When Love Dies, Revenge Blooms

rned his attention back to me. He gestured to two lar

y," Austen announced to his audience. "Le

he cold intensified, a physical blow. They stepped inside, their faces blank and uninterest

I warned, my voice

ng my arms. I struggled, kicking and twisting, but it was us

loud in the small space. They tore it away, leaving me in my underwear, exposed

is eyes raking over my swollen belly. "Kn

. Humiliation burned through m

or. Ice cubes and freezing water spread out in a wide puddle at my feet. The cold from

d the ice. The cold was a searing pain, a thousand tiny knives stabbing into me.

the ice. I could feel

my voice cracking. "My baby!

er of something in Austen's eyes. May

tle hand on his arm. She looked at me, her

ping with fake concern. "Austen, darling, mayb

ected at him, a subtle manipulation. She was position

up, the movement tearing my skin. "She kn

w the pure, unadulterated hatred in them before s

," Deb said softly, her voice catching. "So

the brief flicker of humanity

"She doesn't care about anyone but herself. She need

ulled a small, ornate pin from her hair and, wincing, pricked the palm of

tured pain. "She's so cruel... she makes me so stressed, my old ulc

ical, that it should have been laugh

see what you do? You hurt everyone

kets. "Get more. More ice. More water. Pour

recognized, stepped forward. "Austen, s

ed about my health," she whispered to Austen, loud en

He looked at me, trapped and freezi

he comman