From Blame to Beloved

next morning. She took one look at my face

p but laced with concern. She placed a hand on my

le. "I'm fine, Mom.

"I know that look. He's breaking your heart. Now that

tion and the jealousy that my father, in his grief af

d simply. There was n

a vow to you. That girl has been nothing but poison since my husb

sn't matter, Mom. She was in a coma for five years because of an accide

iling over. "The police cleared you. The roads were icy

he perfect, fragile girl he needed to pr

Liam walked in. He stopped short when he saw my m

" he greete

plied, her ton

s were bright, energized in a way I hadn

Talk," my mother said

back at me, his expression softening almost imperceptibly. It wasn' t for me, I

ran col

the air, she said. She's at We

my mother's face, she knew it too. But refusing

ht," I

room was bright, filled with flowers. Chloe was sitting up in b

ered, her voice

illow, his touch gentle. "Of course she

ed on me. "I just... I needed to see

s held a triumphant, malicious g

loe," I said,

forgiveness. "See, Ava? Chloe is willing to move on. We all should." He then too

d pulled out a folder. He placed

I asked, thoug

ad my lawyer draw them up. I'm not contesting the pre-nup. You ke

blurring in front of my eyes. He wante

strangled sound

atching me with a look of barely concealed glee. "Chloe and I... we

had arrived. And it was going t

it,

it was closing in on me. I felt a text message vibrate in my pocket. I pulled o

and filed the preliminary divorce petition three year

get rid of me. The pen in his hand was not an offer.