From Dust to Gold

hines. Did you hear? Mark Johnson' s assistant is pregnant. Poor Sarah. Couldn' t give him a baby, so he found someone who co

d into her hard. Sarah stumbled, her ankle twisting painfully as she fell. The bolt of cloth rolled away. The woman just smirked. "Watch where you' re

. The front door was ajar. She pushed it open and an unfamiliar sweetne

e, reclining on their sofa, a proprietary hand resting on her slightly rounded stomach. Elea

the affection she had never once shown Sarah. "You' re carrying my

oking uncomfortable but resolut

?" Sarah asked, her voi

essica is moving in. She needs to be ca

h' s voice rose.

oice smooth and victorious. "You were just keeping it

is for the best. For the baby. We' ve cleared out the guest

mistress into her home; they were demoting her, erasing her. They were taking her place, her room, her life, and handing it to

ut something else was happening inside her. The pain and shame were being burned away by a white-hot rage. The woman who

or. She sat on the edge of the bed, her bed, and breathed. The shock had faded, leaving behind a terrifying clarity. They

When she didn't answer, he used his key. He

er drew these up. It' s a post-nuptial agreement. It just cl

ook at the papers.

m refusal. "What do you mean, n

rk. I' m not si

y roof, in my house-" h

d, a conversation with her grandmother years ago, just before the wedding. This i

e possessed. "Actually, Mark," she said, her voice

th confusion. "What a

"It came from my grandmother' s inheritance. The deed is in my name. Only my n

laced by a panicked, cornered man. He stared at her, finally seeing not a submissive wife

e house grew toxic. They tried to intimidate her, to wear her down. Eleanor cornered her in the kitchen, her vo

ah said, her voice steady. "I' m j

or the first time, and she was doing it alone. That night, unable to bear another second in that house, she slipped out and walked to a payphone. Her hands were shak

swered on the

o bother you at home, but..." Her voice broke.

h, it' s okay. Tell me what' s wrong. Tell me where you are." He listened without interruption as the whol

"And first thing tomorrow, we' re going to find you