The Wife Who Vanished: His Eternal Regret

y the lake when a shadow stretched

ho it was. The scent of sandalwood

d to find,"

the paper, carving a line sharp and dark

you were on leave. I went to Ayla

h red veins, his suit wrinkled at the elbows. He looked like a m

me, Em

my hand. I pulled it away before his skin could graze mine. "Elana, plea

rolling," I said, my v

Dolder Grand. Tonight. Just... one dinner. Let me explain everythi

ere is you and Hayden and Leo. And th

of the titan of industry he pretended to be. "Just one dinner. If you

a flicker of genuine fear. He needed closure. Or maybe I did. I needed to see him one

. "One dinner.

hing that didn't reach his eyes. "T

ghts that glittered against the black expanse of the lake. It was romantic. It was

violinists play our wedding song-a melody that once

he wine gurgling softly as he poured. "You were w

glass. I picked up the menu instead. "And I was

ring mid-air. "Right. Well

jacket pocket, and pulled out a velvet bo

en

e are here to sign papers

g with the confidence of a man playing a trump

ollowed was louder

are brown

e faltered, twitch

oing this? Why are yo

" I hissed, leaning in. "You pu

as a

e trying to buy me back with jewelry

ht it f

d y

he air, sharp as a ra

or me. But I told him sap

oked

t cinched tight, her hair windblown and wild. Sh

tipped over with a heavy thud. "

ine glass-my glass-and took a long, deliberate sip. "Did you really th

ised in surrender. "I'm doing this for us! If s

arted as a chuckle deep in my chest

ng a tear from my eye. "It's

om my wine. "Shut up. You think you're so special? He doesn'

!" Emilio gra

you planned this dinner! You asked me what music she liked be

lood had drained from his

true?"

r. His silence

nner for your wife," I said, my voice quiet

ble. The cutlery rattled, drawing the eyes of every diner in the room. "Wh

ding up. I felt lighter than I had in years.

it. The sapphire glittered in the c

It suits you. It's cold, hard,

he box int

o? Don't send the papers. My lawy

heard the sound of glass sha

erything!" s

Swiss night, and for the first time, the