Stolen Life

hung in the air,

t the shock of seeing a ghost anymore, it was the cold, calculating fear

g. She took a step toward him, trying to touch his arm. "Let's

away as if her tou

st talkin

fully between Ethan and Olivia. "You heard

less smile touching his lips. "But

nowhere after three years and expect to just destroy everything Olivia has built? She has been good to us. She to

e in that mine for you. I sent money home every single week. I gave Olivia everything I had. The insurance polic

ce contorted with anger. "You can't come back and

turning to ice. "I'm thinking about how you all c

They were tears of frustration. "You're being so selfish! Daniel is

ng out his chest. "Maybe you

ey would have three years ago. They simply confirmed wh

ia's. "I'll be out of your lives soon enough. As soon

l snapped. "The money is gone. We inv

Ethan said calmly. "I'm

y broke. She knew exactly what that meant. Public humil

leading woman was gone, replaced

chest. "After everything I've been through? Losing you... it n

overed remarkably wel

essed to her forehead. "My heart... I can't breath

way. He remembered her faking dizzy spells whenever his fath

past him, she brought her hand back and slapped him hard a

the fake illness forgotten. "After everything Olivia has done for

mbol of this final, absolute betrayal. He looked at his mother, the woman who

ast ember of attachment to the

k silence. He looked directly at Olivia, who was watching him with a

ce firm. "The divorce is happening. I'll hav

ckless. "Wait! What do you want? Money? Is t

, shocked. "Olivia,

And the boy... little Leo... you wouldn't... you wouldn't do anything to hur

, that Ethan almost laughed. She was willing to

le," he said, shak

his mother yelling after him, his sister crying, Daniel trying to comfort a f

of the cab a stark contrast to the chaos he'd just left behind.

He pulled it out and saw the nam

nswe

e. It was a voice that commanded respect, a voice used to giv

back against the sea

"Which means they

he money," Et

his voice. "Sentiment is a liability. Now you hav

lap, his father's silence. He thought of the life they had

rdening into the resolve he'd learned in

-