egistered as she drifted back to consciousness. A dull, throbbing pain ra

in an armchair across the room, his laptop open, his fingers flying across the keyboard. He looked as if he were in his

's venomous words came rushing back. The pain in he

croaked, he

ook up from

ss that washed over her. Her purse was on the bedside table. She fumbled for her ph

" she

phone from her hand with a sigh of profound irritation. On the screen

g a divorce. Please, just give him back

er voice raw. "It was always thei

or the first time, a flicker of something other

idiculously large fruit basket. "Oh, my darling girl, you're awake!

, patting his arm. "Keely just called me, she's an absolut

it, deliberately pressing the speakerphone but

felt insecure about me and Ernst... I guess he was my first real boyfriend, and she ne

Keely's version of events-a version where Haley was the jealous one who had stolen Ern

a calculated scheme from the start. The brief moment of doubt was erased. He handed the ph

e returned, the mask of concern was gone

odisiac in the water. I planned the whole thing. You're nothing, Haley. Just a stupid little

, the years of being treated as second-best, all of

her lips. She looked Do

Ernst Winters. And I will drag this out for as long as it takes. I will make sure you and your precious Keely never

mpulsive declaration

was ove

the laptop he'd left behind, was Ernst. He had come back, perhaps to ask one more question about the text, a

t nothing, explicitly state her plan to hold th

e a mask of stone. The temperatu

yes devoid of any emotion save

ve my lawyers draw up a new agreement. I'll give you whatever

otsteps echoing down the hallway

r own angry words crashing back on her. She had me

ok of pure, venomous

g with a hatred so intense it felt like it co

said, each word

her tone. She hesitated, then scurrie

ce with her hands, but no tears came. She was empty. She had l

forward, she w