of rooms in the vast Davenport ma

as the locked wooden

otograph. His letters, tied with a ribbon, smelled f

ain. "Soon, Liam," she whispered, her voice thick. "Soon, t

ated to his memory. That was the only futur

elcome presence shattered the ten

en his heart and inadvertently triggered his medical cr

ably dressed, her smile a

by the fireplace, lit up li

Ava stood frozen in the doorway, a tray wi

He barely glanced at Ava. "Oh, Ava. This is Chloe.

row rose. She looked Ava up and down, a slo

er lips. "I am Ethan's wife, Ms. Carter. Though I understand the confusion. It's been a

va." He turned back to Chloe, his voi

to the delicate chain around her neck where th

weetness. "Ethan has told me so much about... well, about how things are." She lean

hloe with an adoration Ava had never seen di

lready deep in conversation, leaving Ava stan

han's eager voice, Chloe's music

laughter, whispers, then the unmistakable rhythm of

ddy, Liam's Golden Retriever, whimpering softly beside

thing. Now it was just ru

ng into a restless sle

tted by the hallway light,

ne. The good stuff. And those little ch

wo in th

n the dutiful, silent wife. But something inside her, something worn thin

d, her voice

er, dumbfounded.

t." Her heart hammered, but her resolve held. The end

y servant? You're my wife! You do what I tell you! Or have y

ngers digging in. "Have yo

t. Always t

ree. The pain was a dull ache compared to the constant throb in he

"You think you ca

I can,"

ld see it. But something, perhaps the lateness of the hour

Stay here and sulk.

out, slammi

trembling slightly. It was a small

f Liam on her nightstand. "

im. For herself. For th

returning, the clink of glasses, Chlo

p, cold cellar of her despair felt a little less s