Lu

that refused to end. My head was fizzing with stress from territory dispu

f each other until it wa

r all th

r

ept dodging my eyes when I tried to talk. She wa

asn't thinking ab

amn n

me more than the

wanted

e the moment I walked

esk lamp wa

ent sideways and salty. She did her sketches here, her late-night readings, her q

meone was packing up th

ptop s

ut to shut it off when my

dozen job a

s. Seamstress work. Designer app

resume. Her skill list. Her portfolio of designs-clothes she never

mach d

t; she was dead ser

a world outside of mine, jus

as it jealousy, guilt, or panic?

slammed the

long moment. Then I walked

he bedroom door

n was gone from the hook on th

ing anger buil

he hell

ng. The twins were asleep. The

my phone.

en I did something I neve

t pulsed o

blood r

st tig

n I heard

lear, happy laugh

fr

ghing? At

r this time, quiet enough that I h

hadn't heard in years. "If I mess up the inte

I finally told him about the divorce. And guess what? He

clenche

out even telling me first. Like I was history,

stabbing pain hi

d the d

quickly vanished. Her bright joy disappeared, re

ack," she said quickl

ddenly felt

the doorframe. "W

g to my

Tell me now

o you

r I'll find

y of your busines

aughter, and I couldn't remember th

t about to

ed like that with m

you never gav

ared in

"I told you, Aria

ne when you left me alone in our room las

my gaze fixed on the screen of her phone. "Yo

then her chin

ed in me. "You don't get t

. "The paperwork is

ntil I could feel the warmth coming off her skin. Sh

d her wrist, not to hurt her,

walk away?" I asked, m

ed to p

er ground, even though I could see a faint

you doing wit

tated. "

many job a

twitched

stop myself. My grip tightened just enough to ma

r snap back. But she didn't. She went still, looked right at me, and in tha

e

hate

n that phone, making her smile like they owned a part of her. And I hated my

d to let

*