No Longer A Double: The Queen's Return

e he'll

wrapped box. Inside was a vintage watch, a surprise

tly on the marble floor of their apartment buil

ly turned. It was unlatched. A sliver of unease, cold and sha

the door

oice soft. She planned to sneak up on h

he saw

s lay discarded by the door. Not hers. Ne

e. She recognized the shoes. They bel

thm. She forced her feet to move, each step feeling like she was w

he bedroom, the

. A woman's breathl

as M

dy. The world tilted on its axis. She reached for the doorknob, he

her shattered her world

Naked, on the bed they were suppo

scrambled to pull the sheets up, a pathetic attempt to

. Mika was

gainst the headboard, the silk sheet barely covering

rdwood floor with a sharp crack. The sound of the vintag

stammered, his voice ho

tched, deliberately placing a hand on her flat stomach

her voice dripping with false sympath

oom spun. The air grew thin, and she couldn't seem to draw a

scream. She

t in the world, and a chilling calm settled over her. She gave

walked, a cold rain beginning to fall, plastering her thin dress t

he yellow light a beacon i

miss?" the

to that apartment, couldn't face tomorrow's wedding. Tomorrow's wedding...

d herself say, her vo

er. She didn't know why she was going there-perhaps to take one last look at it before everything turned to ashes. Or

stone building. Through the ra

imposing against the dreary backdrop. He was tall, dressed in a pe

it, was speaking in a low, anxious voice.

said, his voice deep and devoid of any em

r, the rain immediately soaking her. She walked

her. She could feel the weight of his attention,

handle. An idea, wild and reckless, sparked in the ru

n't car

ood directly in front of him. Water dripped from her eyelashes,

d and met his star

he words were clear, forg

bride did

a shaky

oom ra

tire future hanging on th

you say... we

his face. One of his dark eyebrows lifted in a gesture of pure, unadult

in her eyes to linger on something else-a flicker of defiance, a hint of steel. A corner of