His Vows, Her Pills, A Life Unraveled

space. There was a dull, thro

aught in a fire at a friend's party. The smoke was thick,

l," he had yelled over

elf over me, taking the blow on his back. He had

hospital, with his back covered in bandages, he had looked a

ove with. The man who would

ling me back to the present. The man who would shield me

hospital room. The smell of a

, his head in his hands. He l

voice thick with emo

ds, but they were wra

good, you're awake. Your husband has bee

cked my

aid. "Mr. Cordova got you and his

" I asked, my

. Annabelle. He carried her out first

ed her

ysical blow. In a moment of life and de

f my shattered he

ng at him. My voice was dangerously

ed. The nurse

Mrs. Cordova-Annabelle-was here earlier. She just le

s of water. It shattered on the floor. The nur

y head. I remembered everything. The sabotaged crane

ing her

im, my eyes c

Andreas?" I asked. "

, his voice pleading. "She doesn

ake my bandag

you," I s

ce. He thought he had dodged the bullet. He didn't realize the bullet had

d, closing my eyes

ing was wrong, fundamentally wrong. He started to

I just turned my

later. As soon as he was gone, my eyes snappe

rt was

ndaged hands. I sent a text to th

. I'm rea

another text

cate. The real one. Andreas

came back wi

from th

I already have it.

tal copy of a marriage certificate. Issued seven years ago

ding, the beautiful ceremony, the vows we ex

the other woma

n thing. I thought I knew what pain was. I

at single, damning fact. Seven years. My caution was a joke. My life was a joke. I didn't

in protest. I didn't care. I pulled on my

o confr

hone. I walked right up to him and shoved my phone in h

ith a rage that was terrifying in its intensity. "

color drained from his face. He looke

I can ex

flat. "Or, well, I guess I can't, can

ne back and dialed

im, Cassidy. C

ripped the phone from my grasp and smashed it ag

een this side of him. His face was a ma

his voice a low growl. "You're mi

ied to pull away, but he was too strong. He dragged me out

ne moved. They probably thoug

s. He got in the driver's side and turned to

his voice dangerously soft. "I'll show y

ds our home, but towards the new studio

loved was gone. In his place was a