His Betrayal, Her Bitter Freedom

ther was on the operating table, her life hanging by a thread, dependent on Braden' s skill

Hodge isn't here!" she whispered, her voice laced with

e's not here?" I demanded, my voice ra

g helplessly at the other medical staff.

y stomach twisted. I knew

. I called Braden. Once, twice, three times.

y, it connected.

a's voice, syrup

I choked out, my vo

ace. Something came up." Then, I heard it. Braden's muffled v

the control I'd so caref

s just helping me with a little problem. A flat tire,

as dying, and he was fix

tered, mirroring the pieces of my heart. I knelt there amidst the shards of glass and my crumbling

their faces grim. My mother was gone. The surgery had f

otions. Planning the funeral alone. My mother' s friends, distant relatives, offe

fume, looking slightly disheveled. He stood in the doorway of th

his voice hesita

nd slapped him across the face with all the force my grief-ad

ed, my voice hoarse from cr

gly calm. Too calm. "Grace, you know her progn

he rage finally erupting. "You were wi

child." The words hung in the air, heavy with a new kind of betrayal. "Her fami

omised me, Braden," I choked out, remembering our remarria

d on my cheek, and sworn. I'll never hurt

al mess. I clawed at him, screamed obscenities, my grief turning into a

smile playing on his lips. "You know, Grace," he said, his voice soft, chilling.

d and wa

ste of his words mingling with my tears. My mother was go

n a visibly rounded stomach. The caption read: Thanks for understanding, Grace. Some debts are just more important. P.S. I woul

used me. He'd been used too. By her. The

tears. No m

," I declared, my voice steady, though my hands were still shaking. "For medical negligence. For abandoning h

"Mrs. Chambers," he began, his voice condescending. "Dr. H

!" I shouted. "My mothe

This is a very serious accusation. Dr. Hodge has an u

, looking surprised to see

ripping with concern, but his eyes were hard. "Since her

Braden. "Mrs. Chambers, I advise

covering for him! You're prot

arned, stepping closer. "Y

le!" I yelled. "I'll go to the

back at me. "If you do that, Grace, I'll have you c

He would do it. He had the power, the

he

om my home. The paramedics, the police, the

s. A psychiatric hospital. Braden ha

air slowly solidified into something else. Something cold and sharp. Revenge. He had taken

Pretended to be compliant. Waite

. A carelessly left door. A window left ajar. I ran. Int