The Unwanted Wife's Genius Comeback

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flown all the way from Boston today, my birthday, just to spend one night with my fami

ent door cool against my fingertips. My heart was a frantic drum agai

vers of sports magazines. He was one of the NHL's elite defensemen, the kind of player fans called a "wall," the kind the leagu

the door. It was

ing as she tried to balance a Lego block o

e her, her perfectly manicured hand steadying the shaky str

en starving for. "Don't knock over Auntie Dayna's masterpiece." H

my own home. They were a perfect family portrait, and I

y suitcase. The soft click

nished from her face. "Mama," she

d waves. She offered me a flawless smile. "Corinne, you're back. We were just keeping Lily

m evaporated instantly, replaced by the familiar

entire welcome for my

t flicker of hope. I forced a stiff

- a limited-edition musical snow globe from Atelier No. 9 in Beacon Hill, only 100 made, three months on the wa

finished playing," she mumbled. Then she ran to the coffee table and picked up a cr

dly to my sides. I could feel Dayna's gaze

s attention was already on his tablet on the armrest, PK number

y were just deep in their game." I pulled my suit

d shut, sealing off the sound of t

ox. I had imagined her face lighting up with surp

hetic. What was a toy compared to th

rror. The light in her eyes was gone. Today was an important

dy to leave. She picked up her designer handb

See you at the pre-ga

ng to her leg. "Don'

'll see you again tomorrow." Her eyes met Blake

he door, his voice low. "Drive

cern I had nev

heavy silence fell

thread. "Blake, I thought... I thought we were goin

row furrowed. He didn't look up. "Can't tonight. Coaches

nceling our plans was just a fact, a

above his eyebrow that seemed colder under the tr

ely hear it myself. It trembled. "I just...

e eyes held a flicker of annoyance, then genuine

moment

rgotten that today was my b