rey

ce papers. A flicker of confusion crossed his face.

ted into knots. I think I pushed myself too hard on that pres

He rushed to her side, his arm wrapping around her, his concern absolute. "You need to re

pang. He didn't care. Not about me. He never would ag

d my lips. I turned to leave,

package. It was a tube of cream. "Oh, and Audrey, Ethan asked me to get this for you. It's for your stretch marks. You know, from the baby. We w

my stretch marks burn. My hands clenched into fists, my nails digging i

He thrust the tube into my hand. "You should use this every day, Audrey. For your own good. It helps wi

sing my postpartum body, the very vessel that carried his son, as a weapon aga

e, heading toward his private elevator. Just as the doors we

etty nasty side effects if used too often. Like, skin thinning,

t'll work just fine. And if it doesn't, well, at least she'll

d marble with a dull thud. My head swam. My vision blurred. He had meant to hurt me. To actively, malic

am, my hand shaking with fury, and hurled it against the opposite w

e time I collapsed onto my bed, a searing fever had se

immediately. "Mr. Blake, Mrs. Blake has a

d. "Just give her some Tylenol, Maria. She's probably just being dramat

inter, years ago, when I' d gotten the flu. Ethan had stayed by my side, pressing cool cloths

the third night, I felt a cool hand on my forehead. Ethan. I cracked open my eyes.

me. Had he come back? Was it all a misunderstanding?

ouch rougher than before. "Kendall found this special kind," he murmured, his voice dripping with

ulating glint there, a flash of something akin to disgu

surprising even myself. "Get out!"

" he said, his tone devoid of warmth. "Maria, get her dres

es wide with worry. "But sir, she's st

ting Kendall. Kendall has a very important presentation tomorrow." He then walked to t

and unresponsive. Maria helped me into a gown, her hands gentle. I wa

d, and the first thing I heard was Kendall' s triu