The Perfect Lie

pte

and. She could have sworn for a single, fleeting second that she'd been elsewhere-somewhere ordinary, but not quite. When sh

use. No-th

ut something inside her twisted whenever she heard the words. She didn't recall

It was only a matter of time. She had been involved in

more she realized how much was lost; th

immaculate-white walls and neatly stacked bookshelves, and curtains were pulled open just

hey looked back at her. The sizes were correct, but they all felt alien. She stroked the so

th

icate, elegant pieces. A wedding ring glimmered in the light,

ed her they

miling upon a beach, of a wedding at an iso

dn't fe

to bring a memory out from the depths of her mind, but

tap on the door

voice was smooth

ring back into the draw

sp navy slacks and a white fitted shirt. His dark hair was perfectly styled, s

ke coffee. Thought

mpting to smile.

d. The pressure made her tense,

," he said, before headi

out a slo

ng wasn

till refused what she was being shown. If she had lived there, if

to kno

idily stacked books. Classic novels were in the majority, a few bestsellers. She ran

out, opening t

d Ethan. Laughing, sm

ething

a sun-drenched garden, wearing a flower-prin

the photo, a shiver at

t recall

to photo of herself reclining on a picnic

ightened in

hting was incorrect. The background wasn't even at the same locatio

eath h

raphs were

re fabr

ag

truck her with a

e album shut,

was a fa

the truth. She went to the closet, pulling open the doors. Clothes hung row

ne vacant hanger on t

had been t

gers tracing the image w

consider it, a voice c

en

s Eth

tepping away from the closet. Whatever this wa

to the kitch

pouring two cups of coffee

id, handing her a cup.

stiffly. "

ing her head. For an instant, the heat ground

ching her. "I was thinking we could t

mple. But within, she knew that Ethan n

he said c

to sweep a strand of hair behind her

t not to

u to feel at ho

swall

o

d felt

es on the kitchen window. Outside it, th

elt

d the pho

re she could trus

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