My Crown, His End: A Vengeful Heart

a soft, gender-neutral yellow. A mobile of fluffy white clouds hung over an empty crib. I was methodically sortin

lt utterly fraudulent. He looked from my flat stomach to the t

thing rumble. He'd kissed my forehead and promised to make up for the university education I'd abandon

race that I once found thrilling. Now, it just made my skin crawl. He sighed, a sound

his voice rough. "St

my lap. I unfolded them. It wasn't a hospital report. It was

my own grief a cold, dead weight in my chest. "You got what you wanted. The test

ke that, Adria. What happened...

ome? Did you forget I was pregnant when you set your little trap? Did you forget about our

round out. "But what you d

t him off, my voice rising. "My only regret is t

nting to claw at my own skin, to tear out the emptiness inside me. I had to get out, h

which had landed on my waist, stilled. His entire body went rigid against my back. He had finally, truly regi

thick with a sudden, horrifying un

hot against my ear, his body shaking wit

ho of ten years ago, trapped in that burning building, when we'd held each othe

bare legs, snapping me out of the memory. The

id, my voice c

m here now," he murmured,

ck, catching myself on the doorframe. I pushed him into the hallway and slamm

We need to talk! This isn

pleas-this one tinny and sharp, coming from

I send that video of your precious 'security failure' to Sterling and every other client we h

. "She deserved to lose that baby! I

his voice a low murmur. Then I heard him say the words that fi

. I'll handle it. I'll give yo

al room just like the one I'd just left. He had wept and made that exact same promise. "I'll give you anything you want, Adria. I promise." Back then, I'd believed his gr

cheap. They were worthless. And utterly, laughably, dispo