His Cruelty, My Despair

e. Ethan was tapping his fingers on the steering wheel, a picture of impatie

s. The halls of the courthouse were mostly empty at this late hour, our footsteps echoing

s voice sharp with annoyance. "Don'

f the wall. My chest was aching with a dull

us through the process. It was all so sterile and quick. A few signatures, a few questions from a

eved, like a man who had just shed

sible real estate case together. We were young, full of life, and so in love. He had lifted me up and spun m

uld love so strong turn into

," he said, his tone all business. He was already moving

perties, a place we used for business g

to get back into Olivia's car

" I cal

didn't turn a

why, to tell him how much he was hurting me. But I knew it wouldn't matter. He had a

"The million-dollar bed. It was a gift from my

g-maybe annoyance, maybe a sliver of gui

e pain in my chest flaring up aga

ing to be civil here. What do you want? Money?

my feelings. He thought everything ha

money," I said. "

you. I was bored. Love isn't some fairy tale, Chloe. It has a she

a failed business deal. He saw no value in loyalty, in history, in

? Ten years m

en," he said. "It does

It radiated from my chest, down my arms, and made my knees buckle. I gasped, clutc

ture of shock and irritation. "Chloe? What ar

n was all-consuming. Black

h a reluctant sigh, he bent down and helped

had a slight tremor of uncertainty. "Yo

ndo. I'll call a doctor to check on you." It was a gesture

by the screen's glow. He was already moving on, leaving me on the cold courthouse steps with the wreckage of our life and a pain so deep I t