A Painter's Revenge: Love Redeemed

augh escap

He had pr

I looked across the lobby at him, at the man who was supposed

ng us to get married quickly. "A merger of families is

my heart ache. "No, Mom," he'd said. "I'm marrying Alana because I love

fic date. He had just smiled m

l. A sweet, naive fool. And on t

of relief washed over me. At least I hadn't signed

. "Mr. Avila is so generous," she said to a colleague. "These are cus

ffered me a piece with a kind smile

ake it. I

ht up in his joy, he didn't even s

t in a simple white dress. She stood on her tipt

rm around her, his smile ge

the big celebration? We all want to

ceremony and it will be broadcast globally. I wan

looking every bit the

walked out of

waiting for me, laid out on my bed. The

t downstairs to the firep

fabric, turning it to black ash. I

of my closet. It was filled with every gift Damian had ever given

him once, tracing the silver

"Because you're my sky,

the warmth of his hands. It all f

contents into the fire. The flames roared, c

ast w

ade two calls. The first w

the house," I sa

was to th

he garden," I ordered. "Dig them up. I

ds and knees in the dirt. "Because they're the

anymore, I thought

, profound exhaustion settle over me. I

to be jolted awake by a feeling of bei

ed my e

face inches from mine. His breat

scrambling to the o

ssed. "You're a married man now

he still had a key. I made a mental note to

ng hurt. "Alana, d

tient a little longer. I'll divorce her, I swear.

e, intense love he had always show

he said softly. "

cing shriek came

are you? You promised

have followed him. She m

"If you're going back to her, I'll

s running out of the house, fo

om. They saw the two figures running out of the h

tired for

cks," I said,

ance but didn't ask any questions

ver my head and wille