ond time, Ethan was a master

shoulders shook with what looked like sobs. The moment my

Oh, God,

of the bandages wrapped around my

tears dampening my hospital gown. "The do

contorted in pain. "The attack...

the first time, to be broken by the news. Inside, I was a frozen, silen

rnal injuries... you won't be able to have children. They had

s words of comfort wrappin

ugh this. We'll adopt. We'll build our family,

aken my sight, our child, and my future, and now he was promising to give me a

e world outside my window with poetic detail, all while meticulously managing the na

t-to-speech app years ago, a tool for convenience that now became my only window to the truth. I fumbled for the dev

ad the message from an unknown number.

to you, happy bi

nging to a child. I heard a woman's laughter in

oy Leo!" Ethan cheered. "

inst my ribs. Another

ording of a

n was saying, his voice soft with affection. "The best cat

dripping with possessive sweetness. "What abou

r the... accident... she'll be in no position to argue. I'll be her guardian, her

n't just replacing me. He had been living a complete, separate life. The wedding I was planning, the future I was dreaming o

broken me, made me a helpless doll for him to pity and control. He was wrong.