l King

b just as I stepped onto the sidewalk.

would. But he didn't. His absence was the final, most dev

arguments, no begging. A clean b

sed my eyes. The image of Dane kneelin

stay buried, Chloe had invaded my life

nything she could take from me was never tru

d by my company. It was cold, impersonal.

t with a divorce lawyer. I just wanted

bby and scanned the reception a

nding there.

man who'd destroyed my life - twice. He was talking to her, hi

e you doing here, Abigail?" he asked coldly. "Don't tell me you're

an appointment." I barely looked at him, pulling out my phone to

, Abigail," he commanded. "This is ridiculou

down, and pulled out a magazine, pretending to read. I could

ghtly touched his arm and whispered something in his e

name. "Dane, you got a minute?" Dane threw me a

. "Happy now, are we?" she hissed. "My marriage is falling apart, and here

ant to talk to her. I didn't want to acknowledge her existence. She

e wrapped around your finger. He'll come back to me, you know. He always

hought of the girl who'd once held my hand during thunderstorms and sworn we'd be fri

stand being near her. No matter how muc

d. "Don't you want to know how ea

My voice was barely a whisper. My mother. She'd died suddenly years a

almost funny." She took a step forward, malice glinting in her eyes. "You know, the day she got sick, your

'd worked late. I saw my aunt's missed call, and by the time I cal

of this?" I could bar

aunt called me, you know. She was worried. She knew we were best friends. She asked me to make sure you got the message

shaking. My moth

leted it. All of it. Every trace. And then I put your phone on airplane mode. So you'd never

had told me she'd been callin

d her, comforted her when her own family fell apart. My mother, who'd

y hand and, without thinking, slapped Chloe across the face w

to the ground, tears streaming down her face. Her features t

m sorry! It's my fault! Hit me if you want, kill me even! Just... don'

s twisted with rage. He saw Chloe on the ground, sobbing uncon

rabbed my arm, his fingers digging deep i

shot through my ankle. My head hit the ma

had ever laid a hand on me.

e spreading rapidly. Dane didn't even glance at me. H

hat is wrong with you? Look what you've done! Apo

e for Chloe's sake. I stared at him, unable to

ushed to my side. Str