The Secret I Heard in the Operating Room Changed Everything

tt, my mind a s

charm me, to draw me int

his coldness, the overheard words in the hospital, C

, ingrained longing to hear his v

otion was rising: the chil

tions, the rich scent of his cologne – it al

would have blus

would have melt

whisper: Maybe this time will be dif

yes during our marriage, the casual cr

t be his pawn. I wouldn'

se myself. This time, t

rlett. Remember tha

polite, dis

utter his practic

ally, I was just looking for

raction of a second. Surpr

the name was foreign. "I believ

anted to tell her how much I admire her work on the

. I needed him to see Ca

get them together. Keep them together. An

ors leading to the terrace, looking

en I approached her, a

met a few times, usually when my

r." Her tone was neutral,

ed a bit lost." A total lie, but a necessary one. "He's over by the big floral

culpted eyebrow rose a

direct. She wasn't buying

ting to talk to you," I pushed

Caroline, my hea

ith him had been a to

Charm that was skin deep, wea

g the life and light out of

lidation from someone I'd put on a pedestal. A pedestal he a

arlett, and the real

in a little later, s

is weird, me saying this. But Rhett... he really does care ab

e you suddenly so invest

n people don't act on what's real. And you two... you're real. Everyone in

dded. "A charming, infuriating fo

a long moment. "He

" I urged. "Go talk to

eet distance

mile appearing, but this time it seemed a little more

I saw Caroline's posture soften, Rhett

esick girl, felt a pang. A tin

an who had died and come back,

s supposed to be. Them together

oices, the way the chandelier light ca

uickly followed by a

– it all brought back the humiliat

shake. My breath c

doctor's pitying eyes, Rhett's cruel dismi

fault. His cold, calculatin

hough there was no child in this timeline, the phantom agony of

sh in my mouth. The beautif

he terrace, desperate

air hit my face

balustrade, I took

oline were talking. There would be no staged mugging, no passion

me. Not

loom in my chest. I was free. Or at least,

t below, distant and sparkling, a wor

buzzed in

rock. My no-nons

liar, was a balm to my frayed nerves.

h. "Listen, Bree... I need to t

ally make a move, and you realized he's actually a human-shaped

ctually, Bree... I think I need t

enough. I've got a cousin in Austin lo

w city. A new life. It