Walla

ng white ceiling of my bedroom stared down at me. My body ached with a dull, persisten

Elliot? Nonsense. A hallucination from pain. He' d always dismissed anything that didn't fit his narrow, amnesi

e, nothing less. And you will remain so." His voice was flat, devoid of the earlier confusion.

tics empire, the one I've been investing in and subtly expanding for you, w

wouldn't give him the satisfaction of a re

e: the car my father had arranged would

Each passing day had chipped away at my spirit, eroding the vibrant woman I once was. The pain was a constant companio

was gone. Repla

Utterly, irr

creen, a soft smile touching his lips. It was Ja

ough the phone. "The baby! Something's wrong! She's bleedin

th a terrifying rage, fixed on me. "You demon!" he roared. He yanked me f

rove like a maniac, tires screeching, leaving a trail of rubber on the pavemen

her perfectly made-up face streaked with feigned tear

my face. Her nails raked across my cheek, leavin

ing to push her away. "Check the sur

ce pale and trembling. She dropped to her knees before Jake, sobbing. "

ran cold.

ee wailed, her voice cracking. "She offered me a large sum of money to... to hurt the baby, j

hestrated, malicious nightmare. "That's a lie!" I sc

had gathered. "Monster!" someone yelled. "How could she?!" Another sho

being flooded with hate. Calls for boycotts. My business partner, the one who had just confirmed the transfer, called, h

fant's lip was swollen, a small cut visible. He stared at me, his eyes burning with an inferno of hat

ey!" Jada cried, clinging to his

never leaving mine. His voice dropped to a t

lanket, descended upon me. "No," I whimpe

ng my chin up. The first stitch. The needle pierced my lip, a sharp, excruciating pain. I screamed, but no sound came out. Only a ragged, tearing noise. Another stitch. And another. The threa

white dress, a stark co

red, his voice cold. "She needs to see nothing. Hear nothing. Say not

ed within my stitched lips. The guard he

eds to understand that she will never speak, never see, never hear again if she dares t

hysterical laugh. I thought of my past choices. My blind love. My foolish hop

m with everything I had. And he h