Betrayal's Embrace: Frozen in Love

ss my skin. The sharp pain in my head was a dull throb now, a constant remind

y, Olivia helping Mark out the front door, her voice a

were shaking, but my voice was

ou to draft a separation agre

ther end. "Ethan? Are you

," I said,

that could wait. I needed to see this through to the end. I

for him, her movements careful and doting. Mark was lying back against the pillows, looking pale but comforta

morning sickness early in her pregnancy. I had brought her toast and ginger ale in bed, I had rubbed he

s pregnant, catering to the ma

e hungry," he whispered. "Could you... could you make m

ation. She stood up, her pregnant form moving with a

om, passing me in the doorway without even regis

gone, I steppe

He sat up a little straighter, the look

an?" he asked, his voi

wyer had emailed it to me an hour ago. I' d had it printed at a 24-hour copy shop

it,"

ment, he hesitated. Maybe he thought he could

ign it, and I give you a clean break. You and Olivia get a generous settlement. You don' t, and I will spend ever

st page, then he looked up at me with a smug smile.

ing with false sincerity. "Thank you for maki

ut I kept my face a mask of indifference. He took t

and the words tasted like ash in my mouth. I turned

race of Olivia' s perfume. I walked through the rooms, a ghost in my own

e jewelry I' d bought her for countless birthdays and anniversaries. The designer clothe

e pictures curling into black ashes. It was a desperate, cleansing act. I n