Shattered Illusions, Reclaimed Life

t, her own grief for the di

ah. We never should ha

pain I'd never seen. "It's not your fault,

ould they

g of curating. He was supposedly a fine arts major, all brooding in

ft, the stru

awn to his supposed vul

ferent then, or

e'd said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Cold. Transact

fortune, the power they wielded, after our impulsive court

"I needed to know you loved me for me, Sarah.

validated. My love was pure

back then, despite the veneer

s head in my lap. "My parents... they don't know how. Everythin

tion, with reassurance. I'd

fool I'

n pictures. Alexis Thorne, all y

d him, his dismi

f. How can you compete with a twenty-y

lously decorated living room, t

ith you anymore when I can hav

deep, deeper than

y, ready to leave, ready

lines appeared o

ive tests, of quiet heartbreak

olve c

cked m

aby, of giving it

he desperate, stupid p

distraction, Ethan would remembe

othing but his