When Love Died, Freedom Began

passenger window bit int

he choked out, hands trembling

ghed, a harsh, ugly soun

zed her. Her fingers found h

nected. "Eth

," Ethan Caldwell, her husband of seven m

, please,

er head. The phon

kne

, a searing pain, and

Amelia. Can't you

s eyes f

of her car, but to the opulent, suffocat

he silk curtains. Years ear

alive.

he bedside table

dding. Three months into th

the phantom smell of blood an

n given a s

ow, phone pressed to hi

ice softening, a tone Amelia had craved and never received.

an he truly loved. The woman who had been a sha

ache in her chest, quickly o

this

surprisingly steady, raw from

s handsome face. "What now, Amel

self up. The memories of her death, his in

issed, turning b

d, her voice gaining stre

ort, derisive sound

lia. What is this, another one of yo

is expression a mixture

have your head. And besides," he leaned in, hi

ess, it was all the same.

gaze without flinching. "This is

out of bed, ignoring t

out her phone – this life' s phone

said into the phone, her voice clear and professional. "It's regarding

usement fading, replaced

He can see me

, Amelia had loved Ethan Caldwell wi

rs, his emotional abuse, all in the pathetic ho

Eleanor Caldwell, his formidable gra

ted their marriage, tying Ethan' s acce

hers, her whispered words: "He needs you,

er. She had tried. Go

horne was a brand

from the beginning, a c

sica at events Amelia was expected to host, leaving

for Ethan's time, pleading with him not to

felt like a victory, each b

ations, public meltdowns that only solidified E

ill love

sica across a room, the way his voice softened when

for both of them, had been E

s quiet nature and artistic talents as a necessar

y saw Amelia as an

dmother, or Amelia, for the li

or any scrap of Ethan's attention

ought clothes she hated but thought he' d admire,

true passion,

er emotions a pendulum sw

er of kindness – usually when he wanted something – sh

gated by Jessica' s subtle digs and Ethan' s immediate defe

ling clarity set

g, self-destructive love she

in that car, listenin

hollow echo, a sca

ing for a man who was incapable of loving

han to Ethan, who was now staring at her with a strange, unr

orbell

was still processing

past him, her

suit stood in the doorway. "Mrs

come in," Amelia s

room, acutely aware of Ethan foll

d mahogany table. "Standard separation agreement

p the pen. Her

ce laced with disbelief and

ctually d

he papers, his eyes

way?" he scoffed, but the soun

e with a vicious

o me when you realize what a mistake yo

, the familiar dismiss

all, genuine smile that di

"The only thing I regret is no

ady packing. Not just clo

leave. D

her. This time,

lia Hayes, reclaiming th