His Poisoned Love, My Shattered Heart

Frazie

calm demeanor. But that night, sleep offered no escape. I thrashed in

everything was fine! Whose fault was it, really, that I went abroad? I went because you encouraged me, because we planned a futur

recent conversations did: i

his usual charismatic aura. Our eyes met across the room, and for a long moment, we simply stared, the silence thick with uns

earnest and full of devotion. He slipped my warm boots onto my feet, his touch gentle. Bu

comfort. "I can take you to the hospital, you can see for yourself. There's

ely a whisper. "But I have s

had already booked a flight for a week later. This wasn't anger; it was a carefully considered escape. His words had been like shards of glass, embeddin

an break, for

e rang. I heard the muffled sound of a woman crying, a soft, pathetic wail. Dale's face immediately contorted with concern. "Some

nd the corner. I stood alone in the vast, empty parking lot, a sudden chill creeping into my bones. I

d clearly through the air. "Did you hear?" one whispered, "Mr. Atkins rushed here the moment Jet

red. This was

Teaching her everything, hand-holding, the works. I even heard

an, raised an eyebrow. "But

," scoffed another. "Jetta is so much prettier, so mu

o consume me whole. I felt small, insignificant, unwa

was wearing the anniversary jacket I had bought for Dale from London, the one h

ace a picture of innocent distress, was crying softly. Dale, his eyes filled with tender affection, gently wiped

last night, Dale?" Jetta asked,

tching between us. Then, his voice flat, devoi