The Fiancée's Grand Design

or my comfort, but for his control. A security guard was posted outside my doo

t, I dreamed of the jet. Of the feel of the ripped lace, the searing pain, the

lent, sterile room, the reality

nd platitudes I couldn't stomach. He'd talk about our future, a future I knew was a lie. He'd talk about buying

nge my IV. She was older, with kind eyes that held a hint

" she whispered, her

o my palm. It was a tiny memory card, th

airline tried to erase the files, but my nephew works in their IT department. He made

guard peered into the room. She gave me a

ard in the seam of my mattress, my fingers trembling

o the hospital. He said he was busy with

ng he was calling his cell, or maybe he thought I was aslee

eard ev

lence. Then, a gigg

hospital?" Chloe's voice was s

be," Mark's voice rumble

he sound of a kiss. Wet and intimate. It was followe

he purred. "My hero. Pushing that bitch out

said, his voice husky. "You were a

hey were together. While I was lying in a hospital bed, grieving th

cream, to smash the phone, to rip the world apart. But I forced mys

had been returned to me that morning by a new, clueless

ened

s a p

hant, vicious smirk on her face. She was the one who had sent it. She was holding the phone, and in the background

elow the phot

All

ne. It hit the fl

of violence on a plane. It was a long, calculated campaign of deceit. My entire life with him, the seven years he

ne line and the image on my own phone screen burning in my mind. The t

my past, my present, and what I thought was

i

eft to lose. A hollow thing

l myself wi

volume down and set it on the nightstand. I let their whi

It would be one of the la