Fractured Vows

as staring at her with those sharp brown eyes that formerly had so much warmth. Now, though?

that had been consuming her for weeks, her

t, she spoke steadily as sh

ime since she had entered his office. Startle. Incredulity. He had not anticipated it at all. As she watched him take

on grew i

t," keeping a hawk-eye on him and n

ith the weight of the past and the future bearing down on her shoulders, the room felt as though it were clos

ion might cause him to crumble. Once mor

er before George fin

s came out. It was a suspicious inquiry, the same mistrus

ew constricted. Wh

rs, of course. Who else might it be? She maintained her position de

ly. Was it terror? Or was it worse? The hesitancy, the uncertainty in his gaze...

me?" His voice became quieter a

lief? Jessica was undecided. Was he scared of the consequences

change in any way as a

ords, Jessica's heart raced. She was aware that the shock was subsiding and that h

him a pass now that the

didn't hold out for a response. Rather, she walked toward the window with her back

lar behind her and felt his eyes on her, but

collected voice, "I'm here to make you pay." She imagined what it would be like to

tter?" The silence was broken by George's v

his gaze in the window's reflection. A lit

gs better. It has to do with repaying. It's to let you realize how

. "Don't even consider me to be your wife once more. Now that you'v

e was a flash of panic, real terror, in his face. Their marriage was no longer at

ce, Jessica was

r betrayals, the thought that she had returned to ruin him and everything he had worked so

ained as he continued, "Jessica, please." "This isn't how things shoul

im, the expression in her eyes was

er issue? Sharp and biting, her voice pierced the air like a

hand back as he reached for it, stepping away from him. He was b

to cause you harm. I... I was self-centered. I was wrong. I

r eyes blazed. "George, you can't solve this.

him, her voice clear and icy.

ly left George in his collapsing r

eached out, his chest constric

them. What on earth could he say to get i