His Friend, My Living Hell

Kell

p of a monitor. Not the flatline of death, but the steady p

on the bedside table. Next to it was a note

or your father. He is stable. Fabiola was

urning into a sob that wracked my entire body. He' d saved my father, yes. A tra

k of love for him died, leaving b

e, but a calculated, icy resolve that settled

other, but to a number I had saved for

ged mother. A shrewd, principled woman who had seen through her son's charismatic facade yea

ened?" Her voice was

"I want to disappear. I want him to believe I' m d

other end of the line. Th

lled home. In my bag were two sets of documents. One was a stack of legal papers Jose

licker of something-annoyance? concern?-in his eyes as he

ice holding a sliver of its old warm

mahogany desk and placed the stack of paper

sage from Fabiola, no doubt. His attention shifted instantly. "Fine, fine," he said, distracted, reac

, the one I had so carefully placed there. The divorce papers. With a pre-signed

eady standing, his phone in

without a ba

his was the man who had pursued me for a year, who had bought the library I worked at just to have an excuse to see me, who had renounced

thered to read what he was sign

bitter, it almo

trar's office. The final step was my own signature,

laughing with Fabiola in the living room. She was

ual. "Fabiola is going to be staying with us for a

said, my voice a

, I'm feeling a bit peckish. Could you make me that se

berate move to establish he

said q

lower lip trembling. "Julian... she's being so

e silent, immense pressure of his disapproval filled the room, suffocating

to play the part, just for a little

e tight. I turned and w

ing on autopilot. When I brought the bowl out, F

said, pushing it away.

used," I said through gritted teet

ice suddenly sweet, "I think I do want some after all. But my arm is so sore

was letting her. He watched, his face a ma

Fabiola' s hand shot out. Not to take the spoon, but to grab

y, she "acciden

ks of potato and clam spille

hot agony that stole my breath. I screamed, s

n his feet i

th you?" Fabiola shrieked, cradli

yes blazing with fury as he rushed to

own my face. I held up my hand, the skin already blistering,

ce as his eyes darted from her pristine, untouched s

rs welling in her eyes. "She hates that I'm here! She

d, replaced by a cold, hard rage. It was a

" he commanded, his vo

hispered, i

ogize

t was already dead and bur

can spend the night in the wine cellar to think about what you've done

imal fear. He knew. He was using my phobia against m

my arms, my gaze locked with Fabiola's over Julian's sho