The Empress Who Buries Her Past

med in the doorway, his face expressionless, his eyes cold and dist

feigned sympathy. "Fifty thousand dollars. It's more than fair, considering..." she let the

ey I had meticulously saved from years of working odd jobs, the money I had poured into his fledgling real estate company without a second thought. It was all

ipping with condescension. "But it's better than nothing, isn't it? After all, you didn't really contribute much to the

to sting, merely confirmed what I already knew. She was reveling in her victory, basking i

just wanted this nightmare to end. I wan

ment, she deliberately let go, letting the divorce petition flutter to the h

eyes wide with fake contrition. "How clumsy of me! I'm so sorry, C

side Billie, his eyes filled with concern. "Are you alright, my love? Did yo

led document. I smoothed out the creases, my fingers tracing the cold,

ouse. Our house. But it was no longer mine. The moment I pulled into the driveway, I s

grandmother's antique quilt-all summarily ejected from the life I once shared. I pushed

en before, opened the door, her eyes narrowed with s

hment washing over me. "The... ex-wife. I just came to

hns said all your old junk was on the curb. Didn't want it cluttering up the place for his new missus."

ntributions, my love, my very existence, reduced to nothing. I turned, my eyes scanning the sad pile of boxes

on, were awkward with the delicate pieces, but his eyes were filled with a fierce determination. "This will remind you," he'd said, his voice thic

go, replaced by harsh discord. The wealth had grown, but his presence, his love, his promises, had dwindled to no

hose remnants, those painful reminders of a love that had turned to ash. I lowered my phone, my gaze fixed on the broken wind chime, then slowly, deliberately, I turned and walked away. I left everyth