Love's Ashes, A Bitter Price

d and sharp. He would take my s

he fight drain out of me,

poison in my mouth. I directed them at the muddy

d sound. "It's fine. I forgive

ning his full attention back to her, leading her g

alone on th

phone a few minutes l

g her to the doctor. The driver

ing with the rain that had started again. I cried for my lost child, for t

e pills looked so small, so harmless. I swallowed one

th the hem of my coat. They were all I had left of this day. They

me home that ni

had tagged me in a post. It was a liv

. Cali was beside him, sparkling in a sequined dress. She l

influencer gushed. "When are you goin

Kaden with wide, expectan

owd yelled, "He's

But he doesn't love her," she said, just loud enough f

era, his handsome face se

ice deep and resonant.

d his neck, her face buried in his shoulder, but I cou

r my benefit. A public

venge on her family. It wasn't a game. He loved her. All the

rom the streetlamps outside. The wind howled, rattling the wind

sual cramps. It was a f

cold dread washing over me.

dull, throbbing echo. I felt... empty. A part o

in person, of course. He was kneeling beside my h

said, his voice soft. "It was... very

. Dismissing another

ed. He would talk for hours about names, about what our child would look like. He

e man who sat before

p and cruel. The yacht.

een you," he h

felt like a physical death. I had lost e

They were tears of grief, of rage, of a

hospital room

er expression impatient. She was dres

was sharp, annoyed. "You promised

hand. He stood up, his attent

smile on his face. "Jealous that

s if. You're jus

e teased, deliberately trying to provok

my hospital bed was their playgroun