986 Nights of Betrayal

to the emergency room, just in case. It was a routine he knew well. My heart, which should have b

lls were Elenor' s favorites. The grand piano in the living room was the one she used to play. Even t

or Ivana was crumpled on the floor. Her lace-trimmed pillow, Elenor' s

ung in the air. "Apologize." He

. And when I get back, I want to see that you' ve thrown out all th

y passion. He called th

ndreds of tiny bottles of essential oils and absolutes. It was my sanct

row them out, but to save them. Each bottle held a memory

. I needed to find Corbett. I needed to see his face when he wasn' t under Ivan

he hospital. The nurse said Mr. Ewing had been there but had

ch. I checked a celebrity gossip s

wntown. He was smiling, feeding her a croissant, his eyes full of the gentle affection he once reserved for me. The caption read: "Real

ould feel their pity. Mrs. Ewing, the woman who had to clean her own room while her husband w

ing the head butler they were donations. It was a lie, but it was the only

from a closet when Corbett finally came home. He

he asked, his voice soft,

. I tossed the album into a large g

ed hurt. "Those

his arm like a vine. "Corbett, my head

ng one of his expensive cashmere sweaters, and it hung off her

d, his eyes still on me. He seemed

, her lower lip trembling. "The

ight. He turned to go with her, then

ctively around her. I dragged the garbage bag full of our "memories

ry. He brought me a small plate of macarons

he said, a charmin

late. "Did you a

' s not talk about that. It was

, my voice still quiet. "For lying? F

nding hollow even to his own ears. "You know her PTS

shed me for h

"I just asked you to be considerate of her condition. I did ground

humorless laugh escaped my lips. Out in the hallway, I could see Ivana

dripping with sarcasm. "H

my favorite. A flavor he remembered. For a moment, a flicke

erfect. Sweet,

the itchi

skin erupted in hives. My breath

wasn' t alle

ergic to almonds. And this macaron, this p

s he saw my face swell, my skin tur

1. At the same moment, Ivana let ou

gs about you and me! They' re calling me a homewrecker

the floor, sobbi

gasping for air on the library floor, and Ivana, pu

es full of panic and in

rned and r

pulling her into his arms. He chose her. He chose to comfort her

na away, leaving me alone on the floor. My hand, swollen and red, reached for

when I' d had a mild allergic reaction at a restaurant, and he had carried me to the car himself, breaking every traff