perfect husband, completely unaware

t in bed, a tray with my favorite pastri

d, smiling that charming smile th

stomach turn. I force

iam. You' re s

of concern. "You seemed distant last night. Are

emotional state. The audacity of it almost made me laugh. I l

e," I said softly. "It

ooked like sympathy. "I know

master ma

rs. We were sitting in the living room, rea

over a year now. She seems to be doing much better. Maybe it' s time we helped her find a place

om his tablet. His posture s

tone final. "She' s family. She needs us.

, shielding her. My suggestion was a threat to their arrangement, a

e dinner table that lasted a second too long. The way Liam' s hand would brush her back as she passed by, a gesture so fleeting it wa

. I was the intrud

in the garden below. Liam was pushing little Leo on the swing, his face lit up with joy. Maya stood beside him, her hand

"Higher, Uncle

of pure adoration on her fac

all. The love, the secret understanding, the shared hi

s a physical thing, a crushing weight on my chest that made it hard to breathe

I was mingling with guests when I saw Maya corner me near the bar. She was wearin

"Chloe, you look lovely tonight. But

e, Maya. J

er voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "You know, you' re so good to L

ory, flaunting her intimac

yes gleaming with malice. "It' s such a shame about your miscar

s contents in her face, to scream at her, to expose her

ruel thing to

d. "The truth i

ooking for anything in particular, just a quiet place to think. My eyes landed on a s

here he kept a spare key, inside an old book on t

le of papers or old keepsak

, silve

, smiling radiantly. On the other side was a picture of little Leo. And

amily. My

o

orn child. He had taken that last, sacre

ocket fell from my numb fing

ation. He hadn' t just lied to me; he

am died. It turned to ash and blew away, leavin

that was left was a