The Debt Collector's Wife

lly constructed stor

f a New England dynasty, the graceful

ow I was on leave, seven months pregnant

a rival political family. Our marriage was a merger, a c

was at a "charity poker game," a re

l open. He was testing a new secure streaming devic

hiskey glasses, the faces of senator

heard m

nough," a senator drawled

ile on his face. He looked di

for money tonig

ive rights to a dossier

then a low chuckle r

k. "But it's good. It paints her as mentally unstable, paranoid. We leak it

sip of h

their own political gain. In return, I get what I want. Contr

one asked. "She's y

vanished. His f

e life Elara stole from her.

. My hand flew to my stomach,

key in the door. I sat on

e transformed back in

ng my forehead. "Sorry I'm late.

d on my belly. The same h

ny sign of the monster I just saw. Ther

?" I asked, my voic

ied, stroking my hair. "I cou

d his expression softened into something genuine.

id, standing up. "It's Scarl

ther room, his voice

our perfect hous

was a placeholder. A

son was the