Sold, Framed, Now She's Free

ernal trauma, it's highly unlikely she'll be able to conceive aga

y pale with shock, turned ashen. He staggered

, sobbed uncontrollably. Her cries, raw and guttural, rippe

.." he whispered, his voice hoarse with pain. "Whose... whose baby was i

g his arm, and buried her face in his shoulder. "Yours, Chandler. It w

within him. He tightened his embrace, pulling her closer. "No," he murmured, stroking

"I can't be a mother now, Chandler," she wail

ecurity guards. My gaze drifted to Brenda' s flat abdomen. A bitter, hol

ion of my touch, my desire. "I' m too busy, Charlotte." "I need to focus on work." "Don' t y

ad blamed myself, wondered what I had done wrong. But it w

to want me. But he had been sleeping with Brenda, building a f

ith rage. He lunged, a wild animal, his fist connecting with my jaw. The force of the blow sent me sprawling

, a defiant sneer on my face. "

ning with fury, widened in di

oarse, "that maybe it wasn't

ed me across the face, sending me flying across the room. My head hit the corner of the b

d night air rushed in, chilling me to the bone. He held me halfway out

oared, his voice raw with fury.

onizing over what they were doing to you, how you were suffering! Why did you disappear? Why didn't you come home?!" His voice cracked, a raw,

n't know anything, Charlotte! You only

grief. But I saw through it. I saw the self-pity, the desperate attempt to

d halfway out the window, the wind whipping through my hair, I felt nothin

rely audible above the wind. "I'

easy?!" he roared, pacing the room like a caged beast. "You think you can just wal

e blood on my forehead was beginning to dry. "What kind of punishment, Chandler?"

ow and deliberate. "On one condition. You will publicly admit your guilt. You will confess to everything. And you will formally

f blood filled my mouth. He wanted me to become a ghost, to erase myself,

d, his voice a cold whisper. "This i

py. "My little fighter," he used to say. "Always stand up for what' s right." I remembered his warm embrace, his comforting words, his unwaver

ed, the words tearing throu

y brownstone. My voice, numb and hollow, read the pre-written confession. I admitted to everything: to frami

stic bottles, crumpled newspapers-rained down on me. I curled into

ng together, triumphant. She was smiling, a radiant, victorious smile. He held h

now, I am pleased to announce that in three days, Brenda Richardson

nd cruel. Married. To Brenda. My world

tench of garbage overwhelming. The doors clanged shut, plunging me into suffocating darkness. The truc

g intrusion in the suffocating darkne

"Are you alright? I saw the news. I'm coming to get you. And