e on her face. "Dav

to his defense. "What kind of thing is tha

ked, keeping my gaze locked on

at me from across the table.

He's a leech. And you're

d you needed some money. Again. Sarah was going to ask me for it." I turned

le. "David, this is n

said, setting my fork down. "In front of ever

p. "In fact, the bank of David is

didn't stop until I was in the garage, the cold concrete under my feet a welcome cha

ing down when Sarah burst thro

her voice shaking with rage. "How could you e

, bitter sound. "You mean your ex

nd my mother and brother hav

" I shot back. "I've been funding their lives for

cried. "Robert is in tr

g with ice. "You can sell that new car I bought you l

bol of the life I provided. The thought of giving it

g cruel," sh

r to her, my voice dropping.

ily appeared in the doorway,

nting a finger at me. "You're a monster! Robert is my dad

The same ungrateful, entitled child from my first life stood bef

memory of her throwing me out of

"I am the guy who pays the bills. But not anymore. N

de with a mixture of fear and d

I want a div

I'd slapped her. "Y

I've never meant anyt

ice rising to a frantic pitch. "You'll b

e. The same one she had f

d to my car, got in, and started the engine. As I pulled out of the garage, I saw t

tears. Finally, I pulled into the empty parking lot of my office buildin

dam

he died, but it was mixed with the white-hot rage of betrayal. I wept for the man I

ck, against my wil

story about a husband who had left her and her young daughter. Emi

ce to build a family, to be the man her

picnics. I remembered the day I proposed, on one knee, promising to lov

was a mess, he'd lost everything overseas. Sarah came to me, tears in her e

id, her hand on my arm. "He just mad

become a fixture in our lives, a constant, draining presenc

happening all over again. The love I had felt for her w

my life, piece by painful piece. This tim