura

make your life a living hell starting now. Any misstep, an

I do? He had already sta

ince I lost Leo, Mark has bee

o to my adoptive parents in Ver

ven claimed she saw me at the bus station

n the phone just yesterday, his voice sharp with annoyance.

a' s son. A

k, Mark," I' d tried t

parents to bother with his own father? Spoili

de twisting. He didn' t

his ROTC duties. I couldn' t hold i

talk about Leo." M

looking at me. "What about him? Is he fin

t of me, raw and bleeding. "He died. Beca

s tense. He stoppe

d looked at me. Not with shock. Not

id you j

I was coddling him. You told him to tough it out. You wouldn' t let me take

nreadable for a moment, the

ne. Laura told me he' s just a bit under the weather, that' s why you sen

ou' re saying he' s dead? Just t

ers. His old ones are worn out from playing. Unlike

he small table by the

s things like that music box. Laura

gister that I was

e door, turning

ay. Cook something extra tonight. Something she likes. She

of shock and rage. He was st

Laura' s spell. Always h

dead. He chose not to. Beca

vorce papers from Dean Thomp

o make him see me, see Leo. Tried to

saw what Laura

the one who trapped him. Leo was just an extens

lued anymore. I wouldn' t let L

c box from the table.

lvet bag held my son

used to play, a lullaby

face, silent and hot. T

resolve as h

rk was rummaging thr

e one your adoptive mother gave y

d planned to give it to

asked, my

e feels bad, a bit left out since Leo' s been 'away' . I

t believe. Or d

voice like ice. "Y

Sarah. It' s just a piece of me

l he slammed the jewelry

e called m