No Longer His Wife, His Mother

sa

did little to clear my lungs. The dust, thick and suffocating, continued its relentless assault. My heart hammered, each beat a painf

he empty, crumbling space around me. My oxygen supply was dangerously low, a precious commodity now gone, diverted to Bria,

lved around my heart. I remembered lying in a hospital bed years ago, preparing for Jax' s birth. The doctors

e specialist had said, his face grave. "You coul

. I chose life, for Jax, for us. I almost died on that operating table, my heart failing, my body stretched to its limits. I

ild I nearly died for, had just wished for my death. My husband, the reason I ris

echoed in my ears. "Bria' s much m

ring again. The darkness was calling. I had to fight it. I cla

al cry. "Please! I' m... I' m really sick. M

peared at the edge of my blurry vision, Bria still clinging to him, Jax by

of something, maybe genuine surprise, crossed his fe

lying, Daddy! She' s always lying to get attention! She' s just trying to trick you so you won' t help

n to her. She' s just being... dramatic. I really feel faint. My anxiety, it' s just comp

aze hardened. He pushed my hand

e was laced with disgust. He turned his back fully on me, shielding

t. The betrayal was complete. He had chosen them. Agai

ne a fresh wave of agony. My chest tightened until it felt like a vise. The medicin

had fought so hard, for so long. For a man who never

plunged into darkness. I was tired. So,

a dark, venomous thing, growing with each fading beat. They had abandoned me. They had chosen her.