DOMINATED THE IN-LAW

NNE'

the discovery of the husband I thought he w

I wanted it to peel away the ache, the memor

death, he st

soundless shudder. The world outside the shower no longer made sense

to me and the water drops traced down my bar

me. His cologne. His soap. Him. My chest caved inward

ntouched yet somehow alive w

abric was smooth but all I cared about was the faint trace of him that still lingered. His scen

hispered into the clot

all I knew was the ache of grief. Until some

s quickly fumbling along the lining. I felt it agai

as a

c thrumming in my veins until I pulled it free. A velvet s

d the way my trembling hands barely managed to hold it steady.

he one I kissed every night before bed, the one I still wore like

d open

from its bed of satin. A desig

en, and it wasn't grief this t

ened around the box until I saw

k into it. I lingered in my mind. There's no way Jett could have boug

tant. Rita. "Rita, could you look into the Glamour stor

e said, and t

lat

ed in, suffocating, and only the ticking o

I wasn't reading. No, I couldn't. Every time I tried to

ckly wiped under my eyes. I straightened

me

mile, though I could see the flicker of worry in her

the week. Board meeting with the Carter executives on Wednesday. A charity dinner on T

my palm to keep steady. My gaze flicked to her hand

voice lowering. "And...

hat she was about to say. No, I

page in her hand before lifting

each word was glass she was afraid to shatter. "The ring was ind

through my che

tened, but Rit

hesitated, lowering her gaze before delivering the final blow. "I also looked into Juliet. She

mrests of my chair. My bre

ce broke. "Wha

Single mother. Purchased twice. Juliet. My mind spun, gr

was d

ed the steering wheel too tightly, as Rita

Single mother.

oing until they drowned out the sound

d left it on my desk. She was a real woman and a real living being. Not a

. My goddam

! How dare yo