His Final, Silent Gift

dull, beeping sound of a heart monitor. He was in

ou took a nasty fall. You're lucky you didn't n

ack down, his body feeling like a lead weight. The first thing he though

ng the antique shop. The owner was demanding compensation for the shattered statu

reed to a settlement, signing away a portion of the money Ch

ting to be discharged, the

od there, a smug

, sauntering in. "Just wanted to ma

o fists at his sides. He said nothing. The e

he thinks maybe she was too hard on you. She's soft like that. But don't

She saw Liam, then her eyes fell on Ethan,

ed to Ethan, her expression hardening. "The shop owner told me what happen

mphant one. The lie was set. Anything he

me," Ethan

's just trying to get out of paying for the

"Ethan, just apologize. Apologize to Liam,

bitter pill to swallow. He looked at Chloe, at the woman he had given a part

m, and the complete lack of it for him. He

a long, s

ry." The words felt like ash in his mouth. He added, so softly only they could he

ith anger, but Chloe

taking it back. It's clear you can't be trusted with it. I'll pay the sho

a few times. A moment later, Ethan's phone buzzed

t with not

cepting it. There wa

aid, turning away. She d

ow. Her gaze was fixed on him, and for a moment, he thought he saw a flicker of doubt, a shadow of an ol

-