rely noticed. She sat by the window, her palms flat against the wooden

chimed. Tiana walked in with the calm gra

y with measured steps a

crossed to Sarah's tab

here was no greeting, no smile, just si

ing quickly between them. Her fingers tapped

steady, but her hand trembled slightly where it pressed ag

urprise. "How was I supposed to know you'd check his phone

d, raw with fury. "It was deliberate. You wanted

hadn't seen them, the truth would have found you. People

forward, her nails digging into the wood. Her chest burned w

o you want? Why di

e," Tiana said plainly.

g like stones in her stomach. "

was yours. You know our history. He loved me. I loved him. Life separated us, but when

eak like he belongs to you, like

mes deserves the truth. Look at your son. Look at your husband.

eplayed Daniel's rejection, the way he had pushed her,

chest until breathing

, her strength draining away. "Why tell me

d, though her eyes betrayed triumph. "Seeing it in my face will make

me to hand you everything; my home, m

doesn't wait for permission. Men remember what they loved, and children follow what they see. You can cling to the

waiter walked past, pretending not to

der into the wood until h

e asked. Her voice was sharp,

," Tiana replied simply. Her tone

l. Shameless. You called me here just to pour out this trash?" She push

hed into her bag. She placed a folded slip

she said

dragged it forward. She unfolded the paper. Two

ld around her blurred; the café, the ch

t strip

arah whispered, h

expression unreadable. "I'm

ng through every inch of Sarah's being. Her hand we

even gasps. "No. No,

seen it in his eyes, haven't you? The softness that no longer belongs to you. Now there's

t together as the café spun around her. Her visio

sed, trapping

he edge for balance, her tears dropping fast. "You

arries his blood. Men may deceive themselves, but not when faced with a c

d hard against her temples, as though she co

me fast, shall

mph. "This is the truth, Sarah. You fought for what was never fully yours.

rah's vision clouded. She blinked furiously, but the

o stand, but her legs refused. The strength dra

smile. "You can be kind in this moment, Sarah. Or you can d

hing Sarah heard as the

p of paper with its two red lines lay on the table, silent and und