ken up by the sound of Jas

red in sweat and kept repeating, "Mu

urning up. Panic surged through

e tightly, shaking all over, ru

tly, patting his back softly. It took

asn't just a nightmare. It wa

icing he was calmer. "What did you

mum..." h

um a scary dream?" I hel

led my mother, and I was there when it

. I don't want to open old

d like I was okay since I was fourteen. Now that I have someone t

y mother was vomiting blood, with my stepmother standing there laughing an

lk about it if it's t

ou." He held my h

wing cold... colder... By the time the ambulance arrived, my mother was gone. My stepmother was arrested before sh

en so hard for you." Tears welled in m

it tough in life-but clearly, no one

day, I'm afraid to eat, fe

ile as he cried out his pain. Life

into my face. "Thank you

a stranger? Shouldn't it have ended as

Let me get you a wet towel to bring your tempera

words echoed in my head-Than

h of us. It was better to stay away. This w

'd leave-before things got too complicated. But w

urned off the tap, and

ter, Jason drift

leave-without g

he bathroom t

my face. My heart ached deeply. I knew exactl

needed to return to my father's empi

the bathroom an

Jason asked, his eyes following

n't sl

course,"

e just stay i

to fix my home. I miss my hus

I needed to give him a bitter goodbye

d." I repeat

ou that I even showed you my vulnerable side?" His voice rose in anger. "Do

with my best friend and got her pregnant-because I lo

ight he lied about being busy while he was screwing your so-ca

ng my father built with his sweat-it's now under

riend. And if I try to fight for my father's property, a scandal will do more harm than good to the compan

ny over yourself? You're sacrificing yo

t me to leave my husband and settle with some random man I met in a club? That's not

his way about a woman. It's more than just sex. I don't ev

long second, my hear

rm within. "Let's not cros

knob with trembling fingers, and walke