Betrayal In White Roses

The space I had once called home now felt alien and hostil

id, her voice firm as she guided me onto

tchen to make tea, and I was left alone with the silence. My gaze landed on a framed ph

iam had acted instantly. He'd thrown himself over me, shielding my body with his own as the building swa

e, now felt like a cruel joke. He would shield me from a collap

finally rebelling against the night's emotional onslaught. As

shaking. It was a messa

ened

elet, the one I had sketched out myself, showing the constellation on the night we first met. He was supposed to have it made for m

things are just meant for the right person. T

my lungs. This wasn't just a betrayal, it was a long-c

was Liam. He looked tired and exasperat

be here, Liam," she sa

Olivia. I need to

voice flat. I stood up, leaning

h his hair. He walked over to me

." He opened the box. Inside was a diamond necklace. "I boug

Sarah's social media photos, draped over her dresser. He was trying to placat

a dry, humo

lievable," I

's over, Liam. I mean it. I want

The remorse vanishe

n years over one mistake?

d a child with her, Liam! You gave her my ring, my

is grip tight. "You'

" I warned, try

utting through the tension. He gl

om me. "Sarah? What's wrong? ... The baby has

bbed his keys, not

go. The b

. Even after all this, even with me standing here

voice barely a wh

to me. "She needs me, Chloe. T

n he wa

in. More messages f

r favorite restaurant for three hours before he'd texted, saying his mother was ill and he had to fly out to see her. The

ith the baby. It was dated the weekend he was sup

him, teaching the

or the past seven years, was a carefully constructed fiction. He was never at a conference. His mother was

t was so intense it made me double over. I looked

told him yet. I was going to tell him tonig

mbled back to the bathroom, a cold dread washing over me

by. Ou

the lie. How could I bring a child into this world of deception? A child whose

ain. I slid down the wall, cl

e desolation. I couldn't do it. I couldn't tie mys

d the number for a private clinic. I would erase this last, fina

started packing a bag. I wasn't just leaving him. I was

-