Stolen Melody, A Love Betrayed

e Edwar

y soft. "Taken control of my own body? Made a decision abo

om his face, his carefully constr

nding, Juliette. Whatever you think you heard

s work? Explain how my own family decided my only purpose was to be a stepping stone for her? How you pla

ing and closing like a f

face a mask of frantic anxiety. She saw me,

. "Did you tell her? Honestly, Juju, must you make everything so difficult?

erself, but i

? The life you thought you were entitled to, built on my sweat and my tears?" I leaned forward, my voice droppi

ace. Her hand flew to her own pregnant

hovering in the doorway. My parents. Their

embling finger at me. "How could you be so ungrateful? After everything w

ow that courtesy was never extended to me when you d

growl of suppressed rage. "You cruel, se

parents, their faces distorted with a righteous anger th

h decision. And it' s the first one I' ve ever been allowed

out to explode. Jake finally fou

of his company' s law firm. "Don' t do this, Juliette,"

agreement, no doubt, one that would str

thing," I said, my tone l

rm of emotions I couldn' t decipher. Anger, disbelief, and

g," he whispered, a

t, Jake, is that I didn'

er face red and blotchy. "You have been nothing but a burden since the day you were

urning with a cold fire. "You are no longer an Edw

d out of the room without a backward glance,

ier. It should have hurt. It should

they had stood, I felt nothing but a

li

lly, irrev

Why did my achievements always feel secondary to her smallest whims? Why did my parent

e my worth. Now I understood. You can' t earn so

as

igned the divorce papers with a steady hand, feeling not a pang of s

s just Juliette. And for the first t