Poisoned Love, Bitter Justice

and left for dead after a charity gala. The woman responsible, Keyla Di

wyer, was defending Keyla. He tore my mother's reputation apart,

hing across her face. That night, in our cold mansion, I confronted him. "How could yo

sealed medical records, her history of depression, to paint her as unstable and s

w he was trying to erase me. But as I signed the divorce papers he had prepared, a wild, despera

pte

making everything feel cold and unreal. I stared at the woman in the

dry eyes with a

her voice trembling just enough. "She

ears caring for others, wouldn't hurt a fly. She had accidentally spilled a

ered my mom in a quiet hallway. They did

when the doctors found the poison. A slow-act

ed murder, pla

formance. And the man directing this whole circus, the o

son G

sympathy for his client. He was the founder of the city's top law firm, a man known

just fe

gic accident, a misunderstanding escalated by f

an a physical blow. I felt

ame quickly.

hing across her face for a split second before

world dissolving into a dull roar

him in the living room when he came home. He loosened his tie, his movements f

he said, hi

I finally choked

and poured himself a scotch. "Keyla

screamed, my control finally snap

over the rim of the glass. The warmth I once loved in

d calmly. "Your mother's... condition mad

on? You mean the com

ick. "I'm talking about her medical

her briefcase on the t

you talk

oming intimate, conspiratorial. "Treated for it years ago. It wouldn't be hard for a

ng in the air, the imp

ory, to paint her as mentally ill to protect

my face, hot and fur

oncern that I now recognized as completely false. "Of cour

h my cheek, and I flin

lawyer then. He had pursued me for two years, relentless and charming. My mothe

ed, the words tasting like ash. "I stood by you whe

red, his voice losing its gentle edge. "Th

ound. "You did this for you, Garrison

amily is powerful. Making them an enemy would de

like a weapon. "Drop it, Janette. Don't file

e my mother's sealed medical records? You'll tell the wor

his voice low and dangerous. "For your

private pains against her, against me. He wo

ved with all my heart. He was a stranger. A monster

a cold, heavy despair. I nodded slowly, u

sfaction crossed his face. He walked ov

y shoulder. His touch was cold. "It will all be

the same. The love I had for him was dying, being re

ow," he said, his voice casual again. "Just

n't a

continued, not needing a response. "Get

essive silence. I looked around at the opulent house, at the life

to the bone, that I had to get out. But not