He Murdered My Father For Her

ennedy. Each time, she'd orchestrate a new disaster, and he'd rush to

lege student on the verge of jumping off a bridge, he saved m

her," Kennedy said. "You orchestrated he

orld. "She was just a means t

to appease Kennedy's jealousy, he tried to kill me with a

me a top scientist on a deep-space mission. Four years later, I'm back, an

pte

on Co

he words echoed in my head, a chilling whisper

rt a leaden weight in my chest, listening t

entire life on hold for, was confessi

the one who had systematically disman

lliant trajectory among the s

y crafted lie. I was a genius astrophysicist, but

oted fiancé. He was charming, wealthy, a tec

ve of his hand. "She's just a troubled old friend," he'd sai

from my past I c

isturbed woman, prone

w she' d once crashed his car into a tree, ju

mors about him, sabotaged hi

en, a frenemy he tolerated out of a

m. I wanted t

down to the last detail. I remember the white roses, the

ut to walk down the a

ict

ming crimson against her pale skin, a c

sirens wailed

me standing there. He rushed to her sid

dding

ter, teary-eyed

concoction of guilt and manufactured concern. "I promise, this

d him. I

ate ceremony, was interrupted by a bomb threat at

again,

ortable stares of the few guests burning into my skin.

ern repea

-eight

te disaster orchestrated by Kennedy, a

emorse, promising me a future where Kennedy was no longe

I clung to thos

that char

ed with a venomous sweetness

u orchestrated her father's 'accident' to get me that trans

t me like a

is "acciden

. My legs buckled. The world tilted on its axis. Archer, the ma

' d never heard him use for me. "Yes, Kennedy.

gs. My entire body

ed, my hero,

es, then the image of Archer's face, tw

urned, my movements stiff, robotic. I couldn't b

and dialed the only number that mattered now

hisper. "I need out. The deep spac

asured, was now grave. "Allyso

ill be. Just tell me, is it still possible? The five-y

ou'd be off the grid. No contact. For five y

ing with a new, terrifying reso

old wall. My life, my brilliant career, my love-all sacrificed, all for a lie. I, Dr.

factured stars he'd rigged in his private observatory. It had

t a party. "Archer's old flame," they'd joked, "she's a real piece of work.

e the in

ing embarrassing photos of him to the press. Archer had always been

s arm tight around me. "Don't worry, I'll handle it

sense of security. Archer promised me. "No one else,

shing one of Archer's high-profile board meetings, flinging herself at him, ma

hissed at me later, her eyes glintin

obsession. The control. The deep

entrenched in the fan

so I thought,