Stolen Life, Broken Heart

es, Sophia's mother. In my stolen life, she was my former mother-in-law. In my

eally you? Oh,

looking down at the official documents. Divorce papers. A death certifi

.. I didn't know she would go this far. I thought it was just

wasn't a question. "You k

I told her she was crazy. I told her to stop." Her voice cracked. "She wouldn't listen

laugh escaping my lips. "You m

was yours. That's why she was so hard on him. He looked too m

eathtaking. She punished

ed with an incoming call. It was Sophia. I put

lling you. The press is everywhere. You need to release a statement

ed on the other

ined s

n his way. He wants to talk to you about the funeral arra

h such casual intimacy. It was a performanc

voice low and dange

t be so dramatic. It's a tragedy, of course, but we can't let it derail ev

epeated, the words

inally move on, without... complications. We should

he phone's speaker. Mrs.

phone. "That was your grandson! You

n end. An anchor to Ethan. Now that I have everything I want, the anchor is no longer nece

dead. Sophia

into a torrent of confession. The whole story came

t Sophia out. He was charming, ambitious, and utterly ruthless. He saw her as his ticke

a failing kidney, a genetic flaw

ake everything. My father, who always resented my mother and me, was in

rds, to create the story of "Ethan Miller" and his sudden kidney failure. They

ter you went into surgery. How she felt guilty sometimes, but how his love made it all worthwhile. She wrote about L

ny. As Leo grew, he became my mirror. An

ll give it to you. I'll testify. I'll do anything. Please... just

pers on the table. I picke

ice as cold as the

she wh

ng him back. You stood by and watched it

rm, deliberate stroke. Ethan

emotion. "He will be buried with my family. With t

hoing in the silent room. I picked up the small, sealed

ife they had built for me was a prison of lies, and I

y. Every sing