His Betrayal, Her Unbreakable Love Story

ith a forced cheerfulness

e bandage across her nose, looking f

, the blade of the knife moving with meticulous precision. Dan

invisible wall separating her

ome to sa

but a real, final goodbye.

id, her voice a little dreamy. "The beaches

looking up from his task. "As soon as you're c

best," Ava cooed, reachi

best resort. First class all t

chance. Her

voice stronger than she expected

ian' s were impatient. Dante' s were w

cepted a position. It's... a long-te

atic, I see. Where are you going

listening. They weren't even trying. "It's a resear

's impressive. But they don't just hand out pos

she explained, trying to keep her v

er smile a little too bright. "We should all go

eering the conversation back to her, back

on, her desperation growing. "I'm l

m fell

ple down. Dante stared at h

incredulous. "What are you talking about?

ssified,"

his, a spy movie? You're being ridiculous. You're just doi

re," Alicia said, the exhaustion of it all w

" Dante's voice rose. "After everything we've

ed him softly. "You said if I couldn't

flushed with renewed anger. "I

ia replied, her voice devoid of emotion. "I' m not abandonin

en the three of them, a flicker of panic in her

, his tone shifting back to pragmatic

provides housin

. "What are we supposed to do with it?

id quietly, her eyes filling with tears. "She's leaving us

wing away her home, her family, and Ava, the poo

ess washed over Alicia

ash. "I'll be out by tonight. It's better this way. It

had expected her to fight, to argue, to demand her space

nerve

its earlier conviction. "She's just trying to m

didn't seem

't understand. They couldn't see the chasm that had ope

ht this was a ch

ng an amputation, cutting away a part

ck," she said, t

led out, a strange note of

he door but did

It wasn't an apology. It wasn't a p

room, leaving her brothers in a silence that

ld her tight, his own grief a palpable thing, and whispered, "I'll always take care of you, Lissy. I promise

mis

th in the air that dissipa

she refused to cry.

efficiency. She packed textbooks, research notes, a few ch

childhood, the gifts from her brot

enty years, watched from the doorwa

her voice a low rumble of indignation. "Giv

n the general directi

id calmly. "I'm leaving. They won

es widened. "Lea

the zipper on her suitc

ift the heavy case, a shad

ace unreadable. He had co

ad not c