Pool

far more than I had left in my dwindling savings, even after selling off the few remaining valuables I possessed. It s

face Gabriela. I had to get the dress back, one way or another. It was more than just fabric;

urt, a figure blocked my path. Corey. His face was drawn, his eyes shadowed, a

contrast to the easygoing tone I remember

, all those years ago, had delivered the blow that shattered my kneecap,

ed I had never thought him capable of. He hadn' t just believed her; he had acted on her lies. He had kicked me, broken me, all for her. My promising career as a ballet dancer, the one thing that had brought me joy and purpose after Mo

on of the physical agony, as if it were happening to someone else. The emotion

iolence he had inflicted. A flicker of something, guilt perhap

ed. She said you twisted her ankle trying to push her into the car. I just... I reacted." He reached out, his hand hovering uncertainly. "

time? After destroying my life? The word felt cheap, meaningless. "D

, Blake. I always have. You just... you were so diffe

me. I was a child who had her world ripped apart, and all I wanted was for someone to see me, to love me. Their lov

ling deep in my bones. I didn't want his apologies. I didn't

, his voice softer now, almost pleadin

nt the last year in and out of clinics, undergoing brutal treatments that left me weak and nauseous? That I'd

t-abandonment, post-diagnosed with severe depression. And then the cancer. A slow, agonizing invasion that started subtly, then roared to life

. They were the last people I would turn to for comfort. And besides, what was the point? The outcome was inevitable. I was dying. They prob

ak again, but a high-pitched,

white, a delicate silk robe clinging to her slender frame. Her eyes, however, were not

ility. "What are you doing, darling? The caterers are here. You know how stressed I get." She paused, her gaze rakin

m not here to cause damage, Gabr

orey's arm. "Unless you mean the last shred of your reputation? Because I assure you, that's long gone." Her voice dripped with condes

ngdom. My life was too short for such trivialities. The cancer had purged me of all those desperate, childish needs. I

t firm. "I stopped wanting that a long time ago. What I want i

enuine shock in her eyes. She hadn't expected that. She had expecte

andt gave it to me. They said it was a symbol of my place in this family. A symbol of how much they love me." She

a simple silver band with a small sapphire. It was long gone, of course, disc

an't have Corey. Or this family. Or anything else. Everything that was once yours, Blake, is mine now. Eve

lee, and then at Corey, who stood beside her, his face pale and conf

too tired to fight. Too tired to even care. My world was shrinking, day by day, hour by hour.