ODSON

equipment, the distant chatter of nurses. No familiar face hovered anxiously over me, no hand reached

dge' s office called," she announced, her voice br

e, an inconvenience to be swiftly removed. "Tell them I' ll arrange my own t

ked surprised

Killian' s rules, Isabel' s malice, and my own crushing despair couldn't reach me. I dismissed the private nurse Killian' s off

as nothing more than a convenient accessory. I had loved him, fiercely and foolishly, since I was a teenager, a silent crush that had blossomed into a desperate de

an to accept the chilling truth: he could love. He could lavish affection, attention, and tenderness. He just didn' t do it for me. He did it for Isabel. That realization, stark and uncomprom

hes, but with a lightness in my heart I hadn' t felt in years. I went to the nearest legal office, my re

cavernous, echoing with the ghosts of a life I had never truly lived. I limped throu

chosen to fit his austere taste-were systematically pulled out. Each item, once a symbol of his wealth, now felt like a ch

velvet box. I opened it. A delicate silver locket, engraved with my grandmother' s initials, gleamed softly. It was an heir

n distaste. "It looks... old. Unsanitary. You shou

d it away, out of his sight, hoping t

the chain around my neck, the locket settling against my skin, a silent promise

nce. Killian and Isabel, back from their hospital visit, were sweeping in. Isabel was laughing, a brig

she trilled, her voice echoing through

ranged for your favorite chef to prepare a feast. And a special tea, just for you." He turne

of pain. A chef. A special

p. Killian had found out and reprimanded me sharply. "Ava, you know illness is contagious. You should isolate yourself. Don' t expose the staff,

cared about her. And that, in its stark simplicity, was the most painful truth of all. Ther

d another confrontation, but

ificial sweetness. Her gaze, however, was fixed on the locket, glea

ng on me, then on the locket, a flicke

"Killian, look! It' s really pretty. I want

ng by choice, only what was deemed appropriat

asperation. "Isabel, darling, it'

p theatrically. "But I love it! It' s so unique! You never say no to me, K

clearly couldn' t stand her distress. "Fine, fine, my love. Don' t cry. Ava, take off

, my voice shaking with conviction. "This was my grandmother' s. It m

citly said no to your request! How dare she!" She stomped her foo

ped. He glared at me. "Ava, don' t make this diffic

ing. "It' s priceless! It' s a family heirloom!" I turned t

r fingers clawing at the locket. "Give it to me, you witch!" she shr

a fresh wave of agony through me. The locket' s chain snapped under Isabel' s frantic tug

s usual concern clouding his f

up the locket. "I go

raph inside. She crushed the locket in her fist, its delicate silver bending and twisting into an unrecognizable mess. Then, with a

easure. "Now you have nothing!" She grabbed Killian' s arm, her voi

her towards the grand staircase. He didn' t glance at me, didn' t acknowled

erything I held dear. My wrist, where Isabel had clawed at me, was bleeding. My ankle throbbed with a pain that mirrored the hollow ache in my chest. My heart