tiseptic smell stinging my nostrils. A dull ache t
l I passed out. He hadn't called an ambulance. He'd called his private doctor, the one who pre
d by the window. "Mrs. Gardner? I'm Sa
full of a pity
sign," she said, placing a thin file on the be
e night before. Just some pape
s a stack of documents, dense with legal jargon
ion for
signatures. Tucked beneath it was another document, a power of attorney, givi
e me declared mentally incompetent
all the yellow tabs,
nt. He trusted his power, his ability to make people do what he wanted. He wouldn't have
teady, "my husband and I discussed this. I'
lled out the d
heart pounding. "He said h
for a moment but the
eyers Gardner. I signed it. Then I pu
n it too," I sai
on, in his haste and arrogance, had only filled in the details. He hadn't signed his p
e right after I signed," I lied
he took out her phone. A few minutes later, an e-signature from
was now leg
er," Sarah said, gathering the papers. She le
as a small victory, a tiny crack
xi not home, but to the small community garden my mother had tended for
the empty air. "I'm so sorry I co
"I will make them pay. B
. If the world thought I was unstable, if Garrison
y own
uld discredit me, institutionalize me, and no one would believe me. But if I
e, I would launch my revenge. I would become the viral nightma
use was quiet, but I could hear fain
d, marble-floored living
earing one of my silk robes, sipping a mimosa. Garrison was laughing at some
nd saw me. The
" he said, a flicker o
aying on her lips. "Oh, darling, you look simply aw
here, Garrison?" I
trial," he said smoothly. "I invited her t
hot back. "Celebrating g
ically. "Garrison,
his body blocking my view of her. "That
ds. She's allergic to gluten, lactose, and she only drinks Fiji water at exac
g me, ordering me, to cook and serve the woman
ing arrogance of it
us," I said, my voi
patient parent scolding a difficult child. "We need to keep t
id, a bitter laug
htly worn cashmere sweaters over her shoulders. A swea
a bit dated, don't you think?" She look
company party. Garrison had stepped in front of me, put his arm around my waist, a
et this woman insult m
or the plan to work, I had to endure. I had to play t
sleep, that the house was "creepy." She wen
oo eager to
me to the guest room
is very sensitive. She feels more comfortable in t
ee Keyla leaning against the master bedroom doorframe. She met
y voice devoid of emot
his way. "After all," I added, pausing at the door
t inside me. It wasn't just love that had died. It was hope. The last, stupid,
nd in his plac
ith him. Utterly