Her Stolen Art, His Broken Promises

eam, my soul poured o

whispering promises of our future

g agony that stole my breath and sent

and red, and the world

ital bed, the pa

hallway, sharp and urgent: M

The final design?" Mark' s c

one. "My gallery opening will be the talk of the to

art f

ery, my

one connects this back to you. It

t a rando

as supposed to marry, the man w

ough me, and a nurse rushed i

we could, but... yo

ba

going to share

s words fina

y child-all gone, des

isn't jus

is

room, performing thei

andom mugging" story, c

or returned,

terectomy to save your life. You wo

st stolen my a

olen my ent

inging flowers an

e, blaming her for the "mess," for the "per

me, but for his reputat

my hand, and tried

xtent of this, Ava. It's for you

a problem t

ting him believe I was to

k he was sti

downfall all the

silence, a non-disclosure agreement naming Ch

ty was bre

aging smile, and then I looked at th

I said, m

eplaced by the cold b

ers and stormed out

akness, tears,

nderesti

ing to be his b

eturned, Chloe by his

her knees, sobb

ried, reaching for my blanket.

lled

ting herself,

! I deserve to

hand on h

All we are asking for is your f

sed m

neck, my unique pearl necklace,

ence was

business partners;

nal. They were

Ava," Mark's voice wa

I whis

ammed her head against th

done! Is this what you want? Yo

blami

inside m

, tears flowing free

shook as

aper, a new thought solidif

strategic

to plan m

glittered below

robe, raised he

gallery. And... I'

uinely

nding shatter

ecurity, stood at the

as a fire at the safe hous

tared, then

etely, lunging at

You did this!" he roa

that they wer

him to the scene, clinging to a

e, a fire captain hand

er bracelet with

s bracelet. She

inal

al wail tore fr

" he sobbed to the univers

the night. "Come back

s the silence of t

still at the scene, s

royed the best thing that ever happened

had a past. Chloe showed me proof. Pictures. Text m

tures were fake! Chloe set the who

stark, finally pierced

n played,

way a diamond f

ed, sobbi

have I

hen returned to hi

He knows. He completely

m, charming flower sh

bracelet-all a meticul

and influence would

h to freedo

I trusted, had a

rutal enough to shatter Mark's

onger Ava

va the

life had

ater, Leo vi

he said, revealing Mark had che

yee, walked in, his

ng, with a subtle prot

ticed

ike you're the sun

r, Leo revealed Etha

the past cheat you out

ng Chloe's fake paternity test, her affair

twenty

... no

wasn't in

r, with the possibility

p a massive contract, transformi

letter in purchase ord

to tell him

launch part

a

, a s

eyes

he glass slipped

ed, tears streami

ds me, desperate

a ste

sked, my voice cool.

his hand on Ma

said, steering him away. "Her n

tood be

ally think he kn

was my fia

erything. About Mark, Chloe, the atta

And he had never treat

ok my

And whether or not we can have kids... that has n

stre

you should know," he add

I never wanted kids. I just want to find one

mor m

all of me, l

voice thick with happy t