Haunted By The Wife He Lost

Stephen

and polite laughter echoed through the grand ballroom. I found Ema Acosta near a display of antique jewelry, her modest black dress

e marble floor. The sound was sharp, delibe

ickly so. It barely disguised the steel underne

g to me. "Mrs. Finley," she stammered, curtsyin

predatory gleam in my eyes. "This is my event, afte

hisper. "Tell me, Ema, do you enjoy playing dre

orning the tables. "I... I was invited, Mrs. Finl

letting the silence stretch, letting her squirm. "J

ound her neck. It was a simple piece, yet familiar. Too familia

said, my voice still dangerou

ingers trembling. "Y

"A friend? How quaint. You know, Ema, one should be careful with oth

necklace from her throat. It snapped easily, a cheap imitation an

by socialites to hear, "was a gift from my husb

ly aware, buzzed with whispers. Her carefully constructed

she choked out, her

It sank with a gentle splash. "Just like you didn' t know he was married. Or that I' m s

"Consider this a warning, little intern. Play with fire, and you ge

the middle of the ballroom. The whispers grew louder, fueled by scandal a

t yell. Jacob never yelled. His anger was a silent,

ow, deadly calm. He gripped my arm, his fingers

e with a sharp tug, "was me setting bo

e said, his eyes narrowed

. "Or did you think I wouldn' t notice the cheap imita

s a sweet girl, Eloise. Sh

every time, Jacob. The damsel in distress. The gentle lam

p back as if I were contagious. "You' ve a

st efforts. "Because I refuse to stand by while my

t his eyes betrayed him. They softened,

er?" I challenged. "Why did

gh his perfectly coiffed hair. "It

aid, my voice trembling with suppressed rage. "

ion on the company board. My family' s company, the one he now co

of her manipulative tendencies in previous internships, the way she' d climbed the corporate ladder on the backs of unsu

hat had once been ours. His face was contorted with a fury I hadn't seen since the

g me, hard, against the wall. The impact

my breath catching in my throat. "Someth

ruth? Is that what you call it? You' re just

d was boundless, were now cold, devoid of a

een. Ever since that... incident. Fifteen days, wasn' t it? Fifteen days in hell

ything blurred into a kaleidoscope of terror. His words echoed, amplifying the screams from a p

ew to my stomach, a dull ache beginning to bloom. My heart

my voice barely a thread.

d of all color. For a fleeting second, I saw a fli

hardening instantly. He read a message, and his face transfo

e flat, devoid of emotion. "The stress, the humili

eathed, shaking my head. "That

"She' s delicate, Eloise. Not like you. She' s pu

l, devastating blow. "I want a divorce. And you will terminate that pre

y. Our baby. And he wanted me to... end it. The pain in my abdomen intensif

ow. Not l

y, tears streaming down my face. The red spread, a

dark was Jacob' s voice, cold and distant, ca