His Regret, My Freedom

promised nothing but peace. I was in my home office, reviewing blueprints for a

of the desk. The screen lit up with a nam

hus

ed, my v

o, Et

the other end, just the fai

his tone formal, distant.

leaned back in my leather chair, my eyes tracin

," I

hrow him off. He paused

following a script. "I want to give her

ice still a placid lake.

aining a slight edge of impatience, as if my lack of drama w

an. Let me know w

without say

ng moment, I just sat there, listening to the silence of our massive, empty ho

first ring, her voic

. I've been looking forward to trashing your

called me

he forget his own son's

ts a di

Maya, frozen in her chaotic art studio,

y ear. "That absolute piece of garbage! After everything you've done for him, for his career! He w

of loyalty and fury that I, the perso

oman' a legitimate status," I recited,

o burn his thousand-dollar suits. We're going to sue him

it's

u're just in shock. Don't worry, I'll

touched my lips. "Y

you talk

one that felt like it reached

said, the words falling in

e it was a different kind of si

she wh

at the perfect, orderly blueprints o