ad finall

ly marked the end of

, unbearable knots. That was why I'd chosen to skip the hear

bed, tangled up with another woman. The scene was seared into my brain, vivid and agonizing. R

edth time, clearly refusing to accept my decision. "Honestly, you should go see

ile touche

name with him," I replied, meeting her gaze

ed to carry just as much anger as I did, despite not being directly involved. A part

her usual flair that her loyalties

inger. The absence of my wedding ring still felt glari

days, I just couldn

a crawled onto the bed and r

e you planni

breath befor

ed enough to buy a quiet little place somewhere. I

gave the words a ne

elan. And with that money, I'll finally do wh

passion aside for a long time, yielding to Kaelan's insistenc

was done

, snapping her fingers

apping out of

y are you pla

d idea. I didn't want the Southwark family to be

that to myself,

y disappointed, bu

m on your side, I'm still tied to them. You w

my gaze.

d, offering a war

have to a

attress, cutting the moment s

my la

was official

ded the call, then t

I said simply

my lips without a

ated,

on to be a mother, carrying a c

nked me into a tight hug, pla

!" she exclaimed. "Ch

ad, managing

o be up early tomorro

ng the issue and hugged me ag

miss you," s

," I promised. "This i

"It'll never

to rest tenderly

find whatever it is

, I th

l. At five a.m., the streets were dead quiet. The world felt sus

ort, a heavy weight s

me. Every passing street, every flickering streetlamp s

ly came to board, I

anent. That this city, and everything it repres

o the plane, ready