Hidden Wife: Rising From The Ashes

Marriage Certificate and Was Content to B

s across my body, I charged into a raging fire

she publicly accused me of setting

to tell the truth. Instead, h

background. I never imagined you'd actually delude yourself into thinking I

explanation, when I accidentally bumped into Gia.

iscarriage report and told me I would

orged medical records and had me locked away in an illegal psychiat

caped that

a divorce. I would bring all my evide

pte

nor'

cked it into the lining of my wallet, while my husband introd

o watch his childhood sweetheart Gia Delaney lounge insolently on his desk, draped in his cashmere coat, sneering at me

e fire five years ago and developed severe PTSD. To keep

a lit cigarette in her mouth. He never mentioned that I was the one who'd risked my lif

e thick hypertrophic scarring on

d, throbbing like a stab wound. Before heading to my afternoon shift at the Metropolitan Art

d the outpatient pharmacy when a hand

coat Brighton had bought on his last business tri

he tender, sensitive skin over my burn scar. "You saw Brighton

gling to pull my arm free. "I'm he

rawing stares from nurses and waiting patients. "It's not enough that you hang around Brighton at the offic

ils dug deep into my swo

aking me gag. The inflamed skin tore open under her nail

We've been married for two whole years! And you know perfectly well how I got t

t. The security guard a few met

Instead of backing down, she grabbed the collar of my

Fine. His office is only three blocks away. Let's go there right now. I'd love to see how B

I let her drag me through th

uldn't handle the shock that he belonged to someone else. He promised me that once Gia's insurance settlement c

ent, ironed his custom shirts. Even when Gia showed up uninvited

ing. Gia shoved open the double glass doors of the litigation depar

and administrative staff i

ck of depositions, tears streamed down her face. "Brighton, look what she's doing to me! She atta

ted rapidly between Gia's tear-stre

traight in

I'd suppressed for two years. "In front of Gia, in front of eve

tching his suit lapels. "Brighton, please... my heart's racing so fast... she

his arms tightly around her. He stroked her bl

right here. You're safe."

at me, his expression

of pity for your difficult family situation, I've tolerated your obsession with me all this time. But bringing your delusions int

ody, as if a hammer had struck

an whose wedding ring, on a silver chain, I wore next

und me immediately

he looks at Brighton

ctually think she's

er sleeve. Probably sel

logged into the state public civil records database. I pulled up our officiall

on!" I hissed. "Look at the city hall registration

ey saw the official seal and our two handwritten s

ression. A flash of panic crossed her

avy leather heel and brought it crashing down on the screen, sha

orged your signature! This woman is insane! Call

ssionlessly, grinding his heel

ity and notify the precinct. Ms. Forman used my personal identity information to forge a m

s I stepped forward in disbelief. "It's real! You know perfe

he cold order and turned his back complete

st behind my back. Agony blurred my vision. As they hauled me through the elevator lobby

from a law firm partner and Gia's fabricated assault complaint, I

d every connection he had in the legal world. The firm filed emergency motions with the c

filthy paper dressings thrown in through the bars, yellowish pus mixed with old blood. By the fifth day, I

m the marriage certificate was fully valid in the state system, dismiss the identity fraud charges on th

t and went straight to a free

od off my forearm with saline. When he sa

acture has fused with your flexor carpi radialis tendon. Ms. Forman, you've lost thirty to forty percent of the fine motor functio

holding up my useless right hand. I was an a

my dignity, wasted my youth-crushing it all

e the address of our a

andalwood cologne scent of Brighton was completel

allway straight to

ide her, suit jacket draped over the chair at the headboard, reading a book of poetry aloud, his long fingers gently

bumped the wall w

ss on his face vanished instantly, repla

ile still holding Gia's hand. "After making such a scene in my office, red

ked up the half-full glass of ice water next to

his eyelashes, soaking his e

ing at him, no tears left in my