A Love Once Lost

a Greene

until my lungs ached, while the clock

ill wasn

ed the photographs-the vile little collection someone had slipped beneath my door-and stared

did

be true." My voice

my head

eve it. I won

They scattered around me like pale leaves caught in a storm. I tore

ssly in my hair. A raw

re. He had left me and Ruslan behind and crossed

like

ays called. Sometimes it was only for a few minu

s last

trip had bee

urned a week later with a strange silence hanging over hi

gued befo

d me at home, spending his money rather than earning my ow

as nothing capabl

ath work. I had given him space, sent little me

ry one. Ans

how, I had st

t over me. The soft kiss he'd press against my forehead before dawn. The qu

und me in his sleep as though some

in God's n

at the photo

hair was sim

t was

lying half-naked

uld neve

t constantly. More imp

deliberate wound carved straight th

I had be

had believ

on desire and devotion, on raising our son together and

d he hav

her. He was the one who in

y something he foug

glass of water beside me and swall

h

orbell

art l

han

g back so quickl

ust b

ed toward

ll prove this is al

a trembling smile

y, we

died in m

his body utterly slack. His bespoke grey suit was immaculate in every respect except for the vivid red lipstic

ed at me with

ooth as silk and twice as

mach d

e and tha

irthday. The lounge where Ethan

d been

continued sweetly. "S

onvenience rather than the woman who lived there. Then she laid Ethan carefully on th

ide me. I slapp

ouch my

tared

d. A low, m

"You mean the man who slept with

ed. "Ethan would never

expression became almo

lded h

tle for one woman?" Her eyes travelled over me. "And even

k harder than I

epped

I enligh

ldn't

efore you ever appeared in his life. I was his f

eath

u'r

me sur

ler

yes g

oftly. "He told you about me, then? Wonder

aned c

thday. He told me everything. Said it was nothing but lust. A

before I could

t me even while

e lying! H

y does a man like Ethan see in you? What do you offer him be

lted h

told you that day - rare jewels don't s

mbling. But I ref

than woke up, he'd deny

h

I love

ed weakly o

sor

s thick with

again... I won't ig

asped dra

me. "He's been saying that for months. Begg

le beca

impossible to f

g inside

IT, YO

ed around her throat. I

me away with

marble f

me. "No wonder he grew tired of

otice it. Her hair had once been red. Now it was dyed a pale brown, fal

dn't

ough the room. "MINE! No one is ta

impact sent me sprawling. P

feels nothing for you. You aren't his wife. You're just his mistress. A kept woman who looks after his child and

reamed down my face until t

finished as she wen

been enough." She muttered and thr

as a ph

perched on Ethan's back, laughing. The other h

Et

ic smile. Something softer.

mach t

e barely existed

's lips

eaned towards me. "They're

beat, I couldn't even understand the words. Then f

oved m

it! Your perfect little life with Ethan is

N

m ripped

red my

true. N

usband. Ruslan's father.

erately, as though the words

th the satisfaction of someone

livered the

miscarriage t

fr

r voice was almost gen

od ran

ught of having another child with you. He wanted

sm

s exactly

dn't b

vorce you soon." Her eyes gleamed. "Soon, Anasta

wly, like poison spreadi

or. Then grief so enormous it s

ha

our children because