The Marriage Built on Lies

owly burning off, revealing a landscape I hadn't seen in years. Colors seemed brighter, sound

ught that was both exhilarating and terrifying. I stopped taking the pills

ht my eye. "Tech Giant Hayes Corp Nears Final Merger Deal." I clicked on it. The article was about Ethan' s fami

ments section, someo

in that Northgate Prep scandal years ago?" the c

mbled as I cl

gossip blog. And th

r dress torn, her face slack and confused. She was mumbling incoherently. The camer

ke a dam

nservatory pact. The dinner. The pills Ethan gave me. The alley. His whisper: I'm sorry, Chl

. I dropped the tablet, and it clattered to the floor. I let out a sou

en curating my misery, keeping me in a gilded cage, a drugged and broken pet he cou

he grief and the rage were a storm inside me, tearing me apa

than rushed in. "Chloe!

oothe me like he always did. But this t

ed, scrambling backward, awa

confusion and hurt. "Chloe, it's

choked with hatred. "It wa

d was too much. My vision tunneled,

as dark. Ben was sitting in a c

ake," he s

the storm had passed, leaving behind a cold, hard clarity. I was

you remembe

said, my voice

ound sadness on his face. "I'm s

oked exhausted, his eyes red-rimmed. He st

e," he said carefully. "He thinks the str

ll. I didn't say a word. I let him believe wha

ard him talking to Ben

is voice strained. "Or worse, like she hated me. Maybe yo

ou going to

as a lo

olve. "I'm going to give her my name, my child, my fortune. I'm going to l

uched my lips. He thought he was fixing me. He ha