of my eyelids. "Forever." The word echoed in the silent, cavernous space that had just opened up inside my chest. I slid into bed, the sheets cold against my
an was sitting at the kitchen island, laughing at something she said. Mark was leaning against the counter, a mug of coffee
gratingly cheerful. "I made your favorite, chocolate
his favorite break
od by the window, my back to them. The tension was thick enough to cut wi
d. He walked over, his voice low. "A
oking out at the manicured la
ce in his tone. "I told you, Sarah has it handled
r. "Relax? You took my project, my career, and handed it to her. You sugges
than and Sarah, who were now pointedly ignoring us. "
you? Best for her?" I couldn't
ising. "Sarah has the vision, the energy. And frankly, Ava, she connects with Eth
as now ripping away from me, was being used as a weapon against me. The sacrif
elt like ice in my veins. "The career I gave up for ten years so you could build y
utiful home. Everything you could ever want. You wanted to go back to work, I supported
eelings, he was rewriting our history, painting me as incompetent, as ungratef
honey, let's not fight. It's not good for Ethan." She looked at me with those wide, pitying eyes.
ity. She was playing the peacemaker, the serene center of this
I saw the bond between them, solid and impenetrable. I was on t
tell me the truth about who she really was. But something inside me shifted. The rage didn't disapp
the anger from my face. I needed to be smart. I needed to be calm. Hot rage would get me nowhere with these two. Th
oked directly at Mark. "You're both right. I have been s
ok of relief and smug satisfaction. He had won. He tho
patting my arm condescendingl
s smile. "We're a team, Ava. We'
ce in my eyes. I wanted her to know that this wasn't over. It was just beginning
their victory breakfast. They thought they had broken me