His Substitute Love, A Fatal Truth

Wrigh

power in the heart of the city. I returned to the place I had once called home, the weight of my diagnosis pressing d

ilding blocks with Katharine' s teenage son, Leo. The scene was sickeningly domestic. Laug

her throne, gestured languidly with one hand. "Cara, be a dear

ssumption of my servitude, sent a

wing in annoyance at my hesitatio

ve fetched the juice himself, then brought me a glass too, his eyes crinkling at the

I poured the juice, my hands trembling slightly, and carried it back to the living room. Leo took i

oice barely a whisper. "I'

his eyes never leaving the toy blocks. He was stacking them with th

tharine had shifted on the chaise, and a decorative porcelain bird h

dropping his blocks an

nt, his face a mask of concer

ly. The unexpected force sent me stumbling backward. My foot ca

another piece of the shattered porcelain bird. A sharp, seari

s a whip crack of fury. "Can you not cause tr

im, bewildere

her arm, where a tiny scratch was beginning to well with a single drop of blood. "It' s alright, Ambros

, ignoring her protests. He shot me a look of pure di

Leo trailing anxiously beh

yself up, my body aching, and went to the bathroom to clean the wound myself. The gash was deep, angry, and bleeding

ching me to ride. He had cleaned the wound with such gentle care, his touch feather-light. "I' ll always be here

n who had promised to protect me wa

y followed. Maids arrived in my room carrying boxes from designers whose names I only knew from magazine

ver me. This felt like a

said, my voice hoarse.

ice was softer than it had been in months, tinge

me what happened. She doesn' t blame

rn, gave a little flutter o

quet we' re holding for her tonight. She wants

n. Of course. It wasn' t about me. It was a

touched my li

manded, his tone shifting back t

d at the dress, a beautiful

a party I didn't belong to. The dress, a size too large, hung awkwardly on my thinning frame. I sat in a secluded c

beside her, his hand on the small of her back, his eyes filled with an adora

w, deliberate smile spread across her face. She whispered something

voice dripping with false sweetnes

njured leg. She took my hand, her grip surprisingly strong, and pulled

Ambrose all these years. He told me how much you looked after him." She picked up a small, exquisitely decor

od ran

ng

t Ambrose knew better than anyone. One b

was eighteen after accidentally eating a fruit salad that contained a single piece of mango. He had held my hand the

licker of something in his eyes-

rembling. "Oh, dear. You don' t like it?

it was enough. Ambrose' s face hardened,

w and dangerous. "Katharine we

girl he needed to protect. I was an obstacle, an embarrassm

ion tiny pieces. The last vest

d as I reached for the fork. If this was what he wan

the cake to my lips, a small

on, came running towards us, his face scru