na

s the words. I turned on my heel

posture I assumed when a multi-million dollar deal was falling apart on the boar

re feet slapping against the hardwood as she chased me into the hallw

lked straight to the double

handle had been replaced. A brand-new, matte black fi

thumb against

and a red light flas

I tapped the keypad to bring up the n

ror

y mind. I punched in the birthdate of my golden ret

ed green. The

new code. He just used the memory of my de

the doo

chest physically cave in. The space I ha

e serums and perfumes. It was now littered with Misty's cheap

et and shoved the sliding door open s

ouses, my designer evening gowns-all gone. Hanging in their place

way, panting. She saw me staring a

up," she said defensively. "He said you d

was so lethal it physically made

dark corner near the reading nook. Stacked against the wall were four

ooking composed anymore. I dug my fingers under the edge o

re with a l

, were my silk blouses. Buried beneath them were my glass co

tossing them onto the floor. My hand brushed against a shattered pictu

up instantly, dripping o

the pain. I ju

ide a waterproof document bag, my finge

ertified copy of our marriage

ng was a massive, sticky brown coffee stain. They had

dripped from my ha

avy leather booklet directly at her fee

ordered, my voic

looking down. "

e. Look at the n

the baby to flip open the cover. Her eyes scanned

seconds. Her skin turned a sickly, ashen gray

nt, my phone vibra

creen lit up with a te

emember to wear more layers. I miss you so much. I can't w

, unadulterated hypocrisy of the

at. The sound echoed off the high ceilings of t

terror in her eyes. S

, shoving the screen right

timestamp,"

d to the time. Sen

le. My eyes were

right now and tell him