The Man Who Broke Her Heart

ivorced, he fought to keep me in his home, becoming the only family I had. Ever

school flame, Dal

rnight, replaced by a stranger. I overheard him telling Dalia,

nt he once worked all summer to buy fo

laughed cruelly. "You'll move into the servant's qu

ting me as a clingy, delusional girl. I became the public villai

inally understood. My love was worthless. I picked up the phone and cal

pte

ear, the New York City skyline a blur

I ag

rish's voice, warm but laced with

We don't have to do this

h down her cheek. "I'm sure," she said, her voice st

t her build her own life away from the Oneal family, to stand on her own two feet

s initial shock. "That's wonderful, honey! Hadley is a good

small, watery sm

he thought of escape, sorrow for the life she was leavin

" Arvil said, his excitement bub

I'll talk to

ing from her grasp. The silence of the room was heavy, pressin

ed when her

ad a son, Kason Oneal, from a previous marriage. At ten years old, Is

d her own daughter treated Isabela like an unwan

her meals were whatever was left over. Cora' s daughter

make herself small, to endure th

ckyard. They pushed her into the mud, laughing as they ruined her only cle

r stepmother, for anyone. She

quiet, but he saw everything. He walked straight past his mother

low as he gently wiped the mud f

m that day on, Kason was

p to his mother and sister for her, made sur

hat Kason Oneal cherished his stepsist

s left in the Oneal household, Kason' s devotion n

nted to send Isabela to a boarding school. Kason ref

hing more, a secret love she held tight in her heart. Living un

to him more than once, he

push her away. "We're family

en, one night, after a university party where she had a little too much to drink, he brok

ught her love was finally return

alia Keith

ne who had broken his heart. The moment she

yes when he saw Dalia again. It wa

tween them. The warmth vanishe

nship to Dalia in the hallway. "She's just my

He became cold, distant,

e with Dalia, taking her to the

tbreak. The laughter they shared, the easy way he touch

The little flame of hope she had nu

She would stop loving h

he focused on her studies, made plans with

ason found her

ot meeting her eyes. "She really likes that

ion working a part-time job to buy it for her eigh

ay for years, a constan

om her book, her exp

and placed it in his hand

by her easy compliance. He had

but it wasn't sadness. It was someth

started, his v

distant smile. "She'l

y. He looked angry.

Isabela?" he asked, his ey

laying at

any trouble for Dalia

was gone, replaced by a stranger. "I need to talk to yo

m next to his anymore, a room filled

anymore, do I?" she added, a

at her room would always be hers, t

be ridiculous. You'll move into the servant's quar

e servant's quarters. He was demoting her,