Love Beyond The Scars

picked up the pitche

" I called out, my voice soundin

normal. I h

d, hollowing thing. I

p. Her words, Chloe' s lau

ned my

.. unforgettab

tched. I cared for the woman who despised me, who had st

I' d nurtured for so long was curdling int

' d bought months ago for emergencies – a vag

led S

t Ca

ter. They' d been estranged after my parents died, Carol disappro

t you, honey?

ack streamed down my face. "I need help,

ie, the overheard conversati

ence punctuated by sh

e tight with anger. "Of course, I'll help you, Eth

t kind of hope,

ter, Tori had

her voice bright. "My new personal trainer. H

les, a fitness influencer type. He smi

her hand resting pos

king wonderful progres

u' re a fighter," he said,

lice in her eyes. "Ethan, Marcus needs some special protein powder fro

me a list. Dem

, this new tool in he

r way to rub my face in her power, her d

oth, "while you' re at it, my car needs

She smiled, a swee

Marcus wai

ach demeaning task, each casual cruelty, was a step.

tched. I was

. Aunt Carol was wiring

ntity. A

was coming. I