No Turning Back, Ethan

c, the dull ache in my ribs, the coarse texture of a hospital blanket. A nurse told m

was home. It was a stupid, instinctive act, like a wounded animal

d with a familiar click that

as boarded up. I walked into the living

ere th

against him, her head on his chest. He was feeding her grapes, one by one, like she was a precious, fragile queen.

t. My husband was tending to my best friend, the woman carrying his child, in the home we were supposed to build a life in to

didn't look surprised or guilty. He look

You' re

elf. She looked at me with wide, tear-fille

"I' m so, so sorry for what happened to you. I never wanted

of words designed to make her look like the victim, to

ked toward me, but he

e clipped and business-like. "The doctor said sh

at the faint yellowing

ter security system. And I bought Chloe a new ca

fort. He hadn't asked me a single question about my well-being. He hadn't

iet. "What about the fact that I was beaten by a mob beca

udacity to l

past. Chloe' s reputation was on the line. She' s a public figure. Thi

e acceptable loss. The words hung in the air between us, ugly and final. He saw my

maybe he still loved me, died in that moment. It was gone, extinguished by his cold, selfish words. I looked at him,

t was the death of a dream, and while it was agonizing, it was also strangely

ords were simple, but they held

d walked toward our bedroom. His bedroom, I

suitcase from the top shelf, the same one I had carried home just hours ago, filled with na