Beyond Betrayal: Finding Her Own Path

correspondent positi

, cutting through the quiet of

map of deadlines and stress, looked up from his p

an assignment, it's a death wish.

unwavering. "My file shows I've completed h

nvestigative journalist. Why throw that away for

nce of her apartment, the hollowness inside her that had nothing to do with hu

se laughter used to fill their small home, but the grim-faced detective who had become a st

et the specific cut of pork Mark loved. She' d braised it for hours, filling

he food growing c

ight, his uniform rumpled. He d

lat. "Sarah was feeling down. I took

r tracing a path down her cheek. She didn't say a

t of David, she felt

looking for a story that matters. My skills are perfe

s, the one that said her mind was made up. It was the same lo

itary press convoy. It' s not

w," sh

or a long moment,

ve the transfer. You

her dizzy. Two weeks. In two weeks, she would be free. Not

the bustling newsroom, the noise fading int

and more like a beautifully decorated cage. She went straight to the kitchen to make a simple sou

n't alone. Sarah Hayes followed him inside, her

was just telling me you haven't been feeling w

on of milk from the fridge. "Sarah

ensive, imported chocolates and a small bouquet of freesias, Sarah' s favorite. He

tcher, was still in its wrapping, shoved to the back of the fridge. Nex

anger flared

e need t

sion already defensiv

e on her face. "Oh, let's not fight. Mark, y

and and me," Ava said, h

ut his tone was impatient. He turne

that I spent two days getting that pork for you. I cooked

idow needed me. Is that so hard to unders

r him, all the meals gone cold, all the anniversar

, Mark? A room

o dramatic,

welling up with tears. "I know how hard it is to be marrie

rah. He put a comforting arm around her

d. "You should be more like Sarah.

r. The man she loved was gone, rep

so intense it stole her breath. She gaspe

icker of concern, but it was

inside her. "Something's wrong,"

ion unreadable. "It's probably just c

beading on her forehead. The pain was gett

peration. "Ava, I just got home.

e was hearing. She looked up at his face, searching

screaming in protest, and grab

voice a strained whisp

ent, leaving them standing the

d hushed voices. After what felt like an eternit

d gently. "You're abou

a like a physica

. There' s a significant risk to you if you continue. And... there are signs of a

He'd told her to take some painkillers and rest. She lost the baby alone in their bathroom. H

ho prioritized another woman' s comfort over his own wife' s agony. A life she woul

Ava' s mind was clear. She couldn't bring a child into this broken ho

They weren't just for the child she was about

pered, her voice hoarse.