the hospital f

r, staring at the beige walls of her hospital room, and ignoring the pity in the doct

pers. No calls, no messages, not even an ass

ging loose on her shoulders as sunlight poured in. Enough was enough.

♡

mansion, it felt like walkin

arched gates, pristine lawns, the long driv

o q

carrying the faint echo of an empty house. There were no se

arried through the em

that once belonged to a happy wife. It felt surreal, folding parts of her life into neat box

once pure and beautiful looked back at her. Her fingers hovered o

found herself standing in Edward's study, staring at his heavy oak desk. It had be

whispered to no on

ith the memories she didn't want. Within two

had shared with Edward, but it was hers. Sophie unpac

ng could distract her from

at the ceiling. Edward was gone. The life she'd built around him, y

erything, she s

muttered to herse

wed at her chest, stealing her sle

*

couldn't stand the emptine

wasn't sure where she was going until she arrived at the club. A place she hadn'

gainst her skin, it was loud

le dance, laugh, and lose themselves under the flashing l

rned into two

numbing her just enough to breathe. But even as she

d. A man sat next to her, trying to strike

then,

gh the crowd as shouts echoed over the

urned toward the entrance as men in unif

ople holding up their hands or shoving tow

ss M

t the officer. "W

coming

t? No

e under

. Sophie staggered, the room spinning around

st? Fo

rough the stunned crowd, out into the night

ut nothing made sense. She was shoved into the back

tself around her like a vice. When they finally stopped, she was escorted i

flection in the one-way glass. Her makeu

am I

th greying hair and a tired face. He dropped a file

hie M

acked. "Why am I her

cross from her. "Do you k

d? I-I don't know. I ha

e signed the divorce papers. Since she we

?" the detective repea

hispered. "W

d see the contents. A photograph stared up at her. It was Edwa

breath catching. "What

ago," the detective said slowly. "And y

ipped the edge of the table

ink. "You were seen at h

The silence. "No, I didn't- I didn'

und on several items in the study. And until w

him, numbness fl

rd wa

ng accused o

first time,

he silence when she

had set

t w

ng Sophie alone in the cold, sterile space. Her heartbeat pounded in

party, the hospital, the mansion

chilling thou

ready dead whe