The Shattered Wife's Ascent

spent his last days. I used to come here every evening after work, and David would always call, asking when I'd be home to make

est ache. I sacrificed so much for this company, for David. I convinced my dying fath

m post from Emily. A picture of her and David at a fancy restaurant, laughing over a bottle of wine

ile I was sitting in my car grieving, my

haustion and sorrow. My eyes fell on a large, elegant

tupid moment, m

real wedding, a real celebration of our marriage. He had laughed it off, but maybe... mayb

g fingers, I

een. It was the one. The exact one from the picture. Hope, fragile and dangerous, bloomed in

when he came home hours later, smelli

his tie. He didn't look at me

n, my voice sof

big one. The CEO's daughter is getting married, and I'm help

. It was just business. It was always

ust wanted to sleep, to forget this whole day. I let his explanation wash over me, a flimsy bandage o

phone was on the counter, where he'd left it when

notification from his calendar. "

allpaper. It was a new pictur

as E

l shop, standing o

g the wedding dres

e picture, her face full of adoration. Underneath the photo, in a

ure Mrs

floor. But I didn't hear it. The only sound was th