Just A Substitute: The Wife He Failed

tumbled, sending a tray of boiling

Marcus, move

ot fo

cousin Chloe, shielding

ing liquid hit my chest and a

cally checking Chloe for scratches, whispering, "Thank Go

anded me a check for

e said, avoiding my eye

tice my holl

e doctors were looki

the shock and trauma had caused me

doll. I dressed like Chloe, painted lik

t I was

der until he sacrificed our child to s

rt Chloe again, I pul

d divorce papers o

medical report confirming

I va

pte

ie

hat Florence alleyway, but the silence

Marcus th

e shoved me into the rough brick wall. The third time, I was bleeding on the c

er ans

twenty-two, the orphan he had molded like clay. He bought me the finest oil paints, hired the best tutors, and guided my hand on the canvas

s wr

msy fall. Marcus did not pick me up at the airport. He was waiting

" he said. He did no

My voice was steady. It s

nt. "Buy a new one.

r. The screen lit up. I did not mean to look. I respected his pri

lo

ully. The woman who made my

red over the screen. I knew the pass

lock

o. It was taken three

stood with his back to the camera, buying tickets to the Uffizi Gallery. I knew

was in

eets away, begging for his help, h

roll

," Chloe wrote. "When are

She is just a placeho

om turned solid. I could not breathe. My ch

aceh

he specific shade of red lipstick he insisted I wear. It wasn't for

e back exactly

g his hair with a towel. He looked at me, really l

strand of hair behind my ear. His fingers were warm. They u

fine,"

d smile that had fooled me for fou

x from his pocket. Inside w

pearl earri

. My fingers d

u, Marcus

equest," I

n eyebrow.

spent on me. Since the day you took me i

sive sound. "Why? You do no

to know my va

st. "Fine. I will have my

s entire demeanor shifted. The indifference van

this," he said.

nswer. I saw the way his shoulders relaxed, the way he leaned against the

d him yet. I had planned to surpris

ed of me. Or so I thought. Now, I saw the tilt of the chin,

of the box. I walked to the

I whispered to the empt