Ninety-Nine Chances Gone

t his relentless, obsessive love started to win me over. I was even p

with me was gone. He began publicly chasing a young intern, Janay Rodgers, sh

ing the public against me. He accused me of poisoning Janay and sided with his

own mother was paid to call me a gold-digger,

ck, he ignored my pleas for help. He was too b

ur child

demand he divorce me. His brother brought me the

apologies. I just wanted to d

pte

walls I built around my heart began to crack. His love was a relentless storm, and I, again

er of real hope. Our future, once a bleak landscape, seem

he man who had been ob

ome at night. The warmth in his eyes w

a young intern from a local radio station. He showered her

man who valued her freedom above all

, repeated in gossip col

neath your wings. No matter h

l echo of what

city, but I'll make them bloom just for yo

rting to wither. I took a pair of gardening shears and cut one down.

a busy street corner, a spectacle for all to see. Meanwhile, I sat alone a

ica? A man needs his free

led and sa

and cut down

ay. She said casually, "The Earth is als

r ten years, a part of my family long before James. J

lling his name. All I found was his track

down another rose. And another. And another.

story about my past, twisting the painful memory of my mother's abandonment. He f

ernet e

her, like

nd left her for a pu

ly just as tra

ken. I went back to the garden, the shears feeling heavy in my hand. I

more chances. Six more opportu

e of an honorary board member. As I sat in the front row, I flipped through the progra

ut a glance, his eyes fixed on the stage wh

e dean and whispered something. The dean' s expression changed.

regarding Ms. Rodgers's character, we

face was a mask of shock and devastation. James immediately we

ing me as the villain to make

ll in tears. As she p

tight with rage. "You have everything. W

g her words, knowing James was watching,