A Compass, A Betrayal, A Life

eeking refuge in the familiar lines and angles of my work.

w her. Chloe. She was standing by the elevators, talking on her phone, laughing.

a second, then returned, wider and sharper. She ended her call

e," she said, her tone dri

ting," I said

ork," she said, a pitying look on her face.

ach for a fraction of a second. Th

are," I warne

concerned. Mark is so worried about you. He thinks you'

gain. A label they had put on

voice hard. "And you will stay a

do you? Mark doesn' t want you anymore. You' re a reminder of

"He told me you were always so cold, so focused on your career. He said

ulated blow. I felt t

grabbed my arm. "Where are y

e, with a look of theatrical shock, let go and staggered backward, tri

shrieked. "Yo

ext she was on the floor, cradling her arm and wailing

own the elevator. He took one look at Chloe on the floor

d you do?" he roared,

sobbed, clinging to him. "She

my voice shaking with a mixture

sation. Mark was cradling Chloe, whispering soothing words

at, his voice filled with venom. "Attacking a

hed over me. I was standing in the middle of a crowded lo

pleaded, my voice barely a

sed entirely on Chloe, helping her to h

ing as he brushed past me, supporting Chloe. "Stay away fro

re alone, in the center of a c

otect me, the man I had built a life with, had just looked at me as i

shared-it all felt like a story about someone else. That love was dead. He had killed it.

y lost child, flared up again. It was a dull, c

ded by strangers, I had never felt more alone. The marriage wasn't just broken; it was annihil