His Thirty-Fourth Accidental Betrayal

taken such good care of me. That's why our w

sed he was the one behind all thirty-three of my "accidents." He was in love wi

med me for slapping her, he shoved me

ftop, he rushed to save her, letting me f

beaten in prison as punishment, and she died from her inju

e his. Our families had bound us together. Yet he destroyed m

erately ruined my vocal cords, destroying my ability to ever sing again. When I woke u

l, and left everything behind. He had taken my v

pte

wedding was suppo

rty-fourth time it

. The second time, a chandelier fell and gave me a conc

ach time, I ended up in the hospit

es. I was so weak I' d had several close calls, my life hanging by

ust wanted to get some water, a small act of normalcy in a li

st brilliant surgeon in the city.

at I used

hospital corridor, I heard voices fro

den by the tur

ellow doctor. "This is the thirty-third time Elyse has been hurt rig

d, reaching for the wall to st

times. He' d

voice was cold, stripped of the warmth h

you keep hurting her like this?

on. "My family owes her. My father ruined her father' s career, an

ibility.

ed to see for years w

o fulfill by torturing her?" his f

. "But it doesn't matter. I have to ke

ntored. The one whose name I' d heard him mention with

ove with her

iately. The silence was hi

art felt like it had stopped. The air left

ring. Tears I didn' t know I wa

llow, back to the safety of my room. I collapsed onto the

three a

rake failure in my car. The "accidental" pu

. All of

e didn't want

whose late father had been a brilliant surgeon. My father had sacrificed his career, taking the blame for a mistake mad

their way of fulf

gentle touches, his worried frowns wh

w it was

g echo of the agony in my chest. Every wound on my

pened. It

of concern. "Elyse, you shouldn't be o

bility again, and the wor

he said, his voice the soft,

s he prepared the antiseptic, his phone buzzed. He glanc

ng from it-a small, handcraf

alled it childish and tossed it in a drawer. But this one, this sun, was identic

voice instantly changing,

What's

gh the phone. She needed his help with a p

smile I hadn't seen directed at me in ye

s his eyes fell back on me. He seeme

soaked in antiseptic. He was supposed to ap

me, he

ng antiseptic directl

old sweat broke out on my forehea

t, my voice tremblin

ismissive. He didn't stop. Instead, his movements became

y lip to keep from screaming. The physical pain was nothing

me so he could

the tray with a clatter. "I have to go. There' s an

alked out without

, leaving me in a wor

g shredded. A single tear roll

y wound and my shatter

ent black a