The Pain In My Marriage

in her ears as she stood

ffled by distance, and the thudding of h

Nova. Dono

e mansion was a labyrinth of silence and shadows, but the hushed conversatio

istakable-sharp, always l

issed. "If you don't keep her distracte

ha

hed the rai

s wit

fident. "She's too emotional. She'll spiral

was a

omething that turned

w the donor wa

nees near

o

No

sts. She stepped back, pressing her

t d

e who was supposed to be the miracle. The reaso

li

not to make noise, but her heel

ea

s below w

reath hitching as she reached her bedroom. She slammed

il she was crouched on the floo

pered. "Please let

er gut,

never foun

planned t

never a

about c

ut

-

ur pa

w

en had given her. She'd scanned the pages before, but now-now she flipped th

results were

dates didn

logged without ad

ore the wedding showed an inje

nd flew to

ing her siste

ng t

love to

head

on her door m

n an instant, hands c

ans

, male, familiar.

ed to un

him. His expression was tight, jaw clenched, eyes

happ

She never had one. They're faking her treat

s he flipped through th

ng," she whispered. "I gave up ev

at her slowly.

down her cheeks. "Th

, they're not just manipulating you. They're committing medical fraud.

ng," she said.

moment, then nodded. "You'

just wish I'd

the door made t

e, it wa

hard.

ice was dark and he

eath c

ng her away from the door. "I'

the mattress just as Ethan

you're i

n ope

ight. His eyes flickered between the two of them-Layl

was danger

you're in my wife

d smoothly. "Layla looked pale

like a scalpel. "You di

va's physician, and Layl

icked in E

e," h

ove. "She's not

n it. "She's safer than she'll ever be

to Layla. "A

hough her thr

etly. "Remember wha

hen h

ong moment before turning back

thi

loser. "Lying doesn

fired back before sh

truc

e side, the sting bloo

didn

k to him slowly, liftin

ut the dono

ression did

ing in his

ow what you t

tly what I've sacrificed and

st she didn't

nning her in place. The other gripped her throat-n

ames, Layla?" he mu

-

locked herself i

untouched beneath the mattress,

d to g

not

of. Something she could

w, Ethan woul

ess

va was ne

thought crept

ness, the treatments, and the

shook as she

et a DNA test wit

came withi

it. Bring me a blo

: Ton

-

l suite at Ashford Medical w

er and barely blinked

e sterile light. Layla leaned over, gentl

then pricked her sister's finger wit

e sealed it in a plastic bag, tucked it

nd, Katherine was st

a ga

es were narrow

e you do

e same," Layla said

, remember?

veni

didn't reach her eyes. "Y

tting a

tly, stepping closer, "be

wh

nd something you

t her, chin high

n't loo

-

, Damien too

e said. "Give me f

d. "And if

. "Then Nova's in more

-

was waiting for

rling a glass of scotch, eyes

you visi

ister," sh

he said, and she heard

ile. "That's what

ps twi

. "There was a time you w

," she whispered

"Then I guess I'll just have t

touch her, the

there, pale and shakin

d urgently. "We

oked bet

ind of

s voice

was never one. Katherine forge

slowly, his f

get this?" he a

ernal email. Someone se

heart

unrav

fast.

, Ethan would kno

ad to

ni

-

, Layla pa

The file. Th

coat and waited for the

slipped out thro

the back lawn toward the edge of the pro

touched the gate just as h

V skidded

rned t

ond vehicle

d out, dressed

ne to his ear.

, clutching the c

t tou

idn't

idn't

abbed

reached fo

scre

th

gunshot

lding her

d dropped

rned,

ing in the trees, gun rais

stepping out of the