Ninety-Nine Letters, A Thousand Lies

Burri

iress for decades," Ms. Thorne's voice echoed from the

rst name. But the surname of the media-shy, powerful family I had only dream

itched, panicked sound that pierced the stunned silence of the

risingly strong. Too strong. The phone, already cracked, slipped from my fingers again

uckled. I sank to the cold floor. The cold, hard reality of Ms. Thorne' s words crashed over me.

ce. My lineage. He had played me for a fool. A pawn in his twisted game of ambition and obsession. Every tender word. E

burning pain. I felt hollowed out. A marionette with its strings cut. My pu

' d said, his eyes full of what I thought was adoration. "So perceptive. So ta

n marriage. They were for the innocent, naive woman I had been. The woman who had believed

nymore. My hope. My dreams. My

che, I found myself scrolling through social media. A mo

her finger. My ring. The one he' d given me. "Celebrating our new beginnings," the caption read. "So proud of

ers. Publicly. My vision blurred again. My stomach churned. The irony was a bitter

s. This was a public execution. A carefully orchest

med open. My eyes snapped open. Adrenaline surged th

h rage, bellowed from the li

eamed at me to run. But where? I was trapp

were now dark, stormy pools of fury. He saw me. Standing b

is voice was low, trembling with suppressed violenc

said. My voice flat. Lifeless. "With your

t hurt. "Don't you dare speak like that to me!" he hissed. His face in

gainst his grip. The memory of my bruise

my jaw. Forcing my head up. His eyes bored into mine. No

e? Ruin everything I've built with Kennedy?" He snarled. His

n. I was not a thing. But his strength was overwhelmin

feet barely touching the ground. My heart pound

ing?" I gasped.

around my wrists. I stopped fighting. My body went limp. I let him d

seats felt cold against my skin. He buckled me in. Then tied my hands together with

e. The powerful hum vibrated through the car. He

ke that, Aubrey?" he growled.

oad ahead. I wouldn't give him the sat

d. His voice laced with frustration. "You're usual

t words, Cooper? How about 'betrayal,' 'deceit,' 'fraud,

drove in silence for a while. The city lights blurred past.

gh-end clinic. A discreet, anonymous facade. My blood ran cold. The ki

, my love," he murmured. His hand reaching out. To stroke my hair. I flinched away. "Don't

l firm on my arm. He led me inside. The sterile scent of antiseptic filled my

white coat, greeted Cooper with a

his is Dr. Elena. She's going to help us. Just a small...

t? A terrifying thought sparked. Was he... was he

ng. I tried to pull away. "Cooper

eld a strange, desperate gleam. "Aubrey, don't make this di

's name? My inheritance?" My

eeds this. She needs us." His gaze was intense. Fanatical. "She lost so mu

ess steel table. My body felt heavy. My resolve, once so

the architecture of my soul, Kennedy. He wasn't just b

His smile. My vows. All lies. The woman I was had loved him. Desperately. B

? I closed my eyes. Bracing myself for the nex

ainty, that this was just th