a husband everyone said adored me. Liam Miller, my childhood friend, my rock.

that illusi

sun. That' s when I saw them. Liam and Ethan, my ex, were in the parking lot, the

e Chloe!" Liam' s voice was raw,

ver. I' ll take care of her," Eth

e I stood. "When Chloe needed a heart, I' m the one who made it happen. I arranged for someone t

t in my throat. My mother' s car

thick with a twisted sort of pride. "I married Olivia, just to

ed Etha

him. "Liam, you' re a real simp. Killing O

ing here anyway?"

s. The truth was a physical blow, knocking the air from my l

hile my mother lay dying, who stayed up all night by her hospital be

sing to protect me forever, just as my mother would have wanted... he was doin

mories, searching for signs I had missed. An

arty. He always picked out the most thoughtful, meticulous g

He once left me standing on the side of the road in the rain to

or him. I filled my closet with white dresses for him. I never realized I

ep it overflowed to my family. I wa

ee years. I was carrying his child. He was the founda

l in love with her?

spread through my limbs, and I started to tremble uncontrollably.

d resolve. I wiped the tears from my face with the back of my hand. My steps were unsteady, but I

iet. I stood before her des

I want an

yes widened in shock. "Olivia? What are you talking about?

he baby being fully developed. She asked if Liam knew, if we had a

esolute,

ut of the operating room, I was a ghost of myself, pale and ble

servation. "You' ve lost a lot o

d the discharge papers. I couldn

ift shop. I bought a large, beautiful gift b

rieve the small, lifeless body from the medical waste. I wrapped the bloody,

fake silicone belly and s

is arms around me from behind, his usual routine.

murmured into my hair. "I

or the baby' s heartbeat. He was too drunk, or maybe he just didn'

ice was soft, a perfect imitati

oday? Why did you

ed, his eyes hazy. "

pain because Chloe was another man' s wife, and

making my skin crawl. "Olivia, is it just one more month? I' ve prepar

eyes probably red-rimmed and wil

d picked up t

prepared a