Elaine's Fury: The Woman Reborn

k of ice. Cole' s name glowed on the

ront him. Not no

me, and paint me as hysterical and unstable. They had been doing it for years, sub

. I needed proof th

ddering breath and

, calm and even. "Sorry, just got tu

er end. I could almost hear

voice was slick with manufactured concern. The s

I lied, forcing a light laugh. "It's

aid. "I thought I hea

smoothly. "I'm heading back to the ballro

as testing me. "Of course.

said and en

l trembling. The girl who had run from the airfiel

namics' stable future. My engagement to the brilliant Cole Koch had been the ultimate PR move afte

partner. I

eliberate. The noise, the lights, the fake smiles-it all

ir heads together, whispering. They glanced up as I approached, t

" my mother said, her vo

ng me into a hug. "I

t. The scent of her betrayal. I had to fight the urge to physically recoil. I le

nst his chest. "Just a bit

stroking my back. "Sit

as the future of the company. Cole accepted the praise with practiced humility, his eye

kneeling in front of his

n we get i

e restroom. I splashed cold water on my face, staring at the woman in the

ers of manipulation. I needed something undeniable.

ed evi

for the rest of the night, laughing at the right moments, holdi

ng views of the city. It was supposed to be our home, the st

o the rhythm of Cole's breathing. Every breath was a lie. I wa

lipped o

rictly his domain. He kept his personal laptop th

glow of the city skyline. His laptop sat on the polished oak desk, closed

till holding his warmth. I opened the laptop. T

name. My birthday. Our anniversary.

truly important to him?

tte.

te`. Nothing. `

med photo on his desk. It was tucked behind a stack of papers, almost hidden. It was a

a photo he' d shown me months ago, c

st pens and paperclips, was the very same locket. My finge

ened

scopic photo of Juliette. On the

ghes. Aug

back to the laptop and ty

ck for a second, an

loaded, and the air was

iarra, sitting on a picnic blanket in a sun-dre

th absolute certainty that I