Love's Ashes, Archer's Regret

he ring on her finger. All of it was a bea

eyes filled with a mixture of pity and contempt. They saw the tr

aid, his voice impatient. He was looking

s heavy and unresponsive. She felt nothing. The pain h

er in, closing th

her voice dripping with fake sympathy. "All

You know, I went to visit your mother's grave the o

d snapped up. "W

to die so young. All that money, and she couldn't even buy herself a fe

er, her mind refusing

oice light and conversational. "Fluffy is my poodle, by the way. Don'

g to buy the plot beside her mother's. She had refused. Archer had come to her, his face serious. He told her it was for a

melia

ly, so cruelly, abou

esca whispered, a wave of

loud, sharp slap. The force of it made her own hand sting. She

just laughed. "Is that all yo

don't you? The great Francesca Freeman. But you're nothing. Your mother was nothing." She paused, h

ung in the air, t

sed. "Your money, your company, your name. And I've

. "I've ta

d. She let out a raw, guttural scream and launched herself

ieked, swinging the brush wildl

her was there, his face

te. He didn't as

icke

backward into the wall. The air rushed out of her lungs in a

d involuntary. It was the pain,

ely. He cradled Amelia's face in his hands, his expression

g. "N-no, I'm okay. I think..

Francesca, his voice shaking with rage

mother," Francesca choked

e's always lying! She's just tryi

was one of pure, unadulterated hatred. Every time he

said?" Francesca asked,

so horrible," he spat. "You're the

d at him, at his handsome, furious face, and felt nothing but a vast, empty

that moment to faint, slumping

ncy. "I'm taking her to the hospital," he snapped at

leaving Francesca a cru

alked over to the mirror and looked at her reflection

t ring from her finger. She let it drop to t

from her chest.

a fake ring, a fak

engagement party is my g

ear. And he woul