ia'

got to intro

utely terrified of marriage-not because I'm broken or cold, but because society already did the

g reality and losing myself in Henry Clark-his smirks, his hands, his mind. On th

shirt-oversized on my frame, the collar hanging just enough to tease a glimpse of cleavage. My bare thighs brushed again

red, holding a bottle o

se deep, unreadable eyes. He poured the wine smoothly,

He took a slow sip, then leaned down and kissed me hard, letting the sweet red wine p

the glass and poured the rest

nging to every curve. I gasped-more from the surprise tha

ight. Why not go

I kissed

or, the lingering taste of w

t tangled into chaos, I got up quietly. No notes. No promises. I placed a ba

engine running. Two hours later, I was flyi

d gone exactl

later, I mis

at I was expecting. I stared at them in my bathroom fo

ng to be

ot anxious-ju

tucked away in the French countryside, letting the world spin on without

elt stone. My parents were overjoyed. They stopped nagging me

mov

a to her Facebook-Emma babbling in her tiny voice, chasing butterflies in the garden. The video explod

lry was a hard sell in a faltering ma

myself overnight as the chic, stylish mom-next-door. Me and Emma-t

, we had over ten

inally gol

way of knocking when

legendary. We were in our prime. Even my assistant started consulting fortune tellers t

p, never cared. Honestly, I assumed he'd forgotten about me, just like I'd erased him from th

xpect was that

dn't want

ted my

refoot in my living room. Emma was at my mom's for the night. For once, the house was quiet.

orning

of my ringtone. Groggy, disoriented, head p

ls. All from

earily at the screen b

ted, her voice pierced thr

s, R

d turne

ha

, there was a deafening

ered. The w

lipped fro

undered up t

my perfect little