ray of white lilies draped over the dark wood. Each sympathetic glance felt like a lie. They saw me as the gr

or the cameras, his hand a heavy weight on the

I sa

didn' t reach her cold, calculating eyes. She was dressed in a ridiculous

d turne

" I hissed at Brayden, m

ent warning. "Behave, Ame

melia, I am so, so sorry for your los

isy was br

aid, my voice sh

hand over her heart. "I ju

knees, Katharina. Get on your knees right here on this cold floor and beg my mother for for

h the small crowd

the mask of grief slipped back into place.

yden,

ing no room for argument. He was protecting her. Here,

, broken sound. "It will neve

my ear. "Do not make a scene. We will disc

phant smirk over Brayden' s shou

rt a cold, dead weight in my chest. I couldn' t fi

ispered, the w

"Katharina, perhaps it' s best if you go," he sai

crowd watched them, their whispers following the couple. They probably thought he was

was a bi

n an ocean of performance. The rest of the service passed in a blur. I didn' t hear the eu

the car was a living thing. I stared out the window, watchin

pulled into our driveway. "We need

nothing to

e, Amelia. You emba

ngine. He turned to me, his face hard. "I k

of him, years ago, eating my mother' s homemade stew in our tiny apartment,

, my voice dangerously quiet.

' t be ridiculous. That

n' t

adlights off, came screaming around the

time to scr

ttering glass. My head slammed against the side window.

spun. I ta

gasped, clutch

driver' s side crushed. Brayden seemed mostly

wide with something I coul

screen lit up with a

swere

ne, his voice tight with concern. "Wh

kled his

what was happening. Pain was radiating through

pleaded, my voice wea

nless mask. He looked at the blood stain

e got out

nning down the street, disappearing into the

inal, brutal confirmation of what I already knew. I was not

bled for the door handle, but it was jammed. The pain in

to the car window. "Miss, ar

whisper. "My husband... he left me. P

. Black spots danced in my vision. The

as the empty street where Brayden had been