His Betrayal, Her Unbreakable Love Story

doorway. His expression was a carefully constructed w

f conflicting emotions-anger, confusion, and a

n him for support, her face pale and drawn. But her eyes, as the

ct. To see Alicia finally and com

out the years of petty cruelties, the "accidental" destruction of her pri

words in the hospital: "She's jus

e it as a desperate, last-ditch attack,

ir side. The truth

e chose to preserve the

le of her suitcase, tightened

airy, completely at odds with the crushing weight in her chest. "I'll be

eyes, quickly masked. He thought this w

voice clipped. "That'

. Your little scene at the hospital was comp

automatically, her mind a numb fog. It was the

was being defiant, mocking them with th

nyone," she said quietly,

g forward. "I won't take your room. I couldn'

ove, making her seem gracious and sel

a stated, her voice flat. "Once I le

terated triumph in Ava' s eyes before i

te stepped forward, his

d for her, his tone laced with scorn. "She's cut

"Go. Don't come crawling back when your little dorm

ords settled in the r

pond. There was n

y bear, a gift from Julian for her fifth birthday. She set it on the bed. She picked up a collect

e essentials. Lea

. The sound of the latch clickin

a physical manifestation of her sever

here like a tribunal, blocki

e, then Dante's. She

d aside, clearing a

oke, his voice a venomous

ia. I hope you regret this

ling her forward, out of the room, down

ential downpour. The rain was cold, soaking her clothe

se again!" Julian' s voice boomed from the doorway. "

cality. He had already renou

if it was the rain on her face or th

a scar from a childhood accident, had split open from the strain of carrying t

er all the way home, his face streaked with tears, terrified she was seriously hu

way, watching her bleed in the rain,

legs threatening to buckle. She

don't go!" A v

ace a perfect mask of tragic desperation. "

began to soak her o

yelled, his voice laced with

ding her from the downpour, hustling he

er, broken smile touching her li

the world began to

o fall, a car screeched

trong arms caught her b

, what are they

e face of Dr. Carlisle Drake. He had come to pick he

ing hand, his expression turning to thunde

f the storm. "Letting her stand out here like this? She is the most brill

shot back, stepping forward

ispered, tugging on Dr. Drake'

didn't want him to fight a

rowing away!" Dr. Drake insisted, his

e dangerously calm, though a flicker of unease crossed h

begged again, h

ed face, at her bleeding hand, and his anger s

er into the warm, dry car, to

e shot one last, witheri

rrying an immense weight. "By the time you realize wh

ar pulled away from the curb, its headl

ding on the steps, frozen. The anger and certainty had vanishe

mall and lost

hutting out the image,

rying her into the darknes

ily. But she had, at