The Price Of His Obsessive Betrayal

Henso

icient, and discreet. The agreement was simple: I would move out, take what I needed, and in return for my silence rega

etched with concern. "You and Augustine... you've been toget

ed like ash. I wanted to tell him everything, about the birth control, about Asia' s cruel taun

f I no longer existed, a ghost haunting the edges of his perfectly constructed new reality. Every day, I heard snippets from the house staff, whispers of Augustine doting on Asia, bring

lan for today, Carmel," he would say, his gaze already back on his laptop. "Order something.

nutritious meals to aid her recovery. I was never worthy enough to disrupt

g room, a small duffel bag and a single carry-on suitcase sitting by the door. That was

n confusion. "What's this, Carmel?" His voice was devoid of emotion, a flat statement rather tha

ntire life was packed into those two small bags, a stark contrast to the sprawling man

is and Asia's. Augustine's head snapped up, a flicker of concern, then adoration, cross

have something to tell you. I've adopted two children. They're twins.

a cage. Adopted. The word felt like a lie, a flimsy veil over his monstrous decept

t are you talking about?" My feet moved without my consci

and a girl, their tiny faces red from crying. My vision blurred around the

, my voice barely human

handing them to me. His tone was clinical, detached. "Everything is perfectly legal. They are officially m

rera, Carmel. My name was on them. He expected me to raise them. His children. With her. The sh

or babies, are you hungry?" Asia swept into the room, her eyes going strai

s a shade lighter, but the resemblance was still startling. The tear-shaped mole, though-that was identical. The one Augustine had always been so fixated on, th

ing who I am. I'm Asia Whitney. And I'm the twins' nanny. Augustine hired me." She smiled

mother of his children, was now offici

er bedroom is ready for you and the children," he announced, gesturing towards the stairs.

In my room? With his babies? The babies he had secretly planne

. And you can forget about this 'arrangement,' Augustine." My voice

ned. A shadow flickered in their depths. "Divorce?" he said, his voic

tly giving me birth control, having twins with your high school sweetheart, and th

married, Carmel. We will remain married. You will be a mother to these children, as you always wanted. Asi

ins, his back to me. "Come, Asia," he said

oor, the adoption papers fluttering from my grasp. He wasn't refusing to divorce me because he loved me. He was refusing because it was an incon