A marriage of shadows and fire

fore that sound could fully pull me from the fog

even a text. His line wasn't reachable, and with each failed attempt, my pulse hammered harder. I had wanted-no, ne

ng happened to him? Or worse, was he part of

ifeline. "No, Daniel wouldn't do this to me," I whispered to myself.

s we spent building a bond that felt unbreakable-was it all for nothing? The thought ripped th

remony, the fight drained from me. I couldn't reach Daniel, couldn't stop the tidal wave

e was opulent to the point of excess, its grandeur suffocating rather than welcoming. I stood awkwardl

" Dickson said with a smug g

est room," I replied coldly, barely m

his time more predatory than ever. "You're my wife

him and settled into the sitting room, slamming the door shut behind me.

movie, his son sauntered into the room, an air of

"What's it like, marrying someone old enough to be

ipping away another layer of my dignity. I gla

m. Women like you only care about the z

erupted. "You don't know anything about me! Keep your opinions to

won. "Watch yourself, or you'll find out jus

walls as the weight of my new reality crushed me. A loveless marriage to a man who saw me as property, an es

restless sleep. My heart raced as I sat

lled out, my voic

voice-one I hadn't heard i

came the mu

n my throat. Danie

nding there wasn't who I expected... and w