Her Sacrifice, Their Scorn

my cheek still throbbing, my

ing in a chair by the

with concern, but

his voice soft. "H

away when he tr

so comforting, n

you her

orried a

were you worried I'd cause more

"That's not

our fiancée, or whatever she is to you, destroyed something precious to me

sive. "They were convinced you attacked her. Victoria is carrying

" I whispered, the words raw.

re of frustration. "You don't understan

u made a choice, Etha

tween us, heavy

"Don't say that. This is all part of

n? The one where I'm hidden away like a dirty secr

. He stood up, pa

Once the baby is born, o

mbering Eleanor's wor

Yes. After that, I s

it's a

er. He couldn'

their first child, wouldn't be enough

ce dropping again, coaxing. "Just

word was

id, turning away from hi

. "Alright. I'll come bac

didn't com

r in that guesthouse. Food was brought o

as a different

an, but from a grim-faced Eleanor

iven birth. A

aid, her voice devoid of wa

t a little longer, Sarah. We

er. The refra

was not enough. The pr

less frequent, his e

nd say, "They need a son, Sarah. After th

the allerg

, developed a severe, u

then Eleanor, overtly, star

e? Had Ethan, in a moment of weak

ld since she was a newborn, and

mon." My food, my influence, was som

contact, even indire

even more isolated cottage on a remote co

t was to

, his face strained. "They're looking for

e differently then. A h

licacy" of the situation

certainty that chilled me to the bone, that

ng was ki

to g

mily lawyer. I remembered that flicker of

mewhere Ethan can't find me. I'll sign anyth

d, his express

t," he said, his v

it wasn't a no. It

rity event. A hug

f Victoria wore my grandmother's locket – or what was left of it. She'd had the p

was a temporary loan. To appease

onight, Sarah. P

onely cottage. The locket was ostentatious against her expe

ted me at the cottage. She mu

d her earlier, tried to r

rly fall. She was pregnant again

n, hearing her

h, looking frightened. He saw me, sta

out a moment's hesit

way fr

ance, and hit my head hard on th

y skull. Stars dan

ictoria to the family doctor, his voice f

dazed, blee

in us, shattered into a million piece