ight. He saw my pale face

d, not looking at me. "She's not comfortable being alo

g, planning. His cruelty was a gift. It erased any lingering doubt, any shred of affection I mi

g wife. I cleaned the apartment. I endured Jessica's smug visits and Mark's cold in

eviewed case law, torts, constitutional law, everything. The burn scars on my back ached as I hunched over my

lly. The baby inside me was growing, a silen

shifted. He came home with a bag full of baby gif

e my skin crawl. "You've been under a lot of stress. The fire, the pregnancy... I

ur first life, he used my "emotional

my voice carefully neutra

smate. "Sarah, you need to see this." It was a screensho

tion voided, citing 'extreme pregnancy-related psychological distress.' He said a courtroom is no place for her right

't just sabotaged me. He had stolen my

Jessica's door. She opened it, a triumphant smirk on her face. Mark was behind her

y voice shaking.

u, Sarah. A mother's place is at home with her child. Jessica is